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Disappointing day at Frank & Sons

I'm sure at least one of the board members are familiar with the Frank & Sons show in Walnut, California (Southern
California). I stopped by today armed and ready to purchase some cards. I left empty handed. The only mid to high
grade card from the 1960s and prior (back to the 30s) was a Nolan Ryan Rookie Card in PSA 5 that the seller
wanted $400.00! (The last two PSA 5 on ebay sold for $200.00 and $245.00). Now, I wasn't expecting to see a bunch
of mid to high grade cards from the 30s, 40s or 50s. However, I saw so few vintage cards (graded or otherwise)
that I left depressed. I recall the last time I stopped by (well over a year ago), I saw a 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie in
PSA 4. Seller wanted $6,000.00. I thought he was crazy. It's obvious that I am the one who is crazy.

1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 2 - $7,500.00
1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 3 - $11,200.00
1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 2 - $7,600.00

However, I saw so many BGS 10s (and all of them had subgrades on the FRONT as opposed to the back) that my
visit all but assured me that I should run and don't walk away from BGS graded cards. This one guy had so many
BGS 10 graded cards that you would think he had every one in existence. Truly amazing. Seriously, do these cards
have anywhere to go but down?

The day wasn't a total waste as I stopped by Tiffany's and then had a great dinner at Blue Coral Seafood & Spirits at
Fashion Island. If you are ever in the area (Newport Beach), you should check it out.

Blue Coral Seafood

/s/ JackWESQ ... sticking to combing ebay for mid to high grade vintage cards.
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Comments

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good post, Jack. Those Lajoie cards have really appreciated since your last visit, wow! Another example that scarcity and rarity ultimately rule over the trendy pick-ups (Olbermann blank backs, GU, Autos, etc.) at the end of the day.

    Man, heritagesportsgalleries' FB is much worse than I'd have thought! Has anyone here dealt with them before? Seems very lame for such a high-flying outfit to have so many unhappy customers. image


    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.
  • MorrellManMorrellMan Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭
    Maraya used to always set up there near the back. She always has a good selection of quality cards and there used to be a couple of others as well - but, by and large, I'd agree that you have to sift through a lot of shiny stuff in scratched and clouded display cases to find any good stuff. There is one guy there, I don't remember his name, but I think he was Asian, with common binders from the 50s and 60s with reasonable prices. I guess it's possible his binders have been pretty well picked through for quality by now, though.
    Mark (amerbbcards)


    "All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
  • Carew29Carew29 Posts: 4,025 ✭✭

    I was one of those "pickers" as well as a friend of mine by the name of Kurt. That show put every card shop out of business within the last 10 years. Used to be good show, now it's a dying quail. Maraya is overpriced, Chris Weber only cares about NAXCOM. There is an Italian guy(late 50's) that has a table right next to Chris's, he has clean vintage stuff but always wanted full book. Glad ebay came around when it did.
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