The Rosen '52 find

[whitehse]

I remember the Rosen find and laughing at his asking price. Someone please find me a time machine....quick....

[Jobu]

Instead of going back to 1986, I hope you'd go back to 1952 instead.

Originally Posted by whitehse

I remember the Rosen find and laughing at his asking price. Someone please find me a time machine....quick....

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by Jobu

Instead of going back to 1986, I hope you'd go back to 1952 instead.

Yep. Stand by the Hudson River and wait for Sy Berger to come along on his forklift.

[Gary Dunaier]

Originally Posted by Jobu

Instead of going back to 1986, I hope you'd go back to 1952 instead.

Originally Posted by ASF123

Yep. Stand by the Hudson River and wait for Sy Berger to come along on his forklift.

If you're going to do that, you need to go back to 1960 or so because that's when he dumped the unsold '52s.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Gary Dunaier

If you're going to do that, you need to go back to 1960 or so because that's when he dumped the unsold '52s.

Always best to go back in time before cards get all moist.

Brian (time travelling back right now to hopefully score some Cracker Jack cards before their contact with caramel)

[samosa4u]

I NEVER get tired of reading about Rosen and "the find." This is such a fascinating subject!

I was only two-years-old when all of this took place. But if I had been a grown man, and Rosen had offered me a NM set, I would have probably declined too because I am a cheap SOB.

By the way, how many books and articles did Rosen write and which one is the best to read?

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

I was only two-years-old when all of this took place. But if I had been a grown man, and Rosen had offered me a NM set, I would have probably declined too because I am a cheap SOB.

Yeah, me too. I turned down a beautiful 1952 Mantle at $1000. I just couldn't imagine spending that much on one card!

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by ASF123

Yep. Stand by the Hudson River and wait for Sy Berger to come along on his forklift.

A 20th century urban myth circulated by those trying to talk up the price of their cards from the last series of 1952 Topps Baseball. Check out Toppcat's analysis here:

Highly Doubtful - Topps Archives

[maniac_73]

Originally Posted by Jobu

Instead of going back to 1986, I hope you'd go back to 1952 instead.

Where's my Delorean?

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by Jobu

Instead of going back to 1986, I hope you'd go back to 1952 instead.

...



....Late September , early October , 1952 : ......you could buy three "FIVE CENTS " packs of those high number last series 1952 Topps Baseball Gum Cards or...... one of these...



....

[Tabe]

Are there any pictures of the find? Not individual cards but the big lot before being broken up?

[marzoumanian]

I just pulled out "True Mint" again. In the section about the 1952 Topps find you will find a gem mint Mantle photo and a gem mint Leo Durocher photo. In black and white. That's it. Rosen describes the guy with all the cards in Quincy, Mass., coming out with them on a big silver tray, "covered with cards piled high, 15 or 20 piles. I remember the cards were piled so high that I couldn't see over the top."
Unfortunately Rosen didn't expect to see this so he didn't bring a camera. As he tells it, all he cared about was the Mantles.
The book is definitely worth a read and I am sure you can pick it up pretty cheap on Amazon. He tells some amazing stories. Good luck and peace.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Are there any pictures of the find? Not individual cards but the big lot before being broken up?

In case you haven't seen this?
https://www.psacard.com/articles/art...-baseball-find

And another Net54 thread about the find here.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=276271

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by irv

In case you haven't seen this?
https://www.psacard.com/articles/art...-baseball-find

And another Net54 thread about the find here.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=276271

Thanks. Yes, I'd seen those. Great stuff but not quite what I was hoping for. Perhaps not surprising that a guy with no sense of sentiment didn't record anything for posterity.

[Directly]

If you haven't seen this interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjckQNXP4Gs

[jimjim]

I’ve heard the story countless times, but I just watch the YouTube video. Can somebody clarify when Al Rosen said he paid the guy 10% instead of 20%... was that 10% of book value? If so, that’s insane.

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Are there any pictures of the find? Not individual cards but the big lot before being broken up?

Does anyone remember "Find II" which happened shortly after the 1952 find? The Paris, TN find of unopened boxes of 1954 and 1955 Topps baseball, 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball and 1954 and 1955 Bowman football. Apparently there were over 500 unopened boxes of the baseball, and 250 unopened boxes of the football.

I remember seeing photos in a magazine during the era with stacks of the boxes shown as found. Anyone remember what publication this was??

In the Nov 20, 1987 issue of SCD, Rosen was offering;

- 1954 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $125.00 each or $2500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $150.00 each or $3000.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Topps baseball unopened packs for $200.00 each or $3500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $10.00 each or $1000.00 per box (120 1 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $20.00 each or $425.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)

[ruth-gehrig]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Does anyone remember "Find II" which happened shortly after the 1952 find? The Paris, TN find of unopened boxes of 1954 and 1955 Topps baseball, 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball and 1954 and 1955 Bowman football. Apparently there were over 500 unopened boxes of the baseball, and 250 unopened boxes of the football.

I remember seeing photos in a magazine during the era with stacks of the boxes shown as found. Anyone remember what publication this was??

In the Nov 20, 1987 issue of SCD, Rosen was offering;

- 1954 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $125.00 each or $2500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $150.00 each or $3000.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Topps baseball unopened packs for $200.00 each or $3500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $10.00 each or $1000.00 per box (120 1 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $20.00 each or $425.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)

Wow! I would love to see those pictures for sure

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Does anyone remember "Find II" which happened shortly after the 1952 find? The Paris, TN find of unopened boxes of 1954 and 1955 Topps baseball, 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball and 1954 and 1955 Bowman football. Apparently there were over 500 unopened boxes of the baseball, and 250 unopened boxes of the football.

I remember seeing photos in a magazine during the era with stacks of the boxes shown as found. Anyone remember what publication this was??

In the Nov 20, 1987 issue of SCD, Rosen was offering;

- 1954 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $125.00 each or $2500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $150.00 each or $3000.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Topps baseball unopened packs for $200.00 each or $3500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $10.00 each or $1000.00 per box (120 1 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $20.00 each or $425.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)

IIRC -- He also got some 1960 Packs in that deal. I know I opened a few of those packs at that time.

Rich

[jmoran19]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Does anyone remember "Find II" which happened shortly after the 1952 find? The Paris, TN find of unopened boxes of 1954 and 1955 Topps baseball, 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball and 1954 and 1955 Bowman football. Apparently there were over 500 unopened boxes of the baseball, and 250 unopened boxes of the football.

I remember seeing photos in a magazine during the era with stacks of the boxes shown as found. Anyone remember what publication this was??

In the Nov 20, 1987 issue of SCD, Rosen was offering;

- 1954 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $125.00 each or $2500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $150.00 each or $3000.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Topps baseball unopened packs for $200.00 each or $3500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $10.00 each or $1000.00 per box (120 1 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $20.00 each or $425.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)

A majority of the boxes had bugs and were either opened or thrown away

[ruth-gehrig]

Also wasn't there significant moisture damage to alot of the packs?

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

A majority of the boxes had bugs and were either opened or thrown away

I remember reading about the unopened Bowman boxes when they were found, and then later hearing that many were damaged by bugs. They said that some packs were opened but the cards were ruined, even though there wasn't any obvious bug damage. I don't remember ever seeing any mint cards being shown off that were pulled from those packs.

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

A majority of the boxes had bugs and were either opened or thrown away

& a bunch had moisture stains as well

Many years ago a friend bought a '54 Bowman Football pack on the cheap
& wanted to open it for kicks.

Every card was damaged, but the pack incl Otto Graham
I seemed more impressed then him, so he sold me the opened pack
& a few years later had SGC grade the 3 best cards.

& Yes! I still have 'em

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

Does anyone remember "Find II" which happened shortly after the 1952 find? The Paris, TN find of unopened boxes of 1954 and 1955 Topps baseball, 1954 and 1955 Bowman baseball and 1954 and 1955 Bowman football. Apparently there were over 500 unopened boxes of the baseball, and 250 unopened boxes of the football.

I remember seeing photos in a magazine during the era with stacks of the boxes shown as found. Anyone remember what publication this was??

In the Nov 20, 1987 issue of SCD, Rosen was offering;

- 1954 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $125.00 each or $2500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Bowman baseball unopened packs for $150.00 each or $3000.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1955 Topps baseball unopened packs for $200.00 each or $3500.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $10.00 each or $1000.00 per box (120 1 cent packs)
- 1954 Bowman football unopened packs for $20.00 each or $425.00 per box (24 5 cent packs)

In Tennessee, if I recall?

[Fetamore]

I too remember the Rosen find. Seeing his ad in SCD, I immediately called Him to see if he would sell me one of each Phillies and As cards, he did. Then he said he still had one complete set left. I could have it for $12,000. I had 3 children under 8 hrs old and a stay at home wife who would have killed me. I thought about it and passed. Just one of many bad card collecting decisions in my past.