Draft:Lew Lipset

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Draft:Lew Lipset


Lew Lipset (born 1942) is an American sports memorabilia expert, author, and prominent figure in the baseball card collecting community. Known by the moniker "The Old Judge," Lipset is recognized for his pioneering research and writing on vintage baseball cards, particularly those from the 19th and early 20th centuries. His work is credited with providing a scholarly framework for the preservation and study of early baseball history within the sports card industry.

Early life and education

Lipset was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1942, to Estelle and Herbert Lipset. He attended Tilden High School, where he was a starter on the varsity basketball team. Growing up in Brooklyn, he became a lifelong fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, later citing the team's 1957 move to Los Angeles as a significant personal event.

Upon graduating high school, he attended the City College of New York (Baruch College), where he played junior varsity basketball and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics.

Career

Professional beginnings

Following college, Lipset began a career as a computer programmer, working for firms including The Equitable and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. During this time, he operated a side business in philately (stamp collecting). However, his interest eventually shifted back to baseball cards, specifically focusing on pre-World War II issues.

Baseball card industry

In 1976, Lipset left his programming career to focus entirely on his baseball card business. He became a prominent dealer at national card shows during the late 1970s and 1980s. He was an original dealer at the inaugural National Sports Collectors Convention in 1980 and served as a co-organizer for the 4th National Convention in Parsippany, New Jersey, in 1983.[1]

Writing and publications

Lipset is best known for his research-based approach to the hobby. He authored a seminal three-volume set titled The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards:

  • Volume 1: 19th Century Cards (1983)[2]
  • Volume 2: Early Gum & Candy Cards (1984)[3]
  • Volume 3: 20th Century Tobacco Cards (1909–32) (1986)[4]

From 1985 to 1994, he published The Old Judge newsletter.[5] The publication featured the "Hobby Notes" column and provided the industry's first rigorous surveys and price guides for pre-war sets. The newsletter ran for 50 issues and remains a primary reference for historical card data.[6] Lipset retired from the memorabilia business circa 2010.

Legacy

Lipset is frequently cited as a founding figure of the modern sports card industry. Collectors often refer to the history of vintage card collecting in terms of "Before Lipset" and "After Lipset" eras, noting that his publications transformed fragmented oral traditions into a comprehensive "map" for serious philography and memorabilia collecting.[7]

Personal life

Lipset married Marsha Lipset on November 24, 1966. They have two children. After living in Queens and Suffolk County, the family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1996 before returning to New Jersey in 2018.

References

  1. ^ "History of the National". National Sports Collectors Convention. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  2. ^ Lipset, L. (1983). The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards: Volume 1 - 19th Century Cards. Self-published.
  3. ^ Lipset, L. (1984). The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards: Volume 2 - Early Gum & Candy Cards. Self-published.
  4. ^ Lipset, L. (1986). The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards: Volume 3 - 20th Century Tobacco Cards (1909-1932). Self-published.
  5. ^ Rob Dewolf. "T206 through the eyes of The Old Judge". T206 Resource. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  6. ^ Hardeman, L. (2006). "Index to The Old Judge Newsletter". Old Cardboard (9).
  7. ^ St. John, A. (2018). "Would baseball have become America's national pastime without baseball cards?". Smithsonian Magazine.

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