SCD contributors offer their own Christmas wish lists of special sports cards, collectibles

No one gets more excited about Christmas gifts than little kids.

Except maybe sports card and memorabilia collectors.

Just as kids can’t wait to see what’s under the tree on Christmas morning or rip open that brightly colored package, sports collectors long to get that special collectible to add to their collection.

The perfect gift, of course, depends on the collector and what they collect. It could be a special rookie card or autograph from a favorite player or team, a simple photo or a game-worn jersey or a piece of game-used equipment.

Also See: Collector has 1965 Topps Joe Namath rookie at top of wish list

To give you an idea of where to start, we reached out to several of our regular contributors and asked them for the collectibles at the top of their own wish lists for our special Dec. 1 Holiday Gift Guide. (To pick up a digital copy, click here.) 

NEW RELEASES: New card sets just in time for Christmas

They offer their suggestions, along with some amazing stories behind the cards and collectibles they covet most. Their ideas are listed by sport to make it easier to follow.

Enjoy and happy shopping for that special collector on your list.

Most of our SCD contributors are serious collectors and, like most of us, many of them started as baseball card collectors.

Editor At-Large and Online Auctioneer Larry Canale has a popular card that has been on his wish list for years — a 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card.

“I still need one to complete my 1968 Topps baseball set,” Canale says. “I should have acquired one 30 years ago, when I had started my gig as editor of Tuff Stuff magazine. It was late 1993, and the sprawling price guide we published listed a Ryan NM rookie card at $1,400. By now, it's become one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1960s.”

Also See: Collector donates $1 million Nolan Ryan collection to university 

As Canale points out, Ryan rookies in top grades are expensive. A Gem-Mint 10 sold for $600,000 in 2016 and even 9 and 8 grades can cost well into five figures.

“So when I window-shop for a Ryan rookie, I set my sights on ungraded or low-grade examples,” Canale says. “Examples graded 2 or 3 can be had for $500 to $600 or less [if my daughters happen to be reading].

“In terms of flaws that contribute to a lower grade, I can live with off-center examples. And I can live with corner wear, too. But photographic reproduction is key — a clean and well-registered printed image is important.”

Longtime SCD contributor Doug Koztoski has a vintage baseball card he has coveted for years — a 1941 Play Ball Ted Williams card in a PSA 4 grade.

The card has special meaning because it was from the season when Williams hit .406 to become the last major leaguer to hit .400. But Koztoski’s interest extends beyond Williams’ Hall of Fame career, his record-setting batting prowess, and even his military service.

His interest stems from a gift he received in the mail in 1971 from his uncle, Joe Lukasik.

“In the early 1970s my uncle was just a few years into a long career with American Airlines and back then he worked at Washington, D.C.’s National Airport,” Koztoski recalls. “One day at the airport he bumped into Williams, the Washington Senators’ manager. Uncle Joe had an address book on him, asked Williams to sign one of its small pages, and soon afterward I was totally surprised to get an envelope which included the autograph in our Maryland mailbox.

“That solid signature on that tiny page still resides in my collection.”

A 1941 Play Ball Williams card in a PSA 4 grade goes for about $1,500-$2,000 these days. Koztoski covets a PSA 4 because Williams was batting fourth in the Red Sox lineup the day he finished the season with a .400 average.

“One of those vibrant cards of a colorful player would nicely complement my uncle’s wonderful gift from many decades ago,” he said.

Contributor Barry Blair has two baseball cards on his wish list, from two of his favorite players as a kid — Boog Powell and Mickey Mantle.

“The 1965 Topps Boog Powell has long been one at the top of my list,” Blair said. “I have a few ungraded cards, but would like to get one that is graded, probably in the 5 to 8 range. I looked at one today that was being auctioned and the price was currently in the high $20s for a 6. That would work for me.”

One of the first cards Blair got from a pack as a kid was a 1962 Topps Mantle All-Star card.

“I still have it. Only problem is it was once taped to the closet door in my bedroom and later was glued into a scrapbook. You can imagine the shape that it is in, but I wouldn’t part with it for the world,” he said.

“I have often thought I would like to get one that is in somewhat better condition. I always look at some, especially at The National, but have yet to buy one. That is probably not my smartest move to date, as we all know what the price of Mantle cards continue to do. They climb, just like his majestic home runs that enraptured us as kids!

“Ungraded, you might find one in somewhat good shape for around $100. There are a lot of ’62s out there, but condition is always an issue, thus the lower price on this Mantle card.”

Also See: Top Mickey Mantle cards for collectors 

While helping out TRISTAR Productions at big card shows like The National, longtime contributor Ross Forman has met and engaged with numerous sports legends and some of the biggest names in the hobby. One of his most coveted baseball cards is from a Hall of Famer he has come to admire over the years — Reggie Jackson.

“I was never a REGGIE fan, per se, during his 21-year playing career (1967-1987),” he says. “I admired his stardom, but he never played for my beloved White Sox. My interest in Reggie Jackson came after he retired — from the countless card shows I have seen and talked to him at.

“Every show he attends, I always make a point to say ‘Hi, Reggie,’ and I’m always amazed that he remembers my name. Even if it takes him a second or two to think about it, but then he says with a smile, ‘Mr. Forman .... .’ I keep saying I want to score Reggie's rookie.

“I've seen his 1969 Topps [No. 260] rookie, graded a 1, for about $80, a 3.5 for about $110, and a 5 for about $250. I also have seen 7s of Reggie's rookie in the $800 range. One of these days ... .”

Also See: Humble Rickey Henderson shares stories of Hall of Fame career 

SCD columnist John Newman of the Sports Card Nation podcast is also an avid baseball card and memorabilia collector, especially from his favorite player — Jackie Robinson.

At the top of his wish list is a ticket from the April 15, 1947 game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves. But like most collectors, Newman places the card in the “only if I win the Mega millions” category.

“A significant event happened,” he says, “and it wasn't just the Dodgers 5-3 victory.”

Also See: Jackie Robinson's top cards 

Forman recently wrote about his love for former Chicago Bears great Walter Payton in his piece about the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Oct. 15 issue).

Payton ranks second to Emmitt Smith on the NFL’s all-time list of leading rushers and, as Forman points out, “his career from 1975-87 included time on some woeful Bears team, but ‘Sweetness‘ was always a highlight reel.”

“Every card show I attend, I always look for Payton memorabilia, from magazine covers that he appeared on to oddball items such as the 1976 Crane Potato Chip disks,” Ross said.

At the top of his wish list is a graded 1976 Topps Walter Payton rookie card (No. 148).

Also See: Celebrating NFL history at the Pro Football Hall of Fame 

“Sure, I've seen a ’76 Payton graded 9.5 and its $50,000 price tag, but I also have seen some graded 7s in the $450-$500 price range — much more in my budget,” he said.

Forman’s three favorite Payton non-rookie cards are: 1977 Topps (No. 360); 1982 Topps In Action (No. 303); and 1978 Topps All-Pro (No. 200)

Longtime contributor Barry Blair attends a lot of card shows, always on the lookout for rare cards that jump out to him. Like the 1955 Bowman Football card of former Green Bay Packers lineman Dave Hanner, which he purchased at The Chantilly Show this year.

“What really caught my eye was the green Packers jersey on the yellow background, and it grabbed me,” Blair said.

At the Nashville Card Show, he found another 1955 card of another Packers star — Hall of Famer Bobby Dillon.

“Once again, the green jersey with the yellow background and the pose of him hurtling through the air caught my attention,” Blair said. “This one was graded a PSA 6, but I wasn’t able to strike what I thought was a fair deal for it, so I walked away.”

Dillon was an All-American defensive back at the University of Texas and went on to an eight-year career with the Packers. He still holds the Packers record for interceptions with 52, five which he returned for touchdowns. He became a Packers star and Pro Football Hall of Famer despite losing one eye in a childhood accident.

Blair considers the two 1955 Bowman Packers cards works of art.

“I left Nashville saying to myself that I want this card, so it is at the top of my wish list,” he said of the Dillon card. “Ungraded the card brings anywhere from $5 to $50, depending on the condition. Graded ones go from that point to up into the hundreds. The card is 68 years old, so there probably aren’t very many out there in really good condition.”

Vintage and modern basketball cards continue to be in high demand and command top dollar, with Michael Jordan leading the way, followed closely by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Also See: Top Michael Jordan cards for collectors 

Newman has a favorite Kobe card at the top of his wish list — a 1996 Skybox E-X2000 #30.

“E-X is one of my favorite brands, and some may know I have a thing for acetate cards and rookie cards of Hall of Famers,” Newman said. “This checks both of those boxes.”

If you have a hockey fan on your list, you can’t go wrong with any affordable Connor McDavid card. Or hockey contributor Clemente Lisi has an even better idea.

How about a McDavid figurine?

Lisi recommends the seven-inch figures produced by Canada-based McFarlane Toys. Created by famous comic book creator Todd McFarlane, his hockey lineup features eight players, including such stars as Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Austin Matthews.

Also See: Top rookie cards of Connor McDavid 

As Lisi points out, no name on the McFarlane checklist is bigger than McDavid, the three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner as league MVP.

“These figures are nothing like those Starting Lineup toys from the 1980s,” Lisi says. “The facial features and details are spot-on with Todd McFarlane’s creations.”

Each figure retails for $29.99 and includes a backdrop with the player’s visage and a base featuring the team logo.

“McDavid’s figure immortalizes him skating in full stride, an homage to his speed and grace on the ice as one of the greatest athletes in North America,” Lisi says.

Also See: Top NHL rookie cards to chase in 2023-24

Soccer fans and collectors had a blast during the 2022 World Cup as soccer cards exploded in demand and popularity.

Lisi documented the rise of soccer cards for us last year. At the top of his wish list is the Topps Argentina World Champions Soccer set.

“There were plenty of soccer card releases in 2023, but none were more fun than Topps Argentina World Champions Soccer,” he said. “The set — honoring the country’s World Cup title a year ago in Qatar — highlights all the big names from that team, including superstar Lionel Messi.

“There’s no better way to relive that wonderful tournament that was capped off by an epic final that saw the South Americans capture a third World Cup in a penalty-kick shootout following a 3-3 draw.”

The 25-card boxes were issued under the On Demand series and sold exclusively online on the Topps UK site for $30. They are hard to come by for soccer fans in the U.S.

“One of the biggest chases from this set is the D10S card — both in base form and numbered parallel — featuring both the legendary Diego Maradona and Messi on the same card,” Lisi says.

Also See: Top 10 Lionel Messi cards for collectors 

Forman has been writing for SCD for more than 30 years. In his “spare time,” he’s the Head of Media Relations for TNA/IMPACT Wrestling.

He has been working in the world of professional wrestling for more than 30 years, rubbing elbows with all the biggest stars. His all-time favorite is the late “Macho Man" Randy Savage, who he calls “a first-ballot Hall of Famer if there ever was one, ohhhhh yeah!”

“I am thankful for the years I worked with Randy at both the WWF [now WWE] and particularly WCW in the mid-1990s through the company’s closing in 2001,” Ross says. “Sure, Randy did smack me into oblivion during the live 1999 Road Wild pay-per-view in his match against none other than Dennis Rodman, but hey, it's still a lasting memory and an incredible story. And, as wrestlers nowadays at TNA/IMPACT Wrestling always say to me, ‘That's amazing ... you got beat up by Randy Savage.’ True!”

Forman has a coveted Savage wrestling collectible on his wish list — one of the “Macho Man’s” famed, colorful cowboy hats he wore to the ring.

“And hey, if I could get a pair of his sunglasses too, that'd be incredible,” he says.

While most contributors have cards at the top of their wish lists, Canale has a special piece of memorabilia in mind — any vintage print from longtime friend and famous sports photographer Ozzie Sweet.

As Canale points out, Sweet, who passed away in 2013, was “the master of color photography and a trailblazer whose career included 2,000 magazine covers, including hundreds for venerable old Sport magazine.”

“I collaborated with Ozzie on two hardcover baseball photography books, and in the process, he became a great friend — one I think about often,” Canale said. “Yet amazingly, I have a fairly humble collection of Sweet photographs. So I tend to look for vintage prints of his favorite subjects — which would include Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays.

“Such treasures rarely come up at auction, and yet they usually don't break the bank. Sweet's work is really fine art, but it isn't usually priced that way [yet].”

Forman, a longtime Chicago sports fan, would love to get his hands on a game-worn White Sox jersey from former All-Star pitcher Wilbur Wood. The left-hander pitched for 17 years, including from 1967-78 for the White Sox.

“Ideally the baby blue Chicago White Sox jersey that the team wore on the road from 1971-75 or the red pinstripe home uniform from the same period,” Forman says.

— Special thanks to Larry Canale, Ross Foreman, Doug Koztoski, Barry Blair, Clemente Lisi and John Newman for contributing to this story.