Marshall Fogel Assumes the Throne

With the Halper collection scattered around the country, like dirt dusted off home plate, the obvious question remains: Who's the next Barry, king of baseball sports memorabilia? Halper set that kind of standard in the hobby. He was the sultan through trades and chutzpah. Plus it didn't hurt he was part owner of the Yankees. He was at the right place at the right time when Yankee Stadium was renovated and Barry merely took treasures such as letters and contracts off their hands. Sure, Halper had deep pockets and a great love for the game. He also had unparalleled access to the likes of Mrs. Lou Gehrig, whom he befriended as baseball soulmates and, well, as a friend who would share a Scotch or two. Overall, the sale of Halper's collection brings an end to an era of a collection whose cost-basis is a fraction of the retail value of the collection. The value of Halper's total collection was once estimated at $42 million. Halper's status as a collector was built on both myth and legend. His collection is so extensive, his voice so large, his period of collecting so long that he's earned his lofty position in the world of sports collecting. With the bulk of the collection being sold, it's natural for many people to wonder, "Who's the next Barry? Perhaps there can never be "the next Barry." Heck, Ruth's record has been eclipsed, yet no one wants to know who's the next Hank Aaron. They want to know who's the next Ruth.

To read the entire article,press Read More if you are an Online subscriber or Subscribe Now!