January pick up thread
 

Was wanting to show off this 59T Mantle so I'll start the January pick-up thread.

Great 8 days so far.
 

Been on a bit of a run lately, and finally made a pretty large buy from an old Dealer friend of mine.
Lots of cards in the Mailbox, and full credit to the USPS for getting everything here safely!


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A recent addition to my 52 Topps set.
I was lucky enough to find this one from a CDN seller where I didn't have to pay for the exchange rate, the import duty nor the crazy shipping fees.

Not in the greatest condition, obviously, but this is a card I personally didn't think I'd ever own as it is a highly sought after high number from the 52 Topps set that usually commands a premium.

As always Dale, great looking p/u of a notoriously tough Hi#.

Used my holiday gift money (all of it+ ebay bucks etc) to pick up Hoyt's RC...leaves me just two shy (Campy and Nuxhall) of completing this post war beast.

Thanks, SFMS.

That's a great looking Wilhelm.
Congrats! :)

Wilhelm is also one I need, along with a Campy myself. Fingers crossed it happens someday.

Went off the reservation into the non-sports arena for this 1953 Topps issue.

Took a break from cards over the last year a bit...picked up a few here and there...but spent most of my time working on my car collection as it was something I could physically do during COVID shut downs. Got the bug back around Xmas when my wife surprised me with a few cards, wasn't expecting that! Anyhow...just got these...needed 45, now quickly down to 5...excited to finish the 1960 Topps set...again...lol. The McCovey is a little OC, but fits my standards with corners like that. The others came in one day...love good mail days!

https://i.ibb.co/YP77fGk/Edit-Cards-2.jpg


https://i.ibb.co/Br2VpVT/Edit-Cards-1.jpg

Awesome 52 Topps cards Irv and Larry!!! Excited and scared the day I finally take the plunge...:)

Those are beautiful cards you picked up. Of course, I especially like the Gibson cards being a Cardinal fan.

Thank you John, good looking 60s you picked up... as you can see on the post-war board, seems like there are many who have decided to take the plunge and build this set. Push your fear aside and just go for it, the excitement of reaching each milestone outweighs any fear.

I feel a little foolish about the price I had to pay for this card, in PSA 1 yet. But it finally completes the set I've been working on for several years.
I've got to believe this #37 is a short print because it is rarely offered and, when it is, it sells for several multiples of other commons.
Glad I got the Chuck Connors and Lasorda cards early because they've gotten pricey.

Thanks John. :)

As Larry said, push your fear aside and go for it.
If you are looking to get started, I have for a few less than VG creased/wrinkled cards plus some others in pretty decent shape if you are ever interested?

Good luck with the rest of your 60's set collecting. Those are looking good so far!

Just got this Jackie in the mail today. Getting closer on my 54 set. It is in a screw down so sorry for glare. It actually looks better in person.
https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29479

Jackie in his forever home :)
https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29480

Thanks Irv, I will file that for one day soon. Envelopes once again arriving daily...man I missed set collecting. Down to 4 more for the 1960's...Clemente showed up yesterday...Hank & Frank today (with a nice little chunk of 1963 highs commons) -


https://i.ibb.co/kxzj4cy/Hank-n-Frank.jpg


https://i.ibb.co/XZFv2mq/Roberto.jpg

Good looking cards everyone! Keep up the good work.

Sometimes looks are the only things that attract my attention. Was the case with the Hogue. I took a gamble on it - was described as "very good" and this is what showed up in the mail. Colors on this card, and a few others in this series (thinking about Elmer Valo and others) are pretty awesome, at least to me. I've always liked it and happy I have clean example now (as we know many from this era are diiiiiiiiirty).

And the lesser discussed Minoso rookie. Dude was a beast hitter right through the 50s. Found it in great shape so I snagged it.

https://i.ibb.co/LJc0W3s/IMG-6019.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/s19ydd6/IMG-6022.jpg

Those are some gorgeous raw '60s, John. Were they an eBay find?

Another awesome day at the mailbox and the last "biggie" for my 54 topps set

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29503

They were. The Aaron was MUCH better in hand than the cruddy scan and all three of those were "Best Offer" and I had to go pretty strong. Several from above were auction wins. I look daily of course (who am I kidding, many times a day...lol) and a couple were recent listings. The Clemente is a bit OC, but with corners like that I'm ok with that. If OC, must be sharp, and corners can be somewhat soft, but I can't tolerate creases. I keep that uniform in all my sets...

Thanks btw!


Campyfan...that's my favorite Ted of all time, great pick up!

Jason, that '61 Gibson just looks magnificent. Stellar centering.

The condition on this is nothing to write home about, but the front eye appeal is about the best I could hope for without spending five-figures.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8d67a367_z.jpg

Thanks John!
We finally had a card show in Raleigh today. Nothing to write home about but I picked up all these for $145. 23 more for my 1954 topps set and a few 71's to round out a display.
https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=29506

Both Mel Ott cards from the 1941 Double Play set.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6fe75b55d9.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f3fa164e13.jpg

Nice cards! I always liked the Bobby Hogue card too. So much so I recently upgraded my copy with another black back. Fairly tough card to find centered, that is for sure.

As far as Minoso goes, he is a prime example on how the HOF selections are skewed/flawed. This guy, imo, and many others, is a dead ringer HOF'r but yet it has eluded him for all these years. Shameful, imo. :mad:

Beautiful Minoso, and I agree that he’s worthy of the Hall.

I am amazed, though I should not be, at the value of this card. A rookie of the most important athlete of the postwar 20th century should command a high price.

Thanks Adam, and I agree. And I think this is a better looking card than the “48” Leaf too, which is twice as much (and is 1-2 years later than the Bond). I have both, but this one is infinitely cooler.

Lol speaking of this card, mine is due for an upgrade - if you ever want to ditch that Minoso I am an eager buyer! And yes, that Bobby really is difficult to find either in good shape or centered. I was super happy to find it this clean. Little things.

Thank you. :)

I have no plans at the current moment but will definitely keep you in mind if and when the time comes. :)

A few weeks ago Jarrod beat me by a few minutes to a great-looking raw Bob Gibson rookie that was on B/S/T here. I am happy to say that, as of today, I am now the owner of a similarly nice one (from what I remember, anyway) at the same price...unfortunately plus 10.25% tax because Illinois/Chicago politicians. Will post a photo when it arrives.

I agree; I never even considered the Leaf because I always thought it was ugly. Wouldn't mind a 49 Bowman, though. Between JR and Doby and Paige and Campy, that's one hell of a group of African-American players in that set.

Sorry about that Andrew, but I’m glad you found a nice one (and selfishly glad I beat you;) ). And Adam, the 49 Bowman set is a powerhouse. I picked up a raw Paige recently because it’s such a great looking card with the slate blue background. Again, much cooler than the 48 Leaf (that is so far out of my price range now).

Robinson's Leaf RC is the 2nd most important post war baseball card after the 1952 Topps Mantle. The last PSA 7 sold for 79k. The last PSA 8 sold for 400k. It doesn't matter if it is ugly, the 1952 Topps Mantle is uglier and that didn't stop someone from paying over 5 million for one. Both are iconic and the choices of the majority of collectors. That is what drives the price.

Was able to add the Hank Aaron at the top of my want list thanks to a fellow N54 member. Tremendous upgrade to my Hank Aaron display case. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4b162cc390.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6f99d5179a.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...8c4044b098.jpg

Aaron
 

Jason your Aaron collection is "FANTASTIC".

Thank you! With that Lake to Lake card the framed display may finally be complete! Would still love to add Home Run Derby someday but its size would prevent adding it to display.

The question now is if I need to add a second frame for the cards that didn’t make it into this one...mainly oddballs and League Leaders.

Jason

I know all that; I still think it is ugly. I happen to think the 1952 T Mantle is a nice looking card. Not as nice as the Bowman, but nice.

X2!

Very nice collection, Jason.

Seconded. That is a magnificent run of Aarons.

Here is my new Gibson RC next to the one I bought when I was a kid. A bit of an upgrade, I think you'll agree.

Nice upgrade, Andrew! Those corners look razor sharp!

Nabbed this guy last week. Jackie's stuff is quickly starting to become inaccessible to the normal collector.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2e5af606_c.jpgRobinson_1954_1

Fantastic

Gorgeous eye appeal for the grade, that looks like a 7. Will agree with you on Jackie's price point. I picked up this card 2 years ago raw, but about 5 range. (Yours is easily nicer...) I thought I overpaid at the time. I don't feel that way anymore...:p

This is a '73 Topps color experiment that got a bit out of hand, LOL. I like this card, but not sure I needed 4 of them...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...dcbc4f3051.jpg


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Decided to make the switch from mainly modern to vintage and even though I’m a fairly young guy (22) and never saw the Mick I had to have this card! Also an added bonus I was able to get it below current prices!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...828a1a00da.jpg


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That is a whole lot of Carlton Fisk staring sternly.

Nice card. To me, one of the increasingly rare still somewhat underappreciated Mantles. Classic set, and the fire engine red really sets it off. I wonder if this one will soon start to leave the dock price-wise like '53 and '56 Topps have within the past few years...

I think this is the most undervalued of all the mainstream Mantles, based on the relatively small number of them out there.

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It's not particularly rare. But kind of like the '53 Topps. I remember 15-20 years ago, you could get a lower grade '53 Topps Mantle, like a PSA 2 maybe - for $300 or so. Forget about that now. Now a 2 goes for north of $2k. If we continue on the same trend with vintage prices, it's probably just a matter of time before all his 1950's cards explode like that in price. Look at what prewar did. 2-3 years ago you could get a PSA 1 or A Goudey Ruth for a little more than a grand. That's gone up what, 3x? 4x?

Not saying there won't be an interruption to the current market bubble, but very possible that 50's cards are next, and 60's cards after that.

Actually it is relatively rare for a 60s Mantle. Last I checked there were 206 PSA graded PSA 8 or better. By comparison the 1961 Mantle All Star had 739. Yet the prices between those two cards are pretty close.

I think there are several things that factor in here: '62 Topps is not a popular set, the card itself is pretty plain and Mantle's '62 year was not as impressive as '61. Still based on the low population of the '62 All Star it seems to me to be underpriced.

I meant simply that it's not a rare card, or difficult high number or anything. Total PSA pop on the '59 Mantle is ~6,800. Maybe the super high grade discrepancy makes it eventually worth a little more? I don't know, I wouldn't be able to afford an 8 or higher. Mine might be a 6.

I used to think that a player's performance on the field for a season had something to do with card values. As such, I once would have discounted both the '59 and '65 Mantles. Nothing could be further from the truth. Anymore the popularity of the set accounts for more, and of course there is no "bad" Mantle card...;) I'm not a huge fan of the '67 or '69 though...