Read this thread in it's entirety. Brought back many thoughts/memories. One memory came to mind from 1991. I sold a 1990 Leaf 1/2 Baseball set to a young couple with a 2 year old child in tow. 90 Leaf was very popular at the time. The plan for them was to have the sets future sale help them put their son through college. Yes,the investment in cards back then got that much extreme hope/reasoning. They asked me if I thought it would realize a high future $ return. I stated to them if I was that smart/knew the future I would keep the set myself and buy more. I urged caution and said I could offer no guarantees and that this was the going rate for that set at this time. They purchased it anyway. Always wondered what became of that set.
Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
The monthly pickups threads has helped drum up nostalgia, but this thread takes the cake. I'm only 32, and started collecting very young with my older brother (probably around 89, thanks to the UD Griffey). I have vivid memories as a kid collecting what is now "junk".
Some of my favorite memories are running to the mailbox every month when the new Beckett arrived, to see those arrows showing that my recently acquired Todd Van Poppel rookies were soaring through the roof; walking to the local store, which happened to be owned by the guy who lived across the street, to buy the 1991 score "big head" all star cards; ripping open boxes of 1993 Studio looking for the elusive J.T. Snow rookie, then fighting with my brother about who's box held it when we found it.
My all time favorite memory is my brother, who was 13 years old and making money mowing lawns and helping the neighbors with chores, ripping box after box of 1993 Leaf Update looking for the Mike Piazza Gold Leaf Rookie. He never did pull it through 5 or 6 boxes, however, at a shop near our aunts house, I grabbed 2 packs and pulled it in the first one. My brother threw a hissy fit and stormed out of the shop, and the owner was hell bent on getting that card from me. The result: I walked out of there with 2 boxes of 1993 Triple Play in a straight trade, and have no recollection of what I pulled from it or what became of those cards.
Thanks for igniting that trip down memory lane!
Main collecting focus is Patrick Roy playing days 85/86-02/03, expect 1/1, National/All-Star stamped cards.PC Completion: 2,548/2,952; 86.31% My Patrick Roy PC Website:https://proy33collector.weebly.com
Up until 1994 my collecting parameters were anything and everything listed for Topps, Bowman or Fleer baseball in the SCD Standard Catalog, including base sets, inserts, and test issues.
When Topps dramtically increased the number of items in it's product line in 1995, I gave up and since then have just done the base sets, any updates and all the Heritage sets in master format. Also bought a few packs each year, a couple to open and a couple to put with each set to continue a pack run.
SCD quit listing post 1980 issues several years ago in an effort to save money and reduce the size of the Catalog which had become gigantic. Still a little sad about that. I think Bob Lemke was still the editor for the first two reduced versions. The first one was a mess for the Topps listing ( base sets and test and insert sets were listed separately rather than by year), but he had it mostly back in shape by the second before his retirement.
While I keep at least one pack with each set, the only "stash" I have are a few boxes of the 1991 Topps. It was the 40th anniversary and Topps went into the market and bought three full runs of their sets, 1951 to 1990. One set was a grand prize in their instant winner game card promotion. You could also win one of the sets from the second run. Finally , the third run was broken up and the post 56 cards up to a certain then value ( not sure what it was, once heard $50) were inserted in packs. For pre 1957 cards and more valuable cards you could redeem them with the winner insert cards
Presumably the packs could still include some older common cards ( from what I saw the insert cards were not anywhere near mint), but doubt any winner cards could still be redeemed. never saw any summary of whether all the sets were claimed or how many premium cards went unclaimed. Maybe unclaimed cards ended up in Christmas rack packs ( only kidding)
I find the 1991 Topps set fascinating as it has by far the most front and back variants of any Topps set
Here's a little addition to my thoughts on periodicals, magazine, catalogs....
I've seen impressive threads/posts on this topic at net54 and the late Chris Stufflestreet comes to mind also. I "don't" want to get lost in the weeds - just want to add a little of personal perspective.
Baseball Card Checklist - 1974 - Larry Fritsch and Dan Dischley
I'm sure you all will agree that we pretty much take for granted the ability to checklist something and acquire some kind of idea how much something is worth - validity notwithstanding.
It seems the "big wigs" in the hobby felt that card collecting would never be as "serious" as coins/stamp unless we had a comprehensive checklist "and" price guide.
I've been doing some reading from different sources to include SCD on the "growth" of our hobby which was predicated on the need for a comprehensive checklist and pricing.
It was Fritsch who published the first guide in 1974. I also picked up a brand new (old stock) 1978 copyright which lists up 1980.
The price guide - The Sports Collectors Bible which originally came out in 1975 by Bert Sugar also has Larry's "hand" in it.
I bought the original checklist for 99 cents and the bible for 4 bucks. Good buys if one is interested in this kind of stuff.
Also, I found this pic - I remember the event but was rather incredulous about whether the guy actually had a "real" Mantle in his hand. The "strike" of 1981. If real? If he only knew?
More to come.
It's kind of interesting how every thesis has its antithesis in that the "cry" for a comprehensive pricing of collectibles that would "legitimize" the hobby in the 60s or so - ended with collectors screaming how "the price guide was killing the hobby."
To illustrate:
It's summer 1950 something, and Joe card enthusiast rides his bike to the corner store - plunks down a dime and grabs 2 packs of Topps. Opens the first pack - stuffs the gum in his mouth - and rifles thru the pack in hopes to land one of his favorites.
Wow! He lands a Duke Snider - though a Yanks fan - and hates the Bums, he "knows" he can trade this with Johnny Smith who has a copy of "The Mick" in his pocket - just waiting for someone to hand him over the illusive Snider.
It's the summer of 1990 something and Justin (common names now gone) card enthusiast is driven by mom to the store where he plunks down 6 bucks for 2 packs of Topps Finest. Mom drives him home. Before he opens the packs, he grabs his copy of Beckett. Opens both packs - no gum - then starts the arduous task of running his index finger over the list of names in hopes of "hitting" a hot prospect or star or better yet a refractor!
Comments
Read this thread in it's entirety. Brought back many thoughts/memories. One memory came to mind from 1991. I sold a 1990 Leaf 1/2 Baseball set to a young couple with a 2 year old child in tow. 90 Leaf was very popular at the time. The plan for them was to have the sets future sale help them put their son through college. Yes,the investment in cards back then got that much extreme hope/reasoning. They asked me if I thought it would realize a high future $ return. I stated to them if I was that smart/knew the future I would keep the set myself and buy more. I urged caution and said I could offer no guarantees and that this was the going rate for that set at this time. They purchased it anyway. Always wondered what became of that set.
The monthly pickups threads has helped drum up nostalgia, but this thread takes the cake. I'm only 32, and started collecting very young with my older brother (probably around 89, thanks to the UD Griffey). I have vivid memories as a kid collecting what is now "junk".
Some of my favorite memories are running to the mailbox every month when the new Beckett arrived, to see those arrows showing that my recently acquired Todd Van Poppel rookies were soaring through the roof; walking to the local store, which happened to be owned by the guy who lived across the street, to buy the 1991 score "big head" all star cards; ripping open boxes of 1993 Studio looking for the elusive J.T. Snow rookie, then fighting with my brother about who's box held it when we found it.
My all time favorite memory is my brother, who was 13 years old and making money mowing lawns and helping the neighbors with chores, ripping box after box of 1993 Leaf Update looking for the Mike Piazza Gold Leaf Rookie. He never did pull it through 5 or 6 boxes, however, at a shop near our aunts house, I grabbed 2 packs and pulled it in the first one. My brother threw a hissy fit and stormed out of the shop, and the owner was hell bent on getting that card from me. The result: I walked out of there with 2 boxes of 1993 Triple Play in a straight trade, and have no recollection of what I pulled from it or what became of those cards.
Thanks for igniting that trip down memory lane!
Main collecting focus is Patrick Roy playing days 85/86-02/03, expect 1/1, National/All-Star stamped cards.PC Completion: 2,548/2,952; 86.31% My Patrick Roy PC Website:https://proy33collector.weebly.com
Up until 1994 my collecting parameters were anything and everything listed for Topps, Bowman or Fleer baseball in the SCD Standard Catalog, including base sets, inserts, and test issues.
When Topps dramtically increased the number of items in it's product line in 1995, I gave up and since then have just done the base sets, any updates and all the Heritage sets in master format. Also bought a few packs each year, a couple to open and a couple to put with each set to continue a pack run.
SCD quit listing post 1980 issues several years ago in an effort to save money and reduce the size of the Catalog which had become gigantic. Still a little sad about that. I think Bob Lemke was still the editor for the first two reduced versions. The first one was a mess for the Topps listing ( base sets and test and insert sets were listed separately rather than by year), but he had it mostly back in shape by the second before his retirement.
While I keep at least one pack with each set, the only "stash" I have are a few boxes of the 1991 Topps. It was the 40th anniversary and Topps went into the market and bought three full runs of their sets, 1951 to 1990. One set was a grand prize in their instant winner game card promotion. You could also win one of the sets from the second run. Finally , the third run was broken up and the post 56 cards up to a certain then value ( not sure what it was, once heard $50) were inserted in packs. For pre 1957 cards and more valuable cards you could redeem them with the winner insert cards
Presumably the packs could still include some older common cards ( from what I saw the insert cards were not anywhere near mint), but doubt any winner cards could still be redeemed. never saw any summary of whether all the sets were claimed or how many premium cards went unclaimed. Maybe unclaimed cards ended up in Christmas rack packs ( only kidding)
I find the 1991 Topps set fascinating as it has by far the most front and back variants of any Topps set
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
I enjoyed scrolling through this just checking out the old user names. I believe I started on this site in 2012. Brings back memories!
Here's a little addition to my thoughts on periodicals, magazine, catalogs....
I've seen impressive threads/posts on this topic at net54 and the late Chris Stufflestreet comes to mind also. I "don't" want to get lost in the weeds - just want to add a little of personal perspective.
Baseball Card Checklist - 1974 - Larry Fritsch and Dan Dischley
I'm sure you all will agree that we pretty much take for granted the ability to checklist something and acquire some kind of idea how much something is worth - validity notwithstanding.
It seems the "big wigs" in the hobby felt that card collecting would never be as "serious" as coins/stamp unless we had a comprehensive checklist "and" price guide.
I've been doing some reading from different sources to include SCD on the "growth" of our hobby which was predicated on the need for a comprehensive checklist and pricing.
It was Fritsch who published the first guide in 1974. I also picked up a brand new (old stock) 1978 copyright which lists up 1980.
The price guide - The Sports Collectors Bible which originally came out in 1975 by Bert Sugar also has Larry's "hand" in it.
I bought the original checklist for 99 cents and the bible for 4 bucks. Good buys if one is interested in this kind of stuff.
Also, I found this pic - I remember the event but was rather incredulous about whether the guy actually had a "real" Mantle in his hand. The "strike" of 1981. If real? If he only knew?
More to come.
It's kind of interesting how every thesis has its antithesis in that the "cry" for a comprehensive pricing of collectibles that would "legitimize" the hobby in the 60s or so - ended with collectors screaming how "the price guide was killing the hobby."
To illustrate:
It's summer 1950 something, and Joe card enthusiast rides his bike to the corner store - plunks down a dime and grabs 2 packs of Topps. Opens the first pack - stuffs the gum in his mouth - and rifles thru the pack in hopes to land one of his favorites.
Wow! He lands a Duke Snider - though a Yanks fan - and hates the Bums, he "knows" he can trade this with Johnny Smith who has a copy of "The Mick" in his pocket - just waiting for someone to hand him over the illusive Snider.
It's the summer of 1990 something and Justin (common names now gone) card enthusiast is driven by mom to the store where he plunks down 6 bucks for 2 packs of Topps Finest. Mom drives him home. Before he opens the packs, he grabs his copy of Beckett. Opens both packs - no gum - then starts the arduous task of running his index finger over the list of names in hopes of "hitting" a hot prospect or star or better yet a refractor!
Were both "enriched" by the moment?
Thanx guys for the kind words and really cool posts of your experiences.
I would like others to jump in - we've all had our experiences.