1952 Topps

[Harliduck]

Thought I would share my 52 Topps story on this thread...just call me Merkle


In the early 80's we had a card shop an hour or so away that had a huge vintage inventory (Mike Kramers (?) who ended up making cards himself, in Lynnwood WA), and I even met Bob Feller there (who was rude, and hit on my mom in front of me...awkward for a 12 year old!!!) Anyway, I would save up my money for the once or twice a summer visit when my parents would take me, and I would annoy the counter person with a list of vintage commons so I could simply have a card from that year. I used to buy players like Clay Carroll and Jim Kaat because they had decent long careers and I could get my different years covered. I remember I bought a 52 Topps Billy Johnson, and thought it was SO COOL to have a card from Topps first year.

Fast forward to late 80's....I met a local retired teacher who collected cards. I ironically met him at a Mariners game and he traded me some beat up 63 fleers for some new fleer cards, and considering I had never seen those before I was in awe. He lived in my hometown and invited our family over a week later to trade some cards. SUPER cool great guy...and for the next couple of years, I caught him up on the new stuff (yikes, junk), and he traded me 50's and 60's vintage, although almost his entire collection that I would see was creased, written on, ect...as he got most of his cards from his students in the 50's and 60's.

One day I brought my 52 Billy to show him as I didn't think he had any 52 cards. Well, he did...and brought out a little stack of around 30 cards and gifted them to me, said they were doubles. I can't remember what I gave him as I would never just take a gift, but I was STOKED to have that many...and all were crease free and really nice. Thinking back probably VG-EX...which were rare for him, haha. He then let me know that his private collection in back in a safe and he didn't like advertising to anyone what he had, and asked that I keep that secret...which I always have. Through the next couple of years he would slowly show me some of the stuff he had, amazing post war gems...including a 65 Namath rookie that he actually called me one day and said I could have it if I bought him a ticket to Florida for his fathers funeral...which I did (a lot of money for a 19 year old!!)


When I stopped collecting in 91 or so, I lost touch with my friend. I would see him riding his bike occasionally around town (he was kind of eccentric) and he would wave at me, but that's it. I moved into a new house in 2001, and when I dug out all my cards, I found my vintage box. Most were the beat up cards I got from him...and then I saw it...the forgotten stack of 52s! I took the cards, minus the Billy of course which I still have, and put them up on ebay as a lot. I listed the numbers and took a picture of the stack and then of a few of the better looking cards (total newbie, one of the first things I ever listed). I was hoping for like 50 bucks....WELL....call me stupid but I had NO IDEA there were high numbers and that they were of any extra value. The stack went for $150, and I was shocked! THEN...when I realized what I just sold, my stomach hurt as I mailed them out to the very lucky buyer. I remember to this day a few, I had George Crowe, Frank Crossti, and Hal Rice in that group, can't remember the numbers. There may have been a couple more high #'s, but at this point ignorance of what I totally sold is probably best. They were all commons, but wow, did I ever screw up.


Lesson very much learned! My friend is still alive, I drive by his house every once in a while. Fun to know that he probably still has a nice little cache of 52 cards with high numbers. There are times when I want to swing in, but what do you say to a 90 plus year old after all these years...want to sell me your cards?? Haha. He has one son who I know didn't care for his cards back in the day, wonder if they are still even there...

Does anyone out there have a 2002ish story of buying a stack of 52's on ebay with high numbers in them from an unknowingly idiotic seller? Well, that would be ME...