Any 'finds' overseas?

[Brian]

I was just curious if anyone had picked up sports or non-sports cards or memorabilia overseas, say, in Europe?

There were some interesting sportscards of American athletes issued in the UK, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, to name a few. I was wondering if anyone had scored any interesting items from foreign lands? Would love to see some finds, if any.

I will be visiting London in the winter and was also curious whether anyone picked up anything of interest there, and if so, where in particular?

Thanks!
Brian

[Writehooks]

Produced by Upper Deck, 5,000 of these eight-card panels were given to fans attending the first NHL China Games (LA Kings vs Vancouver Canucks) in Shanghai and Beijing on Sept. 21 and Sept. 23, 2017. Printed exclusively in Mandarin, the issue includes all-time greats Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Roy, Sidney Crosby and current Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. In 2018 the second China Games, featuring the Boston Bruins vs Calgary Flames, were played in Shenzhen and Beijing, and the panels, again limited to 5,000, feature four players from each team -- including all three members of the Bruins' "Perfect Line": Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pasernak. I was fortunate enough to attend all four games in a media capacity.

[Brian]

Very cool, thanks for posting!

[cubman1941]

Contact UKguy

[doug.goodman]

From a Tokyo flea market, a bit less than 2 ft square.

$10 usd

[Yoda]

If you can find a source, try and locate a 1926 Bobby Jones RC Lambert and Butler. It is a hot card here for those into Golf collectibles. Should think more plentiful and cheaper in UK as issued there and no doubt more plentiful. Good luck. And the Pound is working in your favor.

[kecleveland]

I found a guy in Spain for soccer cards. I tell him what I want and then he raids his grandmother’s attic. Recently got a set of 1921 Jaime Boix Barcelona ricardo zamora barcelona.jpgpuzzles.

[chalupacollects]

Found some non-sport and "off-sport" cricket and such in Hamburg in an antique store...

[Brian]

Cool soccer cards. Is there anything on the backs?
Find any Pele cards?

[Exhibitman]

As a boxing collector I get cards from all over the world via mail order. I haven't been there but I love to show this pocket-sized Korean folding card of Hank Aaron:

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

As a boxing collector I get cards from all over the world via mail order. I haven't been there but I love to show this pocket-sized Korean folding card of Hank Aaron:

The English translation is: 'I never took performance enhancing drugs.'

[kecleveland]

Originally Posted by Brian

Cool soccer cards. Is there anything on the backs?
Find any Pele cards?

Here’s the back. No Pele, only Spanish players and teams. He does have some weird Jordan’s though.

[Brian]

Neat card of Hank. My Korean is a bit rusty-what do his jersey and the panel below say, I wonder.....

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Brian

Cool soccer cards. Is there anything on the backs?
Find any Pele cards?

Israel:



Uruguay:



Argentina:



Germany:



And the Pele of beaseball:



France:



And the Pele of boxing:

Israel:



Holland:



Sweden:



Czechslovakia:

[Brian]

I knew someone here could translate the Korean (I am assuming you were not kidding about the ham).

Awesome Pele and Ali cards! I will keep an eye out for them as I travel.

[Ulidia]

Originally Posted by kecleveland

I found a guy in Spain for soccer cards. I tell him what I want and then he raids his grandmother’s attic. Recently got a set of 1921 Jaime Boix Barcelona Attachment 587421puzzles.

I assume you are aware. However, the primary footballer pictured here is Ricardo Zamora. Zamora was one of the most famous players, and certainly the most famous goalkeeper, of the pre WWII era. Also, a controversial figure off the pitch.



As to shops and opportunities to buy cards in London? In my experience, living here, the opportunities are relatively limited. Rather, it’s certainly possible to buy vintage tobacco cards (referred to as “cigarette cards”) here. However, not of vintage US-produced baseball cards; other than where a collector has purchased from across the pond and, hence, if selling, the price tends to be high as they are factoring in their additional costs of original purchase (customs fees, international postage etc).


Other points to note:
- Vintage British football (i.e. “soccer”’) cards from the early 20th century (pre WWI) have exploded in price in recent years; primarily for certain players but also to some extent across the board and the collector base is relatively knowledgeable. Therefore, the opportunity to find bargains would be limited. I’m unsure as to the extent of read across to cards of other themes from this era but many still appear to be very low priced, esp. where purchasing mixed lots at an auction.

- There are a number of card shops around London. However, in practice, these are very modern focused. They’re also very much in the suburbs. Similarly, London now has two regular card shows but these are also well out in suburbs with very little vintage.

- Generally, sellers across Europe are much more aware of prices / values of cards than in the past. Many sellers, similar to many US-based seller, clearly over price and over value their items; certainly online. In my experience, “finds” are better physically in antique and paper shops in parts of Italy and Spain.


Note it works both ways in terms of searching for items overseas. For many years, I’ve searched for rare vintage soccer programs from matches played in the US - particularly of British and European touring teams playing exhibition games against often local US amateur teams. Many of these can be hard to find but, in the past, occasionally bargains could be found on, say, eBay. Not the case these days.

[Brian]

Thanks, Ciaran, very useful info!

I have communicated with numerous sellers in Europe. They seem to be pretty well informed about the value of Cassius Clay cards.......to the extent that they largely overprice everything.

[Wilsing]

Tobacco cards are all over the place in the UK. Go to Portabello Road Market in London and you can get the entire Churchman Cigarettes Set from the 1930's for 100 pounds. Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, many others are in it.

[Vintagedeputy]

I once placed an ad in a foreign country known for a certain sportscard set. Someone actually contacted me and said they knew someone with cards but no further communication ever materialized.

[PhillyVintage]

Originally Posted by Wilsing

Tobacco cards are all over the place in the UK. Go to Portabello Road Market in London and you can get the entire Churchman Cigarettes Set from the 1930's for 100 pounds. Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, many others are in it.

This. I was just in London and there are cigarette cards all over Portobello Road Market. Loose singles, complete sets, framed displays of variable taste and quality.

[Catfish Fran]

Write me a private message for Spanish Vintage soccer cards

Originally Posted by kecleveland

I found a guy in Spain for soccer cards. I tell him what I want and then he raids his grandmother’s attic. Recently got a set of 1921 Jaime Boix Barcelona Attachment 587421puzzles.

[kecleveland]

I find the prices from overseas all over the map. I’ve primarily been purchasing soccer from Europe with an occasional boxer here and there. I’ve also purchased some Sadaharu Oh’s from Japan, but there are no bargains for Oh. In fact, Sadaharu Oh cards have gone up dramatically since the pandemic.

Pele cards used to be more affordable, but seemed to jump in price since last year’s world up. His recent death, and $1 million rookie card also drove prices up.

I find European and South American soccer card prices are all over the place for the same card. English cigarette cards are way cheap and there’s tons on them, same for boxing. Italy and Spanish soccer is more expensive but can be had for sometimes less than half the asking price. I do also find American sellers like COMC sell European cards for much less.

[Ulidia]

Originally Posted by kecleveland

I find European and South American soccer card prices are all over the place for the same card. English cigarette cards are way cheap and there’s tons on them, same for boxing. Italy and Spanish soccer is more expensive but can be had for sometimes less than half the asking price. I do also find American sellers like COMC sell European cards for much less.

The English soccer cigarette cards that are cheap are those from between the two World Wars. Those pre WWI have risen dramatically in price over recent years, esp for iconic players of the era such as Billy Meredith and Steve Bloomer.

Italian cards are generally priced higher and more collectible than Spanish equivalents. For example, cards of Giuseppe Meazza (Italian soccer legend of the late 1920s through to early 1940s) have sold for high 5 figure sums in recent years. Similarly, other Italian soccer legends such as Piola and Valentino Mazzola can command high prices. Comparatively, the equivalent Spanish stars such as a Samitier, Alacantara and Zamora sell much smaller sums.

I am a season ticket holder of Internazionale of Milano and travel to Milan regularly (next trip is forthcoming Friday). There are many markets but the items for sale there are generally over-priced and, irrespective of price, not particularly alluring. I find that’s the same with all mainstream markets across Europe, including UK. My better purchases in Italy have come from building up relationships over time with other collectors - building and maintaining a network really does help.

[Brian]

Very interesting. I have never acquired one, but I was always pretty amazed at how comparatively undervalued (there's that word again) Sadaharu Oh's cards were, him being the 'Babe Ruth of Japan' and all that.......

What also surprises me is that some sellers in Europe nowadays don't ship to the US. If they are selling cards and Americana most frequently bought by Americans (including Ruth and Ali), that is a poor business model in IMO. I never figured that one out. Is there some new glitch in shipping to the US? I am seeing this more and more.

[Steve D]

Wasn't there a find of several T215 Pirate-back cards down-under a few years ago (Australia)?

Steve

[Snowman]

I have a 1958 Menko Doyusha Jackie Robinson that was discovered in Tokyo. Pretty cool card.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Brian

Very interesting. I have never acquired one, but I was always pretty amazed at how comparatively undervalued (there's that word again) Sadaharu Oh's cards were, him being the 'Babe Ruth of Japan' and all that.......

What also surprises me is that some sellers in Europe nowadays don't ship to the US. If they are selling cards and Americana most frequently bought by Americans (including Ruth and Ali), that is a poor business model in IMO. I never figured that one out. Is there some new glitch in shipping to the US? I am seeing this more and more.

I think the not shipping to the US is a combination of reasons.

One being the different approach to doing things.
A bike I bought from Italy, from a guy I knew from online took long enough that I was getting worried. When a set of wheels that were "right" for it with the same provenance were for sale I got worried enough to ask a couple questions. Apparently shipping something when they get to it is a thing there. (Perhaps not for all countries, but I've come to expect something ordered from a hobbyist in Europe may not ship anytime soon unless it's Ebay or another venue that requires it. )
It's a pretty big mismatch with most of the US which has come to expect very quick shipping, and returns for any reason at all. To some, we're simply not worth the hassle.

There may also be odd customs delays. Another seller did pretty big volume from the Netherlands, and eventually moved his business to California because every shipment was subject to months waiting to be inspected. and that pre-covid. (there was apparently loads of ecstasy coming from the Netherlands at the time)

They also have peculiar to us laws about some things, and there may be a lot of paperwork involved in exporting and expensive item in a way that it's not subject to VAT.

Most of the bike guys in the UK or elsewhere that buy bikes in France end up having the seller hold it for "a while" until they can take a small vacation and pick it up in person, as most French sellers simply won't ship anything.

[steve B]

Another interesting thing is that for British tobacco cards, the common sets are collected very differently than they are here.
Hardly any dealers sell singles, or worn cards. Most are very presentable and sold as complete sets.
That's not bad, since they're usually small sets.