POLL: Have you ever tossed a sportscard in the garbage?

jrinck · January 9, 2004 6:17AM

I can't recall ever doing so intentionally, even for the really mangled cards I have. I once even BOUGHT a squashed '81 Topps Mike Schmidt for a few pennies. If any card should have been landfilled, it was that one, but I came to it's rescue.

There's just something about the sanctity of a sportscard that makes it impossible for me to just toss away. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Skycap · January 9, 2004 6:43AM

This is a bit off topic, but I recall hearing a story about Kit Young dropping a 1952 Topps Mantle into a gooey pizza at a convention several years ago!

Skycap

Beachbum · January 9, 2004 6:50AM

Is this why I need a bigger house?

SDSportsFan · January 9, 2004 6:54AM

Skycap,

The Kit Young 1952 Mantle story goes something like this:

He and a friend (Nacho Arredondo) were going thru some cards at one of their residence in San Diego one day. While doing so, they ordered a pizza from Dominos. Later that evening, they were looking for the Mantle and couldn't find it. One of them remembered having thrown the pizza box in the outside dumpster.

Panic then set in! They went outside, and Nacho climbed into the dumpster and found the box. He opened it and there was the Mantle, otherwise OK, except for a pepperoni stain or two!

The story was covered in an old issue of either SCD or Baseball Hobby News.

I remember this, since I used to work with Nacho back in the early 1980's at San Diego Sports Collectibles, a card store in San Diego.

Steve

xbaggypants · January 9, 2004 6:54AM

I remember a great game called "scramble"

Where you would throw all your doubles up in the air with 15-20 of you closest friend around. First one to pick up the card get to keep it.

I clearly remember throwing away about 10 Patrick Roy OPC rookies, just because I HATED him so much.

NickM · January 9, 2004 7:07AM

I've done it on 2 instances:

1991 Cracker Jack boxes that had been forgotten about for 2 years. On opening the boxes, the cards had holes eaten through them by bugs.

2003 Fleer Platinum cards that were soaked by a leaking pipe and when noticed a week or so later, had mold growing on them.

Nick

JrMacdaddy · January 9, 2004 7:15AM

I had a bright idea about 10 years ago that I'd try to steam off one of the stamps that you put on the back of some 1969-70 Topps hockey cards.

I put the card in the microwave with a glass of water. My theory was that the steam from the boiling water would help loosen the stamp and I'd be able to remove it.

The experiment didn't work quite the way I had planned. It took too long for the microwave to heat up the water to cause the steam. All that happened was I ended up with a badly warped card.

It was a common in pretty rough shape. I ended up throwing that card away.

My ultimate goal was to remove the stamp from my Bobby Orr card and I needed a guinea pig first.

Skycap · January 9, 2004 7:25AM

Steve,

Thanks for the real story!

Skycap

pandrews · January 9, 2004 9:17AM

i have.. just last night i tossed a stack of 1995 Playoff Prime football cards (base cards).. there were 4 or 5 Marshall Faulks in there and a couple Elways, Rice etc.. but they had all slightly stuck together and I had to pull them apart 1 by 1.. each one had a small bit of the surface gone..

what am I supposed to do with those? I'd be too embarrassed to put them on ebay.. who's gonna bid on POOR/FAIR lot of 1995 Playoff base cards?

thefootballcardstore · January 9, 2004 9:23AM

Before I became Football Only, A former partner and I used to buy boxes of 88 Donruss BB, pull the Glavines, and pitch the rest in the hopes the other cards might be worth something someday because of our efforts.

Guess not, Jeremy

Gottabuyit · January 9, 2004 9:35AM

There is so much garbage from the 1980's and 1990's it is almost impossible not to throw some of it out.

Gottabuyit · January 9, 2004 9:36AM

<< <i>I had a bright idea about 10 years ago that I'd try to steam off one of the stamps that you put on the back of some 1969-70 Topps hockey cards.

I put the card in the microwave with a glass of water. My theory was that the steam from the boiling water would help loosen the stamp and I'd be able to remove it.

The experiment didn't work quite the way I had planned. It took too long for the microwave to heat up the water to cause the steam. All that happened was I ended up with a badly warped card.

It was a common in pretty rough shape. I ended up throwing that card away.

My ultimate goal was to remove the stamp from my Bobby Orr card and I needed a guinea pig first. >>

You would have been better off doing it in the bathroom and putting the shower at the hottest water.

helionaut · January 9, 2004 10:55AM

Not often, but sure. I've thrown away, or abandoned, worthless door prizes, commons of irretrievably worthless sets, worthless mass-produced 90s cards that I had umptuples of already, and worthlessly beat up stuff. When I left college, I left about 1000 1992 Donruss, Fleer, and Topps cards in the microwave of the house we rented. I don't think I meant to, specifically, but leaving was rushed and I don't think I could've fit them in my suitcases anyway. I like to think I inspired the next tenants to become collectors.

And at a card shop once, the dealer told me he threw away a 1986 Fleer Kirby Puckett he found in his house that morning because he was just so sick of cards he couldn't stand it. I always kind of admired that, but I told him to just save those kinds of cards for me.

BigKidAtHeart · January 9, 2004 11:31AM

no.
I have several little boys
and one girl in the neighborhood
that GLADLY take any of my commons
and/or rejects.
(it makes you remember WHY we collected
as kids.)
~jeff

royalbrett · January 9, 2004 12:24PM

After I cut out the team logos on the 83 Fleer cards (so I could glue them to an index divider in a shoe box.), I threw them away. (yes, a real shoe box)
I hope they were commons

RedRomad275 · January 10, 2004 12:26AM

I have to say BigKid hit it on the head for me. It does make you think about why you started collecting. I have a box of old Pro Set FB that I want to toss but just haven't been able to....for whatever reason

Southsider · January 10, 2004 2:58AM

I've tossed a few in the trash. One was a trimmed card that was graded GEM MINT 10 by GEM. Another was a reprint that had been toned and alterted to pass as the real deal. The seller fulled refunded my money and we agreed the card should be destroyed.

jrinck · January 10, 2004 6:55AM

Wow, the results seem clear. Most folks don't have a problem throwing away cards that they feel deserve it. But they all seem like raw cards, so this brings up my next question. See the new post.

goodriddance189 · January 10, 2004 7:12AM

ive thrown away badly damaged cards before, but little else. i refuse to throw away even commons, because the cards to me have so much more value than whatever the latest Beckett says theyre "worth."

i almost started a thread around christmas about this. i was looking through some of my old "commons," and i rediscovered the joy of cards. the joy from your collection shouldnt come from its book value. the joy should come from looking through your cards, studying the pictures, the designs, the expressions, and rediscovering why you spent your allowance money on them in the first place. a card's value is what you make it. a holographic foil stamp or swatch of a shirt should not make a card more valuable or desired. i would rather have a Terrell Owens card showing him making an acrobatic catch than some card with a posed picture partially blocked by something that appears to be a hunk of Grandma's latest knitting project.

if the joy of your collection comes from the amount of money you could get for it on ebay, please remember this is a hobby. it should be fun.

nbatopfifty · January 10, 2004 12:08PM

For an extra on an auction I won, I was sent a free PSA 7 Larry Bird 1986 Fleer card. I decided that card was worthless to me so I decided to throw it as hard as I could at a brick wall to test PSA's cases durability. Well the case smashed and the card was demolished. So I threw it away.

BigKidAtHeart · January 11, 2004 12:20AM

DO NOT THROW CARDS AWAY!

We have a very cool forum member here (ydsotter)
that wants ANY of your unwanted cards FOR THE
SPECIAL NEED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS HE TEACHES!
Sport or overall condition is not even a factor.

Here is the PM he sent to me for posting here
that gives all the details!

Thanks Jeff... I appreciate it much...
about 5 different people have sent me a message
through the pm or my email knickstars@aol.com
and expressed a desire to send cards...

I teach 5th grade special ed... in a regular school...
my students are almost completely mainstreamed.

I teach in Wilmington, Delaware at Mote Elementary
School... in the Meadowood Program... which is for
students with moderate-severe mental retardation.

The cards will be a great way to bring my students
together with other students...

another teacher and I are now scheming to start a
recess and/or after school card collecting activity...
weekly. I believe that we could easily involve 50+ kids.

I did something similar to this last year on a smaller
scale and it seemed to work well. Some of the kids
got interested in busting packs.
One of my students learned that his dad was
Tyson Chandler's 1st cousin...
The year before, I had Harold Baines' neice.

Feel free to post anything that would help me acquire
cards for these students...
I wouldn't even mind picking up shipping fees via paypal.

(though One person on the boards.. Larry or Jay I believe,
asked me to make a donation to the local little league
instead of reimbursing shipping fees)

My email address is knickstars@aol.com
or I am available through PM here on the boards.
Thanks,
Geoff (ydsotter)

BowChromeProspects · January 11, 2004 2:01AM

I remember opening a pack of 2002 Donruss Elite for $5.95 and throwing the cards in the trash after pulling all base cards.

habs71 · January 13, 2004 10:36AM

Edited to remove offensive remarks by J7ONeal which I had quoted in my response.

Skip

CADILLACN97 · January 13, 2004 10:59AM

i agree that was the most idiotic thing i have ever read on these boards. don't be an ass and be thankful that your kids are happy and healthy. but then again, with such a dumbass comment, why would anyone have kids with you. i have donated cards to YDSOTTER myself, so not only are you disrespecting all handicapped kids, but also him and ME. just shut up and if psa will and can ban me for saying ASS, rest assured that my day will NOT be complete until you are too. i have an aunt that is severely retarded, but long as you have a great day, all is well.

Kid4hof03 · January 13, 2004 11:03AM

Is there a place to report people to, a moderator around? I don't consider myself easily offended but that is about as low as a statement can get. You can't come on these boards and curse or use racially inflamatory statements, this one goes way beyond that in my opinion. I sent him a PM and hope others will as well, there is no place for comments such as these.

BigKidAtHeart · January 13, 2004 11:05AM

<< <i>Is there a place to report people to, a moderator >>

already done.

Kid4hof03 · January 13, 2004 11:06AM

Thanks Jeff, can I do the same, I'd like to see as many people as possible make known their feelings on this. I rarely get angry about things posted on a message board, but this one got me!

ydsotter · January 13, 2004 11:27AM

Perry, that was a pretty sad thing to read... I truly hope that that was only your attempt at making an ignorant joke... because you couldn't be further from the truth.

Many of my "retarded kids" are quite aware that they are different-
and it is a great source of pain and frustration to them. A pain that you will never endure yourself.
Words cannot describe the joy it brings them to feel accepted and to participate in activities that other children enjoy.

"retarded kids" can read. I have three that can read the name of the player on a card.
and I have more that could identify allen iverson, barry bonds, tiger woods etc.
They regularly wear eagles and phillies and 76ers jerseys..

They enjoy sorting and collecting cards. It is a tremendous benefit to their fine motor skills to put the cards in plastic pages...

It is rewarding to see kids who can't match very well suddenly start sorting baseball cards by teams. At first it is quite phenomonal.
This is a good skill to build when they are young, because some of them will gain employment through these skills when they are older.

Most of all, trading and collecting creates an opportunity and space for kids as ignorant as your comments to meet and get to know kids as unique and kind as mine.

Yes, sadly the "humorous looking" stereotypes are all there...
I once had a kid who banged herself in the head so hard that she lost vision in her left eye.
I had one that bangs her head because she says there are too many voices in her head.
If her mom hadn't done drugs so many times while she was pregnant she would have been born without her multiple disabilites.
One other said that he bangs his head against the wall like daddy so that that he won't hit mommy...

I don't let myself get offended or upset by "retarded" jokes... They are all around us every day. I just get outraged when I hear someone saying that they are somehow deserving of less dignity than anyone else.

Kid4hof03 · January 13, 2004 11:48AM

Your reply, while less bigoted, is more offensive and ignorant than your original statement. Is it funny to see people with disabilities struggle? Is it mood lightening to watch someone with mental illness fight with themselves over their feelings of torment and inadequecy? Sadly your original comments seemed to be out of ignorance, your reply is much more arrogance and bigotry. NOTHING is funny about what you said, NOTHING! If you had made racial statements you would have been banned already, I hope the Moderator does the right thing and removes you because your statements are much more than inflammatory, they are sad, uninformed and ignorant.

Buccaneer · January 13, 2004 11:52AM

Getting back on topic. When I got back into my collection in 2002 after I stopped in 1989, I learned about the true value of the mid to late 1980s cards. Even though I worked at a SD store and many SoCal shows in the early 1980s, it was not until I got out of college to spend some real money on cards. I worked at a Kentucky store from 1987-1989 and the amount of cards from those years that I bought was staggering. I had over 10 1987 Topps sets plus many, many others (including many that I spent hours collating). When I saw 2 years ago that cards from 1986-1990 were basically worthless (except for UD), I threw all of them away since they were taking up way too much space. I almost gave my wife a heart attack when I threw away over 50,000 cards (minus a few stars). Wish I knew that I could donate them to a worthy cause.

Buccaneer · January 13, 2004 11:53AM

...

Kid4hof03 · January 13, 2004 12:33PM

J7ONeal · January 13, 2004 12:40PM

yup

NickM · January 13, 2004 12:49PM

He learned how to apologize from Pete Rose.

Nick

Glynparson · January 13, 2004 10:54PM

ydsotter thank you for being an amazing individual anyone who can work with special needs children is truly a blessing and i thank god there are people like you out there to help them. My neighbor while i grew up was severly mentally handicapped and his mother always appreciated that i would talk to him and be nice to him and to this day i still get very angry at people with no compassion for the less fortunate out there again thank you for being a true man.

qualitycards · January 14, 2004 3:24AM

GLYN - Ship some of your excess cards & collectibles to YDSOTTER. After a week or 2 of rounding stuff up. I shipped him a 3200 box filled w/ cards, plus PSA's, Becketts and whatever else that would fill the larger box. It was just excess for me and may mean the world to his students. Email me for his address if you have anything to contribute Email Link! ...jay

BigKidAtHeart · January 14, 2004 3:33AM

<< <i>GLYN - Ship some of your excess cards & collectibles to YDSOTTER. After a week or 2 of rounding stuff up. I shipped him a 3200 box filled w/ cards, plus PSA's, Becketts and whatever else that would fill the larger box. It was just excess for me and may mean the world to his students. Email me for his address if you have anything to contribute Email Link! ...jay >>

posted again for everyone's information:

DO NOT THROW CARDS AWAY!

We have a very cool forum member here (ydsotter)
that wants ANY of your unwanted cards FOR THE
SPECIAL NEED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS HE TEACHES!
Sport or overall condition is not even a factor.

Here is the PM he sent to me for posting here
that gives all the details!

Thanks Jeff... I appreciate it much...
about 5 different people have sent me a message
through the pm or my email knickstars@aol.com
and expressed a desire to send cards...

I teach 5th grade special ed... in a regular school...
my students are almost completely mainstreamed.

I teach in Wilmington, Delaware at Mote Elementary
School... in the Meadowood Program... which is for
students with moderate-severe mental retardation.

The cards will be a great way to bring my students
together with other students...

another teacher and I are now scheming to start a
recess and/or after school card collecting activity...
weekly. I believe that we could easily involve 50+ kids.

I did something similar to this last year on a smaller
scale and it seemed to work well. Some of the kids
got interested in busting packs.
One of my students learned that his dad was
Tyson Chandler's 1st cousin...
The year before, I had Harold Baines' neice.

Feel free to post anything that would help me acquire
cards for these students...
I wouldn't even mind picking up shipping fees via paypal.

(though One person on the boards.. Larry or Jay I believe,
asked me to make a donation to the local little league
instead of reimbursing shipping fees)

My email address is knickstars@aol.com
or I am available through PM here on the boards.
Thanks,
Geoff (ydsotter)

ydsotter · January 14, 2004 6:34AM

Wow... much appreciated guys...
I have started getting the words out that the other teacher and I are starting up a recess/after school collecting/trading club and there is a lot of buzz around the cafeteria...

It is also helping kids with some behavior issues to straighten up...
they are realizing that if they want to be part of the card club that they need to be good role models for my students in and out of class.

point is, they are getting an opportunity to learn why my kids need good role models...
in the end, they'll end up with some new cards... a stronger interest in collecting and most importantly a relationship and sense of responsibility towards students that some of them never shared a table with.

the first box just arrived from Larry~
thanks much!

also, this is my first year in this particular school. I spent the previous 2 years in a different school-
so, these cards are also helping me be the cool new guy! Thanks again!

habs71 · January 14, 2004 8:11AM

Didn't we also have a board member looking for National Geographic magazines to use in his classes??

POLL: Have you ever tossed a sportscard in the garbage?

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