Who are the top 10 living vintage BB card experts?

[mintacular]

Your list, thanks for sharing. -Pat

[Bosox Blair]

I don't have a top 10, but I think any such list should include Lew Lipset, Rob Lifson, and Mark Macrae.

Cheers,
Blair

[Cardboard Junkie]

I don't have a top ten....but I have a bottom 10 just don't get me started...alot of them are the rude arrogant, self proclaimed experts on this board. I would like to add that an extensive knowledge of baseball doesnt mean dick in relationship to cards......Lots of armchair collectors that just don't get it. I for one really don't care for the modern game of baseball, I just like the cards.. I also think a history of childhood collecting sets a strong foundation for a future expert. In the past you have Burdick, Lipset, Carter, Nagy, and only one or two others. ok enough venting....time for another bowl. dave.

[leftygrove10]

I think you have to put that Archive guy near the top of the list.... He seems to know a lot about everything.....

[drc]

I'd say me in all ten slots. If it was a top 100 list, someone else's name might slip in there around 97 or 98. I said might.

Now, if it was the list of so-called experts, I have names.

[Gradedcardman]

I am a + 1 with Cardboard Junkie...don't ask don' tell !!

[slidekellyslide]

This forum has a ton of people who know everything about certain sets or companies...in fact I think the knowledge that these people possess surpasses Burdick, Nagy, et al. Those guys didn't have the internet at their disposal...and a lot has been discovered since those guys walked into the cornfield.

[drc]

Oh, wait. Mintacular said living baseball card experts. That would exclude me. Unless reanimated counts.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by drc

Oh, wait. Mintacular said living baseball card experts. That would exclude me. Unless reanimated counts.

I would vote for Dave at least twice.

These threads always give me a chuckle, right up there with questions like, "Who are your favorite board members?".

If people really did start submitting "Top 10" lists, you would end up with the thread from hell. But it would be fun.

[familytoad]

Lets make it three posts in a row from Washington...We really know our baseball cards ( and Sasquatch too in case that knowledge is being judged)
Surely David ( I haven't met Scott) is on the list...for wry forum skills alone.

[Exhibitman]

Both criteria are debatable in certain cases...

There are just too many different areas of expertise in vintage collecting to formulate a truly comparative list. Like I'd consider myself one of the better-versed people around on Exhibit cards but I don't know jack about N172s or T209s.

[Ease]

Originally Posted by cardboard junkie

i don't have a top ten....but i have a bottom 10 just don't get me started...alot of them are the rude arrogant, self proclaimed experts on this board. I would like to add that an extensive knowledge of baseball doesnt mean dick in relationship to cards......lots of armchair collectors that just don't get it. I for one really don't care for the modern game of baseball, i just like the cards.. I also think a history of childhood collecting sets a strong foundation for a future expert. In the past you have burdick, lipset, carter, nagy, and only one or two others. Ok enough venting....time for another bowl. Dave.

+420

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Ease

+420

Hey Eric, If Leon is on your list you can put +920 (he's at least equal to owning a T206 Wagner).

[wonkaticket]

Adam, makes a good point.

David sad but true, BTW did you ever get somebody to scan your Brown Lenox card yet? I know you hate tech so I'll only ask once a year and its a new year.

My only name for the list.....



Cheers,

John

[drc]

A couple of people in this thread have met me, and will testify that I'm lifelike.

[Jay Wolt]

Wonka - Don West is the best, thanks for the link.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

Wonka - Don West is the best, thanks for the link.

Agreed. That man is a scholar.

[Brian Van Horn]

Lew Lipset.

[Archive]

It's me. Definitely me.

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by Archive

It's me. Definitely me.

All of you!

[buymycards]

Depends on your definition of "Vintage". If it includes 1995, I opened a hell of a lot of 1995 Pinnacle baseball. Put me down for 1995 Pinnacle. Maybe not #1, but at least in the top 10. Wish I had spent that money on tobacco cards!

Rick

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by buymycards

Depends on your definition of "Vintage". If it includes 1995, I opened a hell of a lot of 1995 Pinnacle baseball. Put me down for 1995 Pinnacle. Maybe not #1, but at least in the top 10. Wish I had spent that money on tobacco cards!

Rick

Rick, thanks for reminding me that I'm an expert in 1967 Topps, but only if we go back in time to the summer of 1967. I was also an expert that summer in 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' and jumping drainage ditches on a Schwinn.

[aquarius31]

There are tons of experts on this forum and you guys all rock! How many time would one of your questions go unanswered or redirected to someone else @ work yet you can post a thread here on something that you can't even find on google and someone on this forum will always have a great answer and not in days but usually within hours(or at least an opinion which helps you get your answer)!

[hangman62]

interesting topic, strange replys.... about 30 guys chimed in..and NOT ONE ( including me !) ..answer Pats question of who you think are the top ten card people are ??.. odd how the thread ends up going off on a tangent...

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by hangman62

interesting topic, strange replys.... about 30 guys chimed in..and NOT ONE ( including me !) ..answer Pats question of who you think are the top ten card people are ??.. odd how the thread ends up going off on a tangent...

More threads like this should go off on a tangent.

[novakjr]

It's somewhat irrelevant who the top 10 are. This board alone, has many members who are probably tops in their own niches, along with many who have a very broad wealth of knowledge of a little of everything. Basically, Net 54 as a whole is better than any 1 or 10 individuals will ever be, and that's really all that matters. Especially considering many of those top 10(if listed) are probably members of this board anyways.

[Peter_Spaeth]

C'est moi, c'est moi, I'm forced to admit.
Tis I, I humbly reply.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Rick, thanks for reminding me that I'm an expert in 1967 Topps, but only if we go back in time to the summer of 1967. I was also an expert that summer in 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' and jumping drainage ditches on a Schwinn.

And the jukebox played Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

[steve B]

It's not really an answerable question.

There's so much to know, and as others have pointed out very few people even come close to knowing a lot about every set. There's different sorts of knowledge too.

If it's about what cards are worth- just pick any 10 guys who have been full time dealers for 25-30 years or so and you'll be close enough.

But many of those guys may not know some of the finicky details that someone who specialized in one set or series might know. Not because it's not worth knowing, but because it hasn't been important to them to know it.

Some knowledge gets just odd. I recall One of the Halls saying he could identify a topps card -year and player- while only seeing about 1/8th of the card, sometimes less. He actually did it, at least for the 20 or so cards I tried. All from 59-79, and I only showed about one square inch of card!
Yeah, I spent way too much time hanging out at the shop, but I learned a lot in the process

Todays access to information is amazing. In a short time we can get info directly from someone with a great deal of knowledge, and usually with a picture too.
I'm always amazed at the volume of knowledge the hobby pioneers gathered with not much more than paper pen and a few stamps.

Steve B

[drc]

I'm single, so appearing in a published top ten list concerning baseball cards isn't a good thing anyway. I might sue for retraction.

[batsballsbases]

Well I know of the top one on the list for me! My mother she was expert enough not to have thrown away my cards!

[tbob]

Tough question to answer because there may be collectors who have a vast knowledge about specific sets but are either unwilling or unable to share their knowledge with other collectors so it is hard to figure.
I believe that Mark Macrae is the most knowledgeable Zeenut collector and that his expertise extends in to pre-war PCL cards in general. By the time they complete their exhausting work, I believe Mike Peich and Tim Newcomb will know as much about T209 Contentneas (sp?) as anyone around. By putting together the master sets of E98s and E94s and doing research about the cards themselves and prices, Tim Kindler (E98) and I (E94) have a lot of knowledge about these two caramel card sets. Leon probably knows as much about the overprinted E94s as anyone. Jay and the others who wrote the comprehensive Old Judge book probably know as much about OJs as anyone.
Probably the best way to find out who to ask about various sets is to see who is writing articles about the various sets in VCBC and Old Cardboard magazines...
tbob

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

And the jukebox played Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Great song and inspired lyrics -- "she stepped out of a rainbow" for example.

[cfc1909]

Dan McKee has shared more information with me than anyone else I can think of. I do get to hang out with him more than most but it seems every time we hang out, mostly at shows I learn something.

I have had many very informative conversations with Mark Macrae also.

I am sure this list could go on and on but these two I have been fortunate enough to hang out with.

[ethicsprof]

Phone conversations over the years with Jon Canfield and Ted Zanidakis have taught me a great deal about tobacco packs,boxes,pouches,
tins and the cards associated with them(JC)---and various aesthetic nuances associated with the T206s(TZ). My acquisitions would have been
greatly lacking without the help of these two.
The writings of Lipset have been critical to my knowledge of type collecting.
And the Net 54 community of scholars taught me the Gestalt...that the whole
of our knowledge has become greater than the sum of the individual parts.
all the best,
barry

[wonkaticket]

"Dan McKee has shared more information with me than anyone else I can think of. I do get to hang out with him more than most but it seems every time we hang out, mostly at shows I learn something."

I have also hung out with Dan at shows but have never been able to learn too much, mostly because I have never been to a show early enough to catch him sober.

McKee at the 2009 Natl.



John

[danmckee]

See my young Jedi, you are not learning because you are not seeing the information.

I have tried to teach you that being Sober is overrated!

[danmckee]

My top expert, that I would match up against anyone living or not, who I have learned an absolute TON from:

John Rumeriez

[Leon]

John- that was funny stuff. The other videos in that snapshot are quite funny too.

As for most knowledgeable collectors I have to agree with what has been said. There are quite a few collectors who have specialties of which they know more about than almost anyone. Overall, Mark M, Rob L, John Rumeriz, Lew L and Kevin Struss are among the very knowledgeable. I am sure I am forgetting quite a few too....

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

McKee at the 2009 Natl.

Weird...I didn't picture Dan with a goatee

[bunst]

Thanks for giving me the best laugh I've had in a while...funny video

[drc]

It's the classic dilemma. You can keep hold of the 12-pack or stand up, but not both.

[tedzan]

Experts in their specialty that are known to Net54er's

Scot Reader ....... T206

Bill Heitman ........ T206

Art Martineau ..... T206

Brian Weisner ..... T206


Everything (Pre-War & Post-War)
---------------------------------
Bob Lemke

Irv Lerner

Lew Lipset

Mark Macrae

Dan McKee and his Dad

Kit Young


M116 & T209
-------------
Tim Newcomb

Mike Peich


There are more; however, most unknown (not Net54 members)

T-Rex TED

[Runscott]

There you go - I think we can now have the kind of outcome that the original poster was looking for.

I find Ted's list particularly interesting because based on what I've read on this board, I have no earthly idea whether or not he's right or wrong. I can not argue with any of the names Ted has listed. I do; however, see many names missing from his list that should be there.

The great thing is that it just doesn't matter. These sort of lists are good for only one thing: creating trouble.

Originally Posted by tedzan

Experts in their specialty that are known to Net54er's

Scot Reader ....... T206

Bill Heitman ........ T206

Art Martineau ..... T206

Brian Weisner ..... T206


Everything (Pre-War & Post-War)
---------------------------------

Irv Lerner

Lew Lipset

Mark Macrae

Dan McKee and his Dad


M116 & T209
-------------
Tim Newcomb

Mike Peich


There are more; however, most unknown (not Net54 members)

T-Rex TED

[baseballart]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

C'est moi, c'est moi, I'm forced to admit.
Tis I, I humbly reply.

Peter

Perhaps many here can more aptly consider themselves King Pellinore in search of the Questing Beast

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by baseballart

Peter

Perhaps many here can more aptly consider themselves King Pellinore in search of the Questing Beast

I see more Don Quixotes

[bbsports]

I've been in this card hobby & since 1964 when I bought cards in a candy store for a nickel. I've been a dealer advertising in The Trader Speaks & with Sports Collectors Digest when it was owned by Stommen Publications. For the collectors today, you don't realize how much fun collecting cards was in the late 60's & 70's. No price guides, no grading, & no internet, There were very few card shows around & if you were a collector of T206 cards back in the early 70's, you were buying a nice common T206 card for 50 cents & HOFers between $2-$5 dollars. I've seen many collectors & dealers pass on & the ones living today are either writing books or running auction houses. Over the years, I've kept to myself doing some e-bay or once in a while a card show. Over the years, some people called me a T206 expert, I totally decline. I don't believe anyone in this hobby is an expert. I know some people will disagree with my comment, but as each year passes, I believe we all are learning different things about the hobby, even the ones that call themselves experts. I may disagree with a lot of people in this hobby, but I do respect them.

[danmckee]

Originally Posted by bbsports

I've been in this card hobby & since 1964 when I bought cards in a candy store for a nickel. I've been a dealer advertising in The Trader Speaks & with Sports Collectors Digest when it was owned by Stommen Publications. For the collectors today, you don't realize how much fun collecting cards was in the late 60's & 70's. No price guides, no grading, & no internet, There were very few card shows around & if you were a collector of T206 cards back in the early 70's, you were buying a nice common T206 card for 50 cents & HOFers between $2-$5 dollars. I've seen many collectors & dealers pass on & the ones living today are either writing books or running auction houses. Over the years, I've kept to myself doing some e-bay or once in a while a card show. Over the years, some people called me a T206 expert, I totally decline. I don't believe anyone in this hobby is an expert. I know some people will disagree with my comment, but as each year passes, I believe we all are learning different things about the hobby, even the ones that call themselves experts. I may disagree with a lot of people in this hobby, but I do respect them.

Well put! though I must disagree that an expert should not know everything and will still be learning as you stated, but an expert will be one of the top knowledgable people in a certain arena.

That being said, and I do appreciate all of the kind words here, I am with you and must decline the expert title. I know enough to enjoy collecting without the ridiculous grading.

Late 1960s and early 1970s we had just 1 show a year nearby at the Holiday Inn in Pikesville Maryland. It is currently a Ramada now I believe. T206 cards were .25 for commons to a few bucks each for Hall of Famers. I still have my green portrait Cobb crease free i paid $2 for back then.

[wonkaticket]

Dan knowing your inventory costs are now .25 I expect deals! I sould not do this but I'll give you $5 for the Cobb...

Scott and BB +1

John

[batsballsbases]

Originally Posted by Runscott

There you go - I think we can now have the kind of outcome that the original poster was looking for.

I find Ted's list particularly interesting because based on what I've read on this board, I have no earthly idea whether or not he's right or wrong. I can not argue with any of the names Ted has listed. I do; however, see many names missing from his list that should be there.

The great thing is that it just doesn't matter. These sort of lists are good for only one thing: creating trouble.

Scott you are 99% correct That is why I listed my mother She is the other 1%.