Ordinary home run balls aren’t worth gold
If you’re picturing a home run ball flying out of the stands and into your glove, you might instantly assume that it’s worth a small fortune. Not always. For an ordinary, unexceptional home run—a 3rd-inning homer in a Tuesday game between the Brewers and the Pirates, let’s say—the resale value is typically pretty low, usually in the $5 to $50 zone.
Why so modest? There are simply thousands of home runs that are crushed each season in MLB, and collectors really only shell out top dollar for benchmark moments: 500th career home run, walk-off, playoff clincher, or historically important records. If the ball is just another July day, its best value is as a family memento, not a cash cow.
Even purchasing one for yourself doesn’t really affect the value unless you pair it with something unique, like an autograph of a player. Then you might have $50–$100 or more in price tags. Otherwise, think sentimental souvenir, not investment.
The Phillies fan showdown
Even a mediocre home run ball can be a ticket to drama, and one father found that out last week in Miami. A Phillies outfielder named Harrison Bader hit a home run during a Friday evening game, and Drew Feltwell picked up the ball for his son, Lincoln. It was going to be an early birthday gift for the boy.
It was then that a Phillies die-hard, a grey-haired old lady who claimed the ball as her own because it fell near her seat, jumped into action. She yelled at Feltwell, reaching out to grab him and causing a commotion as he tried to stand up for his son’s beloved ball.
I just wanted her to leave me alone basically,” Feltwell told NBC10 Philadelphia. “I’m literally rolling away from her while she’s screaming in my face and screaming. I had a fork in the road: do something that I’d probably regret later or be dad and show him how to de-escalate the situation.”
Lincoln conceded they felt like they had no other option but to give up the ball, although he did not wish to. The tale gained momentum on the internet, showing how otherwise mundane home run balls can become suddenly priceless in the moment.
Gifts, consolation, and signed bats
Even after losing his ball, there was a silver lining. The Marlins sent an apology and a gift package of baseballs to Lincoln and his sister. He was even greeted by Bader later, who signed him an autographed bat. So, though the first home run ball was worthless in terms of money, the experience—and the autographed bat—must have had collectible and sentimental value.
This is evidence that just because an average home run ball isn’t worth anything on the open market doesn’t mean it’s not valuable to fans, especially kids at the game.
So, how much is a ball really worth?
For the being average home run ball: $5–$50 on resale is normal. Sign it, and you might get that into the $50–$100 range. But as the Phillies fan fiasco testifies, the sentimental and emotional value always tends to exceed the price. A ball collected by a child at a game, especially in some amusing or dramatic situation, is a cherished keepsake, and usually the story is worth more than the ball.
In the end, an actual home run ball’s real worth is not necessarily the price tag—it’s the thrill of the catch, the story you can share, and maybe, just possibly, the smile on a kid’s face when they hug their prize.
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