Let's see your National Pickups

[MBMiller25]

Let's see what everyone picked up in the Post War era at the National.

[Tedw9]

No pics until I get home, but today I picked up an original Topps drawing of Ted Williams off the back of a 1977 card and a 1952 Berk Ross unopened pack graded PSA 8. Now I'm broke.

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by Tedw9

No pics until I get home, but today I picked up an original Topps drawing of Ted Williams off the back of a 1977 card and a 1952 Berk Ross unopened pack graded PSA 8. Now I'm broke.

Very nice stuff. Are you going to break open that Berk Ross?

[Tedw9]

Originally Posted by Paul S

Very nice stuff. Are you going to break open that Berk Ross?

HECK NO!


From what Steve Hart told me, there are not too many left out there. I find myself enjoying unopened packs more than collecting single cards.

Here's a pic of the pack and the artwork.

[toppcat]

For the first time ever (at any show) I picked up no baseball at the National-it was all Non-Sports, Football and some Topps/OPC Hockey types. Crazy! I'll have to post scans elsewhere I guess...

[MBMiller25]

Thats a great Berk Ross pack Ted. Congrats to you on that pickup.

Im a little late on this, but wanted to share.











Added some 70's HOFers as well to a couple of the sets I am building. It was a great trip, probably the best National I have ever had.

[Paul S]

Man, such great looking stuff in this thread. I got nuthin' new to show but keep it coming!

[Leon]

Love these things. I am lazy so I don't even have to flip them over to see the backs, as they are printed on the fronts, or the fronts on the backs . They are blank backed otherwise...

[Exhibitman]

[Mark70Z]

I really like the Ted Williams artwork... Can I ask how much? I'm really interested in picking up some of the Topps original artwork w/Brooks Robinson pictured...are they out there "somewhere"?!?

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Leon

Love these things. I am lazy so I don't even have to flip them over to see the backs, as they are printed on the fronts, or the fronts on the backs . They are blank backed otherwise...

Leon: Do you have any idea how those cards could have been printed in error twice? Since the backs required two separate printings - one for the black lettering and one for the red, which can be seen by the spacing variation of the large red "Baseball" line, how or why did some press operator double down on the mistake? Or, maybe the two separate print applications actually followed each other in an automatic process? Interesting to speculate about.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Volod

Leon: Do you have any idea how those cards could have been printed in error twice? Since the backs required two separate printings - one for the black lettering and one for the red, which can be seen by the spacing variation of the large red "Baseball" line, how or why did some press operator double down on the mistake? Or, maybe the two separate print applications actually followed each other in an automatic process? Interesting to speculate about.

I don't know. Maybe the press operator was drunk?

[toppcat]

Making me dizzy there Leon!

Actually, I think a lot of the weird proofs and double printed cards in the hobby result from the tops and bottoms of press runs and pallet shipments, especially just after World War 2 through the 1980's. A couple of sheets on the top and bottom of a stack fed into the press, just to make sure the ink is flowing and there is no damage to the printed sheets is certainly one explanation for these I think. If you stack 'em upside down it lets the people unloading know where the good stuff begins and ends in a stack.

Similarly rejected sheets from the beginning and end of a print run would be used at the top and bottom of a stack of printed sheets on a pallet. This let the waste sheets take the nicks and dings from banding and shipping at the printer's and then they would be discarded at the final point of insertion (say the Bowman plant in Philly) once the good ones are unloaded and in the hopper for cutting. Dumpster diving and the odd cruddy reject being cut and packaged would account for quite a few of these entering the hobby.

I also assume, especially with Topps, that a few sheets were run off of each series for inspection by them and then, allowing for a marked up proof sheet being returned to the printers, these sheets were likely discarded or even kept by the executives for their kids. This practice would have accelerated after 1965 when Topps had cards printed in Philly, inspected by the brass in Brooklyn and then cut and inserted into packs in Duryea.

[Tedw9]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

I really like the Ted Williams artwork... Can I ask how much? I'm really interested in picking up some of the Topps original artwork w/Brooks Robinson pictured...are they out there "somewhere"?!?

I got the Ted piece for $325, my buddy picked up the DiMaggio "Yankee Clipper" piece for $300. The seller had a bunch of print plates, negatives and other pieces of artwork for sale, but I'm not sure if he had a Brooks Robinson or not. I did get his name and email address if your interested in dropping him a line to ask. PM me if your interested.

[Tedw9]

Originally Posted by MBMiller25

Thats a great Berk Ross pack Ted. Congrats to you on that pickup.

Im a little late on this, but wanted to share.

Thanks Matt. Looks like you cleaned up pretty dam good yourself! Great cards, but these two beauties are my favorites.

[paleocards]

Here are my post-war pick-ups from the National (both from Baseball Card Exchange).





By the way, Matt, it was great catching up in Baltimore and I'm already looking forward to Chicago!

[varsitycollectibles]

Originally Posted by MBMiller25

Thats a great Berk Ross pack Ted. Congrats to you on that pickup.

Im a little late on this, but wanted to share.











Added some 70's HOFers as well to a couple of the sets I am building. It was a great trip, probably the best National I have ever had.

That 63 Musial is a beauty.