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Before BBCE was King….

robert67robert67 Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

I came across a copy of a 1997 SCD while out antiquing with my wife and immediately looked for the ad from the BBC Kid, Mark Murphy.

For those unfamiliar, Mark Murphy was one of the biggest dealers of unopened material not named Fritsh back in the 90’s. If you are curious about Mark you can search him on these boards and read several threads about him.

Check out the prices! 75 cellos for $60! 79-80 Topps Hockey wax packs $39! 86-87 Fleer Basketball packs $160!

Those were the days! Lol.





Comments

  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 2,994 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll take a few 1960 rack packs for $450 each!

    Daniel
  • TiborTibor Posts: 3,556 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's a shame the new format doesn't allow you to enlarge the pics.

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’ll take everything except the 1990 leaf

  • robert67robert67 Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭✭

    @Tibor said:
    It's a shame the new format doesn't allow you to enlarge the pics.

    Are the pics small? I did this from my IPhone and they look ok to me.

  • stwainfanstwainfan Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭✭✭

    There was a card store Howard's. It was a big store with a big selection.

    I collect hall of fame rookie cards, https://www.instagram.com/stwainfan/

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,693 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Tibor said:
    It's a shame the new format doesn't allow you to enlarge the pics.

    Right click the photo to open it in a new tab and it will enlarge.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,693 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great stuff!



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • TiborTibor Posts: 3,556 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @robert67 You did fine.
    @grote15 Thanks for the tip. In the old days one could just click on the
    picture and it would magnify.

  • jayhawkejayhawke Posts: 1,306 ✭✭✭

    I bought from Boca cards. I think it was mid to late 90's,maybe early 2000's.

  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 26, 2021 2:00AM

    I once had his $5 wax pack guide book...and it helped teach me among other things that just like with cards, you should check the corners of the wax pack to make sure they look "neatly folded like a present".

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 3,203 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 26, 2021 7:51PM

    My order is placed...

  • FINESTKINDFINESTKIND Posts: 374 ✭✭✭

    Does anyone remember Darren Prince ? He was Mark Murphy's competition. He called himself the Prince of Cards. :D

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Darren.
    Back in the 90s
    Prince once had a few boxes of 1961/62 Fleer BK with Wilt Rc showing and all the jazz!! And a full box of high series 1972 BB 5,6,7th. All for a steal of a price!!. I called Mark and asked if he new Darren and he said everything he is selling is fake and 1972 BB never made a high series containing 5,6,7th. Said dont buy it!! Im pretty sure he was lying to me and I think he ended up buying the boxes himself.

  • dontippetdontippet Posts: 2,606 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm not 100% positive, but while these look like a steal now, these types of ads were usually on the high side of retail. So, back then, these prices were probably a bit on the high side.

    > [Click on this link to see my ebay listings.](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&_udlo=&_udhi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=61611&_sargn=-1&saslc=1&_salic=1&_fss=1&_fsradio=&LH_SpecificSeller=1&_saslop=1&_sasl=mygirlsthree3&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_fosrp=1)
    >

    Successful transactions on the BST boards with rtimmer, coincoins, gerard, tincup, tjm965, MMR, mission16, dirtygoldman, AUandAG, deadmunny, thedutymon, leadoff4, Kid4HOF03, BRI2327, colebear, mcholke, rpcolettrane, rockdjrw, publius, quik, kalinefan, Allen, JackWESQ, CON40, Griffeyfan2430, blue227, Tiggs2012, ndleo, CDsNuts, ve3rules, doh, MurphDawg, tennessebanker, and gene1978.
  • DotStoreDotStore Posts: 702 ✭✭✭✭

    I remember the SCD - I probably have a ton of them in a storage box somewhere. Hall's Nostalgia used to always be on the back cover. I sold a few boxes to the BBC KId. Ahhhh the good 'ol days :smiley:

  • tulsaboytulsaboy Posts: 285 ✭✭✭

    I find it interesting that the same ad has 1982 Topps cello packs with Ripken on top for $125 (not too far off what they sell for now) but also 1962 Topps wax packs for $250 each. Talk about winners and losers over the last couple of decades.
    kevin

  • TabeTabe Posts: 6,061 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Estil said:

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    I believe he lost his entire inventory in a flood or fire, something like that.

  • blurryfaceblurryface Posts: 5,136 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Tabe said:

    @Estil said:

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    I believe he lost his entire inventory in a flood or fire, something like that.

    a “fire”.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,693 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Estil said:
    I once had his $5 wax pack guide book...and it helped teach me among other things that just like with cards, you should check the corners of the wax pack to make sure they look "neatly folded like a present".

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    He had a massive fire at his home in CT and then moved to SD where he was still dealing in cards and Griffey Jr. memorabilia but never anywhere near what he was doing back east. This was also after his second stint as an authenticator at GAI. After a while, he just completely fell off the grid. To my knowledge, he still lives in CA.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • TabeTabe Posts: 6,061 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @blurryface said:

    @Tabe said:

    @Estil said:

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    I believe he lost his entire inventory in a flood or fire, something like that.

    a “fire”.

    Yeah, that was the other half of what I was thinking. I seem to recall he had some, er, "issues" before the loss of his inventory.

  • FINESTKINDFINESTKIND Posts: 374 ✭✭✭

    Darren Prince is a sports and celebrity agent now. He represents icons such as Magic Johnson, Hulk Hogan, Charlie Sheen, Dennis Rodman, Chevy Chase, Denise Richards, Carmen Electra and the late Joe Frazier.

  • beachbumcollectingbeachbumcollecting Posts: 461 ✭✭✭

    @jayhawke said:
    I bought from Boca cards. I think it was mid to late 90's,maybe early 2000's.

    I bought many vending boxes from them in the late 90's. they were awesome. I eventually learned about grading and subbed a lot of the cards from those vending boxes. I think we were paying 150-200 a box for 76,77,78 boxes. 80 boxes were about 40 each. good times!!!

    I have both of murphy's guides around , they were great reference material. I bought the 60 cello that was pictured and we opened it at the shriner's show one year. sadly no yaz!

    I also picked up darren prince's guide off ebay many years ago. that's in storage somewhere too. all I remember is he dressed like vanilla ice in his photo. lol

  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:

    @Estil said:
    I once had his $5 wax pack guide book...and it helped teach me among other things that just like with cards, you should check the corners of the wax pack to make sure they look "neatly folded like a present".

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    He had a massive fire at his home in CT and then moved to SD where he was still dealing in cards and Griffey Jr. memorabilia but never anywhere near what he was doing back east. This was also after his second stint as an authenticator at GAI. After a while, he just completely fell off the grid. To my knowledge, he still lives in CA.

    I meant since the fire.

    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,693 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Estil said:

    @grote15 said:

    @Estil said:
    I once had his $5 wax pack guide book...and it helped teach me among other things that just like with cards, you should check the corners of the wax pack to make sure they look "neatly folded like a present".

    Whatever became of him anyway?

    He had a massive fire at his home in CT and then moved to SD where he was still dealing in cards and Griffey Jr. memorabilia but never anywhere near what he was doing back east. This was also after his second stint as an authenticator at GAI. After a while, he just completely fell off the grid. To my knowledge, he still lives in CA.

    I meant since the fire.

    As I stated above, he's been in CA since then but dropped off he map as a dealer shortly after moving out there.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,246 ✭✭✭✭✭

    the last order i placed with mark murphy was around 2012 or 2013. after that he was off the map as a dealer. he had a very small website that was taken down.

    i would be interested to hear what he does now.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • 19591959 Posts: 626 ✭✭✭

    Anyone know what happened to Polo Grounds? Used to hear from him often. Advertised in SCD.

  • brad31brad31 Posts: 2,783 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1959 said:
    Anyone know what happened to Polo Grounds? Used to hear from him often. Advertised in SCD.

    Polo Grounds was at The National. The Alston I posted in August pick-ups was from him. He switched to graded in the last couple of years. Up until that point all his cards were raw.

  • 19591959 Posts: 626 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Brad. A few years ago I bought a 1956 Ted Williams and Feller from him. They were advertised as Mint. The Feller graded a 7 , The Williams a 9. I was very pleased. Paid 200 for the Feller, 900 for Williams.

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