Article: Baseball cards now business of billions

Trading baseball cards used to involve youngsters on a sandlot exchanging a Sibby Sisti card for an Eddie Miksis. Add some bubble gum, and perhaps a Catfish Metkovich, and the deal was consummated.

Nobody could have imagined today's baseball card collector would sport a three-piece suit.

And the card hobby that used to cost pennies is now part of a billion-dollar business.

The likes of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams and Stan Musial are much more than heroes. They are blue-chip investments that can be more profitable than the stock market.

For instance, a 1952 Mantle card trades for $4,000, and a complete set of cards from that year is worth ...

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