Posted on 07/10/2012 10:51:44 AM PDT by Colofornian
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Karl Kissner picked up a soot- covered cardboard box that had been under a wooden dollhouse in his grandfather's attic. Taking a look inside, he saw baseball cards bundled with twine. They were smaller than the ones he was used to seeing.
But some of the names were familiar: Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Honus Wagner.
Then he put the box on a dresser and went back to digging through the attic.
It wasn't until two weeks later that he learned that his family had come across what experts say is one of the biggest, most exciting finds in the history of sports card collecting, a discovery probably worth millions.
The cards are from an extremely rare series issued around 1910. The few known to exist are in so-so condition at best, with faded images and worn edges. But the ones from the attic in the Ohio town of Defiance are nearly pristine, untouched for more than a century. The colors are vibrant, the borders crisp and white.
"It's like finding the Mona Lisa in the attic" Kissner said.
Sports card experts who authenticated the find say they may never see something this impressive again.
"Every future find will ultimately be compared to this," said Joe Orlando, president of Professional Sports Authenticator.
The best of the bunch – 37 cards – are expected to bring a total of $500,000 when they are sold at auction in August during the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore. There are about 700 cards in all that could be worth up to $3 million, experts say. They include such legends as Christy Mathewson and Connie Mack.
Kissner and his family say the cards belonged to their grandfather, Carl Hench, who died in the 1940s...
(Excerpt) Read more at ksl.com ...
I suppose millions have a story like this, but everytime I think of it, it still hurts. Around 1959 when I was about 12 my Dad was cleaning out the garage one autumn day.
He came upon my brothers and my 500 or so baseball cards...some going back to my Dad’s original collection in the 1930s...he said “you guys don’t want this junk anymore, do you”?
He was burning fall leaves...and threw the cards on top the fire.
I want to cry just thinking about it.
I once had a fairly good collection around 1956 or 57. I have no idea what ever happened to them. Things like that just seem to disappear. Probably no valuable ones anyway.
So the guy takes his collection to the Pawn Stars, asks for five grand for the whole lot, and Big Hoss says, “I dunno, lemme see what the Old Man says.”
...or, “I couldn’t come close to that. I’ll give you like a 100 bucks for them”
Then he says the most he can pay is $2500.
Then the guy says , OK and goes and blows it at the craps table.
I have got a few footlockers full of baseball cards from the 60s, 70s an 80s. I even have a Babe Ruth baseball card.
Well heck, cash them in and buy yourself an “r”.
I am so stinkin’ jealous of everybody who has an attic. There is always the possibility of finding something special in one.
All I can figure is they are so desperate for cash to blow in the casinos they'll take anything.
Yeah, they want quick cash so they’ll sell at a discount.
I’m also sure that the show auditions people and winnows them down to highlight the most interesting stuff.
I used to collect cards in the late 60s and early 70s. Sold them as a junior in high school for about $20 and thought I’d made out like a bandit. Somehow, a few strays showed up in an attic after a couple of moves. One was a Topps 1973 Roberto Clemente (issued before his death but had his final career stats -3,000 hits - on the back). I have no idea what it is worth today but I can’t imagine it’s worth more than $50.
Any siblings that recently bought a house on a beach in Florida?
LMAO!!!
I never will get over my Mom tossing out my GI Joe collection. Bless her soul, but she was clueless in that area.
I am waiting for the house I grew up in to go on the market. Being a Realtor near Grand Rapids, MI, I have thousands of baseball cards stored in an attic before we moved and they have been buried under 20 inches of insulation since I moved 30 years ago. In that collection are my fathers and grandfathers baseball cards as well as mine. It would be fun to see if the cards are still there
I was the youngest and none of my siblings were crooked.
I do suspect a couple of my Nephews swiped some of my stuff. In fact I know one of them did.
Mostly things I had left at the house after I got married and lived a good distance away.
I've always wondered that, too. If I had taken something in and the expert said it was worth $4,000 and Rick offers me $2,000, I'm out of there and heading to an on-line auction. I'd set the reserve at $3,000 and hope for more. If it didn't sell, then I might take it back to Rick and accept his offer. The good stuff that comes through that pawnshop is worth enough to invest a little time in selling.
I know that Rick and Company aren't running a charity and need to make a profit but hey, that works both ways. I don't get a deduction if I sell it to them at a bargain price nor am I helping some worthy cause - just lining their pockets.
When I was a kid in the early 60’s we had a big moving box filled with “old” BBCards. We used to stand in the alley and get another kid to “pour” the box of cards down on us and pretend it was raining. What I wouldn’t give to have that box today.
Mine has dead squirrels and wasps
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