Whats the value of a Bonds Homerun Ball!

[Bondsgloves]

I'm intrested in selling Barry Bonds homerun #749 ball with documentation. I have a few individuals interested in the item and am not sure whats a fair price. I sold #690 on ebay for $1500 buy it now. Homerun #749 is more significant than #690 so I'm wondering what you think I should sell it for. The person I bought it from had it in Hunt Auctions during the All Star game, but pulled it from the auction when I offered him cash for the ball. This ball was hit against the Yankees off of Proctor.


I have a letter from the Giants guest services who witnessed the guy catch the ball, who sold it to me.

I have a letter from the guy who caught the ball stating he sold it to me.

I have a card from the giants claiming its homerun#749.

I have a picture of the guy selling me the ball, holding the ball. You can verify its the same guy on Barry Bonds website.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[sportscentury]

Out of curiosity, why is #749 more significant than #690?

Also, I didn't realize that Hunts Auction House allows a consignor to pull an item midway through one of their auctions. Is this a common practice for them?

[Bondsgloves]

I felt it was more significant for a few reasons.

1.) It was vs. the Yankees.
2.) Only 1 other player has hit #749
3.) Checking other auctions the higher the homerun #, the higher the value
4.) All the documentation.

Please let me know if you agree, or if I'm off base.

[sportscentury]

Sounds reasonable enough to me. Best of luck with it - if you put it on eBay, I would put it a lot higher than $1500 - my bet is that you could have gotten more for the other ball. There are still people out there who will pay big money for top Bonds items.

[allstarsplus]

We've discussed on the Forum before the generic valuation of a HR ball which is difficult regardless of the player.

The problem as I see it on a significant ball like this is that unless the ball is hologram'd like the Bonds 756 ball, you have the authenticity based on trust.

On the Bonds ball, you have some good documentation and like you said the guy who caught the ball gets a nice letter, but then what is to stop the person from switching out balls---other than legal issues, moral issues, and his conscience.

There are some good ideas on the following thread for doing due dilligence on "HR BALLS":

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=10008&page=4&highlight=ball

Andrew

[sportscentury]

We've discussed on the Forum before the generic valuation of a HR ball which is difficult regardless of the player.

The problem as I see it on a significant ball like this is that unless the ball is hologram'd like the Bonds 756 ball, you have the authenticity based on trust.

On the Bonds ball, you have some good documentation and like you said the guy who caught the ball gets a nice letter, but then what is to stop the person from switching out balls---other than legal issues, moral issues, and his conscience.

There are some good ideas on the following thread for doing due dilligence on "HR BALLS":

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=10008&page=4&highlight=ball

Andrew

Andrew,

You're right on, of course. Guys like us would not buy this ball (or, at least, would not pay a ton). However, there are plenty of people with deep pockets and no brains who will be more than satisfied with the documentation that comes with this ball (look at the big prices that continue to be paid for a lot of the CRAP in some of the more notorious auction houses - and I'm not saying this Bonds ball is crap by any means). I think this fellow is good to go with moving this ball for some nice money.

Reid