Is Bill "King of the Commons" Henderson still around? Or someone else like him?

Estil

Like are there any dealers out there (like Bill Henderson from years ago) whose specialty is to fill wishlists of commons from say, 80s or 70s or earlier to help you complete or upgrade sets? See the wishlist below in my sig for the 74s and 73s I'm lacking? Is there a go-to guy/dealer that specializes in this kind of thing?

gameusedhoop

COMC?
Haven't used them in years but it was pretty efficient when I did. You can buy from multiple sellers at the same time and in the same order. Each seller got their own order and shipped directly to me. Sort of an Amazon like set up.

frankhardy

I use Sportlots on a regular basis.

Those 73 and 74 Topps should be easy to find almost anywhere including Ebay. I would have those finished by the end of the day!

82FootballWaxMemorys

@gameusedhoop said:
COMC?
Haven't used them in years but it was pretty efficient when I did. You can buy from multiple sellers at the same time and in the same order. Each seller got their own order and shipped directly to me. Sort of an Amazon like set up.

I've only purchased form them 2 or 3 times via eBay, but recall reading in this forum that they take 90-120 days to ship items ordered via their COMC website. Not sure that pertains to their 3rd party sellers.

GroceryRackPack

I first met Bill at the '93 National when it was at the McCormick Place in Chicago...

Bill was A Pretty Cool guy...👍

Estil

@frankhardy said:
I use Sportlots on a regular basis.

Those 73 and 74 Topps should be easy to find almost anywhere including Ebay. I would have those finished by the end of the day!

Is this sort of like an Ebay but only of trading cards? Just like how you have Wikipedia and all those other "pedias" that go into further detail about things the regular wiki does not?

Turns out I had a profile/account there all this time, but apparently I made it waaaaaay back sometime in the mid-late 2000s when i lived at the address that was on the account...I don't suppose I can change my username can I? "Estil101" sounds kinda lame and I usually use "Estil17" (17 is the day I got married)

RonSportscards

@82FootballWaxMemorys said:

@gameusedhoop said:
COMC?
Haven't used them in years but it was pretty efficient when I did. You can buy from multiple sellers at the same time and in the same order. Each seller got their own order and shipped directly to me. Sort of an Amazon like set up.

I've only purchased form them 2 or 3 times via eBay, but recall reading in this forum that they take 90-120 days to ship items ordered via their COMC website. Not sure that pertains to their 3rd party sellers.

They have caught up already a while ago and that long delay may have been for very large orders.
I had a 7 card lot and it took 3 days from request to shipped.

Estil

Hey how about this pkerplyr guy at sportslot? He seems to have quite the inventory of commons of all the different years I'm looking for? I like how with him I think if he has multiples of a card, you can see the pics and choose which one you like best...I can't imagine how long it would take to scan all those cards...

I'm also trying looking through the "Preferred Sellers list" (how anyone can manage an inventory of over a million cards I'll never know...) and I like how when you right click on one of the dealers (I do this so it opens a new browser tab; yes I'm old fashioned and use a computer, not a phone/tablet) and it shows on the left side how many cards of each year they have so in my case I need someone (like pkerplyr) who has a strong inventory of the Silver Age (1970-80, especially need/want ones from first half of that decade)

judgebuck

I met Bill Henderson years ago (probably 1990s, maybe 1980s) at card shows in St. Louis.

He was truly the King of Commons and had fair prices.

Estil

@judgebuck said:
I met Bill Henderson years ago (probably 1990s, maybe 1980s) at card shows in St. Louis.

He was truly the King of Commons and had fair prices.

Key word is was. That's why I'm asking if pkerplyr at sportslot or maybe someone else that could be my new go-to guy for getting comings from the Silver Age (1970-80) to help complete or upgrade my sets.

ArtVandelay

Be careful on sportslots. There are some sellers who actually list their cards with the appropriate condition of the card but more often than not you will receive NM cards that are Poor to EX.

I have had success on that site as I am a 70's set collector but it was only after finding some good sellers.

The last few cards are the biggest pain in the neck. I've gone 10+ years looking for NM commons for my 70's sets and slowly chipped away until hitting roadblocks on the last cards for the sets. I doubt I will ever complete these sets with the last upgrades I need.

coinspacks

Just order a sampling of cards from different sellers and see which ones you agree with their grading.

His grading is pretty good
https://www.gfg.com/
And
https://www.the-battersbox.net/

Langy

I dusted off my 1973 cards have the following: 63,64,66,152, 237,257, 377, 379, 422,453,497, and 580. Let me know if you are inters tested. Jonathan_langifeld@comcast.net

Estil

@ArtVandelay said:
Be careful on sportslots. There are some sellers who actually list their cards with the appropriate condition of the card but more often than not you will receive NM cards that are Poor to EX.

I have had success on that site as I am a 70's set collector but it was only after finding some good sellers.

The last few cards are the biggest pain in the neck. I've gone 10+ years looking for NM commons for my 70's sets and slowly chipped away until hitting roadblocks on the last cards for the sets. I doubt I will ever complete these sets with the last upgrades I need.

All the more reason I asked for specific recommendations.

smallstocks

Was he from Wisconsin?

GroceryRackPack

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

smallstocks

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

I remember buying a lot of 100 1972 Topps high numbers from him in the late 70's. He shipped them in a small box and the cards came curled up. I put them under heavy books for weeks and they straightened out. Fast forward to 2004 when I got back into the hobby. I discovered card grading, sent them off to PSA, and got numerous 9's and some 10's. The cards were immaculate.

GroceryRackPack

@smallstocks said:

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

I remember buying a lot of 100 1972 Topps high numbers from him in the late 70's. He shipped them in a small box and the cards came curled up. I put them under heavy books for weeks and they straightened out. Fast forward to 2004 when I got back into the hobby. I discovered card grading, sent them off to PSA, and got numerous 9's and some 10's. The cards were immaculate.

I typed earlier when I first met Bill at the 93 National...Bill's tables Were Filled To The Gills with Cards... Just Massive Piles & Boxes...It was almost Too Crazy to see something like that...

ElMagoStrikeZone

Bill was a gift to those of us who hustled large accumulations and flipped quickly. We had him on speed dial for quite awhile. I remember that '93 National in Chicago, too. Had to go home early because I ran out of money and space to carry notebooks.

GroceryRackPack

@ElMagoStrikeZone said:
Bill was a gift to those of us who hustled large accumulations and flipped quickly. We had him on speed dial for quite awhile. I remember that '93 National in Chicago, too. Had to go home early because I ran out of money and space to carry notebooks.

At the end of the day...I was Loaded Up like a Pack Mule...👍

GroceryRackPack

I still have My Relics from that day...

JoeBanzai

@GroceryRackPack said:
I still have My Relics from that day...

Hey, I have that stuff too!

Those were the days!

Langy

Estil, sorry typed wrong email yesterday. s/b. Jonathan_langfield@comcast.net

BTW, I used Bill Henderson years ago in the 80's typed in his name and found this thread. I responded to your response to me. Not sure you got it. Technological imbecile here! Thanks

mccardguy1

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

He was actually in the city of Janesville. Living close to there I was able to get a few cards from him that I needed by meeting up with him in town.

GroceryRackPack

@mccardguy1 said:

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

He was actually in the city of Janesville. Living close to there I was able to get a few cards from him that I needed by meeting up with him in town.

Is the cow still there in front of the Janesville Oasis restaurant/diner?

gemint

To (maybe) answer the original question, Bill Henderson is retired and living in Florida according to a post on Net54.

bgr

@GroceryRackPack said:

@mccardguy1 said:

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

He was actually in the city of Janesville. Living close to there I was able to get a few cards from him that I needed by meeting up with him in town.

Is the cow still there in front of the Janesville Oasis restaurant/diner?

Bessie? Haha. I don’t think the Oasis has been there for a while, but the cow was in Janesville last time I was through there in maybe 2017. I’m pretty sure they moved it though.

Stone193

I think I remember him being at the 1992 National.

Here's an ad from Tuff Stuff. He used to place ads in SCD also.

For nostalgia - here it is.

BBBrkrr

Tuff Stuff....

Those were the days.

carlclarktv

I was sad to hear that the Perkins Restaurant on Milton Avenue in Janesville closed a few years ago.

flcardtrader

@BBBrkrr said:
Tuff Stuff....

Those were the days.

That and Sports Collectors Digest that you would have to go to the local newstand to get.

Yup, those were definitely the days!

Estil

So I'm browsing sportslots some and it is neat how you can hover your mouse pointer (yes I'm old fashioned and use a desktop/keyboard/mouse but I like using a nice big(?) 42 inch screen) and it'll zoom in and let you easily check the corners of the card without having to click on it (if that makes sense)...I must say though so far I've seen some rather loose definitions of "Near Mint" (especially on 1971) so far...

Tibor

@carlclarktv said:
I was sad to hear that the Perkins Restaurant on Milton Avenue in Janesville closed a few years ago.

Ours closed in Johnson City, Tn. ealy January 2020. Broke my
moms heart. She loved their pancakes and coffee. When the
store opened in 1976 I was one of the starters. Busboy/ dishwasher.
Wage was $1.50 /hr.

RonSportscards

@Estil said:
I must say though so far I've seen some rather loose definitions of "Near Mint" (especially on 1971) so far...

I checked out the 2 mentioned by the other poster and the gfg dealer had a lot of overgraded cards.
I've dealt with batters-box and their grades are accurate except be aware, they don't factor in centering.
Some other dealers don't have pictures, and to me, I don't see how people can buy from them.
I've dealt with maybe 5 dealers on Beckett Marketplace and got burned from every one them.
I recently picked up some OPC cards from a couple ebay dealers in Canada and got screwed.
One went so far as to photoshop their listing pic of $2 commons.
The lengths some of the guys go to dump their junk on people. NmMt you say? Yeah, right.

Harnessracing

@GroceryRackPack said:
I still have My Relics from that day...

That’s pretty cool still having those items. I don’t know if I went to that one myself or not. They sort of all blend together in my memory

carlclarktv

@Tibor said:

@carlclarktv said:
I was sad to hear that the Perkins Restaurant on Milton Avenue in Janesville closed a few years ago.

Ours closed in Johnson City, Tn. ealy January 2020. Broke my
moms heart. She loved their pancakes and coffee. When the
store opened in 1976 I was one of the starters. Busboy/ dishwasher.
Wage was $1.50 /hr.

I worked the Janesville one and the three in Madison for 11+ years and miss the running around! One of the Madison locations closed also. My first job was busboy at $3.35 and hour and after 1 1/2 years, got a .05 raise! Lol.

ReedDACW

My old boss Steve Hart at BBCE sells raw vintage under the eBay handle bbcexchange3. Steve is a very accurate grader and always errs on the side of caution, being careful not to override. Their feedback along with record low return rates means they're doing something right. Steve then trained a couple of employees to grade and price properly, and they seem to move a decent amount of cards per day.

Estil

@ReedDACW said:
My old boss Steve Hart at BBCE sells raw vintage under the eBay handle bbcexchange3. Steve is a very accurate grader and always errs on the side of caution, being careful not to override. Their feedback along with record low return rates means they're doing something right. Steve then trained a couple of employees to grade and price properly, and they seem to move a decent amount of cards per day.

Okay see I didn't know he had anything like this.

ReedDACW

@Estil said:

@ReedDACW said:
My old boss Steve Hart at BBCE sells raw vintage under the eBay handle bbcexchange3. Steve is a very accurate grader and always errs on the side of caution, being careful not to override. Their feedback along with record low return rates means they're doing something right. Steve then trained a couple of employees to grade and price properly, and they seem to move a decent amount of cards per day.

Okay see I didn't know he had anything like this.

Hope you find some cards you need for your collection! I know they add cards to their eBay store from time to time, usually during slower times of the year.

Estil

@ReedDACW said:

@Estil said:

@ReedDACW said:
My old boss Steve Hart at BBCE sells raw vintage under the eBay handle bbcexchange3. Steve is a very accurate grader and always errs on the side of caution, being careful not to override. Their feedback along with record low return rates means they're doing something right. Steve then trained a couple of employees to grade and price properly, and they seem to move a decent amount of cards per day.

Okay see I didn't know he had anything like this.

Hope you find some cards you need for your collection! I know they add cards to their eBay store from time to time, usually during slower times of the year.

When exactly are the "slower times of the year?" And I did cross off a few off my list!

mccardguy1

@GroceryRackPack said:

@mccardguy1 said:

@GroceryRackPack said:

@smallstocks said:
Was he from Wisconsin?

I wanna say close to Janesville WI...

He was actually in the city of Janesville. Living close to there I was able to get a few cards from him that I needed by meeting up with him in town.

Is the cow still there in front of the Janesville Oasis restaurant/diner?

The oasis is gone but the cow is still there and its still HUGE.