In May of 2019, Adam Yastrzemski from Yastrzemski Sportscards in Cooperstown, New York contacted me via the Net54 board to ask if I was still collecting. He had several of Howe’s cards that had made their way to his shop. Turns out there were ten cards, nine of them Hall of Famers. While it took several months to get them all here, Adam was very patient and held the cards until we were able to complete the deal. The first one back was the Marquard hand at thighs with a Hindu back. From what I’ve been able to find out, this is pretty rare, with only six cards graded by PSA of this combination, according to a recent Heritage Auction that featured one of the others (it, like all the others had been graded by PSA, with an authentic altered grade due to the poor condition, tape and rubber stamp). The nine others were a Bender portrait, a Chance portrait (which is the first card in the collection with borders large enough it has a name at top and bottom),non-HoFer Chase, Eddie Collins (with only the fourth example of Howe’s Urich H. McCormick, Agent, Saturday Evening Post stamp in green ink), Evers portrait, Joss pitching, Marquard portrait, McGraw with finger the in air, and Tinker portrait.
Scott reached out to let me know he had found an upgrade for the McCauley in his Southern League Hindu back collection. We were able to make a deal and bring Pat back with the rest.
Doug Bacon (Phillies*phan) found the Leach and a quick sale brought him back into the collection.
One of my favorite things (and it’s happened several times now) was when I came home from work one day and my wife says “some card you won on eBay came today.” She could quickly tell by the look on my face I haven’t bid or won a card. Luke Lyon had won a small lot in an eBay auction and it turns out the McLean had Howe’s stamp on it. He sent it as a total surprise, which I really appreciate. Thanks again, Luke.
The McQuillan with a Hindu back came from an REA auction, which Brian Dwyer had contacted me about when they were still putting the auction together. Always appreciate the heads up, Brian.
Rob (RCMcKinzey) let me know of a Leland’s auction that was ending that evening with a Howe stamped card in it. Rob won the auction and Hahn came back into the fold.
A Heine Wagner listed on eBay brought about the funniest heads-up email I’ve probably ever gotten. Jobu sent a message with the subject line “Howe’s Heine is on eBay now.” When I responded that I had placed a snipe, he responded “Good luck. After all these years, I hope you finally get to hold his Heine.”
Unfortunately, it was that auction when I found out Gavelsnipe and eBay no longer play well with one another, and my snipe didn’t go through. Not the end of the world, but disappointing. And did I mention that auction ended on the evening of my birthday?
But less than a week later I heard from Steve Woelfel, who was the winner of the lot, with an offer to send this card along so it could join the rest. An extremely kind and appreciated gesture. Thanks, Steve. (And yes, Jobu, my hands have been all over Howe’s Heine!)
2019 ended with a New Year’s Eve purchase of Cree from eBay.
