Slightly OT: 49 Bowman PCL question

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Say I was looking for a low grade example of the 49 Bowman Tom Seats card...Approximately how much would that set me back? I know this series is very tough, but how tough?

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Posted By: Marc S.

Problem is...the issue is so tough, that you typically either find them in groups, or you might not find them in the condition you want. A really nice shape one might set you back up to $500. But with cards from that set -- it is truly an issue of whether or not you even find the Seats card...not to mention the condition it may be in.

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Posted By: Jason L

finding them is the tough part. Some estimates place the total population at 2,000 cards, for the 36-card set

condition will likely be in the VG range, and you could probably expect to pay $150-250 for that condition, I would think.

Perhaps try contacting Mark Macrae, who I believe had a few not too long ago, or try Levi Bleam over at 707, who was able to hook me up with both of my cousins' cards in that set.

edited to add: unfortunately, I don't know if there are "tough" cards in this issue. I would say they are all tough.
Ted Z is also quite an expert on this set as well, and I think he has collected this one a couple times over!

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

DAN B

You have to be more specific about the condition you are looking for. Anyway, I have sold a lot of these cards
and here are some prices......

Good............hand cut = $50.....Factory cut = $100

Very Good.....hand cut = $125.....Factory cut = $200

Excellent.......Factory cut = $300

Ex-Mint.........Factory cut = $500+

All 36 cards in this set sell for approx. these prices....there is no card that has a premium over the others.

TED Z

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Thanks for the responses here. I am unconcerned about condition so a hand cut specimen in G shape would work just fine for me. If anyone has one that fits the bill let me know.

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Posted By: bruce Dorskind

We have been purveyors of rare cards for more than 30 years.

We have always found the 1949 Bowman PCL to be among
the most difficult cards to obtain in an ultra high grade.

Furthermore, there have long been a number of legandary
stories surrounding the distribution of the set.

Pat Quinn and Don Steinhardt acquired a complete set
in "world class condition" back in 1977

Goodwin Goldfaden, a dealer whose career began just
after the 2nd World War (first in Cleveland and then
famously in Los Angeles), told us that he bought and sold
more than 200 1949 Bowman PCLs.

Today, only 365 cards have been graded by PSA.
Only 11.5% have received a grade of 8 or 9.

Whilst few players appear to command premium prices,
ultra high (NQ examples) rarely surface. They generally
attract only a few bidders who compete fiercely.

That said, we think it is "worth the difference" to acquire
a high grade sample.

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I have completed 2 of these PCL sets (36 cards each) and have sold another 2 sets worth of cards. All 144 cards
were acquired by me during the 1980's. I seldom see these PCL cards available nowadays.

Mark Macrae and I wrote an article on this PCL set in the VCBC magazine 10 years ago. In this article we tell of our
experiences in finding these cards.
This will surprise most of you....but, my experience acquiring many of these cards has been on the East coast......
in particular in the greater Philadelphia area. I purchased several large original Bowman collections which included
FACTORY CUT PCL's. The original owners of these cards recalled finding these PCL's in regular issue 1949 Bowman
packs.

These PCL cards, and especially a complete set of these 36 cards, has to be absolutely the most scarce issue in
the post-WWII era.



Oakland Oaks pitcher Charlie "The Sheriff" Gassaway of Gassaway, Kentucky




TED Z

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Tough, tough issue. My one and only, have had it about a month or two:

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Posted By: Jason L

I'm very proud to own these two!

Bruce, I know these are below your radar, condition-wise, but we can drop the PSA POP report by 2, since I crossed these into SGC this year.


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Posted By: Steve Murray

Mastro April 2007 Auction had a SGC graded set that went for $46,870. I don't recall the grade breakdown but that is $1,300 per card.

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Posted By: Jason L

if that set wasn't high grade, then that is quite a premium applied to finding a complete set.
Given the scarcity of the issue, I'm sure that whatever the grade, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

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Posted By: David Vargha

That set was almost straight 8's. I believe that it was the same set that sold in Mastro or REA a few years before that for a record $12-$13K at the time.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Shown here are 12 of the 36 cards in this PCL set (two more scans will follow).


Players identified left to right, top to bottom......


Lee Anthony......George "Cat" Metkovich......Ralph Hodgin

Charlie "Sheriff" Gassaway......Tony Freitas......Gordon Maltzberger

Ken Holcombe......Don Moss......Pete "Inky" Coscarat

Lee "Jeep" Handley......Herman Besse......John Lazor






TED Z collection

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Beautiful cards, Ted. Thanks for posting them. Nice to see cards... it is about the cards, not the holders.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Shown here are 12 more of the 36 cards in this PCL set (one more scan will follow).


Players identified left to right, top to bottom......


George "Pinky" Woods......Mickey Grasso......Xavier Rescigno

John "Swede" Jensen......Joyner "Jo-Jo" White......Harvey Storey

Tony York......Jake Mooty......Charles "Red" Adams

Eddie "Iron Man" Malone......Maurice Van Robays......Jim Tabor


"



TED Z collection

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Hey guys....while those numbers for those sales set a precedent for this PCL set, they were realized in an auction
situation and I'm not sure that they reflect a true market value for these cards.

On the other hand, if true....then this country's economy is much better than the media "nay-sayers" are claiming
with their "doom and gloom".

TED Z

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Shown here is the last group of 12 of the 36 cards in this PCL set.


Players identified left to right, top to bottom......


Johnny Rucker......Jack "Suds" Brewer......Dominic Dallessandro

Dick Lajeski......Albie Glossop......Frank Kelleher

Les Scarsella......Joe Marty......Bill Raimondi

Gene Handley......Tom Sears......Ora "Mickey" Burnett






TED Z collection

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Posted By: Richard Cline - RC

Ted - I think that the "Joyner (Jo-Jo) White" card is one of the better looking cards I have seen. I am really not familiar with this set.

He looks just like a guy who loves what he is doing.

Thanks for sharing.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

RICHARD C

Jo-Jo played for Detroit for many years in the 1930's. He ended his BB career in the PCL with the Seattle Raniers.....
as their playing-Manager.

TED Z

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Posted By: Andrew

Tough issue for sure. If anyone has any Portland player in any conditio, please give me a shout. Thanks.

"Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." -- Erica Jong