The World According to Mr. Mint

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by ksabet

I am not sure why this is a bad thing. No one has to sell to him, if he makes an offer and people sell then it is on them. Obviously he is doing something right.

I don't like the guy in fact I think he is pretty despicable in his practices but every seller attempts to purchase items for as low as possible. Basic economics.

+1...this is what any and every successful dealer does.

[sago]

He used to sell many of his items to Brian Morris and Paul Lewicki. Someone told me that Joe Esposito is the main recipient of his current finds.

As far as him always telling the truth, I beg to differ. Getting his start by getting (stealing)Drakes Cakes sets out the backdoor of the factory, and being backed on the huge Post and Jello card find, I believe by Stephen Juskewycz, are very different than the trust fund story he enjoys telling.

D@v1d davls

[keithsky]

I remember in SCD about 4 years ago he was going to retire but since I see him at the Chicago show 2 times a year since looks like that never happened. I also remmebr him crying about not getting the front spot at the Nationals a few years ago so he boycotted them and hasn't been there since. He probably thought the National would fold cause because he decided to never show up anymore. Boo Hoo

[clydepepper]

A few months ago, when I was agonizing over whether or not to buy Goudey #144, I said 'what the heck' , picked up the phone and called the number listed in his ad.

I could not have been more pleasantly surprised. Not only did Mr. Rosen answer the phone himself, he seemed more than happy to chat with me. When he said that he thought the specific card I was inquiring about was a good deal, it eased my mind enough to go forward with the deal.

I was just someone taking up his time and using his experience to get a valued opinion. He got nothing but the goodwill I am now sharing.

I did not buy the card from him and have never done business with him, but in my small experience, the man is a good guy. I treated him like a gentleman and got the same back from him.

Thanks Al !

[Jantz]

While walking into a National, he asked me once if I wanted his autograph. I replied with "Why would I want your autograph"?

That pretty much ended the conversation.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Jantz

While walking into a National, he asked me once if I wanted his autograph. I replied with "Why would I want your autograph"?

That pretty much ended the conversation.

LOLOLOLOL That's actually pretty funny.

[tschock]

I met him at a local show about 10+ years ago and he couldn't have been nicer. I walked past his table and asked him how it was going. He said not bad but not a lot of people selling (obviously, there to buy) so it wasn't a great show for him so far. Didn't seem like a complaint to me, just a statement of fact. Then he asked if I had anything to sell. I told him not really and we probably spent the next 20+ minutes talking about the state of the hobby, grading cards, etc. May very well have been because he didn't have anything better to do and was in a good mood, but all-in-all a nice, friendly conversation. When I went to move on, he gave me a copy of his book and didn't even offer to autograph it, so I guess YMMV.

[slipk1068]

Never bought anything from him. Never sold anything to him. I have held 2 Honus cards in my life and 1 was at his table. The uncut strip Honus. So I am a fan of his. Not sure I am a big enough fan to want his autograph. If I did own his autograph, I would try to trade is for a Ted Z auto lol.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

+1...this is what any and every successful dealer does.

Yeah, and from some of the OBO stories I've heard here, what some 'collectors' do as well.

(Not directed at Pete, just a general comment)

[Econteachert205]

I've seen him set up at the west valley in in west warwick since I was 7. My impression is this, he is a very good business man who does at times rub people the wrong way but also can be very engaging. For all his wealth and success, I feel bad for him. I've watched him thumb through beautiful cards with very little joy whatsoever. It must take a lot to get him charged. I can still rummage through low grade commons for miscuts and registry errors and be thrilled at a 2 dollar purchase. There is a price to pay for turning a hobby into a career.

[jcmtiger]

I set up at many shows where he was a table holder in Michigan. Very aggressive, but he was successful. Not a favorite of mine but had lots of cash and always carried a gun with him. He did buy and sell a bunch of cards.

Joe

[batsballsbases]

Back in my hay day when I was doing shows Alan was always set up at the Rothstein shows.(until a big blow out but thats a story for another day!) Alan was always a pain in the A$$ but we had alot of respect for each other. We would talk he would come to my table, with 100 dollar bills in tow. I did a few very big deals with Alan and one thing I can say when it came to getting paid for something, he really wanted there was no one faster than Alan. If you had something he wanted he usually paid very fair. I found one of the deals in my archives , I had to block out my personal info but let me tell you that was a big deal we did! 10% down I loved it! Wow almost 20 years ago!!

[Rollingstone206]

...

[ooo-ribay]

SCD is still around?

[Collectorsince62]

He used to do shows in St. Louis a long, long time ago. I remember him lurking outside in the hallway approaching people carrying boxes, hoping to make a buy before they entered the room. I believe he was asked not to come back after that. At a May 1984 show prior to the banishment, he was set up at a dealer table. I walked by and he asked if I had anything to sell. I said no I was just looking for items on my want list. He asked me what I was looking for and one of the cards on my list back then was a NM 1962 7th series checklist. To my astonishment, he turns around and pulls out a box of 1962 NM 7th series checklists. It was like a magic act. What he was doing with them, I have no idea, but I bought five of them for the whopping price of 50 cents each. I'll bet no one else ever bought anything from him for less than a dollar!

[Wite3]

I like Mr. Mint for one reason...he is a draw for people who sell...Back in my early days of collecting there used to be a big show once a year at the L.A. Convention Center. He would set up his table close to the door and people would come to sell to him. I figured out pretty quick that he was not interested in off-grade cards (especially small collections)...as people walked away from his table, I often asked what they had. I picked up some great off-grade cards like '53 Reese, '52 Robinson, '53 Mantle, e-101 Magee, etc. just by hanging around for an hour or so.

Of course, he thought I was poaching his sales and asked me to leave in a not so nice way but the promoter sided with me saying that competition is healthy.

At the National a few years later, I saw him set up again but he was buying everything and was turning the off-grade over to other dealers on the cheap (I think Bill Henderson was set up next to him and he got a bunch of stuff).

Joshua

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

For all his wealth and success, I feel bad for him. I've watched him thumb through beautiful cards with very little joy whatsoever. It must take a lot to get him charged. I can still rummage through low grade commons for miscuts and registry errors and be thrilled at a 2 dollar purchase. There is a price to pay for turning a hobby into a career.

Well said. I hope I never get to that point. I still get giddy over the small purchases. I'd hate to lose my passion for the hobby in exchange for greed/desire to make money. Trust me, I ain't making anything when I sell stuff.

[JohnP0621]

Well said. I hope I never get to that point. I still get giddy over the small purchases. I'd hate to lose my passion for the hobby in exchange for greed/desire to make money. Trust me, I ain't making anything when I sell stuff.
__________________


There is a Big difference between The Dealers and Collectors. We Collectors get Giddy over the items we collect. The Dealers get Giddy from the Money they get from us Collectors.

JP

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by JohnP0621

There is a Big difference between The Dealers and Collectors. We Collectors get Giddy over the items we collect. The Dealers get Giddy from the Money they get from us Collectors.

JP

Where did you learn all this?

There is a big difference between good people and assholes - it doesn't matter what they do for a living, or for fun.

[Duluth Eskimo]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Where did you learn all this?

There is a big difference between good people and assholes - it doesn't matter what they do for a living, or for fun.

This is one of the exact reasons why I don't do shows anymore. Most collectors look at dealers as people who are only in it for the money and want every item for the lowest price they see something on eBay for within the last year. We were all collectors at one time too and continue to be. Dealers just choose to try to turn part of their hobby in to some business.

These same people assume dealers are makings tons of cash and just don't appreciate people or small sales. Exactly like they described assuming Rosen made made millions off of his 52 topps deal and that is why he can say he spent 5 million per year. If I remember correctly Mantles were only selling for around 3,000.

Like I said earlier, the guy is an asshole and it has nothing to do with the fact that he is a dealer. Also, as earlier mentioned by others he would cry like a little baby if he didn't get his front row table and extra attention. He also used to make promoters pay for his table and plane ticket if they wanted to have the Mr Mint draw at their show thus bringing in all the sheep that he loved to deal with. He probably carried a gun so people wouldn't kick his ass when he started running his mouth about how important he is or how much money he spends.

[Stonepony]

In the late 90s he spent a weekend in KC buying from my dad and I. He stayed at a hotel but ate with us. He didn't complain about my mother's cooking, and for that alone I'll give him a pass

[the 'stache]

I get giddy over the small purchase I make, and the small purchases that other members of the forum make. I'm not kidding. If somebody gets their first pre-war card, for example, even if the thing's in pretty rough shape, and isn't worth more than $10, that person is experiencing the same joy that we've all felt, for the first time. In that moment, they've gleaned what makes our hobby so special. When they have other members of the forum showing interest in their purchase, it reinforces for them that not only are they taking the first step of what could be a magnificent lifelong journey, but they are doing so among friends.

Originally Posted by h2oya311

Well said. I hope I never get to that point. I still get giddy over the small purchases. I'd hate to lose my passion for the hobby in exchange for greed/desire to make money. Trust me, I ain't making anything when I sell stuff.