How valuable are "milestone" GU balls?

[Sulross]

I recently bought a GU ball where the player (Beltre) passed Mickey Mantle in RBIs. He was still relatively low on the list but he still passed the Mick in a major category. Any idea how much more a ball like this is worth than a run-of-the-mill hit/RBI ball by the same player?

I accidentally posted this first in the auction items thread so I apologize for the double post.

[sportsnbikes]

I recently bought a GU ball where the player (Beltre) passed Mickey Mantle in RBIs. He was still relatively low on the list but he still passed the Mick in a major category. Any idea how much more a ball like this is worth than a run-of-the-mill hit/RBI ball by the same player?

I accidentally posted this first in the auction items thread so I apologize for the double post.

It's worth exactly what someone will pay for it.

[coxfan]

An interesting economic question! Every game-used item is unique, a sort if 1/1. Thus, the current market value is, by definition, the last amount paid for it since there are no identical items. Comparing to similar items is tricky, because new unique items are being produced all the time as new games are played. Beltre has since passed Joe Dimaggio as well.

I personally think that Mantle's star will fade over time, as the baby boomer population who grew up during his peak dies out. Mantle is now just 56th on the career RBI list. Mantle fans are less likely to value this item than Beltre fans.

The item may gain other value, e.g. if the Rangers go far in the postseason, and if Beltre makes the Hall of Fame. So hang on to it.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

I recently bought a GU ball where the player (Beltre) passed Mickey Mantle in RBIs. He was still relatively low on the list but he still passed the Mick in a major category. Any idea how much more a ball like this is worth than a run-of-the-mill hit/RBI ball by the same player?

I accidentally posted this first in the auction items thread so I apologize for the double post.

Generally, I've observed that the only GU baseballs that hold value over time are the ones that are record breaking (record tying to a much lesser degree) or milestone numbers (2000/2500/3000 hits; 1200/1500/2000 RBI/Runs; 3000/4000/5000 Ks; 500/600/700 HRs; 250/300 Wins). The rest seem to be peak valued at the time of whatever event...

Beltre's 1585/1586 RBI balls or his 1500 RBI as a third baseman will likely have long-standing value. Honestly, his 1500 RBI baseball is probably worth significantly more than his RBI baseball that passed Mantle (1510). It's simply a matter of marketing and the value of "magic numbers" in baseball lore.

[Sulross]

Generally, I've observed that the only GU baseballs that hold value over time are the ones that are record breaking (record tying to a much lesser degree) or milestone numbers ....

Sounds right, but it's nice to have a ball that has some meaningful connection to another great player. Another Beltre ball where he passed Babe Ruth in hits recently sold for about $530, which seems roughly five times what a regular Beltre hit is worth. I was a losing bidder on that one. Is the high bidder in this group by any chance?