Collectibles Q&A

NASCAR memorabilia collectors often have questions about the items they've accumulated. Here are our responses to some of your most recent inquiries:

Q: I have a 1991 Davey Allison rookie card and wanted to know how much it is worth? -- Danz1183

A: You don't mention the brand, so I'll assume MAXX, although it really isn't important in this case. The 1991 card is not Davey's rookie card. That was in the 1988 set. Most all Davey cards from 1991 were worth about $1.

Q: My son has an autographed Dale Earnhardt 1991 MAXX card. It reads 1990 Race No. 21 Darlington. It is Dale, wife and child in front of Heinz Southern 500 sign. On the back it reads No. 191 of 240. The card was given to him by his dad for his birthday years ago. It has been kept in a plastic card toploader and appears to be in mint condition. We are curious of the value of this card. He is thinking of selling it. -- Sue

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A: Cards that have been autographed after release are not as valuable as autographed inserts because in most cases the signature can't be totally authenticated. Still, if it can be reasonably authenticated, I'd place the value of your card at $100-150, perhaps more under the right circumstances.

Q: I have an Auto Racing Digest magazine from September of 1980 with the cover story " Dale Earnhardt: Stock Car Racing's Emerging Superstar". It is in excellent condition: Intact, not dog eared or torn in any fashion. Any value to it? -- Michael Waddell

A: Old magazines have never achieved the status in terms of value that they probably deserve. This magazine would obviously be worth more to a die-hard Earnhardt fan than a "regular" NASCAR fan. Hence, I'd place the value in the $10-25 range.

Q: I have been unable to locate a value for a 1:18 Ertl White Rose Collectibles No. 24 Dupont Lumina metal bank from 1994. The limited edition number is 4295 of 5000. It is in the box. The box has some limited signs of wear but the car is in excellent condition. Can you help? -- Neyburse

A: An excellent piece here. I would place the value of this bank in the $200-275 range

Q: I have a set of metal Dale Earnhardt Card Dynamics. They are a 1994 Limited Edition set of six. What is the value? -- Free

A: This set was made by Card Dynamics for Double Eagle Racing. It's a good set, valued in the $60-80 range.

Q: I have the black Interstate Batteries hat that Joe Gibbs was wearing the day Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 in 1993. The race (victory lane celebration) will show the same hat in the picture. Joe Gibbs took the hat off, signed it along with Dale Jarrett (white ink pen so it would show up on the black) and gave it to my brother. My brother then gave the hat to me and I have kept it save all these years. I was curious as to how much you think I could get for this hat? I know the true value is in being able to prove it is what I say it is, but how would I go about doing that to someone? -- Eric

A: The only sure-fire way to authenticate something like this would be to have a signed, notarized statement from the signers verifying their autographs. Personally, I'd place the value in the $50-75 range

Q: I have an autographed 1:24 scale Dale Earnhardt 1956 Ford Victoria Action Car. I was wondering how much it is worth? -- Nichole

A: If the autograph can be reasonably authenticated, the value should fall in $200-300 territory.

Q: I have an autographed Jamie McMurray 1:24 scale No. 40 First Win Action Elite car. This was when he was still filling in for Marlin. Any Idea what it might be worth? -- L.A.

A: With the signature, the value should fall in the $80-120 range. If he starts winning, the value will go up.

Q: I have an autographed 30th anniversary Winston 500 champions hat autographed by Dale Earnhardt. He only signed 48 of these. It was the only Winston NO Bull Five bonus event won by him. -- Joe R. Webb

A: A rare item indeed. It is likely worth $100-150, maybe more to a die-hard Earnhardt fan.

Q: I have a factory Ford Thunderbird poster "BIRDS OF NASCAR", '55-'90. It has a photo of a '55 T-bird at the top with a Purelube Pure Motor Oil decal on fender. Below are two rows of color photos showing NASCAR T-birds with separate photos of the following drivers next to the cars: Mark Martin, Alan Kulwicki, Bill Elliott, Geoff Bodine, Morgan Shepherd, Chad Little, Neil Bonnett, and Davey Allison. All the drivers with the exception of Chad Little have autographed this poster. It's in very good shape. Value? Thank you. -- Terence Iseminger

A: Again, we have the issue of authenticating signatures, which is next to impossible in the case of deceased drivers. Theoretically, the values of individual autographs would drive the value of this poster through the roof. But you have to think about what would an average but ardent collector of items like this pay for it with all the signatures in one place. With that in mind, I'd think the poster would be worth $150-200. Again, in a bidding environment, the right collector might still drive the price way up there.