Alan Hager - not off-topic exactly, just weird . . .

[bh3443]

The few times I met him he was very nice and cordial. His book was the highest quality printing at the time and his grading/values theories were interesting. We had pleasant conversations and Alan knew his stuff.

Of course it was later on I heard stories that seemed out of character.
Seriously, I don't know anyone he supposedly screwed over.

Is there anyone in our fine community that had bad dealings with him?
Or, is it his methods people object to?

On another note, his asistant was very bright when it came to cards/coins and his wife was royalty from a country I can't recall.

[rdwyer]

Hagar's next book:

What they don't want you to know about coin grading and graded Mark McQuire rookie cards.

[Comiskey]

I have heard his name come up multiple times over the last couple of years, but I have never really heard what he did? I am assuming he was a con man, but was there anything specific that he did to ruin his name?

Jeff

[rdwyer]

Alan Hagar slabbed thousands of over graded coins with his company ASA Accugrade. He also slabbed thousands of Mark McQuire rookie cards. He sued multiple coin dealers years back and lost, claiming they defamed him. All around con man and bad name for any industry.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by rdwyer

Alan Hagar slabbed thousands of over graded coins with his company ASA Accugrade. He also slabbed thousands of Mark McQuire rookie cards. He sued multiple coin dealers years back and lost, claiming they defamed him. All around con man and bad name for any industry.

Is there anyone the Hager's haven't sued?

[Howe’s Hunter]

there was supposed to be a big show in Omaha, so drove from Lincoln to there, it only to find three dealers set up. Seemed something had gone wrong there, so all the dealers drove the 50 miles to Lincoln and set up shop in the lobby of a shopping center. At that time, I was trying to get a back of each of the 16 brands of T206s, and he had several I didn't have, including stories of how Lenox cards were sold only in New Orleans, Old Mill sold only in Memphis, EpdG really were from Havana and were basically smuggeled in to the country, etc. Walked away thinking "this guy has published a book, and doesn't know as much as me?"

[cardinalcollector]

I believe this Ebay seller is Alan Hager. It looks like his stuff anyway.

http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...jacollectibles

I bought his book for about $50 when it came out. I was not an expert in vintage at the time, but the errors and typos were very apparent to me.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by stuckinomaha

epdg really were from havana and were basically smuggeled in to the country

[Zach Wheat]

I just read Perdy's article about Hager while looking through my old VCBC's. If anyone is interested, the article was in the Jan/Feb 1997 issue #9. Apparently, there was another article in Issue #7 (pgs 94-95) detailing Accugrade/ASA. There were too many accusations (with proof) to go into a lot of detail...but he isn't someone with which I would want to do biz with....

[judsonhamlin]

I remember that there was actual "buzz' about Hagar's book coming out and as soon as it did, the best anyone said was "well, it has nice pictures". As far as doing business with him or giving him one cent (even if it is on a dime planchet), I'd rather be trapped in a closet with a rabid badger.

[bigtrain]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

I just read Perdy's article about Hager while looking through my old VCBC's. If anyone is interested, the article was in the Jan/Feb 1997 issue #9. Apparently, there was another article in Issue #7 (pgs 94-95) detailing Accugrade/ASA. There were too many accusations (with proof) to go into a lot of detail...but he isn't someone with which I would want to do biz with....

Glad I held on to all my VCBCs. I still refer to many of the great articles including Barry's classic on Rare Baseball Books. Dennis wasn't shy about taking on the bad guys, Hager and his ilk.

[Bridwell]

Besides buying a few overgraded ASA or Accugrade cards, I had the misfortune of winning several pre-war lots in one of his auctions around 20 years ago. Some lots were badly overgraded and I had to return them. One lot that was EX to EX-MT had multiple creases that apparently had been ironed to minimize them. When I returned the items, Hager and his wife made threats and insulting remarks. She even said that they are the experts of the industry, so there's no way I should dare to question their descriptions of the cards. I later read an article he wrote where he claimed to 'doctor' cards and increased their values dramatically. Probably they were graded by ASA. What an ego!

He invented graded cards like Al Gore invented the internet!

Ron R