Fun Local Lot Buy - 1955 Bowman

[olecow]

I know what you mean about the ink on the cards. I have a 56 Topps Eddie Mathews PSA 7 with an MK qualifier. The MK is that someone wrote his uniform number 41 in ink at the top of the card back. It doesn't bother me at all. Like you, I imagine a kid back in the 50's writing the uniform numbers of players on his cards. I love that.

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by olecow

I know what you mean about the ink on the cards. I have a 56 Topps Eddie Mathews PSA 7 with an MK qualifier. The MK is that someone wrote his uniform number 41 in ink at the top of the card back. It doesn't bother me at all. Like you, I imagine a kid back in the 50's writing the uniform numbers of players on his cards. I love that.

I love it too...I got to imagine it wasn't easy for some of the uni numbers...no internet back then! A little work was involved...especially when you see Irv Noren or someone like that, not exactly household names in the 50s out here in Washington state.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

I love it too...I got to imagine it wasn't easy for some of the uni numbers...no internet back then! A little work was involved...especially when you see Irn Noren or someone like that, not exactly household names in the 50s out here in Washington state.

Yes, no interweb, and very little baseball coverage on TV, either. My brother and I decided in - I believe it was 1953 - to try to buy a complete set of official team yearbooks, so that we could have bios (and uni numbers of course) for all MLB players. I think we bought the books from a second hand dealer advertising in the back of a S&S annual because I recall that we paid 50 cents for most of the books, but the NY-based teams were more expensive, maybe a buck or two. Even at those prices, we viewed the purchase as a major investment - man, $12 or so - for books!

[nat]

So when you pick up the remaining 114 cards, I assume you'll write the players' uniform numbers on the front?

[bnorth]

Awesome pick up. I put that set together a few years ago. Weirdly I really like the set but hate other horizontal and wood bordered cards.

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Awesome pick up. I put that set together a few years ago. Weirdly I really like the set but hate other horizontal and wood bordered cards.

Totally with you...horizontal is just not binder friendly. Always awkward thumbing through the 1960 set. I also dont like the 8 pocket sleeves, they need to be tighter. So sloppy drives me crazy. I have been through other binder set ups and nothing is perfect for those over sized cards. Also agree on the wood borders...my least favorite set is 1962...and you can tell thumbing through my set. I whipped that one out and have more than I like cards to upgrade...just couldn't get fully into it. Upcoming project...

But yes, these unique cards are really growing on me...

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by nat

So when you pick up the remaining 114 cards, I assume you'll write the players' uniform numbers on the front?

That's awesome and I was just joking with my brother on that... The mistake I am making is I'm picking up too many EXMT cards...my OCD is having a rough go. I like my sets to be consistent....Stars can't be 7s and all the commons be 3s and vice versa. So yeah, maybe I will add the numbers! Haha...but what numbers can I write for an UMPIRE? Man, I didn't realize just how many there are...poor kids back then!

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by Volod

Yes, no interweb, and very little baseball coverage on TV, either. My brother and I decided in - I believe it was 1953 - to try to buy a complete set of official team yearbooks, so that we could have bios (and uni numbers of course) for all MLB players. I think we bought the books from a second hand dealer advertising in the back of a S&S annual because I recall that we paid 50 cents for most of the books, but the NY-based teams were more expensive, maybe a buck or two. Even at those prices, we viewed the purchase as a major investment - man, $12 or so - for books!

That's awesome Steve...do you still have those yearbooks? When I was a kid in the late 70s I would get the Who's Who booklets...I LOVED those and read them like bibles. I had a neighbor who even gave me a couple from the 60s...I'd have those memorized...

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

That's awesome Steve...do you still have those yearbooks? When I was a kid in the late 70s I would get the Who's Who booklets...I LOVED those and read them like bibles. I had a neighbor who even gave me a couple from the 60s...I'd have those memorized...

Unfortunately, my mother tossed all of my stuff as soon as I left for military service at age 17. Most of the value was in my stamp collection and I was really pissed when I was notified by a letter while in basic training. I did reacquire some of the early '50's yearbooks - just those of my favorite teams - back in the '80's. By then, of course, the prices had risen to about fifty bucks each.
Are you referring to "Who's Who In Baseball?" I read those religiously myself and still have a few from the '50's and '60's.

[ocjack]

Harliduck, nice find. I'm always amazed (and jealous) when finds of any type are announced. It reminds me that there is still "stuff" out there. May I ask how you came to find this lot?

[Exhibitman]

I love it when there is a little bit of use on a card that renders it worthless to the slabbers. My biggest "inkee", ironically, is in a slab:



But I am very happy with it.