Helping collectors

I get numerous calls and emails from collectors who are interested in more information about something in the Hobby, or pricing information.

Earlier this week I received a phone call from a collector, who also subscribes to Sports Collectors Digest, who I could tell was distraught. He explained to me about how he attended the Collector’s Showcase of America (CSA) during the prior weekend and he misplaced some of his autographed collectibles. He said he knew it was a longshot, but he wondered if SCD could help him retrieve his lost items. I told him to send me an email explaining what happened and I would put that information on the SCD website.

Below is his account of what happened:

“To recap, I attended the Collector’s Showcase of America (CSA), card and memorabilia show this past weekend, at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Va. On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, I lost two items that I brought to the show and had signed by Carlton Fisk. Both items were together in a large plastic sleeve protector. The first item was a folder/program commemorating the retirement of Carlton Fisk’s number 27 by the Boston Red Sox. I had Carlton sign in blue Sharpie on the front cover of this item. The second item was a drawing of Fenway Park by The Sporting News. (It was part of a series of stadiums/ballparks that TSN did a number of years ago.) This item also has the signatures of Yaz, Boggs, Sparky Lyle, and Jim Lonborg, along with that of Fisk, as I had been gathering them over the past several years. This item was directly behind the Fisk retirement program in the large plastic protector. All signatures on this item are in ballpoint pen.

Immediately upon having Fisk sign both items referred to above, I started to make my way back to where my wife was patiently waiting for me in the concession area. Prior to doing so, I stopped at three dealer tables to make purchases ... all three of them were on the same aisle. I apparently set the large protector containing the items down, as I had several items in my hands, and was trying to balance the protector between my legs, as I paid for my purchases. I live 2.5 hours away from Chantilly, and it wasn’t until we got home that I realized they were missing. I did call the show promoter, as well as a dealer I have known for over 30 years, who was set up at the show. I also called the third and last of the three dealers that I mentioned above for assistance, but it was not fruitful.”

This gentleman stated that he is a veteran, having served a combined 22 years of active and reserve duty in the U.S. Army.

He also said that this is the first time something like this has happened to him in his 40-plus years of collecting. He is also willing to offer a reward for the return of the items.

If anyone has information about these lost items, you can contact me and I’ll forward that information to the collector who lost the items.