The Industry

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.”

1948/49 Leaf Premiums Complete Set, Advertising Cards, Display Box, And Wrapper

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This incredible lot of nine 1948/49 Leaf Premiums, advertising cards, a display box, and wrapper were offered together in December 2004.

The way Mastro kicked off their description, bashing the base set, is pretty funny, “Universally, hobbyists agree that Leaf’s baseball card program of 1948 was an embarrassing debacle. By current standards, the issue is brightly popular due only to all the production’s unfortunate nuances. However, just a few of today’s best-tutored collectors are aware that there was a premium card supplement then available as well.”

Anyway, they explained that Leaf put one of the 5-1/2” x 7-1/4” pictures inside at the bottom of each counter box and that whoever bought the last pack would get the premium. Or, a collector with ten wrappers could also get a premium. 

The premiums in this lot were described as being in pretty great shape: Grover Alexander (EX+), Cochrane (EX), Gehrig (EX+), Walter Johnson (NM), Mathewson (EX+), McGraw (NM), Babe Ruth (NM), and Ed Walsh (NM). The instructions describing how to get premiums was NM, the advertising card was EX, the Ruth Variation was VG/EX, the wrapper NM, and the two-piece box was VG-VG/EX with some corner wear and a puncture.

1952 Topps Separated Three-Card Advertising Panel

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I’m a huge fan of salesman samples, and here’s a unique one from the 1952 Topps release that I found in Ron Oser Enterprises’ April 2000 catalog.

This one is interesting because it was once complete, but the owner cut the three cards into “singles” a long time ago. The fronts include Eddie Joost, Willie Jones, and Gordon Goldsberry. When the cards are fitted together, you can see the copy on the back pretty clearly.

It wasn’t uncommon for folks to cut up salesman samples, as someone just (May 23, 2024) sold this salesman sample single of Mel Parnell on eBay for $173.26.

I know I’ve been promising it for a while, but I am still working on a long-form (magazine-like) piece on salesman samples. But it might now be the second one I release. Stand by!

1950’s Star-Cal Decal Counter Display

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Here’s an item you don’t see come up for sale very often: a 1950s Star-Cal Decal Counter Display. It was produced by Meyercord Company of Chicago starting in 1952 for paint and hardware stores.

This September 2000 auction lot consisted of the large 13″ x 21″ dealer display, the envelope in which it was originally packaged, and seven smaller envelopes with four single-player decals and three two-player decals still packaged inside.

The players are Jackie Robinson, Monte Irvin, Rich Ashburn, Red Schoendienst, plus Snider/Roe, Jansen/Maglie, and Hodges/Reese pairings.

This display board still had its folding back stand fully attached and unused. Apart from some localized wear on the lower left corner, it was described as being in near-mint condition with the decals in EX-MT to NR-MT condition with some surface wrinkling. The red envelopes showed handling and mild edge and corner wear.

About a decade later, REA sold the following pair of displays in the spring of 2009 for $2,115, with one featuring New York Giants players and the other featuring Boston Red Sox players.

And another decade later Heritage sold one with Yankees players for $4920 in December 2019.

In terms of the back, Heritage wrote, “Comes wrapped in clear plastic (original?) and a cardboard stiffener. Back has tape and double faces tape remnants.”

The 1991 Topps Sweepstakes Winner Of 40 Sets From 40 Years Of Topps Baseball

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For their 1991 release, Topps randomly packed every card from every complete set produced by Topps over the last 40 years in 1991 retail packs, including the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card – though technically, the pricey and oversized cards were a redemption. On top of the instant-win cards, they also offered an anniversary sweepstakes, where they gave out complete sets from all 40 years to 40 winners. But the grand prize was all 40 sets from 40 years of Topps Baseball to a single winner! 

The “incredible consumer prizes” were detailed to dealers on Topps’ sell sheets.

Topps then highlighted the instant-win prizes on their boxes, packs, and posters to collectors.

Jack Glenn won the grand prize but ended up selling all the cards, including the 1952 Mantle, to Mr. Mint Alan Rosen for $34k.

Rosen wrote in his book True Mint that even though Topps advertised the cards as being worth a lot more, their grades were only Vg to Ex.

The Innovative ’80s From 3-D Cards To The Metal Gallery of Immortals

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Topps wasn’t going to acknowledge what led to them trying out some new things in their own magazine, but I think we all know the end of the Topps monopoly and competition from Donruss and Fleer drove the innovation.

Nevertheless, Pearlman’s article in Edition 9, The Winter 1992 release of Topps Magazine, provides a nice overview of some unique ’80s releases. In the comments, let me know which one’s your favorite.

Original 1949 Bowman Baseball Window Ad Sheet

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It’s incredible that this 1949 Bowman window ad sheet, meant to be stuck inside a window with pre-applied glue, survived intact.

In their May 2000 catalog, Mastro auctions described this 20” x 5-3/4” piece as in near-mint condition with a fold in the center, as manufactured. It features 16 of the set’s 240 “upcoming” cards.

One contributor on the net54 boards said these were displayed in candy store windows in the Philadelphia area in June 1949.

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