True Mint by Rosen

[Directly]

I was told he would buy sets, pulled the cards he wanted then at the end of the show would leave the rest on the table for other dealers to have for free.

On the flip side I ask my employee to take him a complete Topps poster set, he came back with $350.00 cash. I Ask him to take my another set Rosen yelled "the first set wasn't mint" then Alan supposedly threw his soda at him ?

[lumberjack]

I hope I'm not repeating myself....

Rosen carried around that briefcase stuffed with cash. That was his signature.

He was always after Frank Nagy, who was basically the godfather to Detroit area collectors. Nagy was a genius.

His line to Nagy was, "When are you going to invite me to your house?" This was presumedly so he could root through Nagy's collection.

Nagy, who really was the smartest guy in the room in those days, would reply,
"Bring more briefcases."

I love that.
lumberjack

[cannonballsun]

Judging from most of the people who knew or met Al Rosen, he was a "Dick". I didn't know him, and am generally in favor of people being good and kind to each other, and not being a "Dick".
I do have to give him credit for one thing. He made it as well known as possible that baseball cards were valuable and worth something. So many card collections have been thrown away. How many got saved because of all the publicity he brought to the hobby ?
For that alone, all card lovers should thank him.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by cannonballsun

Judging from most of the people who knew or met Al Rosen, he was a "Dick". I didn't know him, and am generally in favor of people being good and kind to each other, and not being a "Dick".
I do have to give him credit for one thing. He made it as well known as possible that baseball cards were valuable and worth something. So many card collections have been thrown away. How many got saved because of all the publicity he brought to the hobby ?
For that alone, all card lovers should thank him.

Around the time that he died, I heard many stories about him. Some good, some bad, but the one thing that was consistent was that he was a larger than life personality in the hobby.

I know it's very easy to say, Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and we often look on the past with rose colored glasses, but as someone that didn't experience it, I would kill to see what the hobby was like back then. Not even for the prices of the cards, just to see what it was like. I've heard stories, especially about the AC show in 1989, or what the National used to be like!

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Seven

Around the time that he died, I heard many stories about him. Some good, some bad, but the one thing that was consistent was that he was a larger than life personality in the hobby.

I know it's very easy to say, Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and we often look on the past with rose colored glasses, but as someone that didn't experience it, I would kill to see what the hobby was like back then. Not even for the prices of the cards, just to see what it was like. I've heard stories, especially about the AC show in 1989, or what the National used to be like!

All I have to say is amazing Book. Great stories and sharing on this thread.
Keep it all coming.
Love the history of baseball and love the history of the hobby