Hollywood Park Show Report

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Posted By: <b>J Levine</b><p>Got there a little early today and was immediately handed two 1916 Standard Biscuit Phillies from a local dealer buddy of mine. Decent condition, one g one vg and spent about what I might pay on ebay for them.<br /><br />Lots of vintage stuff incl. some neat unopened stuff that some guy was consigning at Mastro incl. a pre-1900 trophy bat. Was drooling over David Levin's table when the dealer who sold me the standard biscuit cards called me over to look at something he just bought in a lot of pre-war stuff. Turned out he had a<br />T-205 Blank Back Tom Jones...he let me take it around and get opinions on it...the consensus of the room was real but a hand cut card...Levin, McAvoy sports, the guys at Mastro, and another dealer buddy of mine all were interested. I took a chance and bought it for $100 (no creases but a tad short top to bottom and a little flaking of the border). I own two blank backs already that I know are cuts from an advertising piece (Moran and Tinker) and this looked more like a printers scrap to me.<br /><br />I bought two obaks (the only two i saw at the show) as well. saw some nice stuff incl. a broadleaf t-207 that i wanted but had run out of money.<br /><br />Trevor was out of town (hawaii from what I here) but I heard he made a killing on friday.<br /><br />Overall, not a bad show...just wish I had a little more money...I walked away from the show with the t-205 jones, two standard biscuits, two obaks, and one very poor t-206.<br /><br />-joshua

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Posted By: <b>David Vargha</b><p>Levin's stuff was phenomenal to look at. The table with the OJ proofs was pretty cool as well. I took my ten year old son there. It was his first experience at a card show. I had to explain to him that most of the prices were out of whack with reality and eBay. He kept drooling over the T206 Cobb cards, The Sport King Cobb cards as well as a Matty T205 and lots of other high $ vintage stuff. The boy is off to a great start.<br><br>DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>Hotter n hell, though. <br /><br />I picked up some great Exhibit entertainment pieces, a few T206s, a T207 Broadleaf, met several board members, saw Gagne and Beltre and Magic, had a heatstroke...overall, a good day.

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Posted By: <b>ErikV.</b><p><br /> Much to my delight, my wife hasn't gone into labor yet, so I was able to make the show on both Friday and Saturday. TONS of great vintage cards available, most of which were pretty expensive. I saw a decent looking 1934 Goudey Set for sale for $4,000 (the Gehrig was a PSA 2.) Maybe someone who was at the show could help me out here, but there was a gentleman who was set up near the entrance that had a marvelous 1941 Play Ball Set (all PSA 8's and 9's) that he's going to be auctioning off next month. I got his card, but can't seem to locate it at the moment. Couple of table had strictly Old Judge and T206's. As one could imagine, the crowds were much larger on Saturday than Friday. Gagne had a large line for autographs. I think Beltre had a decent line too. I left just after Wes Parker and Magic Johnson were taking the stage.<br /><br /> One thing I did notice was the amount of slabbing that's consuming the show (hobby). I dunno maybe I just haven't been paying too close attention, but it seems like that's just about all I saw when I was there!<br /><br /> I managed to pick up a few more 1940 Play Ball cards (slabbed, of course). Only 52 more to go for the set! <br /><br /> Looking forward to the next show in February.<br />

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Posted By: <b>David Vargha</b><p>Erik -- That was JP Cohen of Memory Lane Inc. in Orange County. He's a great guy to deal with.<br><br>DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>J (or anyone else who knows): <br /><br />On Friday, the table that had all the cool vintage unopened wax packs also had a collection of small 1950 Bowman football and baseball uncut sheets. When I inquired, I was told by the surly dealer that they were on hold and not for sale. <br /><br />Do you know if these were also heading to Mastro or were they earmarked for a private sale? <br /><br />Thanks!

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Posted By: <b>Anthony</b><p>They belonged to William Toppi, although the dealer you referred to was probably Randy Snively. He had that pack run last time as well, he was going to consign it to Mastro but I don't know why he hadn't already. It was pretty amazing, most Topps and Bowman packs, along with a short print '48 Leaf pack. I went back to see it again on Sunday and he hadn't brought it back.

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Posted By: <b>J Levine</b><p>I was pretty sure that he was going to consign it to Mastro...would not even let me look at the packs up close (wanted to look at the 1953 Topps and 1964 Topps High Number)...he is usually not that surly but you never know sometimes...oh well...

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Posted By: <b>Jay Miller</b><p>Anthony---Was that a '48 Leaf baseball or football pack?<br /><br />Thanks---Jay

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Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>Yeah, the pack run was very cool. The same two jerks hd them out at the last Expo show and when I tried to buy the 1950 Bowman, was told that they were only for sale as a group (well over six-figures). It didn't take a genius to see that they weren't going to sell at that price. <br /><br />Not surprisingly, the packs were back and it makes sense that they'd consign them to Mastro. They aren't going to get anywhere near what they were asking for them anywhere else. <br /><br />This time the surly dealers had a great collection of 1950 Bowman football and baseball uncut sheets underneath a 1959 Fleer Ted Williams display box. When I tried to purchase a baseball sheet, I was rudely told they were on hold for someone else and not for sale. <br /><br />I was just wondering if they were going to make it to Mastro as well. <br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>Jay: <br /><br />The Leaf pack was baseball. <br /><br />BTW, same with me J, the surly dealer would not even let me look at the baseball uncut sheets. he did say the football sheets were for sale at $1,500 a pop and I would have been interested in some with Tank Younger, but he was so rude, I just walked away. <br /><br />I think they thought they were doing us favors just talking to us. <br /><br />This is exactly why baseball card dealers have such poor reputation for customer service. They need to remember, we're the ones giving THEM money. <br /><br />--Aaron

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Posted By: <b>Anthony</b><p>As Aaron posted, it was a Leaf baseball pack. I should've clarified that. <br />I had 2 different asking prices in my notes from the pack run last time- 120K and 200K. Don't know if the lower was a misunderstanding or partial lot, or if I had notes from something else on the same scrap of paper. Didn't bother asking this time, it was light years out of my range, and if you need to ask.....<br />The interesting thing about the Leaf pack is speculating what was in it. I'm assuming it came from Rosen's Florida find of sp leaf packs, and in his book he states that the one card he saw the least of was Paige. That would seem to indicate to me that there was a better than average chance this pack might contain one, if it was ever opened. The seller told me that this was the only unopened short print pack in existance. Tough to verify since GAI doesn't have their pop report up yet- although I've heard that could happen on Monday.<br />I crunched the numbers back and forth based on what I've paid for packs and other sales, and couldn't get it to come anywhere near 200K, even with 40K plugged in for this pack. But I never cease to be amazed at what Mastro, RE, et al get for some lots, and here is a chance to pick up one of the finest, if not the finest, pack collections out there. The condition, color, and centering on the 50's packs were far superior to anything I've seen.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>I've been dealing with him for years and he is one of the more courteous, helpful dealers I've run into.

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Posted By: <b>J Levine</b><p>It was not Randy but someone else behind his table...was not as bad as some dealers I avoid but was a crowded show and things were busy...maybe he was just overwhelmed...<br /><br />-Joshua

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Posted By: <b>Aaron M.</b><p>Which one was Randy? What does he look like?