Is Alan Hager Still Alive?

[marzoumanian]

I'm working on a history of card grading. In the course of doing my research on Net54 and the internet his name comes up as "the father." Yes, I am aware of all the negative comments/stories and just purchased on Ebay the Jan/Feb 1997 VCBC issue in which Dennis Purdy writes an article about him. Or should I say expose?
Anyway, any journalist worth his salt would make this attempt to reach out and interview him to get his point of view. I saw a Hager ad image from VCBC with a Florida phone number and also saw that there are a few Hagers in Florida I could reach out to BUT I thought it would be wise to start here. Thanks for any guidance you can provide. Stay healthy.

[Misunderestimated]

I don't know if he is alive ... but I would check out his big self-published hardback book from 1993 for your article -- "Hager's comprehensive price guide to rare baseball cards, 1886 to present"
I think there are copies out there.
Kinda pricey on Amazon but maybe you can borrow?

--
FYI;
I thought that Dave Foreman was the first person who embarked on professional grading -- his reputable "SCG" (?) was contemporaneous with Hagar's which was ACCUGRADE

[1880nonsports]

I have CRS but it was brought up here before so a search might be prudent or helpful. I can lend you a signed copy of the book if you need it for something. Alan went from coin grading and encapsulating to cards BEFORE sgc as I believe he has/had the original holder patent.... He showed up at a national like 5/6 (?) years ago at a table. I remember a giant painted football leather he was trying to convince people was a tobacco era premium. If Festberg is still alive and meditating then I think AH may have passed. Just the way I remember things :(

edited to add: If you post the addresses I might be able to recognize one... I would speak to him occasionally after he moved here likely to avoid the life he had been leading... up was down and down was up. Quite a few law suits and accusations...

[ncinin]

http://macablege.com/

[h2oya311]

Here is likely the only Hager graded DiMaggio Zeenut in existence. The slab is a historical masterpiece in its own right, let alone the card encased in the plastic tomb. ASA is the Hager slabbed material. While he was certainly generous with his grading (since most, if not all) were his cards, at least his material was authentic. No conflict of interest there, right?

https://photos.imageevent.com/derekgranger/hofrookies1/websize/1933%20DiMaggio.jpg

[glynparson]

He was set up at the Long Beach coin show a year or so ago.

[bbcard1]

Here is likely the only Hager graded DiMaggio Zeenut in existence. The slab is a historical masterpiece in its own right, let alone the card wishing the plastic tomb. ASA is the Hager slabbed material.
https://photos.imageevent.com/derekgranger/hofrookies1/websize/1933%20DiMaggio.jpg

I have a 1940 Red Ruffing with that slab and always wondered where it had come from. Quite an interesting sub hobby could be made out or accumulating cards that resided in the slabs of short-lived companies.

[1880nonsports]

I suppose that would be like the collectors that collect painting forgeries. It would be a buy the holder and not the card type of thing as your entombed card has a good chance of being altered or over-graded...........

[BeanTown]

Off topic a little, but your Zeenut example made me think. Why do all TPGs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get AUTHENTIC. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

[36GoudeyMan]

Don't forget his foray into the world of collectible Beanie Babies, with the specialized label tombs!! A true descent into madness.....

[ValKehl]

I acquired this WaJo card roughly 25 years ago. Altered? Accurately graded? It's the only ACCUGRADE card I have ever owned.

[hcv123]

off topic a little, but your zeenut example made me think. Why do all tpgs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get authentic. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

i-n-c-o-n-s-i-s-t-e-n-c-y

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

7 NM is kinda funny, but still an awesome card.

[ValKehl]

Scott, what grade would you guess I would receive if I were to cross it over to PSA or SGC? A 5?

[sbfinley]

Off topic a little, but your Zeenut example made me think. Why do all TPGs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get AUTHENTIC. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

A) because they were made to be torn. Much like early topps finest cards that have been peeled are still graded. Apples to oranges but in the same vein.

B) much of it has to do with the history of the issue and “tossing coups” is probably the greatest historical story of any baseball card issue. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend the Zeenut History and guide book.

C) I can’t think of any instance where a zeenut a grade or two higher without a coupon would outsell a copy with the coupon so people don’t really have a financial stake in doing so.

But yeah if you want to provide a lazy answer then “inconsistency” works fine as well.

[Yoda]

I think Hager's grading company ASA actually preceded PSA by a short bit.

I recall one heated discussion with him at a show where he claimed that a E96 Lajoie blank backed Lajoie was a proof when it was a notebook cover piece. I think Dennis Purdy referred to him as "a Buffalo Hunter in the Wild West". Apt description.

[slidekellyslide]

I was among a group of coin collectors he threatened to sue on the usenet coin collecting forum back in the late 90s, maybe early 2000s. He did end up suing a few guys on there but if IIRC he lost. His wife was just as horrible as he was. Miserable people.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Scott, what grade would you guess I would receive if I were to cross it over to PSA or SGC? A 5?

I'm not an expert on these, but as long as it's not trimmed (although that doesn't seem to always matter!) I think a 5 is about right. if it wasn't for the edge damage visible on the reverse it might be a 6.

[mikemb]

I bought a few cards from him in this sale.

Mike

[rdwyer]

Back in the 90's.

[Bigdaddy]

Back in the 90's.

Is an altered reprint worth more or less than an unaltered one?

[rdwyer]

Mine would get a 10 for being the worst job of altering ever seen. Someone was trying to deceive. Neither one are worth anything to me.

[marzoumanian]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their feedback to my question. I was provided with Hager's current website and plan to contact him directly. If you know anything about journalism you know that tracking down the right source people is important if you want to get the story right. It's a slog but it's the nature of the beast.
Stay healthy and enjoy the weekend. Oh, and be kind to each other.