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 an autographed postcard of Dick May and a No. 57 Ford Torino. Is it worth anything? -- Keith

A: Keith, if you got to meet Dick May when you got that postcard, you probably already know that he is absolutely one of the nicest guys to ever strap into a race car. That signed postcard has a collectible value of $25-35.

Q: We have a Ricky Rudd windshield signed by Dale Earnhardt and Kenny Irwin. How do we authenticate the signatures? -- TC

A: Basically, there is no fool proof way. The only two people who can indisputably authenticate the signatures have passed on. You might try a handwriting expert or some other professional who authenticates signatures. But even that might not be 100 percent.

Q: I have a one dollar silver certificate signed by Dale Earnhardt and Herb Thomas. How much is it worth? -- Gary

A: Gary, your question brings a smile to my face. My friend and fellow historian, the late Fletcher Williams, knew Herb Thomas during his heyday and often referred to him as the "Dale Earnhardt of the 1950s." With that said, and now that both drivers are deceased, I would put the value of your collectible in the $150-200 range.

Q: I have a Bell NASCAR racing helmet. It is red with the Washington Redskins logo and is signed by Joe Gibbs. I won it in a drawing and was wondering the value. -- Jerry D. Jones

A: The question is, is this a race-used helmet or an unused helmet that has been painted and signed? If it is the latter, the value probably be $200-250. If it was race-used, the value would be about twice that.

Q: I have limited edition "Seven-Time Champion Dale Earnhardt" die-cast crew cab and trailer. What would be value of this? I also have a Dale Earnhardt Monopoly game made by USAOPOLY. What is it worth? -- Pwilmouth

A: The die-cast set was made by Brookfield and is probably worth $100-150. The Monopoly game originally sold for around $35. However, they didn't sell out, and I saw them advertised recently in NASCAR Scene for $29.99. That holds the vlue of your game down. Still, I would estimate it at $30-45.

Q: I have two die-cast Travel Air Mystery Ships. They are the 1932 Lockeed Vega model. One is from the 1992 Richard Petty Fan Appreciation Tour. The other is the Davey Allison version. I can't find any info on these collectibles. What are they worth? Any information on these would be a tremendous help. -- Regan

A: Regan, if I gave an award for best question of the week, you'd be the winner. These are two excellent collectibles. Both used to bring big money, but the softening of the market has dropped their value to $50-80.

Q: I have a set of collector plates I started getting in 1999 called "The Magnificent 7" with Dale Earndhart painted by Sam Bass. Could you tell me what they are worth? -- Tamra

A: A nice set of plates here. They were produced by the Hamilton Collection. You can still readily find these plates for anywhere from $10 on up to around $35. Theerefore, I'd place the collectible value at $25-45 each.