How rare would a stack of 1921 Herpolsheimer's be? Including Babe. Just wondering :)

philliesphan · #1 02-23-2019, 09:10 AM

Unclear why you wouldn't show the card backs - as the E121/W575-1's are not hard as a general issue, just difficult with the Herpolsheimer's advertising reverse.

The known cards were all found at the same time, and up until that point, only a single example of each card was identified. There is some controversy/debate on the erasure of the back writing on some of the cards - I'm sure you can find more here on Net54 on that topic.

Putting a price tag on a unique or near-unique card is quite difficult. I'd say get the cards authenticated and graded -

The Ruth that sold in 2004 went for just under $8k IIRC

Atari · #2 02-23-2019, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philliesphan

Unclear why you wouldn't show the card backs - as the E121/W575-1's are not hard as a general issue, just difficult with the Herpolsheimer's advertising reverse.

The known cards were all found at the same time, and up until that point, only a single example of each card was identified. There is some controversy/debate on the erasure of the back writing on some of the cards - I'm sure you can find more here on Net54 on that topic.

Putting a price tag on a unique or near-unique card is quite difficult. I'd say get the cards authenticated and graded -

The Ruth that sold in 2004 went for just under $8k IIRC

Was just waiting for a post like yours sir. Here you go:

This is the back of the Babe Ruth. Not perfect, but pretty good?:

roll a die.com

Atari · #3 02-23-2019, 09:44 AM

I am going to reach out to PSA, SGC, BGS next week to see if any of them are interested in grading the lot. Do you think one of them would do it free of charge? I'd think the bragging (and marketing) rights to be the first registry to see, grade, and list these is worth something?

Jobu · #4 02-23-2019, 10:32 AM

Ahhh, no. They will all be happy to grade them for you, but PSA is going to charge you between $3,000 (card value $25,000-$100,000) to $5,000 (value $100,000+) for just the Ruth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atari

I am going to reach out to PSA, SGC, BGS next week to see if any of them are interested in grading the lot. Do you think one of them would do it free of charge? I'd think the bragging (and marketing) rights to be the first registry to see, grade, and list these is worth something?

Atari · #5 02-23-2019, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jobu

Ahhh, no. They will all be happy to grade them for you, but PSA is going to charge you between $3,000 (card value $25,000-$100,000) to $5,000 (value $100,000+) for just the Ruth.

Hard to judge the value of a good one-of-a-kind industry press release

Which of the 3 major services can currently issue a press release with nicely edited youtube video of them grading this lot? Would you watch that video?

swarmee · #6 02-23-2019, 10:48 AM

You're the kind of guy who calls the bet in a poker game, let's everyone else reveal their cards, and says: "Damn. I only have two pair. Sixes and sixes." GLWS.

Atari · #7 02-23-2019, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swarmee

You're the kind of guy who calls the bet in a poker game, let's everyone else reveal their cards, and says: "Damn. I only have two pair. Sixes and sixes." GLWS.

quad 6's better and less evil than trips.

Atari · #8 02-23-2019, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swarmee

You're the kind of guy who calls the bet in a poker game, let's everyone else reveal their cards, and says: "Damn. I only have two pair. Sixes and sixes." GLWS.

Apologies there. Back in office again so I can reply.... obviously the backs were the most important - to see that they are indeed herps! So in order to better authenticate that I was posting in real time, in possession, etc. I wanted to wait for someone to ask for the backs so I could print the page (of them asking) & display them in the manner that I did.

The list I was initially reluctant to include in the first post as I said because there is some value in the "mystery" in not knowing which previous 1-of-1's have become 1-of-2's, which new 1-of-1's are out there, etc. Something I was considering to save for an auction house catalog to reveal. At the end of the day, only one company will get to do that anyway, so not that big of a loss, and better to get the list out there early so people can consider what may be coming to market soon/eventually.

I guess we'll save the rest of that mystery for the conditions of each card -- which can eventually be seen exclusively on the graders registry of whoever we wind up working with. Sadly, the Ruth isn't the best card in the deck, but thankfully far from the worst.

Cheers!

bnorth · #9 02-23-2019, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atari

Hard to judge the value of a good one-of-a-kind industry press release

Which of the 3 major services can currently issue a press release with nicely edited youtube video of them grading this lot? Would you watch that video?

Just my opinion but they grade cards of that value and much more fairly regularly. It wouldn't make any sense for them to give their product(grading) away for free.

swarmee · #10 02-23-2019, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnorth

Just my opinion but they grade cards of that value and much more fairly regularly. It wouldn't make any sense for them to give their product(grading) away for free.

It might for Beckett to advertise their BVG Vintage segment; they graded the newly discovered Mascot Dog Food Mantle when PSA passed. Or for SGC to rollout their new automated scan process and registry.

bbcard1 · #11 02-23-2019, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atari

Hard to judge the value of a good one-of-a-kind industry press release

Which of the 3 major services can currently issue a press release with nicely edited youtube video of them grading this lot? Would you watch that video?

I work in the industry and the press would not be as valuable as you might think. The major card companies have a huge backlog so they are not hurting for business. If you found a new grading company looking to make a splash, maybe, but they would not enhance the value to the degree of the big three.

Atari · #12 10-05-2023, 08:46 AM

Been going back over this thread and the broader 1921 Herpolsheimer's saga a bit more because these cards will be going to auction very soon. I'll let the auctioneer who has them make the official announcement, but I think they're in the best hands they could be in, especially in terms of knowledge and passion for these nearly impossible to find cards.

btw, it took quite some time to get to this point because my uncle unfortunately was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer and died 20 days later in 2020. We have been going through mourning of his loss and the whole probate process since then. Really sucks as he was like my dad and big brother and best buddy all in one. He was a collector of many things and an auction goer himself. He would have really loved to watch the sale of these cards. RIP.

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