What is the value of a Reach baseball that is in mint condition and has never been taken out of the bag?

Answer 1

The value is dependent solely on the particular League Commissioner whose name is stamped on the ball and whose name should appear on all packaging. The older, the more valuable. $50-150 would be the norm, based on era. Some time around 1876, Albert G. Spalding and his brother, J. Walter Spalding, obtained the right to produce the official National League Baseball, which they would continue to produce for the next 100 years. The American League, formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs combined with the National league in 1901 to form Major League Baseball. Alfred James Reach, owner of The Reach sporting Goods company, sold his company to Spalding in 1889. Spalding continued to use the Reach label produced American League baseballs beginning in 1901. American League baseballs with the Reach Trademark had Red & Blue stitching, and the National League Spalding Trademark baseballs had Black & Red stitching up until about 1934/35 when in both league started using only red stitching. Spalding along with the Reach label was producing Major league baseball for about 100 years until Rawlings took over around 1970, and Rawlings have been making major league baseballs ever since. Your baseball could be worth anywhere between $500. -$1,200. depending on the date the baseball was manufactued without the original bag. The League President whose name is stamped on the ball will help date the baseball, along with the trademarks stamped on the ball. The fact that the baseball came in a bag might date the ball to an early era. See Related Links below for more information, pictures, and price guide for Official Major League baseballs. The page will be up dated soon with pictures, and more precise dating.