Mark Davidson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds from 1983 to 1994. Though he had a relatively short and unremarkable MLB career, Davidson produced some valuable cards during the 1980s and early 90s baseball card boom that make him an interesting player to collect. His rookie cards from 1983 Donruss and Fleer are among the more valuable cards from those sets and are highly sought after by collectors. With the rise of online marketplaces like COMC (Card Collector Universe), there are now many avenues to find Davidson’s older baseball cards and add them to a collection.
Davidson was drafted by the Cubs in the 3rd round of the 1982 June amateur draft out of Adelphi University. He made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 1983 at age 23 and had a respectable rookie season, appearing in 49 games and pitching 76 innings with a 4.18 ERA. This allowed him to be featured on rookie cards in the 1983 Donruss and Fleer sets that are keys for any Cubs or vintage baseball card collection. In particularly high grades of 8 or above, these cards can fetch hundreds of dollars due to their scarcity. Lower graded copies in EX-MT 6-7 condition are still valued from $15-50 depending on the specific card and market conditions.
While Davidson never lived up to being an elite starting pitcher, he did enjoy several decent seasons as a middle reliever and spot starter for the Cubs and Reds from 1983-1991. His numbers were far from amazing but steady and reliable, appearing in around 50 games each year with an ERA usually under 4.50. For collectors, his inclusion in common 1980s and early 90s sets like Topps, Donruss, Fleer and Score provides plenty of affordable cards to chase in EX-MT condition. Many of the more common parallel and oddball issues from brands like Score Traded, Select, Stadium Club and Leaf can also be found for under $5 in lower grades.
Injuries started to limit Davidson’s effectiveness in the early 1990s. After the 1991 season which saw him post a career best 11-9 record as a starting pitcher, he underwent shoulder surgery in 1992 which sidelined him for an entire year. He only pitched 9 total innings over 4 games upon returning to the Reds in 1993 before calling it quits after 1994 spring training. As a result, his cards from 1992-1994 are quite scarce, as he was not included in many sets those years due to being injured or retired. His 1992 Score and 1993 SP cards have some value for Reds PC collectors, valued around $10-15.
After his playing career ended, Mark Davidson remained tangentially involved in baseball through coaching youth leagues in the Cincinnati area. He also got into the investment business and has seemed to avoid the spotlight since retirement. As an aging 90s player with fairly vanilla stats, Davidson is not a huge name that immediately pops to mind for many collectors. Those digging deeper into the Cubs and Reds of the era will find some affordable cards to add to their collections through marketplaces like COMC.
COMC in particular has built up one of the largest online databases of sports cards over the past decade. Their inventory system allows sellers to easily consign thousands of lower end commons and uncommons, in turn giving buyers access to completing rainfall sets and finding specific players. As of this writing, COMC has over 100 individual Davidson baseball cards in stock from various sets spanning 1983-1994, including many rookie issues. Buyers can set customized Saved Searches to alert them whenever new Davidson cards in desired conditions are added.
For collectors satisfied with mid-grade EX-MT copies, sets like 1986 Donruss, 1987 Topps, 1988 Fleer and 1990 Score provide plenty of affordable options between $1-5 each. Higher end copies of gems like the 1983 Donruss and Fleer rookies in NM-MT 7-8 condition are also available, priced around $10-30 depending on recent sales comps. There are even a handful of beloved 1980s oddballs represented cheaply, such as an EX-MT 1986 Fleer Update for under $5. COMC also makes buying sports lots a breeze – combing their inventory often turns up multi-card lots from series like 1990 Topps or 1991 Donruss containing Davidson for pennies apiece.
For those hunting true investment quality specimens to crossover between the collectibles and greater baseball card market, periodically checking the top-graded options on COMC can yield rewards. At the time of writing, a PSA-graded 1988 Topps Traded unconfirmed 10 is priced at $99.99 – an obtainable price point for a true gem in high demand. An SGC-slabbed 1983 Fleer rookie 8.5 looks reasonably valued at $129.99 as well considering the card’s stature. While not a true star, Davidson’s durable MLB career and prominence on early 1980s Cubs placed him in a unique position to produce collectible and valuable cards for today’s fans and investors. COMC stands as a great hunting ground for affordable copies to build out a set or PC for this interesting yet oft-overlooked player.
In conclusion, Mark Davidson may not jump off the page as a superstar but his steady play for the Cubs and Reds in the mid-80s boom produced some coveted rookie cards that hold value today. For collectors seeking affordable cards to represent players from this era, either via team or rainbow sets, Davidson supplies many inexpensive commons and uncommons across various 1980s and early 90s series. The massive sports card inventory at COMC gives buyers ample opportunities to find and bid on Davidsons at reasonable prices, whether mid-grade NM-MT copies or higher end specs for true grading enthusiasts. With new consignments always pouring into their database, collecting Mark Davidson need not break the bank thanks to online marketplaces opening new avenues to enjoy the hobby.
