McCarthy Postcards

[Touch'EmAll]

Just picked up this dandy McCarthy Postcard, Sandy Koufax, SGC 96.

On the slip there is no year(s) of issue designation. So I called SGC, they were very prompt and helpful. I read them the slip number, they looked it up and said it was a late 1950's issue. Very nice, kudos to SGC for customer service.

Cruising ebay and the internet, you simply do not see these things graded and I see no PSA graded McCarthy's. Even any info on these is hard to come by. Does PSA grade these? And this SGC 96 grade seems pretty stratospheric, like maybe highest graded? Are these late 1950's McCarthy's quite rare compared to other Exhibit card issues of the 1960's.

[Exhibitman]

JDMs are fun and inexpensive to collect. The Koufax also comes with a facsimile signature.

JMDs are not rare--I see them all the time at postcard shows.

I can't say the date other than to state the obvious--sometime between 1958 and 1966--since it is a Los Angeles jersey. You could also check the back for a zip code on the JDM address. You know that if there is a zip code it cannot be from the fifties.

I prefer to get them postally used. It is a great way to pin down the date of the card as no later than. I love this one, mailed from Brooklyn in 1957 and signed on back and later on the front:

[Bestdj777]

PSA grades JD McCarthy postcards. Below is a link to a Mantle that is offered for sale now (not mine):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-70-J-D-...item258a5124e9

My understanding is that the year on these varied and that he continued to produce them through the 1970s. As a result, they do not necessarily bring much. The best way to date them is to find one without a zip code or do like Adam and look for ones with postal use, which is my preference as well.

It's a very nice card. Regardless of the price or year, I hope you enjoy it.

[Touch'EmAll]

The back of my Koufax is all white - no writing of any kind - completely blank. Is the style of back a clue as to year(s) issued? Maybe blank backs are all late 1950's.

[mybestbretts]

That is great to know. I didn't know that PSA graded McCarthy postcards

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

The back of my Koufax is all white - no writing of any kind - completely blank. Is the style of back a clue as to year(s) issued? Maybe blank backs are all late 1950's.

That is interesting. I have 10-12 of the Mantle postcards but no postcard with a blank back. The oddball guide I use--Kelly Eisenhauer's piece on Mantle postcards--makes no mention of a blank back.

Are you sure this is a postcard? Did you buy it graded or have you had an opportunity to feel it? I ask because I do have a postcard sized image from McCarthy that I blank backed, but it is on photo paper rather than card stock. It is also color, but I'm sure there are black and whites out there.

Unfortunately, there is very little information out there about these oddball items, which is a shame since they are really cool pieces and really reasonably priced. If you do find yourself catching the collecting bug and chasing these things, my only recommendation is to avoid any of the 10x12 photos. A lot f the McCarthy negatives are our in the market and people are still producing photos from them. I'm sure there is a way to distinguish them by paper type, etc., but it's a bit risky.

[JLange]

I really like these PCs as well. The photos are outstanding quality in many cases, and there are a number of players who have few if any regular issue cards. Here's a 1950s JD McCarthy PC of Bobby Bragan, who managed the Indians in 1958.

[Jeff Alcorn]

Hi,

That Sandy Koufax card must be from 1965 or 1966 since the Dodgers had piping around the neck, down the buttons, and on the sleeve ends of their road uniform through 1964- see the Don Drysdale card above. Hope this info. helps.

Jeff

[Zach Wheat]

JD McCarthy postcards were actually taken by a photographer in the Detroit area. I believe they were used mainly by players for autograph purposes...ie fan mail. I think players and teams could order them direct. As such they may have come with a PC back as well as blank.

They were printed for 40+ years with a number of poses variations etc. I am not sure a comprehensive list has ever been put together; although a board member had an extensive list. I have not seen the list, and I do not know if gives all the variations with presumed year of issuance.

Due to the long period of time in which they were issued the cards that can be dated ie postmark on the back generally carry a premium.

Z Wheat

[Touch'EmAll]

Jeff, you may have something there with the dating based on uniform style. At least I know its not a post career Koufax card, that s nice.

And there is mention a lot of these were made and floating around. I looked at ebay listings "post-war 1942-1980". Regular Exhibits list over 100 graded by SGC and nearly 350 PSA graded, about 450 total. But only 14 SGC or PSA graded McCarthy's (all Mickey Mantle by the way, not one single other player). The McCarthy's just can't be all that plentiful in nice grade worthy examples.

[Exhibitman]

I don't think you can make that assumption; JDMs sell for very little money so there is little incentive to have them graded. Lack of graded versions doesn't mean scarcity, it means lack of submissions.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

Jeff, you may have something there with the dating based on uniform style. At least I know its not a post career Koufax card, that s nice.

And there is mention a lot of these were made and floating around. I looked at ebay listings "post-war 1942-1980". Regular Exhibits list over 100 graded by SGC and nearly 350 PSA graded, about 450 total. But only 14 SGC or PSA graded McCarthy's (all Mickey Mantle by the way, not one single other player). The McCarthy's just can't be all that plentiful in nice grade worthy examples.

I agree with Adam. Just because there are not a lot of them graded doesn't mean there are not a lot of them out there. They were made for a very long period of time and are pretty plentiful and not particularly valuable. For example, most of my Mantles are in great shape and are at most 20-25 dollar cards. I would imagine it would cost roughly half of that in shipping and grading fees.

Also, just because the photo was taken during a specific time does not mean the card was produced during his playing days. The only way you can link it that way is the style of the back (yours does not have one to compare) or a date stamp.

[Exhibitman]

That's why I try for cards with postal cancellations. You know my Drysdale is a 'rookie' card because he mailed it to a fan in 1957.

[Zach Wheat]

Here's a link to an old thread I saved on JD McCarthy Pictures & Postcards (as Bob calls them):

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=173693

Note he indicates when he was alphabetizing them, that of the JD McCarthy Pictures & Postcards he purchased, he had 225 subjects in the letters "A - F". I imagine the final list of player photos will be quite large. It is interesting to note he indicated that players felt they had really made it when McCarthy took their pictures. McCarthy ended up with quite an extensive compilation of pictures of players that never made it or only made it to the majors briefly - which is another reason McCarthy photo's are interesting.

Z Wheat

[mybestbretts]

These are the only Brett's I have ever seen, doesn't mean there are more.george brett mccarthy 1.jpg

george brett mccarthy 2.jpg

brett brothers.jpg

[JLange]

I am wondering more about how long the JDM postcards would have been made for a particular player with a particular team. If JD McCarthy was making these to sell to fans, then he would probably have had an easier time with current player / current team PCs then reproducing players from years earlier. Same thing if he were making these to provide to the players directly so they could answer fan mail. While its possible, I can't help but think players wouldn't be ordering PCs from him in the 70s depicting them with their teams from the 50s-60s. And, even if they did, it seems likely to me that JDM wouldn't print them in the same way as before, especially without zip codes, etc. I suspect that if certain players cards were available well into the 70s with original production in the 50s-60s, then it was old inventory that never moved - similar to baseball magazine player posters.

[Zach Wheat]

I have alerted Bob Lemke to this thread....I suspect he can shed light on this....hopefully he will chime in with additional information.

Regards,

[h2oya311]

As discussed, besides postally used examples, there are a few distinctions that can be made to help with the dating of these issues. The 1950s PCs are slightly larger in size than the later issues. Pre-1963 PCs do not include the zip code on the studio address line. Other than that, uniform style might be the next best option.

Here are a few of mine. Origination dates are due to other existing postally used examples:

Error ("Ronald") - 1969:


Corrected ("Rollie") - 1969:


Reggie - 1969:


Catfish - 1965:


LaRussa - 1964:


Interesting that all of my examples happen to be A's players (although LaRussa and Hunter are w/ KC A's and the others are from Oakland A's). It's probably coincidence, but interesting nonetheless!!

On my Want List is a pre-1963 example of Willie Stargell. I know at least one exists, since I was the under-bidder in mid-2013 on eBay. If anyone has one available for purchase/trade, please let me know.