[brian1961]

Hi guys. I apologize for taking so long to respond. I've been with my family and can now break away.

The card I spoke of is a 1953 Stahl-Meyer Franks. Ultra rare it is not. Ultra rare in high grade, by all means yes. When interviewing metro New York dealer David Festberg for my book, he replied very blase and matter-of-factly, "they're around."

Indeed. Though what he should have included with his assessment was another "around". The condition of most survivors is around PSA 1 / SGC 10 Poor, with more than a few of them being stuck with the ST qualifier for stain.

The number of available survivors on eBay is about seven at the moment. They tend to stay put [ALTHOUGH AN SGC 1.5 WITH NICE EYE APPEAL JUST RECENTLY LEFT THE BAY, THE VENDOR'S LISTING SAYS IT IS NOW NO LONGER AVAILABLE]. Understandably, most collectors have no clue and cannot fathom the conception of paying several thousand dollars for a baseball card that's heavily-creased, bearing four streaks of hot dog stains (sometimes on both sides), having a strange blueish-purple ink code number stamped on the card's front, pin or tack holes at the top, and occasionally is found sun-bleached from years of being proudly displayed in a youngster's bedroom.

Of course, being a Mr. Mint phone auction, Alan was not offering such a normal specimen. Quite the antithesis.

Now I'm afraid I might disappoint a few of you. I cannot post a scan for the simple reason my aforementioned wife does not want me to do so. I'm still awaiting word from the publisher concerning the book I wrote, NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN. In chapter 13 I present a lengthy provenance of this particular card and the promotion from whence it came, with a full-page photo comprised of an artistic presentation along with the graded card, to which I truly hope my critical, cynical, hard-to-please and impress fellow collectors will even find smashing. I'm sure you will understand then my need not to play my own spoiler.

Again, I reiterate my sincere thanks to Carl for sharing his wonderful story.
---Brian Powell