Lionel Carter sells a card collection, 1959
 

The September-October 1959 issue of Sport Fan had a three-page article by Lionel Carter about his experience buying and helping to sell the extensive baseball card collection of James H. Lacey, after Lacey died unexpectedly and his mother contacted Carter. It's interesting for the prices he got for the various lots and sets of cards, but also for the window into how advanced collectors bought and sold cards in those days. I find it interesting, anyway, and I hope some members of this board do too. Sport Fan and Card Collector's Bulletin were the nearest equivalent of Net54 in 1959.

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I always enjoy these David. It's hard to imagine these sold prices (42 T201s sold for $6.60) (138 T205s sold for $13.80).

I think Lionel Carter might have been a little hard on the "long time dealer" who offered Mrs. Lacey $150 for the whole collection. After four months work, Lionel Carter realized $292.39 which I do not think included his postage costs. And Mrs. Lacy is still stuck with the guides, data books, magazines, and newspapers which she appears to have donated.

Even today I find it interesting that I can simply send my wantlist to a dealer and the dealer does all the work searching and pulling just the right numbers for me. All his/her labor is done for free?

Larry

The Red Borders were amongst the most expensive cards in the sale. Too bad a list of the 29 wasnt included. Great thread as always.