1965 Bobby Orr

[brian1961]

Tomi, your pair of Topps Bobby Orr gems are simply beautiful; however, the Topps Test cannot be considered mainstream. Not much known about the TEST, save that it is virtually impossible "to pass". Yours is a well-deserved A+!

Tomi, I need you to re-think your label "oddball" of your scarce - rare Bobby Orrs. I wrote about that in NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN. For instance, you don't call a Le Mans winning Ferrari "oddball". Or a Patek Philippe moon phase chronograph pocket watch "oddball". I am humbled to own several exotic Mickey Mantle pieces that I could never, ever, label "oddball". Part of the matter has to do with an item's design and beauty, partnered with the scarcity (when it was issued, how many were made, and how difficult was it to get your hands on one in pristine condtition?), and rarity (how many survive at the present time?)

Bro, do not take this as a criticism; rather, let me stimulate your thinking about some of the blue diamond gems in your wonderful collection.

Thanks for the well wishes, by the way.

Your pal, Brian Powell

[Tomi]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Tomi, your pair of Topps Bobby Orr gems are simply beautiful; however, the Topps Test cannot be considered mainstream. Not much known about the TEST, save that it is virtually impossible "to pass". Yours is a well-deserved A+!

Tomi, I need you to re-think your label "oddball" of your scarce - rare Bobby Orrs. I wrote about that in NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN. For instance, you don't call a Le Mans winning Ferrari "oddball". Or a Patek Philippe moon phase chronograph pocket watch "oddball". I am humbled to own several exotic Mickey Mantle pieces that I could never, ever, label "oddball". Part of the matter has to do with an item's design and beauty, partnered with the scarcity (when it was issued, how many were made, and how difficult was it to get your hands on one in pristine condtition?), and rarity (how many survive at the present time?)

Bro, do not take this as a criticism; rather, let me stimulate your thinking about some of the blue diamond gems in your wonderful collection.

Thanks for the well wishes, by the way.

Your pal, Brian Powell

My definition of "oddball" has always been items that were not out of packs like regional issues. The term is not a put down, just a definition for non mainstream releases. I'm happy that you are also a Mantle collector as I am too. Here are a couple of Mantle "oddball" items in my collection. Enjoy.

[brian1961]

Hiya, Tomi. I got back on here 'cause I remembered I wanted to clarify non-mainstream versus oddball. There most assuredly are issues that the term "oddball" should definitely be applied to. Just off the top of my head, I think of matchbook covers, Topps Who Am I?, those Topps inserts from '65 that were golden cameos or something, the Topps Tatoos, a rare Topps test issue I believe is called Scratch-offs, having a minuscule black 'n white photo of the player with the rest stuff you scratch off, the marbles with a little player photo inside, and the 1954 New York Journal-American (Lionel Carter commented on them being "junk", as I recall he worded them). Team issues, and various player picture packets are not oddball, and may not be very valuable, but frequently are difficult to find and have a lot of eye appeal.

Say, you have an amazing ensemble of Mantle issues. Wow. I especially love the 1967 Coca-Cola Premium, as produced by Dexter Press, and the Dormand Postcard. I wrote of both those issues in my book, Never Cheaper By the Dozen.

Well, let's put our heads together, and come up with some savory terms for non-mainstream cards. I hope you find my "blue diamond gem" term appealing. Esoteric is ok, but it means understood by a select few. The sad part is many hobbyists are just like that, when it comes to appreciating the often rare and beautiful post war regional / food issues. I suppose what grates me the most is that they will put the mainstream gum cards above the regional / food. Again, with a name term designation such as "oddball", how would you view that connotation?

Precisely.

But then, I am very old-school, growing in the hobby at a time when the tough regionals were extremely hard to find and valuable (many were only available via trade, and if you did not have good enough trade bait, you could just "forget it"), while the gum cards were all easy weezie to find, and cheap.

All the best to you. ---- Brian Powell

[Tomi]

Collectors that I know usually just say oddball so I've been hearing the term since day 1. Maybe " non-mainstream" might be a more universal definition of these items but I guess it depends who you are talking to. Blue diamond gem seems like you would have to explain the definition to everyone. Your post is the first time I have heard the term. I do see a lot of people using the term "oddball" in our hobby so I'm pretty much used to seeing and hearing it. I guess there will never be an exact word to define these items.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by Tomi

Collectors that I know usually just say oddball so I've been hearing the term since day 1. Maybe " non-mainstream" might be a more universal definition of these items but I guess it depends who you are talking to. Blue diamond gem seems like you would have to explain the definition to everyone. Your post is the first time I have heard the term. I do see a lot of people using the term "oddball" in our hobby so I'm pretty much used to seeing and hearing it. I guess there will never be an exact word to define these items.

You are quite right; the term "oddball" has been used for decades, I suppose. For a couple decades now, I suppose it occurred to me the term seemed archaic and unqualified to depict their special nature and ascending value. As I mentioned, I devoted a little bit of space in my book to discuss the subject of terms. Being that my book appeals to a niche market, and the millions of gum card devotees describe non-mainstream as oddball, it may be hopeless. But, I shan't give up or in---not when one has some of the huge blue diamond gems I portray in Never. --- Brian Powell