Are Tango Eggs Real?

[sgbernard]

I know the story about Tango Eggs: in 1991, a hoard of some 700 or so of these were found, Bescher and Jennings were the most common, and most were high grade. How do we know that these weren't all made in 1991? Were other examples known at all to the hobby before then? How were they distributed with eggs, in the egg cartons? Has anyone ever found anything on the L. Frank's egg company or seen any packaging? I love the backs (Egg cards!), but I've always wondered how we know these aren't just a cool and creative modern fiction. Feel free to show your cards, too: I sold my example (Bescher, go figure) earlier this year.

Edited to say: Man, I'm getting a bit foggy in the head. I was searching through the archive, and I found that I had posted on this same topic awhile ago.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=88806&highlight=tango+eggs

Leon: I'm an idiot, you can delete this post. Or we can talk about these curious cards again, whatever!

[Griffins]

dammit! someone named "archive" posted with my name in the linked thread, and my scans are in there. Leon, when is this going to stop? Can Archive be banned, or at least warned ;)

I recently picked up a Tango Egg that was very obviously pre find- lesser condition and with a stamp on the back. It's unlisted. I believe Frank Ward has stated that he had some pre find as well.

I've got to think that the difference in numbers means one of a few possibilities

A. there were very few Beschers and Jennings initially distributed or
B. there is a stash of Crawfords, Felsch, Evers, etc waiting to be found (and hopefully not destroyed by Katrina in a flooded basement)

last time I checked PSA had graded 16 different, SGC 15 different, but SGC has graded one that PSA has not, so it would appear that there are 17 different verified examples.
The REA set from a few years ago stated that Cobb and Schaeffer were known to exist (but neither has been graded by PSA or SGC as of last fall)
Tinker and Wagner are cataloged but apparently have not been verified, and REA's write up seems to indicate that the set consists of just 18 cards. Given the one I have the set would seem to be at least 19, or 21 (if Wagner and Tinker exists) or 22 (if Wagner, Tinker, and a 2nd pose of Cobb exists, as was stated by someone close to the find).

In regards to them being the same stock as Mello Mints, I've never held the latter but would think the thickness of the Tango stock would be considerably thicker than the Mello Mint stock, as that was often found folded in half. Tangos would not hold up to that nearly as well.

[Leon]

Mello Mints are much thinner than Tango Eggs. Tango's are real and they are neat!! :)

[steve B]

Somewhere in the stacks of old magazines i've got the ad from MR mint offering a bunch of these back when they were found.

I called to order one, but he was "away at a show" Left a message, but never heard back, tried a couple more calls, and could never contact him.

I didn't like him before, flash without real substance isn't my thing. And I really disliked him for not being reachable on an item he advertised. He's one of the very few dealers in anything that are on my mental "never buy from" list.

Steve B

[Bill Stone]

" They're real and they're spectacular";)

[Ladder7]

Nope, Not gonna say it.

[Griffins]

go on Steve, alternate viewpoints are always good to hear
was this what you were going to say?

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KlpD2Ata8kI/0.jpg

Fake, Fake, Fake, Fake!

[barrysloate]

I have a silly question- where does everybody find these Seinfeld photos? No matter what line someone mentions, the exact photo from that scene is posted on the board. Where do these images come from?

[Anthony S.]

Barry, in that instance you type the words:

seinfeld
elaine
fake

into a google search field. When the web results pop up, just click on the word "images" at the very top left of the google search result pages and you'll be taken to several pages of photos. That photo was about the 9th image on the search I just ran.

[barrysloate]

Amazing.

[Ladder7]

Good goin' with that tip Anthony. Now she'll never be able to get his butt out of the house. <:

[fkw]

All are vintage (made in ca.1915), 99% were unissued.

I did find one Tango Jennings about 1999 on eBay that was F/G with dirt, creases, and rounded corners. bought in a lot of 5-6 that had a couple D303 Mothers cards (even rare than Tangos), and some T213-2s. Bought from a lady in Louisiana.

I have never seen a worn example since that one, but they are out there.

[wake.up.the.echoes]

I know this isn't anything earth shattering, but I stumbled across this while surfing the web. At least we know that L. Frank & Co. existed.

http://www.old-new-orleans.com/NO_business3.html

also found this link, which semi-chronicles what happened to the warehouse...

http://artegg.com/aboutus

[fkw]

Hi Mr Mint, I'll take the Tango Egg Buck Weaver for $30 Please :)

Below is a pic of the famous Mr Mints scam ad from 18 years ago for the Tango's after the hoard was discovered.

Notice the $30 and $95 ea. prices :)

From what Ive heard years later, he didnt even own the cards (yet or ever?) at the time and made the ad just to see what demand they would have.
What a loser!


I also tried to buy 1 of ea. and was told I was too late (like everyone else).

PS the SCD guides need to update the info that there are est.20 Jennings, there are really like 100-200.

June 12, 1992 SCD
http://centuryoldcards.com/images/6-12-92tangoad1.jpg

http://centuryoldcards.com/images/6-12-92tangoad2.jpg

[Rob D.]

From what Ive heard years later, he didnt even own the cards (yet or ever?)

Thank goodness such conduct doesn't happen today in our hobby.