1976 Carousel disc collectors (or if you know about Carousel discs) HELP PLEASE

MCMLVTopps

I collect Luis Tiant cards and currently have the #1 Tiant Master Set. In the course of collecting the varous cards for this set, I obtained many 1976 and 1977 discs. It happens that in 1976 Carousel (I have no clue on the history of this company), began to issue Carousel discs at various locations. The discs were stamped on the back with the venue where the disc came from. I have attached an example of a 1976 Carousel from Memphis, TN and Lexington, KY. Both have obviously been graded and have two different cert #s.

It is pertinent to note that there is a 3rd line clearly available on the red tag to enter the name of Memphis, or Lexington or any of the other seventeen cities where these discs were available and issued in1976. One can see that with the exception of the cert #s, the two discs appear identical until you look at the other attached scan, which shows the back of the discs and the stamp indicating Memphis and Lexington.

These two discs were part of a 15 card submission I recently got back from PSA. Obviously the grades are a non-issue. My inquiry to PSA was "why not add the city to the 3rd line of the red tag". The response I got was that because the Carousel discs did not appear in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards individually, that PSA would not be adding the city in the tag line...although there is more than ample room.

I further inquired as to how PSA would treat my request to add these two discs (and other cards) to the composition of the Tiant Master Set. The response was again that because the Baseball catalog mentioned above did not indicate these discs with individual cities, that only one would be added to the composition. I find it odd that on one hand PSA acknowledges that the two discs are different, because they issued two different cert #s, but will NOT add both cards to the composition.

So, what is the point of trying to obtain the other '76 Tiant Carousel discs if they will not be added to the composition? This for the simple reason that the SC of BC does not have them listed within its guide?

I think PSA should indeed add the city on the 3rd line of the red tag, and add any and all different 1976 Carousel discs that pass through their grading system to this or any other set composition if so requested.

Call me crazy, what am I missing? Is contacting Joe in order, or am I wasting my time?

Thanks for all responses.
Al

mikeschmidt

In collecting these for Schmidts, I thought that there were potentially dozens of cities listed.

If you want to collect them some way, so be it. You should not let the Registry impact your collecting style. I think it is kind of silly to have every kind of variation noted -- and I think that city is too granular, in my personal opinion.

But that just my $0.02. As for my Schmidt collection, I'm happy to keep all my variations that PSA may not grade or distinguish, for which Carousel Discs is an example.

Marc

favoritethings

Firstly, Each card/item gets its own holder and therefore its own cert # - If you look at the front of the holder and the pop report you will see both were lumped simply as 1976 Carousel discs. While from a purist stand point I understand your desire to have all the cities added, my own opinion is that would be way beyond the scope of the registry. That said, as the person before me commented, don't let the registry define your collection - go for as many cities as you can find! I collect Clemente items and probably 25% of the items I own wouldn't fit in a psa holder. I also empathize with your frustration with PSA's connection to the SC of BC - They do however need some objective resource. Be well. Happy collecting.

-Howard

bobsbbcards

From the numbering on the back of your discs, it seems likely that there are upwards of 400-500 different Carousel backs. I agree with the "too granular" comment, but like the other posters said--if you want to try and collect each one, knock yourself out.

Edited to add: The stamps on the back seem like post-production additions to the disc (i.e., they were produced as blank-backed discs and the Carousel stamp was added by each individual location). If so, then it would be like collecting a particular stamp with every possible postmark (blackhole-ish).

NickM

In an ideal world, it would be separately distinguished. Most collectors aren't concerned enough with the variations - and considering that Carousel, Zip'z, etc. ran into the dozens or hundreds of franchises that could have all stamped the backs of discs, I don't expect it to happen.

I can't even get the 3 different back colors of R423s distinguished (purple, green, and orange) on flips.

Nick

kingnascar

OMG, I worked at that Carousel Snack Bar in Memphis when I was a kid. I was 16 and the whole reason I went to work there was to get the disks. I think you had to buy a hot dog, large popcorn or ice cream cone to get a disk. One disk per person. As I recall, we got a huge box of blank backed disks and had to stamp them by hand. There were thousands of disks in the box. Our manager Dean, an older lady, let me take home several sets, both blank backed and stamped. I traded many of my disk sets for other sets like Holiday Inn, Isaly's, and Buckmans at the time with folks in the SCD. No email back then and I had to write everyone. I had so many different disk sets thanks to the Carousel Snack Bar. There is a good chance I stamped that very disk and/or it may have come from my original collection. That is so cool.
The Carousel Snack Bar is long gone and the Raleigh Springs Mall is about gone itself, but the fond memories of those days are alive in me.

Seems like yesterday. I miss those days.

Very cool disks and grades. Good luck finding other backs.

Congrats,
Logan













<< <i>I collect Luis Tiant cards and currently have the #1 Tiant Master Set. In the course of collecting the varous cards for this set, I obtained many 1976 and 1977 discs. It happens that in 1976 Carousel (I have no clue on the history of this company), began to issue Carousel discs at various locations. The discs were stamped on the back with the venue where the disc came from. I have attached an example of a 1976 Carousel from Memphis, TN and Lexington, KY. Both have obviously been graded and have two different cert #s.

It is pertinent to note that there is a 3rd line clearly available on the red tag to enter the name of Memphis, or Lexington or any of the other seventeen cities where these discs were available and issued in1976. One can see that with the exception of the cert #s, the two discs appear identical until you look at the other attached scan, which shows the back of the discs and the stamp indicating Memphis and Lexington.

These two discs were part of a 15 card submission I recently got back from PSA. Obviously the grades are a non-issue. My inquiry to PSA was "why not add the city to the 3rd line of the red tag". The response I got was that because the Carousel discs did not appear in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards individually, that PSA would not be adding the city in the tag line...although there is more than ample room.

I further inquired as to how PSA would treat my request to add these two discs (and other cards) to the composition of the Tiant Master Set. The response was again that because the Baseball catalog mentioned above did not indicate these discs with individual cities, that only one would be added to the composition. I find it odd that on one hand PSA acknowledges that the two discs are different, because they issued two different cert #s, but will NOT add both cards to the composition.

So, what is the point of trying to obtain the other '76 Tiant Carousel discs if they will not be added to the composition? This for the simple reason that the SC of BC does not have them listed within its guide?

I think PSA should indeed add the city on the 3rd line of the red tag, and add any and all different 1976 Carousel discs that pass through their grading system to this or any other set composition if so requested.

Call me crazy, what am I missing? Is contacting Joe in order, or am I wasting my time?

Thanks for all responses.
Al


>>

MCMLVTopps

Logan...

Nice story. If you did stamp this one, it's in good hands.

Al

kingnascar

Al,
You inspired me. Went to my storage today to look for my Carousel set. I found amongst some other disk issues. This is the only one I have left. I may get it graded one day. Here is a scan.



I love disks.

Logan

divecchia

<< <i>From the numbering on the back of your discs, it seems likely that there are upwards of 400-500 different Carousel backs. I agree with the "too granular" comment, but like the other posters said--if you want to try and collect each one, knock yourself out.

Edited to add: The stamps on the back seem like post-production additions to the disc (i.e., they were produced as blank-backed discs and the Carousel stamp was added by each individual location). If so, then it would be like collecting a particular stamp with every possible postmark (blackhole-ish). >>



I'm with Bob on this...Donato

MCMLVTopps

Not to beat this to death, but the # stamped on the back of the discs is a non-issue and does not mean 400-500 Carousel stores issued discs

My research shows that 1976 Carousel discs were only issued for the following cities...

Adiran, MI; Akron, OH; Anaheim, CA; Anchorage, AK; Canton, OH; Champaign, IL; Davenport, IA; Deptford, NJ; Englewood, CO; Federal Way, WA; Lexington, KY; Madison, WI; Memphis, TN; Minneapolis, MN; Omaha, NB; Redding, CA; Sacramento, CA; Saginaw, MI; and Youngstown OH.

If anyone has a source showing more than the above, I'd be interested in seeing the link. And yes, I still think PSA should allow the 19 cities above into the Registry as separate entries, not lump all Carousel discs into one big pile.

Al

Justus

<< <i> And yes, I still think PSA should allow the 19 cities above into the Registry as separate entries, not lump all Carousel discs into one big pile.

Al >>



If they came off the printing presses with factory store designations on them, I would agree with you. But not for rubber stamps. As kingnascar pointed out these came to the stores blank, so I'm sure there are blank ones out there that someone could get rubber stamps made and start stamping the ones he didn't have.

MCMLVTopps

so I'm sure there are blank ones out there that someone could get rubber stamps made and start stamping the ones he didn't have.

Somebody would really have to be seriously hard up to go to the trouble of having rubber stamps made to create bogus discs. I doubt there is much of a market for Carousel discs, and very limited at best. I do however see your point.

I don't plan to collect any other Carousel discs. I have enough Tiant discs that are clearly marked and need only one or two more discs to complete the Tianta Master Compositon.

mikeschmidt

Be that as it may -- there has been a small number of scandals in the pre-war market for overprinted cards -- some E94s, some T206s, etc.

It is possible, it is not unprecedented, and it is easy to execute...

MCMLVTopps

Again, the market for discs is minimal, if not miniscule. Do you really think somebody is gonna go have a rubber stamp made just to stamp a 1976 Carousel disc? These are light-years from E94s or T206s. You are trying to compare apples to oranges...besides, where on earth is somebody at this point in time gonna find a bunch of blank Carousel discs from 34 years ago?

DavidPuddy

I think there are a few that would command a premium. I'm sure Munson collectors would pay nicely for a Carousel Disc stamped with Canton OH. on the back.

Don't forget that the 1976 MSA Customized Sports Discs are blank backed, so it wouldn't be that difficult to make your own Carousels.

Boopotts

<< <i>Again, the market for discs is minimal, if not miniscule. Do you really think somebody is gonna go have a rubber stamp made just to stamp a 1976 Carousel disc? >>



In fact, yes I do. You can get a stamp made for $10, and within three weeks you could flood Ebay with hundreds of PSA 10 'pop 1's. Hell, you could make up NEW Carousel Snack Bars if you wanted to. Who would ever know?

There's a reason that PSA is reluctant to recognize post-production alterations.