Is Alan Hager Still Alive?

[Misunderestimated]

I don't know if he is alive ... but I would check out his big self-published hardback book from 1993 for your article -- "Hager's comprehensive price guide to rare baseball cards, 1886 to present"
I think there are copies out there.
Kinda pricey on Amazon but maybe you can borrow?

--
FYI;
I thought that Dave Foreman was the first person who embarked on professional grading -- his reputable "SCG" (?) was contemporaneous with Hagar's which was ACCUGRADE

[1880nonsports]

I have CRS but it was brought up here before so a search might be prudent or helpful. I can lend you a signed copy of the book if you need it for something. Alan went from coin grading and encapsulating to cards BEFORE sgc as I believe he has/had the original holder patent.... He showed up at a national like 5/6 (?) years ago at a table. I remember a giant painted football leather he was trying to convince people was a tobacco era premium. If Festberg is still alive and meditating then I think AH may have passed. Just the way I remember things

edited to add: If you post the addresses I might be able to recognize one... I would speak to him occasionally after he moved here likely to avoid the life he had been leading... up was down and down was up. Quite a few law suits and accusations...

[ncinin]

http://macablege.com/

[h2oya311]

Here is likely the only Hager graded DiMaggio Zeenut in existence. The slab is a historical masterpiece in its own right, let alone the card encased in the plastic tomb. ASA is the Hager slabbed material. While he was certainly generous with his grading (since most, if not all) were his cards, at least his material was authentic. No conflict of interest there, right?

[glynparson]

He was set up at the Long Beach coin show a year or so ago.

[bbcard1]

Originally Posted by h2oya311

Here is likely the only Hager graded DiMaggio Zeenut in existence. The slab is a historical masterpiece in its own right, let alone the card wishing the plastic tomb. ASA is the Hager slabbed material.

I have a 1940 Red Ruffing with that slab and always wondered where it had come from. Quite an interesting sub hobby could be made out or accumulating cards that resided in the slabs of short-lived companies.

[1880nonsports]

I suppose that would be like the collectors that collect painting forgeries. It would be a buy the holder and not the card type of thing as your entombed card has a good chance of being altered or over-graded...........

[BeanTown]

Off topic a little, but your Zeenut example made me think. Why do all TPGs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get AUTHENTIC. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

[36GoudeyMan]

Don't forget his foray into the world of collectible Beanie Babies, with the specialized label tombs!! A true descent into madness.....

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by beantown

off topic a little, but your zeenut example made me think. Why do all tpgs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get authentic. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

i-n-c-o-n-s-i-s-t-e-n-c-y

[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Off topic a little, but your Zeenut example made me think. Why do all TPGs give a numerical grade to zeenuts when the coupon has been torn/ripped? They are should get AUTHENTIC. You can buy a zeenut with coupon (50x rarer) in a 1 holder, crack it out, cut out the coupon off and get it bumped to a higher grade.

A) because they were made to be torn. Much like early topps finest cards that have been peeled are still graded. Apples to oranges but in the same vein.

B) much of it has to do with the history of the issue and “tossing coups” is probably the greatest historical story of any baseball card issue. If you haven’t read it I highly recommend the Zeenut History and guide book.

C) I can’t think of any instance where a zeenut a grade or two higher without a coupon would outsell a copy with the coupon so people don’t really have a financial stake in doing so.

But yeah if you want to provide a lazy answer then “inconsistency” works fine as well.