"Sports Illustrated" published its first issue on Aug. 16, 1954. The cover had a picture of the Milwaukee Braves' Eddie Mathews batting and New York Giants catcher Wes Westrum behind the plate. The issue also had replicas of the 1954 Topps baseball card set. That first issue and many of the others published since, especially the covers that feature superstars and the magazine's annual swimsuit issue, have become collector's items. There are several ways to get "Sports Illustrated" back issues.
Instructions
Instructions
1. Contact the "Sports Illustrated" customer service single copy desk to see if the magazine has any remaining copies of the issue you want. Prices vary and not all issues are available. Your chances are better if you are looking for an issue from the past few years. Call 1-800-274-6800 to place your order. Orders of 10 or more copies of the same issue may qualify for a bulk discount.
2. Check online auction sites to see if a copy of the issue you are looking for is available. There are guide books available online and in bookstores that help people determine what a back issue is worth based on scarcity and condition.
3. Check with one of the many online companies that carry back issues of magazines. HeadlineSports.com claims to have the largest selection of "Sports Illustrated" back issues dating back to 1954.
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