An Insanely Rare Roy Campanella: 1956 Meiji Seika Caramels Postcard!

Today's post is of an item I not only did not think I would ever own, but one I did not know existed until I stumbled across the auction about two and a half years ago. When I did find it, my research indicated it would exceed my monetary limits and simply be too popular as it's dumb rare and Roy Campanella has a lot of collectors.

Somehow the Cardboard Gods were smiling upon me that day and I was able to secure a truly phenomenal oddball piece straight out of 1950s Japan. Playing era Campanella items are the only ones I care about. If you add in the general awesomeness of Japan and the Dodgers tour there, well.....I am all in like McLovin at a party before the cops show up.

From the auction house website, as Prestige Collectibles can sum it up far better than I can:

"This is a truly rare item with a beautiful photo of the immortal Roy Campanella on the front, along with an ad for Meiji Caramel. The lucky holder of this postcard was entitled to receive a ticket to the Brooklyn Dodgers vs. All Japan game played October 28th in Utsunomiya. Furthermore, if his or her lucky number was called, he or she would also receive a signed baseball of a Dodgers player. The lucky number 0099 is located near the bottom right on the front. The round stamp on the back indicates this card was indeed redeemed for a ticket.

This ticket invitation card is slightly different than the two others we have seen before. According to stamped text on the back, this invitation card is specifically for elementary and junior high school students only. Moreover, the other examples were for the game of November 3rd played at Koshien.

The Dodgers beat the Japanese All-Star team on October 28th, 1956 by a score of 6-3, thanks in part to a Duke Snider home run."

Here's the back of the sweet postcard. It will forever remain in my Campy PC!

Updating a 10-Year-Old Post: My Roy Campanella Rookie Looks Different

Ten and a half years ago I posted about acquiring a grail Roy Campanella card: his 1949 Bowman Rookie. I was absolutely thrilled to land it and since I have actually landed another. However, the first will always hold a special place in my Dodgers' heart. I decided the wise thing was to protect it from the clumsiness that is moi.

After subbing it to PSA with a couple of other cards, it returned looking safer and sounder in its PSA 1 slab. This card still makes me smile all these years later. A simple portrait of Campy; vibrant color; and enough damage on the front and back that brought it into my range but not so much damage that it detracts in any way from the glory that it exudes -- they all combine to make one happy camper!

April 18th, 1948: Roy Campanella "Debuts" -- PSA 2 Stub!

Here's an item I never even considered owning as I never considered its existence being a thing. I somehow stumbled upon it up on eBay and quickly threw a bid on without giving it much thought, as it was already PSA graded and I knew it was rare and not something I would come across many more times, if at all. A reasonable sum of money later and this beauty was mine and instantly becomes one of the more unique pieces in my Roy Campanella PC.

Before he laced up the cleats in an official MLB game a few days after this stub was put into use, Campy appeared in a New York-centric Exhibition game between the Dodgers and the Yankees held at Yankee Stadium. I have not been able to locate a box score for the game but knowing it's a Roy Debut of sorts and is about as rookie as rookie gets is a great feeling.

PSA has graded a grand total of three of these stubs, with my 2 being the only 2 and the highest graded of them all. Oh, and I did locate a great photo of another participant in the exhibition, and said photo is attributed to that very day. One Jack Roosevelt Robinson was just beginning his second campaign alongside the rookie backstop of my Dodger dreams.

Jackie Robinson HR Ticket!

Since my entry into the ticket world there have been a few must-haves on my mental list of things to find on my eBay adventures. Some have proven easier than others and some have proven to be more expensive than others. When those two categories overlap, I am an unhappy collector indeed. What that has to do with today's showcased piece, I don't know, as it wasn't overly expensive and wasn't the hardest thing to track down. Rambling, I am.

Nabbing a stub from a game in which the one and only Jackie Robinson went deep was an absolute collecting necessity and eventually patience paid off with this beauty from a 1952 contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jackie left the yard for the 75th time in his illustrious career while driving in three runs, walking twice, and scoring one run. Other notables from the game:

• Roy Campanella had a hit
• Duke Snider had two hits, a walk, and a run scored
• Gil Hodges had a hit and a run scored
• Pee Wee Reese had a hit, a RBI, and a run scored
• Carl Erskine threw a complete-game shutout
• Ralph Kiner had a hit and a walk

After purchasing this raw online, I sent it in for grading and got a 3 from PSA.

Anyone else start dabbling in tickets or think they might?

A HUGE Roy Campanella Pickup: 1952 Tip-Top Bread, Graded a PSA 1!!

I've had this card for so long I don't recall exactly where I bought it from or through whom I submitted it for authentication and protection. I do recall how amazingly happy I was to find it available for purchase and snag it as it's one of the toughest Roy Campanella oddball items on the market. I absolutely love the set and the checklist and am thrilled to add this to the PC!

The vibrant red color on this 1952 Tip-Top Bread is the sweet cherry on top of an already rare sundae. The vast majority of these are low-grade due to the sensitive nature of the stock and the fact that they came with loaves of bread. A PSA 5 of Campy somehow exists and as glorious as it looks I do not, even for a second, feel bad about this beautiful specimen in my hands.

A Stunning '50s Type 1 PSA Slabbed Photo: Roy Campanella & Gil Hodges!

I genuinely think I may collect Type 1 Photos and little else for the foreseeable future as I keep finding amazing pieces to add to my budding collection of vintage photography. Today's featured art was an eBay purchase:

Click on the above photo to open it up and see it in all its glory. Roy Campanella is mid-swing during batting practice at a Vero Beach Spring Training outing as newly-minted Hall of Famer Gil Hodges looks on, smiling ear to ear. I literally absolutely adore all aspects of this badass photo!

Here's the back -- I dig when the paper caption remains intact. This one is a 1952 offering from International News Photos and makes for a swell score for my Campy PC on top of being another photo addition.

Happy Birthday Campy! Here's A 1951 Wheaties Premium, Slabbed A PSA 4!

The happiest of birthdays to one of my all-time favorite players in any sport, Roy Campanella! The legendary backstop would have been 101 today (I missed celebrating the big 1-0-0) and in his honor I want to showcase my newest addition.

It's harder and harder to find Campanella cards I am without but this 1951 Wheaties Premium has been near the top of my needs list for some time. I picked it up raw and sent it in for the long wait at PSA. It returned a very presentable 4 and it's a marvelous thing to behold. It's the classic Campy picture used on countless cards, but it truly never gets old to gaze longingly at.

Mike Trout HR Ticket Tracker: # 11 Paired With SBs # 18-19

Another notch in the long-term belt that is my Mike Trout HR Ticket Project. This was a very nice gift from my ex and I sent it in to be slabbed. It came back much higher than I expected and it'll be a really nice Trout addition despite coming against my beloved Blue Crew.

Trout led the Angels to a tight one-run victory in June of 2012 with his 11th career round-tripper and career stolen bases numbers 18 and 19. PSA graded it an 8 and in addition to being a beautiful ticket aesthetically-speaking the Dodgers decided to highlight Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Sandy Koufax having their numbers retired as the first numbers hung in the rafters in franchise history.

A sweet cherry on top of this ticket-y goodness!

A Roy Campanella White Whale: 1953 Stahl-Meyer Hot Dogs, PSA 1 (MK)!

Today's card eluded me for years and years. It almost never popped up on eBay and when it did the price was far too extravagant for my tastes and for what previous comps suggested it should go for. I was complacent with the notion that when I did finally nab it, I would have to suck it up and overpay. That never sits well with me, as I'm still fairly frugal, but it's such a cool piece I knew my Roy Campanella Collection would feel incomplete without it.

The cardboard gods eventually relented and let this well-loved copy appear for a price I was truly comfortable and happy with. I could not hit the Buy-It-Now button quickly enough and I'm so thrilled this gorgeous 1953 Stahl-Meyer Campy resides permanently in my good home.

Much to my surprise the Stahl-Meyer company still exists. These came in packages of hot dogs, so condition-sensitive is an understatement.

1951 Topps Teams Brooklyn Dodgers, Slabbed a PSA 1

Here's a piece I searched and searched for and could not be happier to finally have (I mean, I've had it for a couple of years, but you know...). It's another of those underrated and underappreciated vintage issues that for whatever reason gets little love but features a slew of stars on one piece of cardboard.

This absolutely fantastic 1951 Topps Teams card features the '50 Brooklyn Bums. There are two versions, Dated and Undated (the 1950 is either present or gone). I'm now realizing all of this time later that this raw copy I bought and submitted is labeled incorrectly.

The team shots of the '50s are absolutely awesome and the yellow border on these really pops. They are super tough to find in good condition and this PSA 1 is well-deserving of that designation.

What I truly love is the amount of stars these give collectors the opportunity to have in their collection with just one item. Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges -- that's 5 HOFers, not to mention the other Dodger stars of the time like Don Newcombe and Carl Furillo.

It's a most welcome addition to my overall collection and specifically to both my Campy and Jackie PCs.

Joe DiMaggio and Jake LaMotta Pickups

I've always enjoyed the 1951 and 1952 Berk Ross sets. The checklist features a wide variety of athletes and anything oddball vintage tends to spark an interest in my collecting adventures. A 1952 Berk Ross Roy Campanella was the first card I ever purchased after working at the card shop before PSA, and it was bought on my first day working there. Neither issue happens to be a set I chase religiously but every once in a while you can get a star at a nice discount compared with the mainstream issues like Topps and Bowman.

I was able to snag these two 1951 Berk Ross cards from my old job on one of my trips back to Los Angeles since my move. Yes, the Joe DiMaggio is half a card....but at least it's the good half, and it's a more than welcome and quirky addition to my Vintage Collection.

Jake "Raging Bull" LaMotta was an easy add. It's a really cool posed shot and one of those random boxing cards I can't help but picking up here and there.

Roy Campanella Oddball Pickup: 1953-55 Dormand Postcard, PSA Authentic

Today's post features one of the remaining Roy Campanella cards I need to complete my player collection of the Brooklyn backstop. Basically everything I need, if not everything, is an oddball release. The below fits perfectly into that mold.

Recently back from PSA is this beautiful 1953-55 Dormand Postcard. These are absolutely stunning and the Campy has been on my radar for some time. I had this one on hold at my old job and finally picked it up before dropping it off at work for slabbing. It came back an Authentic and it's a welcome addition to the collection.

Here's the back, complete with some kid's writing.

Roy Campanella Oddball Pickup: "1958" Career Summary Card, Slabbed a PSA 4

I had seen the below a number of times on eBay and stumbled across a copy at my old job at one point as well. I always assumed it was an '80s or newer commemorative issue, maaaaybe '70s at best. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across a PSA graded listing on eBay with the actual date as 1958. I snagged it as quickly as I could and recently got it back after submitting it at work.

All that being said, I actually disagree with the card being a 1958 as the back clearly states "Named to Hall of Fame, 1969." This was not something I caught until literally about five minutes ago when I started to write up this very post. Barring some sort of Endgame-esque time heist....this could not possibly be a true 1958 item. Either way, it's a new Campy I paid very little for -- including grading fees -- and the total POP is three (my 4, a 6 MK, and a 9).

Here's the back with the HOF line the third down from the top.

Campy's Symbol of Courage

One of my favorite customers recently gave me a strong sense of déjà vu when he dropped by and passed along a card of one of my all-time favorites. The déjà vu was instant because just last year he passed along the same card.

Campy! Vintage dupes of Campy are always welcome in my collection and this one is an upgrade condition-wise and certainly aesthetically-speaking as the back has some technical flaws that might bring the actual grades close to one another.

A Rare 1 of 1 Vintage Roy Campanella: 1955 All-American Sports Club, PSA 7!

Today's one-card post is one I'm beyond excited to finally get posted. The below card was purchased raw in mid-January of this year. I stumbled across it on eBay and knew absolutely nothing about it or the set it came from. I did enough research to know the set existed, my guy was part of it, and it was rare to the point that VCP wasn't tracking it at the time. I decided to risk any possibility it wasn't real and make an offer. The seller accepted and I sent it off to PSA through work and waited.

And boy was I ever thrilled when it came back not only real but in a beautiful PSA 7 slab. This hand-cut Roy Campanella beaut hails from the 1955 All-American Sports Club set. The "cards" -- and I know some vintage collectors who dispute that these are in fact cards -- came on uncut sheets and featured athletes from numerous sports. The set is 500 deep and many have recently popped up graded by PSA as people find the sheets and cut them.

My Campy is the only PSA 7 in the population report and there is only one copy graded higher (a 9 that sold on eBay earlier this year). This is now the highest-graded Campy in my collection -- besting three PSA 6's -- and easily one of the most unique and rare pieces I own.

A Vintage Campanella Variation: 1950 R423 Purple Back, Graded A PSA 6!

Here's one of those weird vintage variations that you just sometimes stumble upon by happenstance. I was unaware that the Roy Campanella 1950 R423 had back color variations, but it does. When the below hit eBay, I would have been interested even if it was the Orange I already owned. However, it was even more intriguing as it was a new color I could add to my Campy Collection.

The Orange Back (which I erroneously called Red the first time around....thanks, color blindness!) is joined by this beautiful Purple Back. It's been graded a PSA 6 and was roughly the same price as the PSA 4 Orange I bought.

I love when the card back scans in better than the front. I only recall two of these graded Roy R423s ever hitting eBay and I'm happy to have landed both of them.

A Stellar Roy Campanella Pickup: 1952 Star-Cal Decals Type 1, PSA Authentic! (Birthday Posting)

I didn't just buy this card or just get it graded. I've had it for some time but now that I have finally gotten around to scanning it in and posting it I figured showcasing it on my birthday would be a nice way to celebrate and might feel like I was getting this on this one-step-closer-to-30-years-old day.

This is one of my absolute favorite Roy Campanella cards as I love the combination of aesthetically-pleasing, super oddball, and bright colors. It's a 1952 Star-Cal Decals Type 1 in the original red envelope these beauties came in. I bought it raw and sent it in to PSA through work. It came back as Authentic and I believe they only receive a numerical grade when they are graded free of the envelope.

Campy shares a Type 2 Star-Cal with Jackie Robinson, but that will have to wait for a day in the future where I have a nice chunk of change burning a hole in my wallet.

1955-57 Brooklyn Dodgers Picture Pack: Roy Campanella Portrait, PSA 6!

Today's post features a beautiful piece of cardboard I've owned for quite some time but have hesitated on posting due to scanner issues with bigger cards and bigger slabs. However, I've finally realized I can't get rid of the line down the middle of my scanner and until I get a new one it's just something I'll have to work around.

So here's the latest addition to my Roy Campanella PC: a 1955-57 Brooklyn Dodgers' Team Issue Picture Pack, slabbed a PSA 6. It was a steal at a bit over two blasters via eBay and is actually the highest copy VCP has ever tracked, which is kind of cool. I believe it's the highest PSA has ever graded as well. I love the simple photo of Roy donning his chest protector and the big smile he's flashing.

Prior to buying this I was going to buy the entire team set from work as I was not convincing enough to get it broken down and sold separately. The team set does have a sweet Jackie Robinson and maybe I'll one day still buy the set. For now I have the most important piece of the puzzle in-hand and safely in my Campy PC.

A 1954 New York Journal American Freebie: Hank Thompson

A guy recently came into the shop with 14 1954 New York Journal Americans to sell. Most interestingly, they all happened to be of the same player: Hank Thompson. While I usually wouldn't willingly acquire Giants' cardboard, I wasn't going to turn one down when it was offered to me free of charge by my boss.

The '54 NY Journals are one of my favorite oddball sets. I have two cards and both are of the one and only Roy Campanella: a PSA 3 and an ungraded Poor-to-Fair.

I do have a small connection to Thompson: he debuted on my birthday (July 17th). Post-career, he was convicted of armed robbery and led a tough life.

Roy Campanella: 1957 Topps, Slabbed A PSA 6 and Stolen In An eBay Coup

I was recently doing one of my daily searches on eBay when I stumbled across a card that just seemed too cheap. I knew I could easily be mistaken and just inflating value because it happened to be a card of one of my all-time favorites, but something felt off. A quick check of sales on VCP revealed the card was basically sitting there at half of what it had been consistently selling for.

I took the risk of making a best offer rather than immediately pulling the trigger. Within an hour the seller had countered me at 10% off his original asking price and I couldn't accept fast enough. For less than a blaster and a half the above gorgeous 1957 Topps Roy Campanella, graded a PSA 6, was mine.

I've long possessed a fondness for the 1957 Topps set and as Campy's last playing-era card it's an important card for my Roy PC. While I do already own one, and I love that copy, I'm always happy to upgrade if the price is right. It was, and I now have a card for the slot in the collection that still has all four corners attached.