2001 Bowman Chrome 141/500, Raw condition $7,000 4/11/2010
The seller has only 68 (100% +) feedback and doesn't have any previous card sales in the 90 day history.
Here's the description:
"You are bidding on one the hottest cards out there. This autographed card of Albert Pujols is numbered 141/500. Albert Pujols is one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game and this is his best card!
As you can tell in the picture, this card has perfect centering and razor sharp corners. I have taken very good care of this card. It should grade out very good! Insurance is including in the shipping and handling.
Good luck with the auction!"
While there could be some shenanigans going on, the bid history looks relatively legitimate. I believe this is a substantial new all time high for a raw copy. Even in spring 2006 they only reached about $4,000. This is an exclamation point on a gradual uptick in this card's price. For the second straight year, these have dipped significantly over the off season only to rebound as soon as the season starts. Could it be related to concerns about Albert's elbow? He has had a procedure done each of the past two offseasons. Whatever the reason, if you are in the market for one of these, it's probably best to buy during the offseason.
