Alan Rosen

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Posted By: cn

I love this hobby but what I saw made me sick today. A man about 70 walked in with a box of cards and the first person he ran into was Rosen. He made him a low offer and when the man said he wanted a second opinion he was berated. I could see the man was confused and upset so I lead him to a few other dealers who offered him a lot more respect and higher offers. I let the man go about his way but after thinking about it I am still sick as to the way he was initially treated. I know Mr.Mint pays for all the fancy advertising but the way he treated this gentleman was disgusting.

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Posted By: JimB

He was extremely rude to me the one time I talked with him at a show.
JimB

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Posted By: zach

I myself have only heard bad things too. I mean who could take this guy seriously ?

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Posted By: jay behrens

It still brings a smile to face every time I think about the financial beating Mr Mint too trying to corner the Star Wars action figure market and introduce slabbing. Fortunately, toy collectors didn't buy into it and he and his partners took a well deserved beating.

The 2 times I went by his table at the National, he wasn't there. I so wanted to walk up to him and say "I'm not your wholesaler" just to see if it brought back any bad memories of his encounters with me

Jay

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: Alan Zimmerman

I WILL RESERVE MY PERSONAL COMMENTS FOR ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE

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Posted By: pete ullman

wow Alan...harsh!!!!

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

each one angrier than the last...

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Posted By: pete ullman

he IS a prick...pardon my french!

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Cn,that story made me cringe.

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Aw, come on - how bad can he be? He had cookies at his table yesterday!

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Posted By: Chris Mc

Funny, the first thing I do when I get my new standard catalog is rip out his picture. A self absorbed ass and complete marooooooooooooooon!

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Posted By: Scott Mosley

How about Mr. Urinal Mint?



Excuse the poor quality of my cellphone camera but when I saw where someone had deposited Mr. Mints card at the Ft. Washington show yesterday, I just had to record the moment for posterity.

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Posted By: leon

My wife and little girl are still asleep and I am sitting in my office just laughing out loud.....hoping they don't hear me That's great...

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Posted By: Bill

I thought it was just me. Had a similar experience with that scum at the Robert Morris show in Pittsburgh a few years ago. It's a wonder that anyone would give him the time of the day. The picture was great.

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Posted By: Mike H

Who keeps this guy in business? Obviously he is selling product to somebody. Anyone know who or where he sells?

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Posted By: Mike H

You know what we should do? Get a few of our parents or seniors we know to walk into shows with old suitcases and cigar boxes tucked under arm. As he pounces, they could just say "No thank you. I'm taking my collection to..."

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Posted By: Anonymous

I would love to give him a good ol' fashioned beating. I had a little run in w/ him at the Fort Washington show once. I really can't stand looking at this guy.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

LMFAO!!!

I very much disagree with the post that says you should not be able to set up a buying table, though. Nothing wrong with that. Rosen is objectionable not because he doesn't sell from his table but because he is an a-hole who treats people badly.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

1st time I even placed a bid in his auctions was right after 9-11 happend. Since the hole country was in shock, and there were not more than 1 or two bids [er lot with low opening bids. He told me to NOT bother sending him any money as the auction is null. Since I was a "Noone" to him and still am (proudly), he cussed me out over the phone when I told him that was wrong and he owed me the lots I have won. He told me that would never happen and to call an attorney. I was thinking the same thing to do with an older person... Have them walk in and show him some items.. Then I will walk up being the son and say "Mom, lets go around the room and get 2 more opinions".... I think I will start planning it right now..

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Posted By: JudgeDred (Fred)

I wouldn't mind being near the table when it happened... details.... por favor...

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Posted By: Josh K.

wasnt there a thread almost identical to this one not so long ago?

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Posted By: Joe Jones

At the national this year I walked by his table and people were asking him for autographs and trying to take pictures with him. It was so funny to me because they dont have a clue.

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Posted By: Anson

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Al Rosen is the kindest, most gentle man I've ever met. He goes out of his way to help others out and never takes advantage of anyone.

Alright, I'm just dumping a ration of horse puckey. The guy is an ass and we all seem to know it. So what if his breath will knock a buzzard off a s*&t wagon at 50 paces?

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Posted By: David Davis

of Mr. Mint are from back in the late 1970's, when he was just another poor schlub card dealer, who was nearly arrested for being involved in the stealing of Drake's Cakes sets out of the factory. This was way before his urban legend started about being from wealthy parents.

BTW, ala Poppy from Seinfeld, he also came out of a bathroom stall and did not was his hands. After that, I made sure never to even go near him. Plus, what guy wears an earring at his age? He looks like a really bad pirate.

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Posted By: jay behrens

Myself and pirates everywhere are offended at your comaprison. At least with us pirates, you know that we are looking to steal your items from you.

Blackheart the Attacker

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: E. Angyal

about a Cleveland area dealer who dealt in high-end cards in the mid to late 90's. This dealer got really pissed off at Rosen after Rosen sold him in one of his auctions a misrepresented "mint" 1968 Topps baseball set. The set had a bunch of off center and other mishandled cards that the dealer subsequently returned. Rosen told the dealer he didnt know what he was talking about and that he was banned from future Rosen auctions (Rosen stated this at the bottom of one of his SCD ads). The dealer then sabatoged an entire Rosen auction out of spite by creating a bunch of fake bidder names and bidder numbers and phoned in a number of corresponding fake bids in one of Rosen's next auctions! (I know it happened as I saw it personally, LMAO!).

Angyale@att.net

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Posted By: JudgeDred (Fred)

Josh,

To answer the question of whether or not there was a similar Rosen thread like this in the past, the answer is a resounding YES! It's kind of like the movies, there's a theme that works so why not use it over and over again. It's obviously entertaining to many and it's that time of year to bring cheer, comradarie and smiles to all the collectors around the world. It's kind of like PSA bashing... it may seem redundant (to some) but for some reason or other it must not get old because people keep contributing to the threads.

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Posted By: FYS

Time to share my personal "Buying Machine" stories:

1988: As a 15 year old, my Dad took me to one of the old Dearborn, MI shows. I had a very large collection, but it was primarily post 1969. I brought a couple of 800 count boxes full of stacks of star cards in card savers from the 70's to the show to sell/trade. Because they were from the 70's, I labeled the box as "old card." I assigned my Dad to carry the boxes, so I was free to browse. Walking into the show, Alan immediately saw my Dad with a couple of boxed labeled "old card.' and pounced. My Dad said these are my sons. Mr. Mint than jumped on me. I actually did not feel worthy of the request, because they were 70's cards and I knew these were beneath Rosen. So I said, nothing in there you would be interested with. His reply, you walk past this table, do not bother coming back for an offer. My Dad called him a prick. This first time I ever heard my Dad say that or even comfront someone.

Fast forward:

1991: Now I am an established 18 year old weekend warrior. I go back to Dearborn by myself with several hand collated sets and wax boxes i.e. a couple of each from 80T, 82T, 84D, 85D etc. So I have several thousand dollars worth of stuff. I left everything in my car and had a list. Walked in and browsed around Mr. Mint's table hoping he would talk to me. He ignores the young man. Finally, I get up enough nerve to say, "are you buying." He nicely said what do you have. I said lots of wax, 80T, 84D etc. His in interested and I am now validated! Finally, he brings out his calculator and says you have 2 and 3 cases of each. I said no, 2 or 3 boxes of each. Then came the punch, get out of here kid, your not in my league.

I have seen him set up several times since then, but I will never sell or buy anything from that bastard.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

And like a classic movie it never gets old. Having been a toy collector and dealer for years it sucked opening up the latest Toy Shop magazine and seeing his ugly face on his full page ads for Star Wars toys....then he aligned himself with Plastic Dreams and Josh Velinsky to try and "slab" toys. All you need to know about Josh Velinsky is that he was taken to "The People's Court" by a kid and he lost....not only did he lose, but the judge berated him for screwing over a kid. I guess the Rosen/Velinsky match was a perfect pair.

FWIW Rosen still advertises in the Toy Shop magazine, but now it's for Howdy Doody toys.

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Posted By: jackgoodman

He's everything everyone has mentioned above. He even admitted in an interview that he cares nothing about cards - they are a commodity. If he could make money buying and selling apples, he would be buying and selling apples instead of cards.

BUT, he did alot to bring positive attention and press to the sports collecting hobby in the 70's and 80's which increased the values of most collections by bringing more people into the hobby.

Doesn't mean I'd like to have dinner with him tho.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Several months ago we had a thread about Mr. Rosen and I contributed some less than flattering comments. Not the worst posts on the thread, but certainly not complimentary. About a week later I received from him the worst piece of hate mail one could imagine, with nasty, demeaning, and derogatory comments, calling me "dirty" "ugly", bragging about all the money he has, and throwing out just about every other schoolyard insult in the book. It was absolutely deplorable, and if anyone here read it his jaw would drop. I saved that little missive for a rainy day. I prefer not to share it however publicly.

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Posted By: FYS

Barry & others,

What dealers and auctions is he supplying? I do not see him do his own auctions anymore. So he is essentially a wholesaler for some dealers, I would assume? Unless he has his own mailing address list to send people, but I do not see him being that detail oriented. So who are his buyers at the moment?

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Posted By: barrysloate

When he buys something at a show he just marks it up and sells it to one of his other dealer buddies. I don't think he sells much to the general collecting community.

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Posted By: FYS

More specifically, who are his dealer buddies? These must be people that are unwilling to personally do the sort of shameless activities that Rosen does, but are not quite far enough up the morality tree to not buy from him? I would be interested in the people that support Alan and alows him to have money to buy earings. Basically, some dealers are willing to let Rosen have the small markup for his unsrupuolous activities. If Rosen is a wholesaler for other dealers, then his only value to people is that he will go further than others to try to get a good deal. Let Rosen do the dirty work and make a small cut, then the end dealer can still make money without jeopardizing their reputation.

Wow, I think Rosen's true value is realtively fragile and is open for a competitor to take a piece. Maybe we could do a SWAT analysis of the Rosen company and form a company to attach and take some of his enormous profits away. I know my wife could at least use some nice earrings.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Rosen sends a lot of his stuff to Kit Young.

Rosen has always been a rude jerk whenever I've spoken to him at shows and I now do my best to avoid him.

Does anyone else think the new Mint looks like a hungover Howie Mandel???




Frank

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Posted By: bigfish

cojack?

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Posted By: Anson

It's a slight improvement over his previous Jamie Farr look

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Posted By: joe brennan

Barry, I'm sure the e-mail that Mr Mint sent you showed his true colors. It's honest and reputable dealers like you that out weigh the Rosen's out there that keep this hobby going. He must be jealous of the great reputation you have.

A scared man can't gamble and a jealous man can't work.

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Posted By: FYS

"Rosen sends a lot of his stuff to Kit Young."

Kit does not sell much high grade stuff? So he must be one location that Rosen dumps the lower grade stuff off at? Who else is in the "Buying Machine" network?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Thanks Joe- and it wasn't an email, it was signed letter on his business stationery. He also sent me an autographed photo of himself waiving hundred dollar bills- and the inscription on it was likewise demeaning. And he felt the reason I criticized him on the board was that I was jealous of him. Imagine that! It was hard to believe that anybody could be so utterly crude, and incriminate himself by putting it in writing and signing it. He's a bit of a dim bulb, too.

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

I got a nice warm letter from Mr. Poor once, too, although not in Barry's category. Just a threatening letter, cc'd to his lawyer. Of course, he is a longtime winner of the SCD Customer Service Award. If SCD wonders why their readership numbers have gone down . . .

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Posted By: John S

As a Pittsburgh area resident and diehard Pirates/Steelers fan it made me sick when he got his grubby little hands on the 1979 Championship trophy last year at the Robert Morris show (and then SCD did the piece on "his incredible find"). I also have witnessed people stopping for phots and autographs from this money-grubbing punk...sickens and makes me feel a little dirty for even being in the same room. For those of you that credit him for advancing or hobby I would would have to say that he long ago erased any positive contributions by prostituting our hobby for money.

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Posted By: barrysloate

The letter I received was so hate-filled that it was a little hard to brush off, and my wife saw it and was deeply hurt by it. It takes a deranged mind coupled with a narcissistic personality to spew such venom. And this is a man with a wife and a family. You would have to see it to believe it. And yet I gleefully saved it, feeling that one day I might need to expose it to others. For now, it rests in a safe place.

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Posted By: David Vargha

Don't feel bad, Barry. I have a couple of similar e-mail letters saved. But they came from a long time Net 54 board member who sent them to me; most likely in one of his famous drunken rages.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

if alot of his stuff goes to Kit Young, why does he call himself Mr.Mint?

Joe Jones - the reason why they were taken pictures was that PP-H was looking for a piece of crap stuck to a butt nodule for thier NEXT commercial !


NOBODY IS ABOVE THIS HOBBY!

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Posted By: Brian Daniels

and my story would rank high on the list here. I just can't post it. Anyone remember his ex-employee Glen?

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Posted By: Anonymous

is that it used to be Brian Morris, Paul Lewicki and Joe Esposito. Could still be Esposito.

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Posted By: jamie

I hate to be the lone dissenter but one of my fondest memories as a kid collecting cards involves Mr. Mint.

He used to set up at a yearly card show that took place at a hotel in Columbia, MD. One year I actually got the nerve to ask him about all the old cards he had under glass. He invited me behind the table, told me all about T206's, Old Judges, how they were packaged, which cards were worth what. He told me about how condition affects the price and when I left he gave me a few beat up T206's "to get me started".

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Posted By: bigfish

I was trying to sell Mr. Mint some cards at a recent show. He was asking me what an 1887 allen and ginter card was going for, what year a york caramel was, and he did not know what a gold coin card was. Maybe was playing dead?

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Posted By: DJ

If you want more! May thread!

http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/thread/1115831270/last-1116302154/Mr.+Mint+--+Alan+Rosen