US House of Representatives - Rep. Chris Collins

[taul166]

Hi, did anyone know that the above Congressman who if you have been following the news is accused of wrong doing, is also an avid Mickey Mantle collector, and has the highest rated Mickey Mantle Set on the PSA Set Registry and has been recognized by PSA for his master set. I make no comment about the Congressman, either way, just thought this was an interesting tidbit.

[CobbSpikedMe]

I met Chris at the National in AC a couple years ago and we had a great talk about cards for about an hour while he had a cigar. I enjoyed the conversation very much and, yes, he told me about his Mantle collection and how it took a while but he eventually got the #1 spot on the registry. Even though he had a superstar Mantle collection and was a Congressman, he never treated me like a low level collector or anything less than an equal and fellow collector. It wasn't until after we talked for an hour that he introduced himself as a Congressman and he gave me a congressional challenge coin when we parted ways. He was a very nice guy and I'm sorry to hear he is accused of wrong doing.

[hcv123]

No crazier than so much else in the world today of course! I never knew he was in politics. I sold him a rare Mantle card for his set. His set was deserving of the PSA recognition, what he was able to assemble in such a seemingly short time on the registry is unreal.

[Bigdaddy]

NVM, sounds like a great collection.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

Maybe that was enabled by the insider trading, if the accusations are true???

He has things in that collection that he had to unearth from so many different places and some things that unless he decided to sell, money couldn't buy. Sad about the insider trading thing (if it's accurate) - but wow! What a collection.

[ValKehl]

Three years ago, I sold this very scarce 1953-54 Briggs Meats - Mickey Mantle card via eBay to someone in upstate NY (near Buffalo). I sold this card to raise $$ to buy some cards I wanted in the upcoming auction of Leon's fantastic type-card collection. I later learned the buyer was NY Republican Congressman Chris Collins, and we exchanged a couple of emails. Had I known at that time that the buyer was a Congressman, I would have asked if I could deliver the card to him at his Capitol Hill office in DC (I live in a DC suburb). I assume this card now resides in a PSA slab.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by hcv123

Sad about the insider trading thing (if it's accurate) - but wow! What a collection.

We could all have rare and expensive cards if we chose to lie and cheat the system on the level he did.