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#1
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Dave Hornish
These important hobby names seem to require their own thread. If anyone has stories, legends, myths, facts etc they would like to post here, I would be very interested. |
#2
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: jackgoodman
Used to receive their catalog in the early sixties. At one time they were selling #68 from the 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set for $1 each (a large amount for one card - at that time). I gritted my teeth and ordered two of them. And have been so happy over the years that I did. Here are scans of the front/back of one of their catalogs along with the center pages. Check out the prices. If only...... (insert wistful sigh here) |
#3
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: boxingcardman
I can't recall how, but around 1974 or 1975 I heard about the Card Collectors Company, Jr. Gelman's company. I found their address and sent for a catalog, my first ever foray into mail order (I was 9 or 10). The catalog finally came and it said that they had a warehouse fire and would be selling off their damaged cards cheaply. I didn't want those. The regular listings had the stars at various prices and assorted lots you could buy for a few cents a card. After much detailed study, I decided to buy some assorted lots of commons from old Topps issues (being a frugal lad, I wanted to be sure that my bucks were well spent on the most cards i could get). I sent in a few bucks via my parents for some assorted lots and a few weeks later an envelope arrived. |
#4
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Anthony
I used to order from them about '73-74 as well (Think I'm about a year or 3 older than Adam, although he looks much older ). T206's were .50 as I recall, T205's a buck. I ordered 8 T206's on my first order, got a Bergen with a Uzit back, and flipped it for the unheard of amount of $10. |
#5
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: boxingcardman
I fart in your general direction, you son of an animal food trough washer! |
#6
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: DaveL
I started collection in 1973. I had probably 90% of the Topps set of that year and the guy that got me started on collecting told me that if I write to Topps, they would sell me the missing cards. If I recall, he told me that I could use the checklists as an order form (I'm thirteen at the time). So I write to Topps, and they inform me that no, they don't sell individual cards like that, but they refer me to The Card Collector's Co. I wrote to them, and they send me a catalog. Through them, I was able to complete my first Topps set.
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#7
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Eric Brehm
I ordered from Card Collectors Co. back in the mid 1960's through early 1970's. I remember that I got complete 1967 and 1969 Topps sets, in factory fresh mint condition, for about $11 each. The company would mail each series of approx. 100 cards to me as it was issued by Topps during the season. I also ordered the 7th series "high number" cards for my 1966 Topps set from them, since these cards never appeared in our local grocery stores (Washington DC area). |
#8
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: peter chao
Eric, |
#9
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Eric Brehm
Larry Fritsch is the only person I am aware of who had the foresight to sock away a warehouse full of mint cards from the 1960's and 1970's, back before the hobby really took off. I remember he was selling some of these off during the 1980's, at then-going rates. I'm sure he is a millionaire many times over as a result. |
#10
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Anthony
I read that Fritsch had some deal with Topps where he'd get their overstock for basically the cost of shipping. Not sure if it was forsight or just cheap warehouse space that got him all those cases of cards. |
#11
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: boxingcardman
prewar, postwar and modern collecting bought at retail at the time. Anyone who got into prewar more than 10 years ago has done very, very well. Anyone who got into postwar has done squat unless it has been at the 9-10 level. And those with modern stuff over that time are for the most part losing their over-financed homes in foreclosure. |
#12
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: AL
Eric--my experience was similar to yours. I bought cards by the pack starting in 57 but in 63 started buying the sets from the Card Collector's Company and receiving them in series as they were issued. Getting those packages was something to look forward to all summer. |
#13
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Eric Brehm
AL -- yes I looked forward to receiving those packages containing each new series of cards too. It was so exciting to see what players you would get, what cards of your favorite players looked like in the new issue, etc. As I remember you would get the new series cards in the mail before they arrived in the stores. |
#14
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Troy Kirk
I first ordered cards from the Card Collectors company when I was a kid in the late 1960s. I probably got their name from the back of Boys Life magazine. I remember going through my Topps checklists and trying to pick out Detroit Tiger players. I remember getting my order back and noticing that some of the 1969 cards I got had little red dots all over the player faces. I remember Dick Radatz in particular had the red dots on his face. I don't know if I still have that card or not, but I probably do somewhere. |
#15
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: peter chao
Troy, |
#16
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: David Davis
I remember Richard Gelman had an auction in SCD in the early 80's. My brothers and I won unopened packs of 67 Pirate Stickers, 73 Action Emblems, 74 Gum (Tom Seaver), and a 74 Gibson Pinup. We of course opened the Pirates pack and were rewarded with Clemente, Clemente for Mayor and Willie Stargell. Easily the best pack of cards we ever opened. But of course, all of them are long gone. |
#17
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: MacDisciple
In 1972 I was 10 years old and sent a letter to Topps Chewing Gum. I enclosed a nickel and asked if they could sell me a Tom Seaver card because mine was wearing out. In return I received a letter from Sy Berger (I think), two cards of Tom Seaver, my nickel, and the address for Card Collector's Company, but I don't think I ordered anything until 1974 or 1975. |
#18
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Paul S
Mac - Kid's minds must think alike. I sent my own letter to Topps in 1970. However, I received no cards in return, but I did get a letter from Melvin Poreta, Dir. of PR, who also directed me toward the Card Collectors Co. I still have the letter, and also an assortment of card literature from CCC. I still have a .30 cent credit slip with them! Think it's too late to redeem it? No Seaver for that amount for me, I'm sure. |
#19
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: barrysloate
Paul- the first card show I ever went to was at the Armenian Church, in the fall of 1982. It was on Second Avenue around 37th Street. I went to quite a few there and I remember it was a pretty big event. |
#20
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Rich Klein
Was the operator for CCC (along with Don Lepore) for most of the 1980's and early 1990's. However, as late as 1984 Richard Gelman was still the owner of CCC but he was an extremely private man. He did work the CCC table at the 1984 Parsipanny National though. |
#21
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Paul S
Barry - that's the place -- quite a nice place, too. I just went to, I think, only one show there. I was in a non-purchasing phase at that point in time and just checking out the landscape, as it were. |
#22
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: barrysloate
Rich- has anyone heard from Don Lepore or has he simply fallen off the face of the earth? Don and I worked together every day cataloguing the Halper collection, and we really built up a nice friendship. But he had some demons and I don't know anyone who has heard from him in a long time. I hope he is okay. |
#23
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: MacDisciple
Don Lepore...that name rings a bell. Perhaps he is the one I was thinking purchased Card Collectors' Company. Someone mentioned a store on 6th street. That may have been the storefront I visited - although it wasn't the same one that I visited in 1983/84 when CCC first opened up a storefront. It was really tiny. In the late 1980s I used to visit a card shop a few blocks south of Washington Square Park - maybe that is the one on 6th? I left the NYC area back in 1994 and the layout of lower Manhatten is very sketchy in my brain. |
#24
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: Rich Klein
About the time he was working on the Halper catalog. He was pretty honest about his past and we had a nice 2 hour chat. |
#25
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Woody & Richard Gelman and Card Collectors Co.
Posted By: barrysloate
The last time I asked Rob he hadn't heard from Don in a long time. I always fear the worst. |
#26
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I was writing a Rich's Ramblings
and while researching (Googling) this thread came up. I'm happy to say I saw Donny at the National last month.
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#27
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Card Collectors Co.
Rich, you say you met Don at the National. I haven't seen him since he was working with Barry at the Halper Auction. What is he doing now?
Don invited me to the Card Collectors Co. in Franklin Square, NY to see their operation. I only remember seeing women sitting at tables in front of stacks of cards filling orders. Not too long after that time they had the fire. After the fire Don had a second floor office in a building on Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square to conduct business. |
#28
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Jerry
Honestly, I was so happy to see Donny erect I did not ask but we had a nice hug and a bunch of smiles. He was hanging out at Leland's booth so I'll ask Josh if he knows what Donny is doing now.
Rich |
#29
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Don Lepore
I too go back to the early 70's knowing Donnie. I just connected Don with Herb Ross his old partner. They had not talked for over 20 years. I had a chance online encounter with Herb. Asked if he was THAT Herb Ross who used to be with Don. He said he was.
I had "talked" to Don through eay and gave Herb Don's ebay handle. Don just visited Herb in CA. recently You can contact Don through ebay. His handle is donlepore714 Fred |
#30
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Not completely true
Quote:
They had hundreds if not thousands of - each - key card in nr mt-mint condition. I know because i worked there in the 1980's. They had file drawers full of - each - key rookie. 1000 garvey, 1000 yount, 1000 brett, etc....was really amazing !!!! Even then, i was like, wowwwwww..... I remember holding handfuls of all of those rookies back in 1985. Was unreal.... They were "perfect"....every one of them. Probably where all the 9's and 10's came from in psa holders today. |
#31
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Wonder whatever happened to her? Her ads always caught my eye as a kid and I used to order from her each year. I know it was probably less mysterious, but she just seemed to disappear from the card world over night.
__________________
Looking for: Unique Steve Garvey items, select Dodgers Postcards & Team Issue photos |
#32
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Curt-- there is a write up about her on Wikipedia that seems to indicates she is alive at 62 but exited the baseball card market in the 90s. The article is fairly sketchy though.
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#33
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IIRC Renata was married to Bill Hongach and I think she left the business when they were no longer together and then the industry changed as well.
Rich
__________________
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