My proposed hobby book...........................

[theseeker]

.......or booklet. A book covering reprint cards and sets. In may sound silly to some but, I can't be alone in my interest. I can't help but notice that those frowned upon reprint sets, issued in the eighties have jumped in value while regular issues from that same period have languished.
Why the need? To create a comprehensive guide in order to help with identifying all the various companies that made these cards and the year(s) in which they were released-- example, the T 206 issued by Renata Galasso Vs. the less expensive to obtain and superior in quality Card Collector Company set. TCMA and Topps were two more major players with a long history of reprint preductions. Upper Deck also got in the act. And all the various T 206 Honus Wagner promo cards, the list could go on and on.
Topps and UD issues are often covered in price (and information) guides, the other major issuers are not. Also helpful would be the distinction between reprint issues and the more imfamous (and well done) counterfit cards-- examples, the Pete Rose rookie and Nolan Ryan rookie cards that flooded the market in the late eighties.
Lastly, why did Topps feel a need to stop their archives series after three issue? I really wish it had continued. I know, I must not be a serious collector if I feel this way.......but for those that would use the "it would devalue the original cards" argument I'd say the evidence point in the other direction-- they spark interest.

[steve B]

I'd be interested. I have a few of those cards, picked up randomly over the years. The TCMA stuff was more collector sets than reprints, and while the quality wasn't geat most of the time they did make some nice sets.

some other ones to maybe include are the sets or individual cards issued for various shows. Some were nice and I can't think of many that would have had a big print run.

I also collect the unlicensed cards that became common from the mid 80's on.
Beckett etc always said they'd be worthless since the people who made them could simply print more. But they're actually not that easy to find.

And when I can find them early show fliers late 70's-early 80's by about 85-86 there were just too many

Steve B

[ALR-bishop]

Larry Fritsch has a Catalog, which I think can be accessed on line, with a pretty comprehensive list of reprint sets with descriptions for sale

[brob28]

What I'd like to see is a book showing all the known reprints sets with tips on how to identify them vs. the original cards. If not for anything else it would make it harder for the scammers out there to sell the reprints as originals.

[novakjr]

I agree with you on that Bill. I always liked when the "Standard Catalog" had some of these type of things listed, along with fantasy pieces.. Kinda like the St. Loius Browns(most notably Satchel Paige) pen clips(or whatever they're called). Most people assume they're from the '50s and sell them that way. Meanwhile the Standard Catalog lists them as fantasy pieces from the 80's. I think listing 'em is alot better for the hobby than simply not mentioning 'em..

[theseeker]

Originally Posted by brob28

What I'd like to see is a book showing all the known reprints sets with tips on how to identify them vs. the original cards. If not for anything else it would make it harder for the scammers out there to sell the reprints as originals.

I don't know about that, don't all the legitimate reprint sets (and by legitimate I mean that they were print for the expressed purpose of being used as reprints) have instantly identifiable markings and/or size variations from the originals? But a book that would include helping to identify some of the better made fakes that are floating around would be very helpful.

[Rich Klein]

Always worth doing the research. A booklet is not a bad idea, go for it, understand you will not sell a lot of copies so either be ready to do this for a loss Or do a job like Adam does and charge enough $$$ to understand that is your audience.

Rich

[Volod]

Originally Posted by theseeker

I don't know about that, don't all the legitimate reprint sets (and by legitimate I mean that they were print for the expressed purpose of being used as reprints) have instantly identifiable markings and/or size variations from the originals? But a book that would include helping to identify some of the better made fakes that are floating around would be very helpful.

Good point John - Apparently, many newbies confuse the two simply because the reprint sets are not all that common and so assume they were printed as exact duplications.

[theseeker]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Larry Fritsch has a Catalog, which I think can be accessed on line, with a pretty comprehensive list of reprint sets with descriptions for sale

Larry Fritsch Inc has sold out of many reprint sets that are no longer included on the site. It also includes only one unspecified version of any given set. And zero hockey reprints. It's meant to help sell what he has in stock, nothing beyond that. I'd like more-- I know, never happen.