Will Mr. Mint save Beckett?

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Posted By: Kyle

I've heard random rumors of Beckett suffering from poor sales lately. Is this an attempt to try to salvage the publication? I'm not saying Beckett would ever be shut down, but does anyone think this is desperate?

http://www.beckett.com/news/index2.asp?a=6688&s=1

Has anyone picked up a Beckett lately? I will randomly at Target to look at the pictures, but the price guide is completely butchered.

-Kyle-

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Posted By: Cobby33

Kyle:
Just curious as to what you mean by Beckett's price guide is "butchered?"
Thanks.

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Posted By: T206Collector

...in about 5 years, I picked up a Beckett Price Guide to give to an 8 year old along with a gift of new packs of Topps cards. I found the price guide section to be rather desperate -- it has a few T206 cards, but not enough to provide any real information, and devotes most of its pages to identifying sub-sub-sub-sets of insert cards from 1999-2005, for which it does not provide players and instead only multipliers. The proliferation of new card issues has basically suffocated not only the new card market, but also price guides trying to track that market.

Well, for the last 7 years (since I have sworn off glossy modern crap), it has been my feeling that modern cards were all rubbish. Any guide that tries to make a living reporting on rubbish will in turn also become rubbish. So none of this is surprising. Old Cardboard is where it is at, so to speak.

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Posted By: henry Eshelman

Wow I cant tell if the writer was bad or he just had stupid quotes because it seemed like the same things were reapeated over and over, very redundant.

Thanks, Henry Eshelman

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Posted By: William Heitman

Insert finger--now gag.

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Posted By: DJ

Calling Wonka ticket! Calling Wonka ticket!

This is an Alan Rosen thread. Please entertain us!

DJ

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Posted By: RayB

Does this spell the end of his advertising relationship with SCD or is he looking to cement his reputation as the king of overexposure?

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Posted By: Ray

Most depressing thing I saw in that article was that he's from Montvale, NJ... a beautiful town in Bergen County, NJ and only a 5 minute drive from where I live! AHHHHHHHHHHH! Say it isn't so! I can't imagine what I would do if I saw him in A&P! LOL!

I will say this. As annoying as he is, he really markets himself well to the uninformed, average joe.

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Posted By: Travis Anderson

...where IS that barf bag...

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

This guy is a complete LOSER! This will be the straw that puts Beckett down for good if they go with him! I thought a private group bought out their publication out of California? The same group owns many Automotive titles that I deal with. If I have any say... I'll e-mail all the old links to the powers to be to let them make an educated decision, on who they want, on their team. Mr Mint is a "Has Been" and most everyone in the industry is onto him now other than poor un-suspecting people that don't know any better. He says he takes every call.. That's BS.. He looks at his caller ID and chooses. He will curse and hang up you guaranteed if the call does not go HIS WAY.

Why no more auctions? (No support and no trust in him running it fairly)

Why does he NOT advertise in every publication? (Maybe he is banned from some)

Why do 80% of people asked not do business with him? (They have all been burned or mis-lead).

Why did he score so low on the VCBC Dealer poll.. Because he failed in every aspect of transacting a business legit!

Why does he not come onto this board that he knows about? That one is just too funny to answer...

I like to judge people by their actions and NOT their words..
Just my opinion on him... We all know how opinions are.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I asked my friend Mr. Subliminal to explain the article:

I understand Beckett's purpose [ad whores] in serving its readers [suckers] by offering the insight [self promoting crap] of such a well respected [lying cockroach] like Mr. Mint. Many hobbyists [Wal-Mart shoppers] with valued collections [Grampy's cigar box] will now be able to turn to an authoritative voice with the [self-serving] goal of helping collectors both identify and maximize the value [to him] of their collections.

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Posted By: Chris Mc

That guy sucks! It's like having the anti-christ on your church planing board. This is a huge mistake by Beckett.

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Posted By: t206King

do anyone have stories of doing business with him?

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Posted By: Joe Jones

look at his hand on the picture. He is flipping everyone off.

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Posted By: Kyle

By butchered I meant the price guide section has been reduced drastically to what it was 5 years ago. Listed prices is another story, some are accurate, some are far from what they're worth.

-Kyle-

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Posted By: Cobby33

thanks.

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Posted By: Anson

Makes me want to approach his table at the National with a fancy Louis Vuitton briefcase, full of 1989 Topps McGwires in top loaders.

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Posted By: bigfish

No one seems to like this guy. Is it the outrageous pictures or is he just a menace?

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Posted By: darren

To answer the original question -- NO.

Beckett Publications would be much better off hiring one of you guys or gals to save its publications. In fact, I'd love the oppurtunity.

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Posted By: Anonymous

On two different occasions I e-mailed Rosen about items I was looking to sell (good stuff too)....from the tone of this thread it would surprise none of you to hear that he never bothered getting back to me.

David

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Posted By: Charlie O'Neal

Since he's claiming to be the expert and even publishing an article every month to teach us what cards we have and how to maximize the most money for all of them.I say that we let him enlighten us with his expert knowledge and give us some tips on what we should do. HAAA!!!

What Mr. Mint is trying to do is pretty obvious...While most of the people on the board know him as the guy that sets up at the very front of cards shows and then strong arms you for your collection, this looks to be his new business model.

People asking advice and trying to figure out exactly what they have and how to dispose of the cards effectively. Mr. Mint looks more like a wolf in sheeps clothing with this move since if he does come across something he will probably give them bad advice in order to get the cards cheaper. For the people that write really needing advice and it's something he wants if you don't want to sell or look at other offers don't expect him to help you very much.

Just my thoughts

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

It seems that Beckett publications has been loosing the battle for a few years now... maybe this is their strategy to finally pull the plug on the publication with a big laugh...

Where are you Wonka?

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Posted By: FYS

I assume Rosen gets free advertising in exchange for his columns/contribution. It is brilliant on his part. He gets more publicity and it costs him nothing. Any serious vintage collector is not going to be sending Rosen questions to answer in his column. It will be a pretty softball job for him.

It could also be assumed that Beckett is trying to beef up their visability in vintage, as they are obviously the leader in "shiny" cards, but lack that respect for vintage. The vintage frontier is a potential "growth market" for them. Unfortunately, they probably do not realize the lack of respect for Rosen from most vintage collectors.

In a room full of marketing guys, it is easy to visualize the great idea of going after the vintage market, but it is likly a losing proposition for Beckett. This could be a golden opportunity for SGC or PSA to attack Beckett in the modern front, while they waste resources on vintage.

One good scenerio that may happen is that it could add focus and thus turn some modern or young collectors into fans of the 52 to 80 sets.

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Posted By: mike mullins

...the man looks good bald. The last time I saw his mug was back in the 80's. Amazing what a new pair of glasses and a haircut will do for a person.

I've never had any experiences with the guy, but the general sense is not positive, to put it gently. Ouch. But then, he's in Beckett and we're not. He had dinner with the Mick, and we didn't. So I guess the lesson is: treat everyone like s#!* and you'll go places. Wonderful.

mm

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Posted By: jay behrens

Anyone that is curious about horror stories about Rosen, just use the search fundtion and look for antoher Rosen thread from 6 months ago.

Jay- Mr Mint, I'm still not yor wholesaler. Now go away.

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: Robert {Bigb13}

Beckett should close down, they stink. Every time they get a good mag like the Vintage one a few years back they stop printing and move on to crap. Rob 

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Posted By: warshawlaw

He looks like a d**k with ears. He could wear a turtle neck and pose as roll-on deodorant. He should put a hat on before someone ***** him off. If I had a dog that looked like that I'd shave his butt and teach him to walk backwards. He's so ugly the doctor flipped him over and said "twins!". I've seen a better head on beer. I've seen a better face on an iodine bottle. He's so ugly that even ugly people look and him and say "damn, he's ugly". He's so ugly that flowers close up when he approaches. He's so ugly that he has to put two bags over his own head to masturbate. He's so ugly that if he was having dinner with Andy Etchebarren, Moe Drabowski, Don Mossi and Yogi Berra, the waiters would be asking themselves who is the ugly guy with the ballplayers.

I could go on and on with this.

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Posted By: andy becker

adam, if you don't like alan's look...then just say so.
no reason to insult genitalia
as far as i'm concerned, you owe all d***s an apology.

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Posted By: jay behrens

There are a lot of women that find d.....I won't go there, this is a family board.

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: leon

With his poor reputation I am surprised the powers that be, at Beckett, chose him to partner with. Very poor choice on their part, imho....

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Posted By: Scott Thompson

It didn't help the Brady Bunch when Cousin Oliver moved in and I don't think Mr. Mint will help Beckett.

Scott

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Posted By: cn

I didn't realize my idol is 60 years old. With that handsome face I figured him for about 25. If I see his face again I will barf. My wife gave me a gift subscription to SCD but I just throw it in the garbage because of him.

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Posted By: FYS

"With his poor reputation I am surprised the powers that be, at Beckett, chose him to partner with. Very poor choice on their part, imho...."

I think the general Beckett reader truly has no idea that Rosen is not respected amongst the vintage collectors. He is likely viewed as a rock star.

My thought is the Beckett staff made one of the following decisions:

1. Have no true knowledge of the vintage market and the poor reputation of Rosen. Because of this, they are duped that he is a postive hobby icon that is going to propell them into the vintage market with respectibility. Thus attracting many people from Network54 and other sites to subscribe to Beckett and read the knowledge from Rosen. If this is even remotely true, then Beckett is in for trouble.

2. They believed that the typical Beckett follower (Modern Collector) views Rosen as a rock star and his discussions of past conquests and dinners with Mantle will create a following of new kids and keep existing modern collectors interesed in subscribing. They know full well that advanced vintage collectors have no respect for Rosen. They do not care and have not intentions to go after this market, becuase they really plan to use Rosen to dazzle the younger and less informed collector. This I can understand and it may even work.

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Posted By: Anson

We better be careful, as Mr. Rosen probably has nasty letters heading to us in the mail. Apparently he is really worried about the truth coming out.

What do you want to be that he drives a montser truck?

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Posted By: Genaro

I think the guy should get a green jacket with question marks all over it and sell his book on TV opps that Job is already taken.


BTW I have the beckets almanac I wish I could buy T206 at those prices.

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Posted By: Bob S

And not a single one praising/criticizing the competition.....Tuff Stuff.....strange.

Bob S

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Posted By: jay behrens

Mr Mint may seem a bizzarr choice to use to move into the vintage market, but the IRL one upped them by hiring Gene Simmons to save their floundering race league. They had Simmons pen the first offical anthem for a major sport (quote from an IRL official) and they are going to use his image and marketing company to improve their sagging ratings. This from a league that lost it's top 2 engine makers and only has 16 drivers that have made a commitment to race next year.

I'm a huge open wheel race fan, but ever since the family that owns the Indy race track started up the IRL, all they did was destroy open wheeled racing in the US. F1 has always been the best racing and I always prefered it to CART, but I still liked CART racing too. To see open wheeled racing slowly slip away is sad since watching left hand turns for 4 hours makes me nauseous. I'd rather watch paint dry than watch a NASCAR race and nauseous feeling I get from fresh paint is a better high than I get from watching left turns.

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Maybe someone should forward all the threads of Al Rosen for the last year to Beckett. Be curious to see what kind of response we get?