Thank you, gentlemen. I have such a long way to go on this set, but I enjoy looking for pieces that meet my high standard. The 53/47 centering is the only real flaw, if you can call it that. I don't know how they get an 8 out of that card, though.
Al, I don't know how you find some of the things you do. Your additions never cease to amaze. That wrapper is really stunning. Obviously, I have less experience than a lot of you guys, so it's not surprising that I, too, have never seen one of those wrappers.
Dustin, those are two really nice AS cards. Really nice eye appeal for the grades. I think we've collectively hit a group of cards where at least from the scans, it appears that the cards are a bit undergraded. The centering is a bit off, but otherwise, the cards are very clean. Nice edges and corners, certainly nothing that would warrant the grades they received. I think more than anything, you guys just happen to find beautiful cards that are stronger than their grades would suggest. I like the Sport Magazine/Sporting News All Star cards quite a lot, actually. My favorites are the 1961 Sporting News design. The profile pictures busting out of the newspaper is a really cool design. Aesthetically, they're just great looking cards. A collector could just work on those, ignoring the remainder of the set, and have one hell of a collection. I've thought about starting the '61 subset, as I really am not working on anything in the 60s right now. That would give me the Bowman Color set in the 50s, the 1975 Topps set, and the 1980 Topps set for the 80s. It would be a no brainer if Clemente were in it. He was an All Star for the first time in 1960, hitting .314, and an All Star in 1961, winning his first batting title hitting .351. But these cards were obviously printed before the end of the season. Maybe I'll just make a custom card and print it on some high quality paper, and offer it to our vintage members. I'll have to look into that.
Steve, those two cards are beauties. You know, the '64 Topps Giants cards is another option for a 60s set. I don't know why the set isn't more expensive. I think they're beautiful cards. And there is a Clemente. Hmm.
Bob and Joe, nice cards, too. I admit I know nothing about the Kahn's set, or the '74 Topps deckle edge (though I have at least seen them before). Though Topps was the only game in town for a long time after Bowman stopped producing, there are some nice alternatives that popped in from time to time. I'd like to explore some of them, including the Kellogg's baseball cards, because they are unique.
But thus far, Saved has my favorite card. Finding '53 Bowman Color cards centered and clean can be difficult. Finding Mr. Mantle like that is an exercise in frustration. I haven't even been seriously looking as a prelude to purchasing one (that will be a little later). I've just looked for the sake of finding one, and that's a really nice example. One of my all-time favorite cards, and a beautiful highlight for your set. Bravo!
Keep up the great pick ups, gang. November is off and running! Now, to eBay I go!