The Post War Cards Newsletter #19
Bowman's 1940's Collectors Club, PSA Baseball Grading, A Pricey Penny Wrapper, 1940 Superman #1, And A Mars Attacks Book
This week, we’ll be covering: The Collector from Bowman’s Picture Card Collectors Club, PSA grading distributions for Topps Baseball cards, a really pricey 1953 Topps wrapper, one of the highest graded 1940 Superman card #1’s, and the 2012 Topps Mars Attacks book.
👥 Bowman’s Picture Card Collectors Club
I’ve always heard rumblings that Bowman tried having a collectors club. Then I saw a 5-Star Series Picture Card Collectors Club box at the 2024 National (the same logo is on the back of 1950 Bowman baseball and football cards).
Well, The Trader Speaks to the rescue. The July 1976 issue reprinted what was apparently the only magazine Bowman ever published for the club called The Collector. TTS said they got it from a Pennsylvania collector named Dr. Rober Weisberg, and they said it was from the late 1940s (the Wild West set has a 1949 copyright).
Because of the size limitations for pictures in a newsletter, here are links to full-sized images of The Collector via The Trader Speaks that are easier to read: Page 1 and Page 2.
⚾️ 1952-1995 Topps Baseball PSA Grade Distributions
Stephen Benzell (@AllTheCubs and AllTheCubs.com) shared this incredible collecting aid he put together on X back on January 21st.
Here’s his description:
When I'm deciding what grade to pursue for a certain card, affordability obviously matters a lot. But I also look at the grade distribution. The chart below shows how the PSA grades are distributed for every Topps set 1952-1995. The colors indicate how many standard deviations from the mean that grade is. Green is within one SD, either 0.5 below or above the average. I generally collect within the green and light blue area, with the high end of the light blue being the goal.
The conversation on X highlighted the impact of the 1971 Topps black borders, the glut of 1993 Derek Jeter rookies, and the outlier that 1985 Topps PSA 10 cards are compared to the rest of the 80s.
✍️ Great Hobby Writing
SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee: The Confectionery Keystone, part 1 & part 2
Sports Collectors Daily: World’s Most Complete Collection of Jewish Players on Baseball Cards Started 49 Years Ago with 1 Pack
Signature Stories: The most wonderful time of the (sports) year
Topps Ripped: 1971 Topps Football | Set Design
Cards As I See Them: is it archives if it's not? and The Shlabotnik Report: Getting 2024 Topps Archives Out Of My System
The Topps Archives: Why Do You Think They Call It Dopey?
Night Owl Cards: Worth comparing
⚾ Unopened Item Of The Week - A 1953 Topps Baseball Penny Wrapper
This sale surprised me to the upside; a 1953 Topps Baseball 1-cent dated (a non-dated version exists as well) wax wrapper sold for $1,900 (a best offer from a $2,500 listing) on eBay on January 3rd. I was surprised because that price was significantly higher than the $1200 a 5-cent display box sold for on eBay just a few weeks earlier.
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📝 On The Blog
Jan 23, 2025: The Finer Points of Baseball For Everyone Instructional Booklets
Jan 24, 2025: Dick Perez’s Original Artwork For The 1989 Donruss Bobby Bonilla Diamond Kings Card
Jan 25, 2025: 1930s Dizzy Dean Grape-Nuts Cereal Advertisements: A Glimpse Into Gashouse Gang Glory
Jan 26, 2025: Robert Laughlin’s 1976 Gems: Fleer Baseball Firsts and Indianapolis Clowns
Jan 27, 2025: The Extremely Rare How To Play Better Basketball Booklets
Jan 28, 2025: What You Missed in a 1984 Ad: A $23K T206 Wagner and a Mickey Mantle Autograph for $24.99
Jan 29, 2025: Tony Gwynn and Lite Beer: His 1984 San Diego Padres Promo Card
📰 In The News
Business Wire: Diamond Comic Distributors Files Voluntary Petition for Relief Under Chapter 11
USA Today: Penguins' Evgeni Malkin says his house was robbed and 3 Stanley Cup rings are missing
Panini News: UConn Men’s and Women’s Basketball Join Panini NIL & cllct: Duke star Cooper Flagg signs deal with Topps, Fanatics
North Penn Now: Beckett sues memorabilia store over fraudulent Jason Kelce autographs & cllct: Three charged for selling forged Jason Kelce memorabilia
Sports Illustrated: Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Sad to See Jersey From Viral Swap Up for Auction
Sports Collectors Digest: Forgery suspects arrested in major sports memorabilia fraud case
Sports Collectors Digest: Young collector pulls valuable Topps #1/1 Paul Skenes MLB patch card
Forbes: Fanatics Trading Card Store To Debut In London In Global Growth Push
Collectibles on SI: Panini Becomes Official 'Practice Partner' Of Reese's Senior Bowl
NBC News: 4 arrested in Ohio amid probe of upscale burglaries, some at sports stars' homes
Sportico: Fanatics sales hit $8.1B amid push into betting, collectibles
Yahoo Finance: Top trading card grader: Expect 'another strong year' for collectibles
PR Newswire: Beckett Opens its Doors in Europe with Full Grading Capabilities
🦸♂️ A High-Grade 1940 Gum Inc. Superman #1
Heritage closed an auction dedicated to non-sports trading cards on January 23rd. The headline item was a PSA 6.5 graded 1940 Gum Inc. Superman #1 card; it sold for $40k.
The card is among the most iconic non-sports cards in the hobby and has exploded in popularity in the past few years (along with the 1966 Topps Batman cards). There are six PSA 7s, and a single PSA 8 graded higher than this copy.
Given the price of that single card, what do you think the complete set of 1940 Superman cards would sell for on uncut sheets today? REA sold a trio for $47,200 back in the spring of 2012.
🛸 In The Hobby Library - The 2012 Topps Mars Attacks Book
Since I highlighted the Norm Saunders illustrated 1962 Mars Attacks The Invasion Begins card in Newsletter #17, I thought today I’d share the 2012 50th Anniversary Collection book Topps printed to honor the set.
Here’s its official description:
MARS ATTACKS is back! The infamous science-fiction trading card series produced by Topps in 1962 celebrates its fiftieth anniversary with this first-ever compilation, including high-quality reproductions of the original series of fifty-five cars as well as the hard-to-find sequel from 1994, preliminary sketches by Wally Wood and Bob Powell, concept art, rare test-market materials, censored cards, and more. Also includes an introduction by Zina Saunders, daughter of artist Norm Saunders, providing an insider’s behind-the-scenes view of the bizarre and compelling world of Mars Attacks.
Happy collecting!
That '53 Topps wax wrapper is amazing