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Al Rosen - Mr Mint - Passes
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Tom C |
This is sad news....whatever ill malice people have towards him nonwithstanding...
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My only interaction (cold call asking if would sell one single 1952T high number) with him (when I was 12) was very pleasant (I've read everything else and saw him "at work" at a Philly show in 2000, so I know "what" he was). May his soul be at peace and may his family find solace in this most difficult time.
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I had some dealings with Mr. Rosen many years ago. He was
an interesting character to say the least and he was involved in some amazing finds. |
I have spoken about my unfortunate experience with Alan in the past but with this news I only wish comfort for his loved ones. He was certainly a character.
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RIP Alan. Thankfully I have nothing but positive memories from our times at many of the same shows in the 80's and early 90's.
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Always had great dinners with Al.....Great guy outside of the hobby
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Always a thrill to watch him price items at the big Rhode Island show that ended last year.
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he did a lot of business w a friend and helped me make a sale. Put hobby in the mainstream. rip sir
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i used to go to his auctions in montvale at his office.always very nice to me ..he had an ego but like it was said a character rip mr mint
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He was certainly a character, but by promoting himself he also promoted the hobby. I would say the two people most responsible for the high dollar value of cards today are Alan Rosen and Bill Mastro. My condolences to all of Alan's family and friends.
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Rip mr mint!
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Never knew him, just remembered his ads. Rip
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He will be missed, even though sometimes it was tough to deal with Mr. Mint - it was always interesting - and have to say the last one at this past Boston Show was one of the better ones - God Bless
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I was doing shows as a freshman/sophomore in college back in 1985/86. I remember him coming to a small show I was doing(Phillipsburg NJ. I think) I remember He bought a T205 Cobb from me and a 52 Bowman Mantle and a few other cards. Treated me well and fairly. RIP...
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I dealt with Al Rosen on a couple occasions and had no problems. My condolences to his family.
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Oh jeez, so sorry to hear that. Basically decent guy, despite his rather abrupt personality and infamous self-promotion and so on. As far as doing baseball card deals, I have to say I trusted him more than quite a few others I remember from the old days (1980's). RIP Mr. Mint.
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I saw him in person at a Rosemont show once. We took a photo together, which he called "the Money Shot". He probably was holding 10k in $100 bills :]
My condolences to his family. I can hope and pray he found the only Way before he passed. NJ |
Al was, as many of us are, complicated. I happened to like him a lot and I never had a bad business experience with him.
Al did a ton for the hobby and he was perfect for the 1980's and all those collections he unearthed. More thoughts when I post in the SABR Baseball Card Blog, but if there is a good side to this, I heard from a couple of mutual friends who I had not heard from in a couple of years so we could share our tall tales. Regards Rich |
He was the salesman of all salesmen Saw and talked to him at many Michigan card shows in the in the 1980's and 1990's.. Abrasive yea, but a great promoter.
No one like him for sure. Joe |
Responsible for some great finds of the hobby. RIP
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Joe |
My only personal experience with Mr. Rosen was in 2014 when I called the number listed on one of his ads to ask advise.
I was first shocked that a secretary did not answer - then, he was very pleasant and patient with my novice knowledge. He let me know that the price I was mentioning was a good one for the item I had in mind. That, along with my own limited research, let me feel comfortable enough to make the purchase - and since then, the sale prices of the same item in the same condition have appreciated quite a bit. I did not ask too much of him, just his honest opinion as someone who has been in the hobby for many years and did not have a 'stake' in the transaction. He was also reputed to be involved in my 'White Whale' story, but when I asked him, he did not remember it. THANK YOU, SIR! Rest In Peace - I regret never calling him back and thanking him for his input. |
His reputation preceded him
Most people who have been in the hobby for years at some point crossed paths with Al Rosen, "Mr. Mint," and his reputation certainly preceded him.
I remember his prominent ads in SCD years ago. He also always had the first table as you entered the Shriner's Auditorium show in Wilmington, MA. I never bought anything from or sold anything to Mr. Mint, but I do have a story. At one of the GBSCC/Shriners Sports Card and Memorabilia Shows I walked in carrying a box of memorabilia. Mr. Mint immediately dashes out from behind his table, and asks what I have in the box. After telling him I have some memorabilia to sell he reaches into the box, and grabs an early League bat with an acorn knob. He then precedes to say nice bat, and tosses it back into the box from about 3 feet away. The bat landed with a thud, but was luckily not damaged. That's my Mr. Mint story. Patrick |
He added color to the hobby
Over my many years in this hobby, I have always tried to study those who have had great success. Part of it was selfish- I wanted to be successful too. But part of it was a genuine intrigue as to how many different people could take so many different paths, have different personality traits- and yet end up- at or near the top of the field. I have always tried to "cherry pick" what I thought were the positive attributes of each individual- and hopefully build those "parts" into my own business. Al Rosen was one of those guys I studied.
My take on Al is that he was a very smart- hi IQ colorful man with a big personality, who was an expert on how to size up people, situations, and of course baseball cards! He was the best I have ever known in this business at branding himself. To sooooo many people- he was Mr.Mint. He published books- and self promoted. He ran thousands of ads- and was willing to travel anywhere to buy the newest biggest best collections. He was the face of the baseball card business for a couple of decades- and I think should be remembered for his business savy, his tireless energy, and his uncanny ability to "get the deal done". For many years my booth was next to his at the annual May Pittsburgh Show run by J. Paul. I could see the look on many people's faces as they approached his booth. They wanted to meet the closest thing to a "celebrity" the card industry had to offer. He would sign his book for these people- and thank them for stopping by- and in one of the best conversational transitions I've ever witnessed- "ask them if they had anything for sale". I don't know how many pictures he took with people- He was always holding the cards- and "those people" always holding the cash- and a signed copy of his book. I was never in the "Al Rosen inner circle"- so I do not pretend to be his best friend or confidant. I just hope this hobby - at this time - can remember the positive attributes of Al- and the color he added to this hobby. I will miss him. Rest in peace Alan. |
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I am still vividly remember the 52 find and his follow up ads in SCD. Saw him many times at shows and as many have said, he was the ultimate salesman and promoter. He was always asking people what they had for sale and scanning the show floor for more stuff to buy. I also agree that he did more to help the hobby than just about anyone. It was always interesting when he was set up by the front door.
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I have had the privilege of knowing Al for 28 years, and even though we were competitors at most shows across the country, we had a mutual respect for each other, which forged into a long-lasting friendship. Al was always self promoting himself & his business, but that also gave great positive exposure to the entire hobby, which we all have benefited from in the past & will continue to benefit from in the future. Over the years, Al was always looking for loyalty in his hobby friends & the people he dealt with. My thoughts & prayers are with his family (Marni, Blake & Jenny), along with his best friend & best right-hand man, Dave Czuba. Al will be sorely missed in the hobby – Rest in Peace “Mr. Mint”
Bryan Dec |
The first I met Alan Rosen was at a Show in Kenilworth, NJ in 1981. We were set-up at adjacent tables at this show. He was sort brusque in
his behavior dealing with the public; but, he also could be mild-mannered and funny. I recall several "walk-ins" with newer stuff (back then) first came to my table which I was not interested in, so I passed them on to Alan. He purchased most of these cards, and then gave me a commission for sending the walk-ins over to his table. There are numerous stories that I can tell regarding Alan. But, I'll limit it to 2. In 1984, at the Atlantic City show, he had a 1949 Bowman PCL set (36 cards) for sale (very, very rare). He told me I could have it for 2K. I told him I had spent most of my $$$$$. So, he asked me what I had to trade. I told him I had 50 - 1982 Topps Traded sets. We did the trade, and I was very happy. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend Alan's book, titled "TRUE MINT". It details all his major finds (1981 - 1994). It is a great read. GOD Bless Alan's soul....and comfort his family. TED Z . |
Never met him but i remember reading a sports illustrated article about him and the mantles....the next show i bought a few Mantles from the 1960s..
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mint
definitely a hobby legend
recall watching him sitting at his dealer table at the big shows...intently eyeing the door like a hawk ,when customers walked in... wanting to grab them first if they looked like they had something good to sell... I seem to recall some promoter purposely moved his table elsewhere..because other dealers complained.. he was getting first/unfair shots at the walk in stuff im sure he pissed off many dealers over the yrs with his brashness, pushy-ness, ego, etc... but never had problems with him how about that period where morons were lining up to get him to sign baseballs because he was mr mint ..wow really ? |
Rest in peace, Mr. Rosen. My sincerest, deepest condolences to his wife and family. I'm so sorry for your devastating loss.
I did not have many dealings with Mr. Rosen. Some downers, and as I wrote, you really needed to approach him with a certain humility to get anywhere. Be that as it may, when I reflect on my collection, the majority of the finest, most cherished baseball cards in my collection have a provenance that may be traced directly, or indirectly, to Alan Rosen. He was a true giant to the hobby from the early 80s on, and for a long, long time. Yes, he was a character. A self-promoter, par excellence. So? He did it right. Some of you guys speak of self-promotion as if it was a sin. He spent an absolute fortune on all those weekly full-page ads in the pages of SPORTS COLLECTORS DIGEST. Those ads were innovating, outlandish, and flat-out unforgettable. They got into the minds of almost everybody in the hobby when the thought of, "who could I sell my cards to?", or "I found these old boxes of unsold baseball cards. You think they're worth anything? You're telling me to call Mr. Mint? What kind of a name is that? Oh, that's his moniker, and his real name is Alan Rosen. What's his number?" He sold collectors all kinds of great cards, and when the time came to sell, they would often turn back to Mr. Mint to do the work of re-selling them. Yeah, I had a few bad experiences with Mr. Rosen. He was churlish, but the good far outweighed the bad and ugly. When researching my book, NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, Mr. Rosen was one of the men I sought out to interview. Alan very willingly gave of his time and knowledge in a lengthy phone conversation, at his convenience of course, which is only right. He unloaded to me all he knew about the scarce and beautiful 1953-55 Stahl-Meyer Franks gems. He gave me some extremely good insights on these cards, and some valuable anecdotes. I got the conversation on tape so I would quote him precisely. Very gracious and very helpful. I salute him. Both his books are well worth reading, full of interesting, excellent insights, and the stories of his finds---priceless! Mr. Mint will never be forgotten; that's for sure. ---Brian Powell |
Sorry to hear this. He was very fair and kind in dealings with my dad
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I only knew of him from advertisements. As a result, my friend and I would refer to Al Rosen (the guy who played on the Indians) as Mr Mint as well. :D
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I confess that I bought some cards from him when he was wholesaling his card purchases among dealers. Always cautious, but never regretted buying anything from him. Do remember Alan appearing on the Today show shortly after the Boston '52 Topps find, flashing beautiful copies of Jackie, Pewee, Eddie Mathews and, of course, the Mick in front of Jane Pawley's astonished face. I am sure he helped build the Mantle card to the iconic stature it holds today.
I hope Doug Allen and Bill Mastro spend a moment to remember Alan and his role in helping to make the baseball collectibles hobby into the mega business it is today. |
Very well said, Kevin ...
Kevin has said it well and, from all I can tell 2,000 miles away, he is learning his lessons well. He runs a first-class auction business and as do the people he has hired to represent him.
In my view Mr. Mint was much as Kevin has portrayed and, generally, we would do well to emulate the best we see in others. My sympathies to the Rosen family and my thanks to Kevin Savage. Quote:
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I guess when you die, you become someone else. Because this guy was a total scumbag. Sorry, everyone. You can hate me now, but once I'm dead you'll be posting what a great guy I was.
-Ryan |
He banned me from his auctions because I questioned an autograph he was auctioning that was definitely bad.
He tried to buy a Babe Ruth signed ball from me at a show. When I turned down his offer he gave me a look that would curdle milk. For years afterwards he would never look at me at a show. I agree with Ryan above. |
Well, there goes the Mr. Mint Kumbaya Tour.....
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Sad news
I spoke with him the first time this year.......he was very pleasant......very nice to me......we had a conversation about his wagners .......he was sincere :)
sometimes this hobby gets very intense.... remember, we cant take any of this with us......they are just wordly possesions.... the very short time I spoke with him, he put a smile on my face.... ..rest in peace Mr. Mint... my sympathy to his family for their loss... |
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(That's a joke son!) |
I dunno that someone's obituary is the time to be a tough guy. The only time I dealt with Ryan, I got a bunch of caramelo deportivo's all stuck together off of eBay and I took them apart and put them in penny sleeves and top-loaders.
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Rosen
I have only had one meeting with Mr. Rosen, at the National in Chicago a few years ago. He was very kind, very patient, and I appreciated his advice.
Rick |
I will always remember his ads in the SCD, but there was a time that I was a way from the baseball card hobby and had turned my attention to vintage toys and all of the sudden there he was again popping up weekly in my Toy Shop magazine. He was trying to corner the market on vintage carded Star Wars figures. He even tried to start up a grading company for action figures with Josh Velinsky of Plastic Dreams in New Jersey. They failed, but the idea was carried forward by AFA. He did make a significant find in the toy hobby too, he had a knack for making "finds". He found unopened cases of Star Wars 12 back figures. In that hobby that is akin to finding unopened cases of 52 Topps baseball.
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Well said....
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Even if you thought he was a jerk or you did not have good dealings with him, there is NO QUESTION that he raised awareness and prices for the truly rare pieces out there. He was also an incredible marketer. How else do you explain the 1952 find? The 1955 Bowman find? And I'm sure many others. He was fun to watch, fun to be caught up in the emotion and craziness of this hobby. That itself is worth the price of admission. He will forever be remembered by hobbyists and I am glad he brought that passion to the hobby as it got me motivated many years ago. RIP "Mr. Mint". Peace, Pap |
I was fascinated by his SCD ads in years past.In his auction listings ,he would always say "Bought these from a show guy....." I practically drooled at his printed auction offerings.Finally took the plunge and bought a partial 1958 bb card set.They were exactly as described.Paid a lot but they were so beautiful to behold,got PSA 8's on many of them.Then he calls me and says that buyer of the 1969 partial bb set could not come up with the money.Would I like them,he would knock a few hundred off.Boy,did I jump at that chance.And like the '58s,I got a ton of high PSA grades for the better cards.Yes,he rubbed many people the wrong way but in some manner he made himself into a hobby icon.My prayers to his family.His "finds " will forever live in the hobby lore.RIP,my friend.
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Say what you will, and I only have vague memories of him at a show or two when I was very young, but I learned a lot from his book. Also, we seem to be losing more "characters" than we're gaining these days.
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1988 I saw my first Mr. Mint Ad buying 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan for $50.
I couldn't believe a card a year and a half old was worth that much. I brought a 800 ct. box of pack fresh cards with 4 Jordans to a card shop and got a whopping $175 in trade. Got a bunch of off grade 75 minis. I sure wish I never saw his Buy Ads. |
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Known Alan since his first National setup in the 1984 NSCC in Parsippany, NJ. I never had any business dealings with Alan but once when he ran phone auctions I was on the phone to make a bid on a baseball card when a voice said "the auction is over" - an abrupt hang-up. His auctions ended at exactly midnight.
RIP I added some other characters with a picture of Alan from 1999 - I do not recall where this show was held. |
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