Nagy Collection

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

Know Mastronet is getting ready to move the Nagy collection....anyone know of any real rarities it contains? Haven't seen too much about it from Mastronet other than the 1933G Lajoie and T206 stuff but nothing about 19th century or other really difficult cards. Any idea of the scope of it too? Says they will be selling it over a number of auctions........

[Archive]

Posted By: Adam J. Moraine

Nagy??? I know of halper, and Copeland..... who's Nagy? Charles Nagy? (the Indians guy)

Best Regards,

Adam J. Moraine

[Archive]

Posted By: warshawlaw

one of the legendary collectors from really the "old days". He was a big name collector even back in the 1970s. From Michigan, I think

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

Frank Nagy was a huge collector of not only baseball but other other cards as well. He was active until the late '70s if I recall. He was based out of Detroit (or near there). He was one of the greats of the hobby and often corresponded with other collectors. There was a TIME article on Nagy in the early '70s if I recall...this is all from memory but I seem to recall that he had a very extensive collection of 20th century cards that included many odd and rare cards.

This is all from my spotty memory...

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: Jay Miller

I dealt with Frank Nagy for several years from the late 1980s until very shortly before his death. He was a wonderful gentleman who was generous with his time and knowledge and very fair in his dealings.

[Archive]

Posted By: joe maples

Hi there, Frank Nagy set up at most of the shows in Michigan, Plymouth was the big one in the late 70's and 80's which was run by a couple named Toerpes(spelling?) This was before Jim Hawkins bought the show from them, Frank had an extensive collection, file cabinets full of tobacco cards. Bill Mastro before his auction days was always at Frank's side at the same table. I think Frank took him under his wing in the early days. I was under the impression that Bill bought most of the collection when Frank died. I'm not sure what this Nagy collection will entail, if it is the original it should be something.

Joe

[Archive]

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Joe....your post on Frank is great.

Frank Nagy, to many of us who got into this hobby back in the 1970's,
was really one of the best. He was much more in touch with most of us
than Burdick (or Lionel Carter, or any other of the great veterans
of the hobby).

And, one of the reasons this was so because he ran a monthly mail
auction which consisted of thousands of cards. If you "overbid" on a
card (or lot of cards) he would modify your bid down and that is what
he billed you for.

For example....back in 1983, I bid $100 on a 1949 Leaf Jackie Robinson
and won it. Frank billed me $75 for this card and he wrote me a nice
note telling me that 2nd highest bid was only $65; so, he had
adjusted my cost. And, when I received this JRobby card, I was amazed
how Mint it was. I wrote him back asking if he had just opened a pack
of 1949 Leafs ? He responded with a lengthy letter describing his
vast his collection. This anectdotal story should serve to provide
an insight to those who did not know Frank.

[Archive]

Posted By: Hal Lewis

Poor Frank had invented EBay and didn't even know it.

[Archive]

Posted By: Preece1

Frank was from Grosse Ile, MI (30 miles south of Detroit). I grew up on Grosse Ile, and in the mid-1970s (I was about 10), my uncle took me over to Frank's house and I was given a pretty lengthy tour. If my memory serves me right, Frank had an uncut Ramly sheet which was purchased by Mastro shortly after his death. He also had a T206 Wagner, Goudey Lajoie, etc. He was a great guy.

[Archive]

Posted By: Larry

Frank and Louise Nagy were great people to meet and were instrumental in running one of the earliest quality shows in Detroit..When I was 16, I had the pleasure of visting Frank and Louise at their home and they had an amazing collection even for the late 1970's.....One album was filled with Goudey Ruths, Gehrigs and T206 Cobb's..Frank always used to say.."I love them cards"...He was very kind and had a great love for the hobby...

Bill Mastro was always close in location and relationship with the family, it should be a great collection ....

[Archive]

Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

HAL

Great observation....Frank was on the "leading edge" when it came
to "user friendly" auctions. Nowadays, as you know, most auctions
increment bids by 10%. I guess these people do not understand the
power of compounded interest. It's great for your savings account
but terrible in a contentious bidding environment.

I saved all my notes from Frank during the '70s into the late '80s.
Everytime he mailed you the cards you won he would enclose some sort
of note. Just one more story to add:

A bidder had reneged on a US Caramel Lefty O'Doul, that I had also
bid on. I had just won several hundred $$ worth of cards from Frank's
mail auction (that was a lot of cards back then); and, Frank included
the O'Doul for half of what I bid for it.

Oh, I must add this final comment....Frank would always send you the
cards you won on APPROVAL. Upon receiving them, you would send him
payment. That's unheard of nowadays. He was a great credit to this hobby.
I never met him in person, but for 14 years I felt like he was a close friend.

[Archive]

Posted By: T206Collector

Oct. 11, 1971
The Card Sharks "Anything to declare?" "Yes," said the driver who had just crossed the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, "bubblegum cards." Pulling over and opening the trunk of his car, he proudly pointed to stacks of shoeboxes containing thousands of picture cards of baseball players. To Canadian customs officials, it was one of the strangest cargoes they had ever seen. To Frank Nagy, 49, it was simply a representative sample of his 500,000 baseball cards, a collection that places him in the front ranks of those who participate in one of the...

You have to pay Time to read the rest here:

http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,903203,00.html

[Archive]

Posted By: Paul

Several years ago, Steve Verkman auctioned off some cards and memorabilia that were advertised as being from the Frank Nagy collection. I purchased a 1951 Topps Current All Star Berra and a possible uncatalogued card / possible page from a book of Eddie Collins.

Though there were many nice cards in the auction, it was quite clear that it was not the entire Nagy collection. I guess we'll be seeing that now.

[Archive]

Posted By: bruce Dorskind

I first met Frank at a show in Pontiac Michigan in 1976

He was extremely generous with his time and fair...though
Bill Mastro controlled many of his larger deals

I treat Bill like a son, Frank told me.

Frank had the largest collection of the ultra-rare Tarzan Bread
cards- he was kind enough to sell me a few samples for $75 each
which I still have today. I would guess these type cards would
bring four figures-

only two, to my knowledge have ever been in a major auction
in the last 20 yeaers- once Lifson and once Masto

many more Nagy stories to share- have copies of several articles
writen about Frank's collection --if anyone is interested


Bruce

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

very interested.........email me..........

[Archive]

Posted By: dstudeba

Does anyone know what auction these will be starting in? I imagine they will be spread out over a few auctions.

Bruce -

Do you know if he had any 50s hot dog cards (Esskays, Hunters, Briggs, Felins?) Thanks.

[Archive]

Posted By: joe

Just thought of another story about Frank and Bill Mastro. I collect Detroit cards and I was buying some S74 silks from Frank in Plymouth and of course Bill was there also. As I was picking out the silks I wanted he laughed and said to bad I collect Detroit players which include Cobb and other HOF players, they can be expensive. Suggested maybe collecting Chicaco Cubs cards to save expenses on cards.

Joe

[Archive]

Posted By: DJ

Anyone know why Frank is liquidating?

This gives us all hope for those who have their eye on the Hal Lewis Collection.

YES!

DJ

Didn't know.

I never met the man but knew of people who spoke highly of him. Wish I had a chance to have been touched by him with a single kind gesture within a transaction.

[Archive]

Posted By: Preece1

Frank Nagy passed away some time ago. His family has consigned his collection to Mastronet.

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Koteles

I had seen my first t206 and Mayo in the 70's at the Plymouth show and the show at the Troy Hilton.....not sure if I purchased from him, but....I did get 84 t206's and 4 Mayo cards for 100.00 at the Troy show.

I remember 88 cards in sleeves ,there being 4 Mayos and the rest, 06's

I had gotten back to my table and a guy seen what I had just recieved and offered me 300.00 and I took it, went to the Oakland Mall...bought a Black suit for about 50 bucks, came back to the show and thought that I was a big shooter....just a 17 yr old punk,that was 1978....

wish I could have met him

[tbob]

I saw this old thread and wanted to re-post it because there have been a lot of new 54ers since it appeared who might never have heard of Nagy (or Lionel Carter or Larry Fritsch). I think it's good to remember the guys from back in the day when the hobby was a hobby.

[dstudeba]

Of course Larry Fritsch marketed himself as the first full time dealer.

[Kawika]

Who is this "I" and "me" that the Bruces refer to?

[barrysloate]

You're right David- you caught Bruce in a weaker moment. Wow

[brianp-beme]

Of course it is the Bruces arch nemesis Archive.

Brian

[calvindog]

Archivegate was clearly the funniest Net 54 moment of all time.

[Jay Wolt]

some of Frank Nagy's E cards
(the Cole I picked up from Leon)

[tedzan]

Some recently acquired cards from Frank's collection






.................................................. ............................................Tinker and McGraw from Frank in the 1980's




Some 1949 Leaf's that I won in Frank's mail auction back in 1983






TED Z

[Rob D.]

A few pages from a 14-page "Frank's Auction Corner #34" in November 1972:

[ethicsprof]

my nagy and carter cards are my favorites and are all framed for my office.
nagy: 33 goudey McCurdy, e90-1 Schlitzer; e90-1 r. thomas
carter: T204 ramly Knight; T206 I Young; 206 Phelan;206 Owen; 206 Spencer;206 Shipke.

the Doktorvater's of the hobby


best,
barry

[oaks1912]

Those who dealt with Frank will remember his primitive, but very effective packaging. Heavy cardboard wrapped with butcher paper & string. Frank chain smoked & the aroma would last for days in my P.O. Box. Very pleasant, honest, generous and knowledgeable individual to deal with

[Bosox Blair]

I'm wondering why so many "AUT" cards - did he trim a lot of his cards?

Cheers,
Blair

[terjung]

My only Nagy...

[calvindog]

[cfc1909]

Ewing.jpg

[CW]

Cool thread! Nice to see the man was an asset to the hobby. I feel
fortunate to have one of his old cards in my collection, and it's one of
my favorites. The card didn't move too far, as I'm only 50 miles away
from Grosse Ile.

As a wise man once said (to paraphrase)... we don't own these cards,
we just hold onto them for the next guy to enjoy.

[e107collector]

Here is my only Nagy card - Highest SGC graded E103 Lajoie

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Bosox Blair

I'm wondering why so many "AUT" cards - did he trim a lot of his cards?

Cheers,
Blair

Blair- I've wondered the same thing, he had an awful lot of pre-war cards that were trimmed. I am speculating that back in the day condition was not paramount, it was all about acquiring what you didn't have. There was no ebay or internet auctions so finding them was tougher. Also I seem to remember that many collectors trimmed down caramel cards so they fit in those T206ish holders, never dreaming what they would one day be worth. Even Lionel Carter who had immaculate and spectacular cards post war had a lot of authentic cards from the pre-World War I era.