My quest to build the most dominant vintage wrestling card set of all time: 1954 Parkhurst Wrestling
wrestlingcardking
Posts: 4,555 ✭✭✭✭
I have been working on the 1954 Parkhurst wrestling set for quite some time. In the early years on ebay there were various wrestling card collectors who were happy to put together the set raw and now there are a handful of guys going after the set in graded form and you see many more graded singles than you ever used to. These cards have so many issues it is crazy from severe centering issues, to wax stains that permanently stain the card and the poor quality of paper that just devastates any hopes of finding them in good grade. The real question is how they were distributed? I have never found solid proof of how they were released and have never seen an unopened pack. I was able to make a major leap on dominating the registry by picking up the #2 all time set from Mile High last month and combined it with my already number one set
My basic set of 75 cards currently have 69 of the 75 cards in the highest possible grade. After being edged out on the final day of 2011 for the top set, I've held the top set from 2012 until the present day. It isn't possible for me to be anywhere near being passed on the registry unless there is a significant find of some kind.
I also have the top master set by holding the top grades of 128 of the 137 possible cards out there. My master set was created in 2014 and I have held the top slot each year. It is amazing to think that I own 93.4% of the 65 year old cards in the highest grades to date. There is only one PSA 9 of nearly 1600 graded and I have that in addition most of the 8s that are out there.
Here is some of the star power of the set.
Champion Lou Thesz
Verne Gagne, I have a lucky premium that is .5 higher but you will find many cards with centering issues
The only PSA 9 of all of them graded!
African-American legend Bobo Brazil rookie
KIller Kowalski rookie
Gorgeous George PSA 7 rookie, I own all three of the 7s and there are none higher, rare premium back
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Answers
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
So many years of scouring EBAY and working deals has led to such a great set. Keep it up. The journey isn't over.
Next time @tsalems1 is on one of his trips to Canada maybe he will run into someone who collected these long ago and can find out how they were actually distributed. It is amazing that no information is published on message boards or card sites about their distribution. Wrestling was big in Canada at this time and events held at Maple Leaf Gardens drew huge crowds and electrified fans for many years and it is great that a set of cards was made to feature the performers at that time.
Obviously these have caught collector interest with nice examples starting to go for much higher prices than they used to.
It is funny that you say that........I just opened up a box of three cards from @tsalems1 yesterday as I wanted to get rid of three cards that had qualifiers for more centered cards. The grades were equal to what I had after the 2 point deduction but to my eye, presented a whole lot better. I am hopeful he eventually comes through and provides me with some upgrades down the line. In the mean time, there are a few out there that I would love to locate.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Is Waldek Kowalski later known as Killer Kowalski or are they two different people? Killer Kowalski recently passed and was a Buffalo resident and native too I believe. He and Illio Dipaolo were two of the big name Buffalo based wrestlers.
Edit. Sorry. I was getting Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer confused with Kowalski. Beyer is the one from Buffalo who just passed.
Kevin
Yes, Dick Beyer lived in Akron, NY I believe and yes, Wladek Kowalski was later known as Killer Kowalski.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Great set and love my Killer card!
But the real sleeper is the Dirty Dick himself!!
PSA 5s and 6s are pretty good for this set as most singles are PSA 3s if they were graded. Thanks for sharing.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Yes, I would have to say you are definately the king of wrestling cards! Great stuff!
Thanks. Although I have as many as I do, the possibility to raise the bar even higher exists....
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
This is my current want list to improve my master set of 137 cards into the top pops.
5 Argentina Rocca PSA 7, I currently have a PSA 6 and there is one higher
15 Paul Baillargeon PSA 5, I currently have a PSA 4 with one higher, lucky premiums are tougher to find
18 Maurice Tillet PSA 7, unfortunately I have two PSA 7s with lucky premium backs but my biography back is a PSA 6.
32 Jim Goon Henry PSA 7, I have a PSA 6.5 so I am missing out on just a .5 upgrade for top pop
34 Yvon Robert PSA 6, again my lucky premium back is a PSA 5 so I am just missing out on the top pop
53 George Scott PSA 8, I have a PSA 7 at this time
60 Fred Atkins PSA 8, I have a PSA 7 at this time.
67 Ernie Dusek PSA 8, I have a PSA 7 and there was a second PSA 8 to hit the pop report so this may come out.
70 Great Togo PSA 7, I have a PSA 6.5 and this 7 just hit the pop report so I am hoping to find it.
This is a 75 card set where I have 69 of 75 in the top grade and if I include the lucky premium backs that 62 cards in the set have then I have 128 of the 137 in the top grade. These 9 cards represent my current want list to have these all in the top grade.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Thanks to CU board member Gregmo I was able to add three more cards!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a 75 card set where I have 72 of 75 in the top grade and if I include the lucky premium backs that have 62 cards in the set have then I have 131 of the 137 in the top grade. There are only six cards now that I need for my master set.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
this seems like a fun set
good luck
collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.
looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started