The 1948 Oakland Oaks were a powerful team in the Pacific Coast League, and the West Coast circuit made a strong bid for major-league status several times. That was thwarted when the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants moved to California, but in the late 1940s the Triple-A PCL had some strong squads. Consider that the Oaks, while going 114-74 seventy years ago, won the PCL … [Read more...]
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Found at Flea Market, Rare Mascot Dog Food Mantle, Berra Bring $28,000
Those two super rare 1950s Mascot Dog Food cards featuring a pair of Yankee icons sold for more than $28,000 combined Sunday night. A Mickey Mantle card brought $23,600 while a Yogi Berra sold for $4,720. Both had been graded 1.5 by Beckett Grading Services. The cards were originally found inside a family photo album last year at an Adamstown, PA flea … [Read more...]
Book on Vintage Regional-Food Issue Sets Now on Kindle
Never Cheaper by the Dozen, a book published on CD last year by long-time collector Brian Powell, is now available on Kindle. The 588-page book focuses on the stories behind some of the best known food and regional baseball sets from 1947-1971. Author Brian Powell spent several years writing Never Cheaper, which through his research and conversations with other … [Read more...]
Bell Brand Dodgers Cards Still Have Fans
They said goodbye to Brooklyn and moved across the country and for residents of southern California, the Dodgers were now all that and a bag of chips. Make that in a bag of chips, as in literally. One of the franchise's first endorsement deals was made with a snack maker. Bell Brand made potato chips and corn chips and for four seasons the company gave Dodgers … [Read more...]
1952 Tip Top Bread Set a True Rarity
Any talk of Mickey Mantle’s earliest rare cards usually starts and stops with the debate over the 1952 Topps #311 and his ‘true’ rookie card in the 1951 Bowman set. Mantle collectors will tell you those are a breeze if you’ve got the cash but if you want a true challenge, try finding a 1952 Tip Top Bread Mantle for sale or auction. PSA and SGC have graded only seven … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: Recalling the Frenzy of 1979 Topps Test Comics
The card companies issue multiple sets per month these days. The sport doesn't even have to be in season for some new product to hit the market. That's not exactly a revelation. The flood of products really began in the 1990s. The contrast between modern era and the world of collectors of current releases back in the late 1970s is mind-boggling and one unique, one-and-done … [Read more...]
1980 Burger King Sets Included HOFers, Champs
It was fun while it lasted. Topps and Burger King had produced hyper-regional card sets for three years (1977, 1978 and 1979) but just before two other companies joined the bubble gum card fray and changed the hobby forever, they rolled out two final sets. In the final part of our four-part overview, we take a look at the Burger King baseball sets of 1980. 1980 Topps Burger … [Read more...]
1977 Burger King Yankees Cards Kicked Off Four-Year Promotion
Let's face it - some of the later 1970s Topps baseball card sets aren't credited for being all that popular from an aesthetics point of view. However, if you're a 1970s and early 1980s collector and looking for a little bit of a twist, the 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980 Topps Burger King baseball card sets might fit the bill. What are they? In a nutshell, they are baseball cards … [Read more...]
Small Traditions ‘Spring Training Auction’ Includes 1,500+ Lots
You won’t find any 1952 Mickey Mantle cards in Small Traditions’ latest auction but if you’re a player collector, love to open boxes, like modern era rookie cards, collect autographs or love older regional and oddball sets, you might want to grab a cold beverage. The “Oddballs and Autographs” sale includes over 1,500 lots with most carrying an opening bid of $10. The … [Read more...]
1954 Wilson Franks Set is a Tough One
The early 1950’s were a great time for baseball card sets issued in specific areas of the country by local and regional food producers and other companies Anyone who wants a really good idea into the culture of the 1950’s would be well served acquiring a type card from each 1950’s set issued. There were so many of them that one can build a really nice collection this way. … [Read more...]
