October Pickups
 

I started the October pick-ups thread on the pre-war side, so I figured I'd start it on the post-war side as well. Admittedly, I received this card in late September, but it was my post-war "white whale" and I have finally nabbed one! I've been looking for one for years! It's autographed to boot!

'67 Cincinnati Reds Team Issue PC - Johnny Bench:
http://photos.imageevent.com/derekgr...67%20Bench.jpg

Nice card Derek!

Some Hammerin Hank bric-a-brac:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...ue%20Aaron.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...es%20Aaron.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...ox%20Aaron.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...ge%20Aaron.JPG

Thanks to a couple board members. Just got these in the mail. Looking to pick up a few more. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...47abba5b54.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...28385ebef6.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...128f99a85d.jpg


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Very nice pick-up on a tough regional card, Derek.

56 Clemente is one of my all time favorite cards. Nice group of cards.

Thank you. I've always liked that card too.


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Derek that is a very nice pickup of the JB postcard. Congrats on finding it!

I just picked up a collection of miscellaneous Transogram figures as I wanted a companion piece for my Mantle Transogram card. Now if I can only find someone willing to trade me a Mantle arm/glove for a headless Brock... Anyone know who the complete figure is of? There is no name on the back.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNj...UKHro/$_57.JPG

Also picked up another Venezuelan. Its a duplicate but the price was right. And, as I always love, it is fresh from Venezuela:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTMwWDczMQ...UKz19/$_12.JPG

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...-mickey-mantle

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...-mickey-mantle

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...-mickey-mantle

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...-mickey-mantle

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...s-george-brett

Nice pickups Matt! That '64 Mantle looks really nice.

Nice Mantle's and Clemente's to start off the month. Happy to add this one....

This is from the 1954 Topps set break…
Attachment 163133

Love that Williams...some nice pick ups all around to start the month... Got another few for my Hall of Fame and personal Hall of Fame rookie collections.

Strong Seaver. That one's a cut above the norm in the centering and tilt department. The Allen is a sleeper card.

Thanks, Matt! Was absolutely thrilled to get that Seaver - couldn't believe it when I got it. Definitely one of the nicer cards I've been able to snare since re-entering. Agree on the Allen - it's a great card - great player - will be interesting to see what press he gets in the Golden Era nomination cycle that's coming up. Always had a soft spot for him and wish he hadn't been run out of Philly...Scary to think how good he could've been had he been more mature, less sensitive, and if he was treated a little bit better by the fans.

My best friend and I were just talking about Allen while drinking last night-- pretty funny. His power was remarkably consistent.

Some of you may recall I was chasing this a while back. Just picked it up about 30 minutes ago! I dare say there aren't many of these left....

regarding Dick Allen
 

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. When Dick came to us in 1972, we were not prepared for how good he quickly showed himself to be. He was kinda eccentric, but his play with the Sox won us over. Us White Sox fans adored him, and he ate it up and just kept up the great play all year. Inside the park home runs, hustle, and so on! The Chicago press were careful with him, as were the Sox announcers. Manager Chuck Tanner was perfect for Dick, and he just exploded out of a dull stretch that had plagued him for several years. It was beautiful. The lady organist played a bar from "Jesus Christ Superstar" when he would come to bat. The fans belted out their appreciation for Dick. He was happy, very happy.

Which led, in turn, to the flat out finest item ever done of Dick. I mean, for visual appeal, there is nothing close to this Dick Allen collectible. White Sox management had Fan Appreciation Nights once in a while, and they would hand out a quality sticker of one of the top players. Lo and behold, at some point in 72-73 they did one of Dick Allen. Shot from the waist up in his home uniform, he's smiling with a genuine "I love it here and I'm loved here" facial expression. I mean to tell you, he just glows. I was able to get one late in the 72 season at Comiskey Park and would like SGC to grade it for me. Wouldn't trade it for a GEM MINT anything of Dick. I think it will grade pretty high, as I've kept it undisturbed in a baggie for all these years.

As you know, the love affair with Mr. Allen eventually vanished when he deserted the team. Maybe the Sox should have employed a good psychiatrist and moreover, Mr. Ed. With his penchant love for horses, Ed could have told Dick to "just cool it" and helped him relax and get on with the show. I know this is just nonsense, but most Chicagoans felt bad how it ended. Be that as it may, 1972 was the year of Dick Allen. He will never, ever be forgotten, Hall of Fame or no.

---Just my nickel-pack's worth.:o --Brian Powell

I'm giving you a standing ovation right now, STLCARDSFAN! Congratulations buddy! Way da go! Blow it off, clean it with lens paper, and send it down to SGC. They'll probably AUTHENTIC it, but it will be an authentic king-sized ruby of our hobby. I'm so happy for you, bro.:D ---Brian Powell

Musial
 

Great item STL

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...539/img147.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...539/img145.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...539/img146.jpg

Starting a new project with this one.

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...psqec4gtmo.jpg

Thanks Brian and Al. I'm not sure about grading it, but it will definitely remain as is and uncut while in my possession!

Credit to MattyC for his pickups last month, I had to get one of my own.
http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...ictureid=16471

Thx. You got one of the best looking cards ever right there-- and finding one centered like that is tough. Props!

Thanks Matt; it's tough trying to keep up with you. I guess it's cheaper just to sit back and admire.

Thx-- had to grab this guy. Centering was money and it's a great value in this grade because the price jumps huge in 9.

Also, this card has to be considered alongside the Molitor/Trammell in the "two great players on same RC" discussion. Cecil Cooper had some NASTY seasons. Especially in 1980 when he was overshadowed by Brett's insane performance and the star wattage of Yankees like Reggie and Goose for MVP consideration. Power with a .350+ avg, 200 hits, this was a damn good player.

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...arlton-fisk-rc

Great memories, Brian, thanks for sharing. I never got to see him actually play, he was a bit before my time, but tales of his power from eyewitnesses I have spoken to are like modern day Paul Bunyan stories...can you share a picture of the sticker premium?

Love that Fisk...that rough cut is awesome, too.

Nice Clemente RC, Erick!

Not perfect but I like it. Just a few more Maz's to go.

Carl, it may take a while, but I'll see what I can do. I'd love to share a picture of it with you. ---Brian Powell

Piling up some Yankees
 

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/204295...ANKEES_NEW.JPG

....I'll keep these until I can find replacements with better centering but hey we're talking 1957 Topps so it may be a while.... these are okay for now though...

Here's one ya don't see every day...

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...hank-greenberg

Talk about one of the most slept on players in baseball history...

http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/x...psabfcee21.png

Thank you Pat for your help toward my Clemente goal. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...90310fbb96.jpg


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Say Hey Willie Mays
 

This is a replacement of the 59 Mays my grandpa bought me years ago. I ended up trading that one for God knows what, maybe an Eric Karros or Todd Zeile rookie card.
Anyways, glad to find a well centered replacement and one worth hanging on to.
http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...ictureid=16476

That Mays card is outstanding. Been looking for a few cards from that year and centering is all over the map. Card looks way, way better than the sticker number.

Thanks Matt. The grade is due to the lower left corner crease; but yes centering is tough on these '59s.

Jason nice score on the 59 Mays. The eye-appeal is much higher than the PSA 4 grade.

I have been looking for a centered 57 Mays and this is the best I could come up with. It was one of those pictures that was shot on an angle so I had to guess how good the centering was so I took a gamble (price was right) and it turned out to be decently centered. Does anyone have a dead-centered 57 Mays? I cannot seem to find one. This Aaron rookie arrived today. I am very happy to add this one to my collection. Made a best offer price and got it for well below VCP.
http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...57-willie-mays
http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...k-aaron-rookie

57 Mays
 

Nice pick-up, here's mine centered as you asked:

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...opps/3878/mays

I saw it just a few minutes ago, actually, on the pre-war board. ;)

By the way, very nice Cooper rookie. Yes, he was an incredible hitter, and he still has the biggest hit in franchise history.

I've said it a few times. If he'd been able to play full time just a little earlier in his career, he could have received some very serious Hall of Fame consideration. But he was 27 years old before he ever got 450 at bats in a season. Too bad, because between 1976 and 1985, he averaged 199 hits, 66 extra base hits and 104 RBI per 162 games played. He's one of the best hitters from that era to never win a batting title.

Coop was just smooth. Great fielder, great hitter, great run producer. Look at his career peak numbers. 7 spectacular years.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/8768/ia4zV6.png

Very nice centering on the 57 Mays Patrick. That is exactly what I have been looking for. I will keep looking and upgrade when I find the right one. Thanks for sharing.

Could not resist centering...

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...-mickey-mantle

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...eve-carlton-rc

[QUOTE=MattyC;1332489]Could not resist centering...

Geez Matt, looks like your cards are more OCD than you are. That is Off Centering Deficient to be exact. Nice pickups!

Thx-- I compared that 6.5 Mick to the centering of every 7 on VCP and it won me over.

Now was that Aaron RC 4 up above posted by JB added late? I cannot believe I missed that card on the bay! Awesome pickup, bro. Maybe 1 in every 20 Aarons have borders balanced like that.

And both 57 Mays' are strong, but man that second one has got to be the top .000001% of centered examples of that card.

i agree with the Hank Aaron..nice, maybe the bottom left corner was not as sharp, Still take it any day.. Its as nice as mine. Congrats on the new addition.

@MattyC: well i missed out on last nights auction H&S and got outbidded after dark.
I see you like 707, was a nice Mantle grab there, but doesnt he have a premium price on his merchadise? I looked pass his stuff on Ebay all the time. Nice items he has.
I guess you didnt like my SGC60 i have for sell, i gotta sell my stuff to buy new stuff. Needless to say, window shopping is free, just controlling my ooh and ahh's.

Levi has a premium for sure, but when the card truly merits it, I have no problem buying it. For example, the 6.5 Mick 1962 ran me higher than any 6.5, but still less than what 7s cost-- and it looked better than all the 7s I could find. That's when I am okay pulling the trigger. Of course would rather win it for less at auction, where most people shop by VCP grid like it's The Bible. That's when you can pay less of a premium, as opposed to when a collector or dealer knows what he has and doesn't have to sell, unless they get the premium they feel the card deserves.

I gotta say that aside from amazing service, communication, and just being nice to talk to about cards and stuff, the cards I've gotten from Levi are all specimens where the centering simply cannot be improved. For someone who looks at his cards for enjoyment as much as I do, I gotta have that even framing-- plus I just love the rarity of a centered card as compared to all the other copies of it out there.

MattC.

I have no problem with paying the premium as well. When you find them centered with the eye-appeal like the 62 Mick and rookie Carlton it is well worth the extra. I added the Aaron late and was very happy to add my first Aaron rookie card to my collection.