1978 Topps - Alan Trammell

I had several favorite players when I was a kid. Sometimes is was Kirk Gibson. Sometimes it was Chet Lemon, Darrell Evans, or Johnny Grubb. But Alan Trammell held the top spot for the longest period of time. I cobbled together a fairly extensive collection of Alan Trammell cards in the '80s.

One Christmas, I can't remember which one, probably 1988, I asked for Alan Trammell's rookie card. It was pricey. Alan Trammell was one of the best shortstops in the league and had been for some time. But, also contributing to the value of the card, Trammell shared his rookie card with three other fellows. One of the other guys happened to be Paul Molitor, one of the best hitters in the league. I got the card for Christmas and it was my prized possession, ugly as it is.

I sold it in the early 90s for $55. At the time, Trammell had been battling injuries and I figured the card was as high as it was going to get. Trammell rookies can be had for less than $10 these days. They are often not in the best condition, so the prices are very condition sensitive. For some reason, the printing for these cards was a mess - lots of black spots and red smudges.

Several years ago, for nostalgic reasons, I decided to get another one. I found one in great condition. I believe I paid $25 for it. Molitor was already in the HOF, Trammell was inducted recently, and the card market is up. A Trammell rookie in great condition goes for over a $100. But the value to me is that connection to my prized possession back in the 80s.