Cards from a Classic TV Show
The Wonder Years became one of the most popular shows of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s by looking back nostalgically at the universal theme of self-discovery when growing up in a changing world. Kevin, Paul, and the other characters navigated all kinds of situations in late 1960s America, and the details were perfect. But it was the larger substance of their journey that was permanently enduring, whether you grew up in the era depicted in the show or not.
The sixth episode of season three, “Odd Man Out,” addressed how the closest friendships can temporarily fracture but ultimately be repaired. And the plot device used to convey that message was baseball cards, specifically the 1969 Topps Willie McCovey.
Cards always had value to their collectors. But in the late 1960s, that value was more intangible, not something measured by pricing guides and databases. Trading was a game played by children with rules set by them. So what was a 1969 McCovey (in the midst of his NL MVP season) worth? Kevin offers Paul Juan Marichal and Luis Tiant. Paul counters by adding Ted Williams (who had a manager’s card in the 1969 set). Kevin is outraged and counters with a “worthless” common card, a fictitious “Don Schwartz” (one of the best-ever fake common player names). An argument ensues, and the friends separate.
Josh Saviano, who played Paul, is now an attorney and co-founder of NYC’s Spotlight Advisory Group. The company helps creative people maximize their impact and leave a lasting legacy. When the episode was being filmed, Saviano really was a card collector.
“Where there is a passion, there’s a market,” Saviano told Ripped. In the late 1960s, he said, “Parents threw away their kids’ cards. When we were filming, I remember the adults saying they attached the cards to their bicycle spokes. Cards sold bubble gum.” But the passion and community created by The Hobby had already begun to be commoditized when the episode was being filmed.
“I remember bike rides to town and getting the Beckett’s guide to see what my cards were worth,” Saviano said. “I never cashed in the cards. But it helped us trade.”
The Joy of Collecting Sets
Having an objective arbiter of value may have helped Kevin and Paul navigate their dramatized transaction without acrimony. But the episode reflects how cards were once valued only by what they meant to the people in that moment.
“The utility of a collection is different today,” said Saviano, who recently salvaged his childhood collection from a relative. “Value today is geared more towards money.” When he was filming The Wonder Years, he said, “I wanted to collect a set. And hunting those commons and crossing them off my ‘need it’ list was fun.”
Recently, Saviano retrieved his childhood George Brett collection and other memorabilia including autographs. He admits wanting to know what they were worth. But it was more of a reference point and piece of trivia than something geared to an actual sale.
The George Brett Run
Saviano gravitated toward collecting Brett even as a Mets fan from New York. That was largely because of Brett’s flirtation with hitting .400 in 1980. He met Brett in the club’s dugout at Yankee Stadium when the show was rated No. 2 in the country. Later, outside the Yankees clubhouse, a New York player walked by and recognized Saviano from television, saying he was a big fan. That player? Deion Sanders.
After the episode aired, McCovey sent Saviano a copy of a book commemorating his career and included an autographed inscription. That was among his top memorabilia that recently returned to his possession.
As for the McCovey card, let’s look at how the passage of time assesses the various proposals. Kevin was offering less than 50% on the dollar for what the McCovey is worth today (about $60 in Near Mint condition, according to Card Ladder). Adding the Williams manager card in the same condition as Paul countered would have made the trade only slightly favorable to Paul (a mere 10% overpay for Kevin).
Kevin’s replacement friend in the episode, Doug, later offers Kevin such a sweetheart deal that he couldn’t accept in good conscience. In fact, Kevin soured on Doug because he was such a pushover. Doug not only offered him the McCovey but also the 1969 Johnny Bench and Willie Mays (combined value today: $435) for a mere common card (about $4 in top condition).
As for the fate of the 1969 Topps McCovey that was actually filmed in the episode, that went to the actor who played Kevin, Fred Savage. “That’s the benefit of being number one on the call sheet,” Saviano said.
Curiously, today’s most valuable collectible in the episode isn’t even a card, but the bikes that Paul and Kevin ride. Those Schwinn 1968 Stingrays sell today in good condition for upwards of $3,000, according to recent trends on eBay.
