Hobby Library

Going To The Trading Card Show

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Joan Rubenfeld’s article about the 1991 Anaheim National in Allan Kaye’s Sports Cards News & Prices Guides premier issue in October/November 1991 is a wonderful piece that still holds up today!

Here are a few of my favorite lines:

  • “The first impression one gets on entering the convention hall is of the people- thousands of people – old, young, in carriages, toddling, serious looking, smiling, intense.”
  • “Despite the long lines for everything…”
  • “Strangely, many of the people seem to be dressed alike…”
  • “The majority of those attending the convention was older adults.”
  • “The array of merchandise for sale was mind boggling.”
  • “Among the stars in attendance the day I was there were Warren Spahn, Pee Wee Reese, Reggie Jackson, Billy Herman, Duke Snider, Lou Brock, Y.A. Tittle, Paul Hornung, Monte Ervin, and Emmitt Smith.”
  • “Nostalgia flooded me…”
  • “By this time, I was worn out, and spying a vacant chair…”

And finally, “Next time there is a sport card show in your neighborhood, and particularly if there is a ‘biggie’ like the National Convention, go to it!”

1950 Uncut Sheet Full Menko Card Set With Babe Ruth

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The 1950 Japanese Menko baseball card set features 52 leading Japanese players printed as playing cards, plus a joker featuring Babe Ruth. This uncut sheet was offered for sale in August 2003.

It’s one of the few times that Babe Ruth appeared on a Japanese card. The sheet was described as being 15” x 10-1/4”, off-center left, printed on both sides with a slight darkening on the back at the bottom, and with minor soiling at the lower right on the front that doesn’t affect any cards; EX/MT overall.

I don’t know much about Japanese baseball cards, but I did pick up a few books for the Hobby Library by noted niche expert Gary Engel. 

Also, these sheets seem relatively common (Engel confirms this in the 6th Edition of his Japanese Baseball Card Checklist and Price Guide, mentioning that this set is generally found as an uncut sheet), with recent prices averaging a few hundred dollars but trending up; there are a few outliers over $1k.

You can download a digital version of Engel’s guide here.

Check out The Uncut Sheet Archive for more!

Wanted Wheaties Panels 1935 To 1941

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Do you know how folks found cards for their collections in the early 80s? They took out ads in hobby periodicals like John Spalding did in this request for 1935 to 1941 Wheaties Panels in the July 1983 issue of Trader Speaks.

Spalding was also looking to hear from Wheaties collectors for a few research projects and was willing to refund postage costs for info. He passed away in 2012 but was a prominent hobby contributor as a writer, researcher, and collector. 

By the way, the panel included in the ad is from 1936.

Los Angeles Angels 1961 Club Falstaff Brewing Postcard Type Photo

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I’ve been getting into baseball postcard collecting lately; here’s one of my favorites, published by the Angels’ radio and TV sponsor, Falstaff Brewing.

I was attracted to this niche after I flipped through Tuff Stuff’s Baseball Card Postcard Collection by Ron Menchine and saw so many interesting items.

Here’s how Menchine described the Angels piece.

One could wonder if this one is really a postcard; it’s ~6 1/4” x 9”, but I’ve seen other postcards about that size. A collector told me it’s likely an unused, team-issued item to which a person would have either typed/written a shipping address or applied a delivery address label.

1991 Topps Desert Shield Soldier Stories

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Topps Magazine usually had a section up front called “Fans Notes,” essentially letters to the editor. The first “note” in the Summer 1991 edition was from a reader who read about the Desert Shield cards in the Winter 1991 issue and was frustrated because he had not seen any yet (he was a LCpl). He wrote that he searched and managed to buy a few and thanked the magazine for their contribution. 

The magazine then shared the following incredible story and picture from a GI who was a reserve nurse and Topps photographer:

If you’re interested in getting the issue with this picture in it, here’s the cover:

The Hobby’s Biggest Scam

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I jokingly shared a scan of the May 1993 issue of Sports Cards (former Baseball Cards) magazine and tagged Dr. Sports Antagonist, who wrote, “Coincidence that “scam”, “profits” and “investments” are all on the same cover?”

Another collector then asked what the hobby’s biggest scam was. After some folks made guesses, I shared Steve Ryan’s article about refurbished cards and memorabilia having become the hobby’s biggest scam.

As Junk Wax Heroes replied, the entire article proves, “Time is a flat circle, so many times I see stuff in old Becketts that still goes on today.”

Cal Ripken Signing His 1992 Donruss Elite Signature Series Cards

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I’ve seen a few photos of Cal Ripken Jr. signing his 1992 Donruss Elite Signature Series cards over the years, but this one from Trading Cards April 1992 issue is new to me.

If you’re into this amazing card from the golden era of baseball autograph inserts, be sure to check out my previous post that highlighted a 1992 Donruss Elite Series Advertisement. And I may be working on something else related to this era of cards…