CGC Cards Featured Registry Set: Baseball Hall of Fame – Post War
Posted on 3/7/2024
With baseball Spring Training for the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues underway, now is a good time to slide headfirst into the recently released Baseball Hall of Fame – Post War set in the CGC Cards Registry. This month, we're featuring the top-ranked Carte's Cards set by Todd Carte. Don't miss our Q&A with the set owner here.
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| LEFT: 1962 Topps #387 Lou Brock graded CGC 6.5 RIGHT: 1968 Topps #247 Johnny Bench/Ron Tompkins - Reds Rookie Stars graded CGC 6.5 Click images to enlarge. |
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Located in Cooperstown, N.Y., the Baseball Hall of Fame was established in 1939 and honors players, managers and others who excelled in the sport. The first five players inducted were Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. Today, the 343 inductees include former Major League players and Negro League players as well as executives, managers, umpires, pioneers, organizers and one female member, Effa Manley, elected posthumously in 2006.
In 2019, former Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (CGC 8) was the first player to be unanimously elected. On July 21, 2024, the newest members will be inducted: Adrian Beltre (CGC 8.5), Todd Helton, Jim Leyland and Joe Mauer.
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| LEFT: 1978 Topps #36 Eddie Murray graded CGC 7.5 RIGHT: 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn graded CGC 8 Click images to enlarge. |
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Q&A with the CGC Cards Registry Set Owner
How did you get into collecting sports cards?
I started collecting in the late '70s. Nothing overwhelming since I was pretty young. I have a vivid memory of a 1979 Topps Football cello pack with O.J. Simpson on top being in my Christmas stocking. Of course, I opened it looking for a Roger Staubach. 1981 is when I started collecting more and the 1981 Topps Baseball set was the first set I completed.
What are your favorite sports teams and/or athletes to follow?
I like the Reds, Yankees, Cowboys and anything West Virginia related. I collect Derek Jeter, Mike Trout, J.R. House, vintage Cowboys and autographed cards related to West Virginia teams like the Charleston Charlies.
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| LEFT: 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. graded CGC 8.5 RIGHT: 1993 Topps #98 Derek Jeter graded CGC 9 Click images to enlarge. |
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What was your favorite card once you got into collecting?
There are two cards that really stand out. The first is the 1979 Topps #204 Pete Rose Record Breaker. When I would go through my cards, that one would always end up on top of the stack. It's in horrible shape now, but I still have it somewhere. As soon as I find it again, I'm planning on getting it in a CGC slab just to have it. If it gets a grade over a 1, I'll be shocked. The other is a 1979 Topps Tucker Ashford. That was the first card I ever got autographed in person when he played for the Charleston Charlies.
Do you have a different favorite card now?
My favorites now are probably some of my Derek Jeter autographed rookies. He signed a few for me when he played for the Greensboro Hornets. I wanted to go back the next night, but I had to work, so my grandmother went, and she had him sign a few more. That is pretty special to me since I attended all of those games at Watt Powell Park in Charleston as a kid with her.
We're featuring your Post-War HOF baseball set. What drew you to collecting and building this set?
This is a great set because it includes the best of the best. Holding a Hall of Fame rookie card is always nice no matter who it is. I have about 20 more of the cards in the set that I need to submit, and I hope to add as many of the vintage cards to this set as I can in the future.
Is there a card out there you’re hoping to add to your collection? Similarly, is there a set you hope to complete someday?
I would definitely like to add a Nolan Ryan rookie to my collection and maybe a Tom Brady auto. Other than those, I love finding rare errors and oddball variations. Frank Thomas No Name and 1990 Fleer Dave Martinez Year in Yellow are a couple that have eluded me over the years.
What do you enjoy most about adding your cards to the CGC Cards Registry?
I like the process of completing the sets, adding cards, seeing the points rise, etc. I definitely enjoy seeing "Rank #1" beside my name. I have a few sets I'm pretty happy about — Kobe Bryant player set, Patrick Mahomes player set, 1972 Topps Football, which includes a full set of the high-number series. I'm pretty competitive by nature, so I like the "Best in Set Type - 540 Time Winner" on my Registry profile, and I enjoy being #1 overall.
What would you say to other sports cards collectors who may be on the fence about adding their cards to the CGC Cards Registry?
There is nothing to lose. It's fun, it helps keep track of your collection and your needs, and it encourages you to collect and protect more of your cards with the best-looking slab in the business. CGC Customer Service is great about adding new sets to the Registry and adding the proper slots to existing sets. The Registry page is easy to navigate, and the Registry is a very nice bonus that comes with submitting items to CGC Cards.
About the CGC Cards Sports Card Registry
The CGC Cards Sports Card Registry is a free online platform where collectors can register and display their CGC-certified sports cards. The Registry helps you to organize your collection and interact with other collectors. Begin adding your CGC-certified sports cards and create CGC Cards Registry sets here. Your sets are automatically considered for the annual CGC Cards Registry Awards, where winners receive a prize package that includes a $500 CGC Cards grading credit. For more information on the CGC Cards Registry Awards, you may find the announcement here.
If you don't see a set for your cards, you may request a set. Please review our CGC Cards Registry FAQs for details on how to add requests for sets and slots.
The CGC Cards Registry team is here to help. Questions or comments? Go to the CGC Cards Registry Chat Boards.
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