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#1
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Show Attendee
What's the story with Mr. Mint (Alan Rosen) these days ? Is he still buying cards ? I see him at shows, but he's always reading the newspaper. He seems to be keeping a low profile. What's he up to ? |
#2
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: JimCrandell
He still sits in his chair at the closest spot to the entrance and runs up to anyone who is carrying a package and appears to have cards for sale---tries to buy them for cash for the lowest price possible and flips them as quick as he can. |
#3
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
Does anyone really take him seriously? |
#4
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: leon
I just thought of a great scheme for the National.........wonder what he would offer for a few of my decent type cards? Low ball maybe? Should be interesting.....thanks guys |
#5
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
He probably wouldn't know what they were. If it's not Topps, Bowman, or Hartland Statues, he's in a bit over his head (I always wanted to take a set of Hartlands, arrange them like ten pins, and then smash them with a bowling bowl. Not my favorite issue, to be sure). |
#6
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Anonymous
Not even MRS. Mint pays attention to him! |
#7
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: jackgoodman
I once heard Mr. Mint tell a walk-in that he had made an offer to, that the offer was only good at that moment. That if the seller wanted to walk around the show offering his cards to other dealers, and ended up returning to Mr. Mint's table, that Mr. M's offer was obviously too high and he would not offer that much if they ended up back at his table. |
#8
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Tom Boblitt
is Mr. VG now.......saw him buying a crapload of 1950's sets in VERY substandard condition. He was paying dimes on the dollar and these people selling have these star struck eyes. Then VG flips the cards to Verkman or some other dealer for 10% to pay his bills. |
#9
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
A lot of people sell to him to get their picture in SCD. What they don't realize is that they could consign their collection to an auction house, get thousands of extra dollars for it, take out their own full page ad in SCD with their picture, and still have lots of money left over. He preys on the weak. |
#10
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: J Levine
At the last Anaheim National (the one where I was holding the Wagner that I still think may be trimmed), my friend stood right in front of Mr. Mint's table and offered $5 more than what he offered several people. This went on for 5 minutes before Rosen called a show rep. and had my friend moved. The argument was extremely funny and involved words like "free-market" and "capitalistic values." Never saw Rosen's face get so red. |
#11
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhys
I do not know why anyone sells to him. He is rude, arrogant and knows nothing about the cards he deals in to be considered one of the big names in the hobby. |
#12
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Ben
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#13
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
Do you know that a few weeks ago SCD had one of their reporters write an article solely about his new appearance? Now there's some breaking hobby news for you. That's really scraping the bottom of the editorial barrel. |
#14
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Josh K.
can we get a before and after shot posted. |
#15
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
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#16
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhett Yeakley
"Mr. Mint" is the biggest joke in the entire hobby. I can't believe anybody actually deals with this guy. He is so overbearing, pompous, and arrogant-that he literally is impossible to be around. My brother (Rhys) and I do maybe 1-2 shows a year, usually the Pittsburgh Robert Morris show--I'm living here in Pittsburgh now. Last year we arrived late to the show and waiting for us sitting on our table was Mr. Mint. I had never actually talked to the guy before-only seen is big, overhyped face in every Krause publication I have ever laid hands on waving wads of cash around. Anyways, somebody told him that we were going to be there and that we had some older stuff. So as we are bringing in our boxes, he is making himself at home going through whatever boxes he wants, making a big stack of stuff that is "Rosens stuff." Then Terry Knouse Sr. (whom my brother & I know well) comes over and starts talking to us and asking us about cards, and he starts looking at a few stacks, and Rosen gets all red in the face and beligerently asks us to keep everyone else away from our stuff, because "he was there first, and hadn't looked at everything yet." So, Terry just sets the stuff down and asks me to "come get him when the Rosen is done" (pretty classy move on his part-I don't think I would have been that polite.) So, Rosen keeps going through our stuff, and biting off anybody's head that dares to approach our table. Once he is through, he asks for a price on everything, and we ask him to wait a minute while we think about it. He gets all mad and says that he doesn't have all day. So we seperate my stuff from my brothers stuff and my brother starts giving him some prices, and after some eye rolling, they ended up striking a deal on $2000-3000 worth of stuff. Then he asks me, and naturally I marked everything up on the him, because he had just pissed off our potential customers, not to mention our friends (like Terry). And then he starts telling my brother, that my prices are too high and that I should be giving him a good deal because he is "Mr. Mint". That was last year. |
#17
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
That's a good story Rhett and just about everyone who has dealt with him has been treated the same way. The last time he and I spoke was about 20 years ago. He screamed at me over something he didn't like and that was it for me. Somehow he gets away with it all by relentlessly advertising, and notice in all of his ads he has this big phony smile on his face and he looks like everyone's favorite uncle. But in person he is completely different. I guess novices see him as sort of a celebrity and sellers like the idea of getting paid in cash, and somehow he has been successful in convincing a lot of people to sell to him. Likewise, he's made a legion of enemies, and you know what- he doesn't care. |
#18
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
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#19
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Josh K.
Wow - that was some fast photoshop work. Impressive indeed. |
#20
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhett Yeakley
Here's Mr. Mint's "New Look"... |
#21
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: john/z28jd
True story,former all-star 3rdbaseman for the Indians from the 40's-50's Al Rosen changed his last name to Capone so he wouldnt be confused with a individual with the reputation of Alan Rosen |
#22
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
The sad thing was that I didn't create that card. |
#23
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: robert a.
This is the best thread in a LONG time! |
#24
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: John_B_California
For all of his faults, he's still a brilliant marketer. How many dealers in any business (cards, coins, stamps, antiques) have branded themselves this well? When he steps outside and eats a hotdog at the National, people think he's a rock star. |
#25
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: jackgoodman
His new look seemed awful familiar: |
#26
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: warshawlaw
I saw his antics firsthand at a show in SF in 1989. He gets people as they come through the door, loudly. Once the laydown is finished, he says "the briefcase please" and his bobos hand him a briefcase of cash. He then counts out the hundreds as fast as humanly possible (proving to all who see that money is no big deal to him--being as familiar with big cash as he is lets him count it rapidly--or proves he works part time as a teller at a casino), pushes the stack at the awed mark, and says take it or leave it. I saw him pick up a few hundred 1950s cards for $5,000 or so at that show. By the next morning, the lot had been subdivided into two $3,000 lots and wholesaled to two other dealers (Rosen was bragging about the flip to his minions, so I know the numbers). He hates grading with a passion not just because of the Olbermann incident but because he can't **** all over the walk-ins' cards for condition if the cards are slabbed, nor can he hype his overgraded stuff with any degree of credibility to the real collecting public. What remains alluring for the walk-in yokels about him is (1) cash and no records, and (2) he buys it all without bitching or cherry picking. Of course he pays diddly for the "all" but the yokels don't know that. We could all learn a bit or two about marketing from this money-monkey. |
#27
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
I met Howie Mandel after a College show. He was such a nice guy and took the time to talk to his fans. |
#28
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Josh K.
Excuse my ignorance, but what was the Olbermann incident? |
#29
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: dennis
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#30
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Julie
I wrote it up for VCBC...one thing i gotta say: he said it was mint, and it's mint. |
#31
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Richard Lloyd
No matter how you slice it he adds a BUZZZ which |
#32
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhett Yeakley
FUN!!! -Are you friggin' kidding me!?! What is FUN about what Rosen does? I admit it is FUNny to talk about the guy, but I wouldn't say that what he does is FUN or in any way GOOD for the hobby. |
#33
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: dan mckee
Alan is very knowledgable and pays well often. I sold him several hundred tobacco cards a few years ago and got a very fair price. Take him a few cards Leon, you may be surprised at what he offers you. Alan is also a very nice guy, I have known him a long time. Dan. |
#34
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Richard Lloyd
I do not know Mr. Mint and from an outside point of view..He adds Energy when he is at a show because of his marketing of himself over the years!! people see him and know who he is... his marketing has helped the hobby through many articles...Now, as far as he business practices go.. I do not know.. |
#35
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: dan mckee
Rhett my young friend, ask any icon in the hobby and most if not all will tell you that Alan was very good for the hobby. He practically saved it single handedly long before you thought about getting in. |
#36
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Jim Crandell
I certainly don't buy the Mr. Mint is good for the hobby bs. The guy has made a living buying cards cheap from unknowedgeable collectors and labeling cards mint that I have found to be anything but. Certain mint sets I have bought from him have come back with an average grade near 6(ex-mint). Other mint cards have had creases. I bought a 48 Leaf Dimaggio that was advertised in an auction either nrmt-mt or mt--came back psa 4. Same thing with a 38 Goudey Joe D--psa 4. A T206 McGraw labeled as mint was creased. |
#37
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhys
Dan |
#38
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Julie
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#39
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rob
"He hates grading with a passion not just because of the Olbermann incident but because he can't **** all over the walk-ins' cards for condition if the cards are slabbed, nor can he hype his overgraded stuff with any degree of credibility to the real collecting public." |
#40
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: barrysloate
He ran auctions where the final bids were secret even if you requested them and closed at midnight on the button, so if you called at the end you couldn't get through. I can say with certainty he then awarded certain lots to his best customers even if someone else was high at one minute to twelve. I know several incidents where people were shut out even though they won the lot. Is that good for the hobby? |
#41
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Julie
impossible to get through for the last 45 minutes. Oh--and no callbacks! "We only have three people here, manning the phones,"--this is the guy who appeared on the cover of SCD for like HUNDREDS of years! EVERY WEEK! |
#42
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Rhett Yeakley
Dan, I don't have a problem with you or anything like that, and I don't mean to attack anyone that likes Mr. Mint. I am glad that there are people out there that he treats well, and that he is nice to. That explains why he is still in the hobby, and people still deal with him. I personally have had very bad encounters with the guy, and have spoken with numerous people that have had similar, or worse experiences with the guy. I just don't understand why he doesn't treat everyone with the respect that he apparently treats others with. It is not just me, numerous people on this forum apparently feel the same way, or have had similar experiences with the man. |
#43
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: JimB
When he was so vehement against grading (and I was a poor grad student), I bought cards in his auctions that he listed as mint that were raw. They were Cracker Jacks, etc. This was the early days of grading. They would sell in his auctions for half the price of graded examples at the time. One I remember in particular was a 1915 CJ Speaker. I won it for $1100, sent it to PSA, got an 8, and sold it to a dealer for $2,250. Not bad. |
#44
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: dan mckee
Hey guys I wasn't attacking you, that is why I said my young friend. I was just making a statement that I have heard several times over the years from many people who were in the hobby in the late 70s and early 80s when the hobby was dead. Barry, I am sure Al isn't perfect like me, easy guys, I am just kidding, but he did alot of good. He brought tons of material out of the woodwork with his advertising and buying. That is my opinion. Rhys, I wasn't attacking your brother but I commend you for jumping in at his defense, that is a good trait. Rhett, you are a super nice guy, I remember meeting your lovely wife and joking with you that I would trade my collection to be your age again. That is where the "young friend" came from. I am very good friends with Al and Dave (Al's right hand man) and just thought I would say something positive about him that I felt. Hey this isn't the first thread I have been shredded in and I am sure it won't be the last. |
#45
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: PASJD
From my limited perspective, whatever you think of him, and whatever his personality, Rosen certainly helped popularize card collecting, and was responsible for finds of a lot of high grade material. He deserves some credit for that, doesn't he? |
#46
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
Julie, Alan called you? What a thrill? What was he like? Was he all business? |
#47
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: john/z28jd
So what youre saying is,if it werent for him i could probably buy Old Judges for $20 each instead of $200 for vg commons? |
#48
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Jim Clarke
I've only tried to deal with him one time. I bid on approx 6-8 items in his auction that ended right after 9-11. When the entire country was in Shock and Awe... I made last minute bids and opened up many lots. The person who answered the phone (not Al) said you are the last caller... I said, I hear the phones ringing in the background... He said, Alan says if you do not place any bids to hang up and the auction is closed.... The next day I called Alan to introduce myself to him and find out my total.. After he gave me the totals... I asked him why he did not honor the ten minute rule as printed and that was not fair for consignors.... ALAN SAID... YOU WANT TO SEE NOT FAIR... KEEP YOUR MONEY AND YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE CARDS...CLICK! I filed a case to the SCD which they did crap about. |
#49
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: Josh Evans
I have known Alan Rosen a long time |
#50
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Mr. Mint -- Alan Rosen
Posted By: DJ
Josh, |
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