Long-time collector Ashby Milstead
 

Not sure how many on the board knew Ashby Milstead, but I just learned of his passing in August 2023. I did not see him at the 2023 National, as apparently he was in declining health at the time.

Ashby was an old school collector with a very deep collection and just a great all-around guy and pleasure to talk to. Many older dealers will remember him. Oddly, I did not know that he turned down a chance to play for the Pirates and chose his career in education instead. His own Moonlight Graham story.

A link to his obit.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries...ry?id=52902680

RiP. I met him through our love of signed 52s

Edited.. courtesy of William Chappell's table according to my records

Ashby
 

Ashby was one of my favorite collector’s that I knew for close to forty years. He had dementia in his later years.

He was as old school collector as you could find. One encounter that makes me chuckle involved a gray back 1952 Topps Eddie Waitkus I found for him. The card looked near mint but had a series of factory surface wrinkles you had to hold the card at an angle to see.

I was trying to show him the wrinkles and Ashby started shaking his head and said “William, I don’t give a damn. I just want the card. What do I owe you?”

I do remember introducing Ashby to Ted at a Philly show 10 or so years ago.

Bill Mastro introduced me to Ashby in about 2000, at the National. He loved the old PCL stuff and we had a few conversations over the years. Very nice gentleman. He will be missed. RIP Ashby.....

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Scott...Thanks for posting. I haven't talked with him in well over a decade, but we did communicate quite a bit in the 'pre-internet' days. A dedicated collector, honest man and all around good guy. Sorry to see guys like him disappear, but at least we know that the chapter has ended...Mark