Scanning my Dodger collection: more Cracker Jacks! (8/29/18)

TNP777 · May 16, 2009 4:10PM

I finally finished scanning my Brett Butler collection, which pretty much interests only me and maybe a few other '80-'90s era player collectors. Actually, it was a lot of fun - I hadn't looked at some of these cards for quite a while - it was nice getting reacquainted with them.

For years though, I've been wanting to scan & catalogue my first love, which was the reason I got back into collecting 15 or so years ago. I've been a huge Dodger fan since I was a little kid, first collecting the '78 set as an 11 & 12 year old. Like most other guys, as I entered high school, cards were forgotten as girls & sports became more important. When I started my family, I got to thinking about cards again and set out on a quest to build Dodger team sets back to my birth year of 1966. As I ventured onto the internet in 1996, I discovered oldbaseball.com and was admitted as a member late that year. Again, my goal was to finish up my team sets from '66 to present, but then all these cards from the 50s started pouring in, and my goals had to change (drastically!). To date, I'm complete from 1953 to present in Topps, and am done with 1948-1955 Bowman. I've also obtained a few '33 Goudeys and T-205 & T-206 cards. I collect all my vintage in well-loved condition, so as I post, you guys that like 'em minty fresh may want to steer clear!

I thought I'd start off with my small tobacco card collection.

T-205 Brooklyn Superbas

T-206 Brooklyn Superbas

nam812 · May 16, 2009 9:10PM

Now those cards have real character. Nice collection Geordie.

EAsports · May 16, 2009 11:22PM

The McInytre and the card immediately above it are absolutely stunning.

I'll sound old, but they don't make 'em like that anymore.

TNP777 · May 17, 2009 12:44AM

csmtampa · May 17, 2009 1:32AM

Beautiful cards - just my style!

BunchOBull · May 17, 2009 1:46AM

I hope these are all in a binder...they make an awesome time line.

TNP777 · May 17, 2009 1:53AM

1948 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers (complete)

1949 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers (complete)

calaban7 · May 17, 2009 1:53AM

Thank you for sharing these . I love it when others post pictures of their collections .

Keep up the good work------- Sonny

TNP777 · May 17, 2009 2:05AM

<< <i>I hope these are all in a binder...they make an awesome time line. >>

Ross - yep, they sure are. Now that I've been scanning these for the past few hours, I've almost forgotten that cards are supposed to have corners!

Elemenopeo · May 17, 2009 2:49AM

Beautiful cards. Thanks for sharing. Go Superbas!

WinPitcher · May 17, 2009 2:54AM

Outstanding!

Steve

paleocards · May 17, 2009 3:49AM

Very cool, Geordie, thanks for sharing! As a life-long Dodger fan (born in Brooklyn the year they left, followed them out to LA in '64) it's great to see their history in cardboard (although these last two weeks have been rough, I am still so angry with Manny...)

Good job,
Andy

bsidegrve · May 17, 2009 4:37AM

I love the '49 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers cards!
Thank you for sharing the scans

TNP777 · May 17, 2009 10:59AM

1950 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers (complete)

1951 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers (complete)

TNP777 · May 19, 2009 4:30AM

For some reason, 57 year old tape is the coolest! I'd forgotten how much I love the '52 Bowman set.

1952 Bowman Brooklyn Dodgers (complete)

cwazzy · May 19, 2009 4:57AM

Awesome! Collecting Brooklyn Dodger cards are a main point of my collection. I've had to narrow it down to one player at a time for now (right now it's Roy Campanella) but my goal is to complete the Decade of Dodgers registry. Though that will be a long process as there are some very tough cards in that set! Good luck and can't wait to see more!

Chris

five7teen · May 19, 2009 5:02AM

Great stuff Geordie - as someone that struggles with "focus" in collecting, I've always admired your devotion to your collection - great cards, exactly what collecting should be...

TNP777 · May 19, 2009 7:47AM

Thanks, Chris & Jason - appreciate the nice comments.

Here's 1953 Black & White and Color - of course the Reese is a wonderful card, but the Hodges is neat too - lots of signage from Ebbets Field in the background.

Josephcb09 · May 19, 2009 8:17AM

Are you trying to sway me towards the 53 set Geordie?

TNP777 · May 19, 2009 8:42AM

Joe, I told you yesterday that that was the one you should do. You can't refuse a beautiful set like that!

MBMiller25 · May 19, 2009 9:00AM

That was awesome. That 52 Campy is sweet. I have never seen that card before. Thanks Alot for sharing these.

TNP777 · May 19, 2009 9:07AM

bman90278 · May 19, 2009 9:14AM

Great collection you have....Thanks for taking the time I really enjoy checking out your scans.

Brian

JeremyDie1 · May 19, 2009 9:35AM

VERY cool collection! Thanks for sharing!!!

WinPitcher · May 19, 2009 9:43AM

Outstanding!!!

Steve

TNP777 · May 19, 2009 10:57AM

ugh - I'm sick of my scanner, sick of cropping, sick of of MS paint. I'm in love with vintage, though!

The Bowman years are done. The three autos in the 55s were obtained in person. Podres wasn't too talkative, Erskine was a blast, and Newcombe was very pleasant, too.

Downtown1974 · May 19, 2009 11:03AM

Geordie, Very nice collection. I hope you continue to update it. These are the kinds of threads we need to see more of.

TNP777 · May 20, 2009 1:24PM

1952 Topps - complete!

cwazzy · May 20, 2009 1:35PM

Nice stuff, once again! '52 Topps is tough for Dodgers (probably for other teams as well but the Dodgers are the only ones that I'm familiar with). It seems like half of them are in the high series, including 3 HOFers! I've got the Campy but I'm not looking forward to shelling out the big bucks for the Reese or Robinson.

TNP777 · May 20, 2009 11:56PM

frankhardy · May 21, 2009 12:08AM

I love it! I pretty much did the same thing with my Cardinals team set collection. I don't have any that have the border missing, but I did get low grade cards on the high dollar cards (ie 1948 Bowman Musial rookie).

How far do you plan on going with this?

If you didn't know, I started out just wanting to get every Topps team set. So, I worked on some older ones, while working down from some of the newer ones. In other words, I worked both directions. I think the last team set I finished was 1961. Anyway, it went from getting just the basic Topps team sets, to getting league leaders, all star cards, multi player rookies, etc. Then I went to Bowman and finished Bowman (vintage and modern). In the meantime, I was getting all Fleer, Donruss, Upper Deck, and Score. You wouldn't think so, but some of those modern ones can be very, very challenging - especially the mid to late 1990's. While working on that, I finished some misc issues like Post Cereal, Jello, Red Man, Kellogg's 3d. Then I went to inserts and test issues from the 1950's to the 1990's (everything from 1955 Topps Double Headers to 1988 Topps Cloth to 1991 Topps Desert Shield.

With my test issues and inserts, it is pretty much at a stand still because the ones I need are so rare that you never see them, and if you do see them, they are too expensive. Now, it's just a matter of picking up a new team set every year when the new cards come out. It has been a blast, and my collection is priceless (well, almost priceless). I have them in albums by category and have 16 (I think) albums full.

Great job, and keep it up!

Edited to say - I can tell you are picky about your scans too. Very good job on the scans.

TNP777 · May 24, 2009 11:42PM

bman90278 · May 24, 2009 11:47PM

Thanks again for sharing these cards with us....I really like the 54 Topps cards you scanned ...Especially the Tommy Lasorda rookie card and its auto. That card is on my long list when I start trying to add Brooklyn cards to my collection.

Brian

heritage · May 25, 2009 1:03AM

Cool cards thanks for all the scans !

TNP777 · June 9, 2009 9:43AM

Finally fired the scanner back up. My favorite Dodger card is the '55 Koufax. It was given to me early on in my reconnection with vintage (around 12 years ago). My goal at the time was to complete every Dodger set from 1960 on up, but not earlier than that. I thought there was no way I'd every have actual Brooklyn Dodger cards (I thought they were going to be very expensive), much less guys like Sandy, Jackie, Pee Wee and Campy. Well, one day I was in a local shop and found a Ryan/Koosman RC for $50 - there was a guy in OBC was missing that card to complete his '68 set, so I got it for him. In OBC, there's a thanks server where the members report what gets sent back & forth, so the completion of the '68 set was duly reported. Another member sent me the Koufax in a "what comes around goes around" gesture. I still remember to this day the thrill and happiness I had as I gazed at the ragged Koufax before me. If I'm ever forced to let my collection go, the Koufax will remain with me. I don't think I can say that about too many other cards in my collection.

relaxed · June 9, 2009 10:57AM

I love the cards that you have scanned for us, thanks. Being that I have lived in Southern California most of my life I have always been a Dodger Fan. One of the reasons I decided to center my collection on 1955 Topps is because of Sandy Koufax and his rookie card. He was so exciting to listening on that transitor radio and especially on TV. I do have an extra Koufax myself so in case I ever sell my collection I will always keep a Koufax card for all the memories that he gave me and my family.

TNP777 · August 22, 2009 12:44AM

Wow, it's been a while since I've updated this page. Finally fired up the ol' scanner - 1956 is up!

matthewbschultz83 · August 22, 2009 3:46AM

Geordie,

What an impressive collection of Dodgers. I really like the fact that several of those cards were "loved" when they were new. It looks like they are being loved again. Sometimes its nice to see raw cards every now and again.

I did the same thing with my team, the Rangers. Fortunately for my wallet the team had only been around since 1972. The 2 most expensive cards were the 1972 Topps Rangers Team Card (high number) and Ted Williams. But I was able to find both under 30. Good luck!

jimrad · August 22, 2009 4:10AM

Geordie,

Awesome job ! It's great reminder of how raw cards are truly beautiful in any condition when displayed in a format like you have.

Keep it up.

bigwilli · August 22, 2009 4:20AM

Great Dodgers collection . If i ever could become more focused in my collecting , I would love to
do the Braves in a less then gradeable condition like that

WinPitcher · August 22, 2009 4:28AM

Yep, outstanding collection.

Nice collector grade cards that can be touched and smelled and look at.

Thanks for sharing Geordie.

Steve

BigRedMachine · August 22, 2009 4:38AM

Love the cards, Geordie, thanks for sharing.

Great story on the Koufax card. That card, along with the Rose rookie, have always been my two favorites. I own neither, but will someday.

shawn

Stone193 · August 22, 2009 4:39AM

Hi Geordie

The 56T Dodger set is the best!

Being a Dodger fan back in the 50s, it brought back great memories - it's kind of weird to live on a block where some kids are for the Yanks, others for the Giants and then the best - the Dodger fan!

This is complete right? Great project.

mike

EB22 · August 22, 2009 4:43AM

WOW!!! That is a GREAT collection!!!

Thank you very much for sharing all those scans

Are you from Brooklyn?

We need more threads like this, very nice treat...

TNP777 · August 22, 2009 5:30AM

Matt, thanks for the compliments. Since the Rangers weren't born until '72, I suggest open up your wallet and go back the '61 Senators, which is the beginning of your franchise!

Jim, thanks! It's really easy to forget how cool the cards are when they're shut up inside a binder. It's been nice rediscovering them.

bigwilli, I think you'd find it a lot of fun to collect raggedy vintage. Prices are very reasonable for the most part, and you'll find a lot of cool traders along the way.

Steve, thanks! I'm having a great time sharing it!

Shawn, thanks - good to see you! I do love my Koufax, and I do happen to have a McMullen (Rose) RC, too. I'll be showing it off at some point in the future.

Hi Mike! Yes the set is complete. All of my Dodger sets are done except '52 Topps.

Gio, thanks for the nice compliments. No, I'm not from Brooklyn. I'm an Oregon-grown Dodger fan.

1957, which happens to be my favorite set, is next - the scanner is warming up!

MLRMLEO · August 22, 2009 5:45AM

Great cards, the 53 set is one of my favs. Let the 57s begin! Go Blue!

GoDodgersFan · August 22, 2009 5:46AM

Very nice and thanks for sharing. You can enjoy this hobby without spending crazy money.

I am a little too young for the vintage stuff, but it does bring back great memories of watching
my Dodgers back in the 70s.

TNP777 · August 22, 2009 6:53AM

The 1957 set is my all time favorite baseball set, followed closely by the 1953 Bowman Color. The ballpark photography is really cool in some shots; you can see many background shots of Ebbets Field. Roughly 12 years ago, I attended a Tri-Star show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. I made a deal with Roger Neufeldt for the Koufax 3rd year and the Drysdale RC for $50. At the time, that seemed like a LOT of money to me, and in hindsight it may have been. Over the years I learned to be a lot more patient in my chase for beat-up cardboard. However, I was so stoked to have an early Koufax card (I hadn't yet received the surprise '55 RC) and the Drysdale RC that I didn't feel too bad about forking over the money. Years later, I decided I liked the set so much that I made the choice to go beyond just the Dodgers. After Bobby Richardson was finally put in place, the '57 set became my oldest complete set, followed by the '74 set! Quite a gap, eh?

bman90278 · August 22, 2009 12:54PM

Geordie, Very glad to see some updates on your Dodgers collection. Keep em coming.

Brian

jerster01 · August 22, 2009 1:07PM

nice!

TNP777 · August 23, 2009 1:33AM

I had fun with the 58s. I forgot I had the Fence Busters card, so that was a pleasant surprise. I also think there may have been some sort of variation with the set. The main set had four borders, and then Topps cleverly came out with a nod to the '53 set, creating a parallel with only three borders. Man, I must have the market cornered on three-bordered Dodgers!

Scanning my Dodger collection: more Cracker Jacks! (8/29/18)

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