1961 Golden Press Dimaggio

[sandmountainslim]

Any info on this card's production?
I have been looking for an affordable card by the clipper and (so far) all cards made during his career are a bit out of my range at this time but I keep seeing this Golden Press card in the range I am willing to spend.
The way I usually do it is if I want a player's card I will get one from either his playing or managing career but not one made years afterward (for example I don't want a Ruth from the 70's etc.) and this Dimaggio would fall under the "long past" category but it is a GREAT looking pose and a card I like the looks of. Since Joe never had much of a post baseball, baseball career would I be cheating my own rules if I picked this card up?
Thoughts welcome

[brian1961]

SANDMOUNTAINSLIM---

Howdy podnah! I think I can shed some light on this card for you. I began collecting in 1961, and among the card sets offered that spring was the Golden Press Hall of Fame. My buddy in first grade, Robert Sutton, had some of the cards at school. I asked him what they were, and he gave me the dope on them.

The 33-card set was issued in a large cardboard booklet. The pages were all of the same cardboard as the cards, with each card die-cut, and a kid simply had to carefully punch or tear them out of the pages. The Golden Press company had a circular swivel display rack at the Jewel Supermarket on Touhy Avenue in Skokie, Illinois where I grew up. Golden Press created these booklet card sets of various subjects, calling them "GOLDEN FUNTIME TRADING CARDS", so baseball was far from the only one. That's where Robert told me they were. When I found them there, I begged my Mom to buy the approximately 39-49 cent booklet. She did so, and I still have some of them, including Joe DiMaggio.

As a come-on or freebie, a major mail order dealer of the 60s, Bruce Yeko of Wholesale Cards Co. of the East Coast, offered the Golden Press booklet set for free with the purchase of an entire set of Topps baseball. I vaguely recall Bruce ran that promotion during the years 1966 - 1968.

OK, the Golden Press are plentiful. However, they are distinctly beautiful. Simple design and the colorization is better than average, by the standards of the time. The cardboard used was good. As you probably know, there were not a lot of Joe DiMaggio baseball cards made during his career. As you said, when you encounter them, they are expensive. The Golden Press DiMag is a wonderful alternative. Great action shot. Besides, with the large Fleer All-Time Great sets from 1960-61, unaccountably, DiMaggio is not included. Money-hungry Joe probably wanted a lot of money for the right to make a card of him---maybe? Whatever, with Joe being in the Golden Press, there he is!

A number of smug collectors turn their nose up at the Golden Press, because they're cards issued well after the players retired, or they're too easy. I am far from one of them. These cards won't impressively appreciate in value, but you'll appreciate their beauty, and rest peacefully in the fact it's now a 54-year-old card and it didn't cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

I would urge you to prowl eBay. By all means, strive to get a PSA-graded specimen. Make yourself pay the piper for a MINT 9, or if you can find one, even a GEM MINT 10. You will pay a handsome premium for the double-digit grade, but it will be among the best. What many collectors don't realize is that even a card carefully removed today from a well-preserved, unsold stock folder will by no means automatically receive a Gem Mint 10 by PSA. "It don't come easy", as Ringo Starr wisely said, and beautifully sang.

I wish you the very best in your pursuit of a prime '61 Golden Press DiMag!

Cheers. ---Brian Powell

[MikeGarcia]

...the punch-out part of the card was about 90% of the complete picture ;

..

[Laxcat]

The '43 MP & CO is a relatively cheap alternative for a playing years DiMaggio. I picked up a Ted Williams for my bro b/c he wanted a "cheap" card of Ted from his playing days.

[MikeGarcia]

...

[tedzan]

TED Z
.

[MikeGarcia]

...I love the artwork on the Tris Speaker ...

..Ted , what is the listed price of your copy ? I wonder if the price increased over the years it was printed ?...

..

You might be able to find a deal on a raw 1951 Berk Ross single, the last card of his career.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Laxcat

The '43 MP & CO is a relatively cheap alternative for a playing years DiMaggio. I picked up a Ted Williams for my bro b/c he wanted a "cheap" card of Ted from his playing days.

I was going to say, the MP & CO cards - while they are no doubt the poorest quality of their era, especially when compared to something like '41 Play Ball or '48 Leaf - are still neat in the sense that the poorer quality has a historical connection with WWII. And it would be a legit card of DiMaggio from his playing days - if you don't mind the fact that the caricature is hand drawn...and of course looks nothing like the Yankee Clipper. :-) I have a '43 MP & CO card of Stan Hack...

[sandmountainslim]

I have also discovered the NuCard Scoops of Dimaggio which is roughly the same age as the Golden Press. Not nearly as attractive though.

[jason.1969]

Originally Posted by sandmountainslim

The way I usually do it is if I want a player's card I will get one from either his playing or managing career but not one made years afterward (for example I don't want a Ruth from the 70's etc.) and this Dimaggio would fall under the "long past" category but it is a GREAT looking pose and a card I like the looks of.

BTW, Happy 101st bday to Joe D. Today's the day, Nov 25. But to answer your cheating question, I'd say YES. However, were you to cheat, I don't think you could do better than the 1961 Golden Press issue. Several reasons...

1. Really cheap, so it leaves you some money in case you ever upgrade to a card from his playing career.

2. Beautiful card...sometimes I dream of getting this set just to display the whole thing on my wall. Of course, I have much less wall than I do dreams.

3. Only missed Joe's career by 10 years. Could be worse...ah, and 20 year anniversary of the Streak!

But to take a different tack, acknowledging that I don't know your budget at all, here is a 1939 Play Ball I was able to purchase for what a gambler might call $4. I recall also seeing some decent 1949 Leafs in a PWCC auction go in the low 2s.

Regarding the Exhibits, definitely too big for a standard top loader; however, they make specially sized top loaders for just the occasion. Think standard postcard size if that helps.

However, you go, good luck! Adding any DiMaggio to your collection will be a thrill.

DiMaggio_1939_Play_Ball_raw.jpg

[jason.1969]

Did you end up with a Joe D?

[sandmountainslim]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Did you end up with a Joe D?

Yes A board member sold me an Exhibit and I love it.