Hey everyone, I just applied to be on the Antiques Roadshow this June in Omaha. More on that in a moment…
My grandfather’s death
My maternal grandfather was a good person and was my favorite member of my extended family. He was kind, worked his ass off his entire life and never stopped learning. As a kid, I’d go over to my grandparents home and we would talk about science. He’d help me with my math homework.
He died on cold January day when I was away at college. My older sister was the one who told me. I was working at the college computer lab when the phone rang. The conversation started out with:
The sh*t hit the fan…
I was not happy with how my family handled the situation. He had suffered from pneumonia for a couple weeks and had been steadily going downhill. I wasn’t aware of any of this. At the very end, my family knew his time was short. My college was a 90 minute drive away. If I had known about how sick he was, I would have gone to the hospital so I could have seen him one last time. My mom said that she didn’t want to interfere with my studies, so she didn’t let me know. Such is life.
Finding the baseball
My grandmother would die six months later at exactly midnight on my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary*. My family and I set to work emptying their home shortly after. I was cleaning out a hutch when I stumbled on my grandfather’s baseball that had been signed by Rogers Hornsby. I remember my grandfather had said it was a gift from his stepdad. They did not have a good relationship and my grandfather once told me that the baseball gift was the only nice thing his stepdad ever did for him. I didn’t know what to do with the baseball, so I shoved it into a box and forgot about it. That was back in 1996.
Found again
This summer, Mrs. 1500 and I were cleaning out the garage. We opened a box and lo and behold, there was the baseball staring me in the face. I brought it into the house and started doing some research on the Internet. It turns out that this baseball may be worth a good deal of money. They seem to go for between $1000 and $6000 depending on the condition (this one will set you back $14,000!). My baseball and signature are both in really good condition, so I’d expect it to fetch a good buck. If I decide to sell it, I’ll have to send it off to an company that certifies it as authentic. After that, I would probably post it on eBay.
I’m not much of a baseball fan, so on that level, I don’t really care about the ball. However, it belonged to my grandfather, so maybe I should care about it. I don’t know. However, I have a short term plan.
Antiques roadshow
Have you ever watched that show on PBS where people have their old junk appraised by experts? I just applied to be on the show. I’ll find out in April if I get picked. The chances are slim, but I think it would be a good deal of fun.
Long term, I’m not sure what I’ll do with the baseball. I have other mementos from my grandfather and this wasn’t something he gave me. I saved the postcards he sent while I was in college. I saved one of his old ties. These mean much more to me than the baseball. However, I still don’t feel completely right for selling it.
What do you think of the situation? What would you do if you were in my shoes?
*I am not a superstitious person in any way, but this amazes me. If I had not actually been there at her bedside to see her take her final breath, I never would have believed it.
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Mrs. Frugalwoods says
I think I’d probably keep the baseball. I have a soft spot for saving (some might say hoarding…) sentimental things. If Antiques Roadshow (I hope they pick you!) tells you the ball is worth $100K…. I’d feel differently. But short of that, it seems like a meaningful attachment to someone who was important in your life.
Also, since there’s no rush for you to sell it, I’d say just wait and see how you feel in 6 months, in one year. If the ball is back in a box in the garage and forgotten about, then maybe go ahead and sell it.
P.S. We love Antiques Roadshow!
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1500 says
I love Antiques Roadshow too and I hope I make the cut! If you see a skinny, dorky look white guy on the show some day…
Mrs. PoP says
I’d probably get rid of the ball. The sentimental stuff we like to keep around are the things that people we loved also loved and used regularly, not something that sat in a drawer for years. I have my grandfather’s cuff links (for special occasions), my grandmother’s tea set (for playing bridge with the ladies), Mr PoP’s grandfather’s radio (that he used to listen to music in the basement)…. that kind of stuff.
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1500 says
Bridge! Did you tell Mr. Buffett yet? Perhaps you 2 can sneak a game or two in Omaha!
I like the attitude. You kept stuff that actually had use beyond collecting dust.
Retire Before Dad says
Mr. 1500,
Wow, that is a real piece of memoribilia. He passed in 1963 and the ball looks to be in excellent condition. I have a box full of late 80’s baseball cards that are mostly worthless. Something about the effort it took to collect them makes me want to keep them, or maybe my son will be interested. Not sure what I’m going to do, they make me feel like a hoarder.
-RBD
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1500 says
Yeah, ball is in really good condition! I keep it in a box stowed away. I think it was a game ball too. I’m not sure how to prove that or if it means anything though.
Mrs SSC says
Hmmm – I would get the price of the baseball, then decide what to do. But, it might be a really cool gift to pass down to your children one day. Plus – since its a small item, it doesn’t take up too much space!
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1500 says
Hmm, we took our children to a baseball game once and they were not happy! I don’t think they’d appreciate it. I am going to hold on to it for the time being though…
stephanie says
I would sell it. for sure.
1500 says
How much will you give me for it? 🙂
Yvette says
LOL !!!
1500 says
Yvette, you sound like you’re interested too! Bidding war!!
Gretchen says
That would be really fun if you were able to be on the show! A lot of people think that I’m weird because I love watching that show, but it’s so cool! To me, it sounds like you don’t really attach any sort of sentimental value to the baseball, so maybe you should consider selling it.
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1500 says
Yeah, the show is great!
You’re right about the sentimental value. I don’t think my grandfather valued it much either because he didn’t really like his stepfather…
Cindy says
I can see being a bit torn by this decision. But look at it differently: If the ball was only worth $1, would you keep it? Probably not. As you said, you have other mementos from your grandfather that actually have meaning to you. You feel obligated to keep the ball because it is worth something.
I’d also look at what (potentially) would happen if you kept the ball. It isn’t something of your grandfather’s that you value, so you’d either pack it away for your kids to deal with some day, possibly not knowing the history behind it, or you’d tell them about the ball, and why you kept it, passing along those feelings of obligation to the next generation. By the time it is their’s to deal with, it may not be worth as much, or they may not realize the value.
It isn’t an easy decision, but I would probably either sell the ball, or pass it along to someone else in the family who would enjoy it more. I actually did that with a table I inherited from my great grandmother. I have other things that belonged to her that hold more sentimental value to me. The table was probably worth more, but I passed it along to a cousin, who enjoyed it more.
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1500 says
Thanks for your thoughts! I do think that I will eventually sell it. Perhaps I could do some good with the proceeds?
Ross says
For as high flying as Apple stick is recently, I would feel good about that and how you have easily made more than 6k! Keep the ball and do something good with it. Sometimes I like to pretend ask myself what the person on question regarding this thing might think. Would you grandfather have wanted you to keep it or sell it?
1500 says
Apple has been a rocket ship lately! To the moon! I hope the watch is a hit. If not, watch out below. Get it, “watch out”? I crack myself up.
I’ll hold on to it for at least a little while longer. There is no rush to do anything…
Sara says
I agree with Mrs. Frugalwoods. Find out the value and sit on it a bit. Put something in your calendar for 6 months or so from now. That way, you will have time to process and hopefully will not experience any regrets no matter what you decide to do.
Myself, I would sell it. If you had no other mementos from your grandfather, it would be another story. You do have some and they seem to be more personal tokens of your relationship with him than this ball that has sat in a box – forgotten for years.
Thanks for bringing this topic up. I have many items of this sort that I need to make decisions about. Mine are not worth any money though 🙂 You have me thinking about whether to keep them squirreled away any longer.
1500 says
” You do have some and they seem to be more personal tokens of your relationship with him than this ball that has sat in a box – forgotten for years.”
Exactly. The baseball would continue to sit in a box as well.
Emily @ Simple Cheap Mom says
I’d say if you keep it, put it in a prominent place in your home. If it will be in a box in the garage, I’d say sell it and let someone else enjoy it. Good luck on Antique Roadshow, that’s a fun show!
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1500 says
I hope I get on the show! Look for a dorky, pale, awkward white guy!
Brian says
I’d keep the ball because 1. It was your grandfathers and 2. I like baseball.
I guess you could sell it off and have some more cash, but would an extra $1k-$14k really mean that much to you? If the answer is yes then get rid of it.
1500 says
Hmmm, the money does come into play. If I couldn’t get that much for it, I might keep it. However, if I could get a large sum, perhaps I could do something positive with the money?
Mrs. Maroon says
Would be super exciting to be on Antiques Roadshow! I’d lean towards selling the ball to someone who will appreciate it. Just because something is old and belonged to the previous generations, doesn’t mean it intrinsically has sentimental value to you. If you don’t find it special, then I think it falls into the category of just stuff. But that’s a very difficult thing to put into practice.
And amazing about your grandmother… Speaks to a true love story.
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1500 says
Yeah, I’ll never forget my grandmother dying at precisely midnight. Her life was pretty much over when my grandfather died, so it all seemed fitting.
Fervent Finance says
If it’s just going to sit in a box for the rest of your life, then I would just sell it to someone who is a big fan and will bring them joy. The memories, the post cards, the tie are all more important to you and not worth $6,000 (well maybe to you but not anyone on ebay). So I say sell it as the $6k (hopefully) will make you happy, and the baseball will make someone else happy. Good luck on on the show!
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1500 says
“If it’s just going to sit in a box for the rest of your life, then I would just sell it to someone who is a big fan and will bring them joy.”
Kinda my thought too…
Norm says
I love Antiques Roadshow! That would be so much fun. I thought you just showed up when they came to your town, though, and they picked people on the spot to go on tv. The one thing I do know is that they look for people who will have a good reaction on tv. So that’s why they always seem to show people who have no idea what their item is worth. So if you want to be on tv, might be worth playing dumb.
Now that I know that sad story about the baseball (the only nice thing his stepdad ever did for him?) I would be even more inclined to sell it.
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1500 says
“The one thing I do know is that they look for people who will have a good reaction on tv.”
Great advice! I’ll start jumping up and down and screaming like a possessed person!
Robin says
I’d say sell it since you have the other mementos of your grandfather that mean more to you. If you have no memories of the ball other than it belonging to your grandfather (but you do have memories of those postcards with his handwriting and him wearing the tie), then it doesn’t mean half as much to you as those other items that you have.
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1500 says
Yep, I think you captured my thoughts perfectly.
On an unrelated note: I don’t think my grandfather liked baseball either.
Kim says
So I have to ask, are you from Nebraska?
1500 says
No, but I like the state! I have family there and I also go to the Berkshire meeting in Omaha every May.
Even Steven says
I think your mention of post cards and ties that were given to you by your grandfather and that they have meaning lead me to think you should sell the item. Based off your financial situation, I would probably use the proceeds as a gift to your daughters or a charity that is special to the family. I think a great story would be to tell your daughters about how your great grandpa paid for their first car or college or down payment on a house. Good luck.
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1500 says
Yeah, college would be a great way to use the money. Fitting here too because while my grandfather was smart, he didn’t have the money to go to school. I can’t think of a better way to use the money actually than to help my children go.
Jason says
I actually had a similar thing happen and we actually have kept the item. In my case it was a firearm owned by grandfather who died when I was 5. My grandfather gave it to me (well gave it my dad, in trust, for me). I never got to share that gift with him because he died shortly thereafter very suddenly. I have it appraised and it is worth a few thousand dollars. Although it would be great off our debt with I don’t plan on parting with it anytime soon. Money be damned somethings are just worth keeping, particularly if it holds lots of memories.
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1500 says
Nice! In your case, since it was explicitly given to you, I think you can make a strong case for keeping it.
Tawcan says
I would probably sell the baseball and use the money for investment. Since there’s no rush for you to sell it, I’d wait and see what the antiques roadshow values the baseball. Wait for 6 months or so will allow you to think a bit more about whether to sell it or not. One recommendation for you – go with your gut instinct. Good luck.
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1500 says
I always like the idea of waiting. Most financial decisions are better made after long consideration.
Kristen says
Since it didn’t mean much to him, I think I would be fine with selling it and using the money for something specific that would have more value for you such as a scholarship in his name, toward your own children’s education, a memorial of some sort, family vacation, etc. Even if you only got a few hundred dollars for it, you could get something more valuable to you and your family than a baseball in a box or on a shelf existing as a reminder that your grandpa’s stepdad wasn’t very nice. I might feel funny about it up until I was on the vacation or seeing a scholarship recipient’s smile and then I would feel 100% certain that it was better than a baseball.
Be sure about it, be sure that the value is unlikely to increase if you say, let it hang out in a safe for the next 10 years and then sold it, but if it doesn’t have specific sentimental value to you, it has no place in your home especially if it’s worth some money. Think about it this way: if someone told you you could only have the post cards or the baseball, the answer would be pretty obvious.
1500 says
Thanks Kristen for your thoughts. I think putting the money towards an experience or education are both wonderful ideas.
Brian @ Debtless in Texas says
I too would sell the ball and invest the proceeds. Antiques roadshow is like TV crack too…
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1500 says
It is like TV crack! I love that show!
Jan says
Would you consider donating it to a charity auction or to an institution relevant to baseball or youth or…? You get a tax deduction (maybe), the charity gets an item of value/interest, and it is a tribute to your grandfather’s generous spirit.
1500 says
Maybe.
I’ve thought a lot about charity and I currently don’t give a lot now. I plan to give much away before I die though. So, my plan very loosely would be to sell the baseball, invest the money and then donate the proceeds down the road. So, I would be giving to charity, just in a delayed format.
While I won’t donate much in the way of money in the near future, I look forward to donating my time in early retirement.
Andrew says
Just don’t do what Beaver did with Ward’s Babe Ruth signed baseball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77M6BmLfF8s
1500 says
Ha! That will not happen. Unless the 5 year old gets her destructive hands on it. Note to self: place ball on a high shelf.
KMB says
Presumably your grandfather didn’t buy the baseball for $6k (or whatever the inflation adjusted equivalent would be for whenever he did acquire it). The ball has been appreciating, just like the remainder of your investment portfolio. Because it doesn’t take much space and does hold some sentimental value, why not hold onto it and consider it an alternative investment AND keepsake?
1500 says
Nope, it was a gift.
Not sure what I’ll do, but I won’t do anything for at least 6 months. I need to think on it a bit…
Gen Y Finance Guy says
It sounds like regardless of what you do, you will be thinking of your grandfather a lot during this whole process. If you end up selling it, you will probably remember the “time you were on the antique roadshow” and sold that signed baseball that your grandfather left behind.
Sounds like a pretty cool story you could pass down, plus it will be memorialized on this blog. So you can always come back and reminisce.
Cheers!
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1500 says
Yeah, Antiques Roadshow would be an awesome story. Perhaps the final chapter for the baseball, in my life at least.
A.G. says
Instead of selling it you could donate or lend it to a museum or library, if there was one that wanted it. Baseball fans could enjoy it but you would still have the legacy to enjoy.
You could also sell it and do something your grandfather always wanted to do but never did or could do. Did he have any last wishes or a bucket list?
Really though, it sounds like you want to sell the ball. If you don’t have any memories associated with it (positive ones), sell it. Maybe tell your kids how grandpa helped fund their education and hopefully show them the Roadshow clip, like others have said.
If your grandfather didn’t care a whole lot about it, there is no reason you need to. If it meant a lot to your grandfather, I would check with anyone else in the family who would value it and not sell it right away.
1500 says
I like what you have to say, especially the last paragraph. Since it wasn’t explicitly given to me, I told my family that perhaps we could use the proceeds on a family vacation. They were fully behind that plan…
Joe says
Wow, the condition is incredible. You might want to consider a sports auction house that specializes in old baseball signatures rather than eBay. A well publicized auction targeted to the right buyers is likely to do much better than eBay. Good luck getting on Antiques Roadshow.
1500 says
Yeah, good idea! I’ll have to do some checking since this is something that I know next to nothing about. It is in great condition, even better in person. The pictures don’t do it justice.
Karen says
When I first read about the ball the other day, I thought for sure sell it. However, now that you told us that it was the ONLY thing nice from the stepdad, to me, that statement is what makes it difficult. I wonder if there was a part of your grandfather that held on to the ball as a symbol of what he didn’t receive from the stepdad.
I have to tell you, when my grandmother died, no one told me. I found out by calling my moms to say hello and my nephew picks up the phone and tells me “hey Aunt Karen, we are just getting back from grandma K’s funeral”. My parents are something else 🙂
Whatever you do, just be at peace with your decision before you make it. I hope you make it on the roadshow!!!!
1500 says
Wow, good to know I’m not the only one with a semi-crazy family!
“Whatever you do, just be at peace with your decision before you make it. I hope you make it on the roadshow!!!!”
I usually take a long time to make up my mind, so this won’t be an issue. I hope I make it to the roadshow too! That would be awesome!
The Mini Millionaire! says
I have a ring that my grandmother left me. It’s value is around £100 so nowhere near this baseball, but I still decided to sell it.
Why? – I never have, and never will wear it. So why can’t I sell it so that someone else can appreciate it.
I also believe that at what point do you draw the line with these sentimental items.
I thought about my grandmother a lot while selling the ring, as it wasn’t a decision I took lightly. I thought about what she would say, and what she would want me to do with the money. When I went to visit her as a child she would give me a pound, and tell me to save it rather than spend it, as one big, great amazing thing is better than lot’s of ok little things. She is the only person I remember teaching me about saving money. So to her delight I’ve saved the £100 and put it towards my next trip abroad. – She loved travelling and was thrilled when I went to China.
In conclusion I feel that if you are to sell it you should use the money the way in which your grandfather would of wanted you to, which I am sure you will 🙂
1500 says
Thanks for your thoughts!
I will use the money wisely. My grandmother used to always yell at us kids; “SAVE YOUR MONEY!” So, I’ll probably sell the ball eventually and save the money…
Hannah says
Have you considered selling it, and doing something “In Memory” of your grandfather? Something like specifically funding the kids college funds, or donating to a charity that might have been meaningful to him?
Please, please, please do not keep it in the hopes that your children will want it. I get a text almost everyday with a picture of valuable stuff (worth $10-$1000) and my mom wants to know if she should ship it to me. (Stuff from my grandparent’s house- my mom and aunt are cleaning it out so they don’t have to have a big estate sale when they die. My grandpa says this is practical and not morbid at all).
The stuff is worth a good chunk of change, and I told my mom that I would happily teach her how to list it on ebay, but there is no way that shipping it across the country is a good use of resources.
1500 says
Education would be a great way to spend the money. My grandfather couldn’t afford college, so that would be a fitting tribute.
“Please, please, please do not keep it in the hopes that your children will want it.”
Advice taken! We took our children to a baseball game once and they were bored to tears, so they have no interest in it.
Casey says
I am interested in purchasing the Rogers Hornsby signed baseball. I will pay top dollar for it. You may email or call me directly. My cell is 781-244-3150 and my email is vintagebaseballs@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you.
Casey