Card Collector's Company, Franklin Sq. NY

[rgurtowski]

Anybody remember The Card Collector's Company in Franklin Square, NY? I ordered many cards from them in the early '70's by snail mail (what else, back then?) Interesting company, always sent me paper catalogs with cards for sale. On the cover of their catalog would be "Paying $25,000 for the T-206 Wagner card". Whatever happened to them?

[paul]

I used to order from them as well. I remember one time they had an offering of T-206 HOFers, including Cobb, Young, etc. They were $5.00 each. I passed because I couldn't believe that they really made cards back then. I was probably 9 years old at the time.

[rgurtowski]

Yes, I got a '55 Topps Rizzuto for $2.00 + 1.00 P+H. They'd send a note to please include the card #, there wasn't a card catalog to be found in '72-'73. I'd just my card name, company & year requested, and they'd send it to me. I think the early Mantle's were like $20-$30, big money for a kid!

[Jayworld]

Yes, I loved the Card Collector's Company (Richard Gelman's Card Collector's Company) and ordered cards from them quite frequently from 1977-82 or so. I remember ordering T206 cards in "fair" condition for 50 cents each; they picked the card and back. Several of the cards I ordered looked to have fire damage, but I got a Pattee, Wiltse (portrait with cap), Snodgrass, Street, Leach, Lindaman, two McQuillans (both batting, one Tolstoi, one Piedmont), Sweeney, and Birmingham (of which I still have, and it is missing about 1/8" of the card due to fire damage). Also purchased a T201 in EX condition for $14.00; turned out to be Ward/Foster.

It was also a great place to order Topps lots (all different in lots of 25, 50, or 100). The quality of cards were very nice.

Miss the company very much. Others on here have indicated that Fritsch Cards purchased Card Collectors Company years ago; is that correct?

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by Jayworld

Yes, I loved the Card Collector's Company (Richard Gelman's Card Collector's Company) and ordered cards from them quite frequently from 1977-82 or so. I remember ordering T206 cards in "fair" condition for 50 cents each; they picked the card and back. Several of the cards I ordered looked to have fire damage, but I got a Pattee, Wiltse (portrait with cap), Snodgrass, Street, Leach, Lindaman, two McQuillans (both batting, one Tolstoi, one Piedmont), Sweeney, and Birmingham (of which I still have, and it is missing about 1/8" of the card due to fire damage). Also purchased a T201 in EX condition for $14.00; turned out to be Ward/Foster.

It was also a great place to order Topps lots (all different in lots of 25, 50, or 100). The quality of cards were very nice.

Miss the company very much. Others on here have indicated that Fritsch Cards purchased Card Collectors Company years ago; is that correct?

I recall seeing a lot of those fire damaged T206's back around the 1980's, but forget the story. I'm sure somebody on the board remembers it.

[brianp-beme]

I posted these catalogs once before...but as far as I know there are no rules about posting scans multiple times (otherwise I would have been thrown in jail for scan abuse long ago). Here is a 1963 Card Collector's Catalog that my older brother had filled out but never sent in.

I never ordered from them either. Bad, bad collectors.

Brian

[moeson]

Around 1976, they suffered a devastating fire that destroyed/damaged much of their inventory including their supply of test set cards which were frequently offered for sale by the Gellman's in The Trader Speaks. After that I recall ordering 500 card lots from several different years, and despite having specified "no fire damage", fire/water damaged cards often got through.