True Mint by Rosen

[Bpm0014]

In Pittsburgh people say ‘yinz’. Terrible...

[drcy]

I read the book more than two decades ago and enjoyed it. An entertaining read.

I found his grading philosophy interesting: Mint = pack fresh, and a pack fresh card can be off centered.

His job was businessman making a regular salary, and his job was to sell would he bought for a profit asap. He wasn't an investor, and remember that you don't know if the cards will go up or down in value.

[jcmtiger]

When he setup at Plymouth Mi show I was setting up at same show. He always paid extra for his table to be right at entrance to the show. That’s how he was able to buy walk ins 1st. Very arrogent, did not keep things very long. I, myself don’t credit him for “making the hobby for what it is today” Many other true collectors & dealers did that.

[nat]

"the hobby what it is today"

...are we so sure this is a good thing?

[Tere1071]

Alan Rosen was a very large fish in a very small pond.

[maniac_73]

Ok Now I actually want to read the book

[ALBB]

I think he helped the hobby grow

[theuclakid]

yea he was a character....willow grove mid 1980's...I had bought a 1955 Clemente Rookie from him he had graded EX (long before grading companies) and priced it as such...when I got back to my room, I noticed a noticeable crease on the back...at breakfast the next morning I showed him, his only response was I grade the fronts, not the backs....to his credit I got a refund....and..the 1987 National in SF...I was very busy setting up and he was walking around trying to buy..he asked to see my cards, but I politely said please come back in a few minutes after I finished setting up and getting organized...he screamed at me verbally for several minutes...but eventually walked away....as I said he was a character...later on though at Nationals, he would say hello...so he probably forgot those two encounters...Bruce Perry

[BabyRuth]

July 4, 1988 Issue of Sports Illustrated - I read the article and it got me back into the hobby back in '88 - I had the forethought to have the Mint Man sign it at one of the Boston Shriner's shows. Probably not too many of these that are signed floating around.

[MRSPORTSCARDCOLLECTOR]

Originally Posted by Tere1071

Alan Rosen was a very large fish in a very small pond.

Agreed.
He use to do a lot of Wilmington, Massachusetts shows at the end(In my neck of the woods).
I saw him as a ambassador for the hobby like Stan Lee for comic books(good or bad). One thing we can't take away from him was he was a great businessman as there were single years he would make more money than Mantle, Williams and Mays did in their whole careers. That is mind-boggling to me.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by nat

"the hobby what it is today"

...are we so sure this is a good thing?

Ha!!! Ha !!! For sure

[kkkkandp]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

In Pittsburgh people say ‘yinz’. Terrible...

In Ireland, it's "yous," which make sense. It is the plural of you!

[parkplace33]

I heard he was not a popular person among dealers.

[Rich Klein]

"I found it interesting that a lot of things Rosen mentioned in this book are still being discussed today - 27 years later. It's also crazy that people were trimming and bleaching cards way before they became insanely expensive. And finally, I think Rosen's biggest problem was he couldn't hold on to a damn thing for even a week! ! It was always sell, sell, sell! This hurt him really bad in the long-run."

Al transitioned to cards from being a coin dealer where "flipping" was/is commonplace.

I also disagree with how it hurt him in the long run because he bought/sold cards and had a cadre of people to sell to, especially in the 1980's. Not everyone wants to be a retailer, some are happy to just move items. Other things did affect his long-term business but that was not one of the reasons.