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My modest collection of childhood idols - Rookie Card collection (Update: 1986 Fleer Bball Set!)

DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Slum22's post of his collection story inspired me to snap some pics and share my story...

During time off around this past new year I got a little bored and started browsing ebay. Maybe it was the holiday spirit, but I came across a Barry Sanders 1989 Score rookie card and thought it would be a cool gift for myself. As a kid, I always wanted that card but it was way too expensive ($50 was a lot of money for a kid). I picked up a graded PSA 9 on ebay and after it arrived I got the bug to start looking for other cards I always wanted as a kid but couldn't afford. I grew up a big fan (and still am) of Detroit sports. Yzerman, Trammell (not sure why the butthead Molitor had to steal his spotlight), Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas, Joe Montana, Mario Lemieux, etc. etc.

I liked the idea of having graded cards to avoid all the fakes out there so I started researching PSA and how to buy raw cards and submit for grading. I enjoy buying the cards raw (most of those pictured were carefully purchased raw) and going through the grading process. It's been a learning process as I've bought multiples of single cards and sold the lower graded cards in lieu of the higher grades I've held on to. The buying and selling has been fun. You can see I have a couple awaiting grades....everything has been acquired in the last 8 months or so. Occasionally I'll buy other cards off ebay or craigslist that I like to hold (1954 Terry Sawchuk PSA 6 and Ted Lindsay PSA 6) or sell to fund future rookie card purchases. I'll share pics of some of the other odds and ends later.

Without further rambling, here's how the rookie collection looks now + a couple other keepers I really like...
Football
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Basketball
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Baseball
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Hockey
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Comments

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    vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭
    Mine's a similar story.

    Thanks for sharing. Great start.

    Jim
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
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    LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There's nothing modest about a RC collection spanning those decades and including the greats of all 4 major sports. Well done and thanks for sharing!
    Who is the Golf Card Guy?
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    59Horsehide59Horsehide Posts: 427 ✭✭✭
    Great story and Great cards - this is what the hobby should be about! Nice work.

    Jim
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    DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭


    << <i>Great story and Great cards - this is what the hobby should be about! Nice work. >>


    +1 - Always fun to see what others really enjoy collecting.
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hiya Davis

    Ya have a really good collection. Modest? There are no modest collections. It's not the size of a collection but rather the size of the heart in the collection. And you appear to have the big heart.

    I am an inveterate collector - I get enjoyment out of researching an item along with the hunt and acquisition.

    The only reason I may have a bigger collection another is the sheer fact that I've been collecting for over 25 years.

    Please keep posting your pickups and thanx for sharing - I enjoyed the read.

    edit: one thing tho - the "Molly" RC - is off the chart! image
    Mike
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    MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    Beautiful collection of cards! Thank you for sharing.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Thanks for the comments guys. There's plenty of other RC's I'm still hunting. I have to take breaks to avoid spending too much...

    Stone, I think you're referring to the Trammell RC. "Molly" is Robin to Alan's Batman. image
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    MantleFan23MantleFan23 Posts: 686 ✭✭✭✭
    There is nothing modest about that collection. We must be around the same age, because I remember all those cards being iconic when I was younger too. I think those are some great pickups. The molitor looks sharp!

    Jeremy
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    MikeyPMikeyP Posts: 990 ✭✭✭
    Very nice collection Davis. Thanks for sharing.
    "Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."
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    aldridgemjaldridgemj Posts: 91
    Great collection from a fellow Michigander (at least I was born there anyway). As much as baseball is my love, I may have to pick up some of those OPC Hockey RC's. The colors/photos are out of sight.

    Matt
    Looking for post-war hof rc's, raw or graded.
    Successful dealings: grote15, wilkiebaby11, BPorter26 and gregmo32.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks for the comments guys. There's plenty of other RC's I'm still hunting. I have to take breaks to avoid spending too much...

    Stone, I think you're referring to the Trammell RC. "Molly" is Robin to Alan's Batman. image >>

    Now that's funny.
    Mike
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    RookieHOFersRookieHOFers Posts: 733 ✭✭✭
    I love threads like this, great cards Davis! You really have the great rookies of the Era. Thanks for sharing. What are some of the next cards your after?
    Matt
    I collect: 80’s Rookies and 86 Fleer Basketball
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    DrFongDrFong Posts: 326
    No microwave?
    All your money won't another minute buy.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭


    << <i>No microwave? >>


    haha, not yet. Haven't gotten the Worm yet either.
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    70ToppsFanatic70ToppsFanatic Posts: 2,104 ✭✭✭✭
    Your story and the results so far speak for themselves. Your post and this collection
    represents just about everything RIGHT about the hobby.

    Great Job!


    Dave
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭


    << <i>I love threads like this, great cards Davis! You really have the great rookies of the Era. Thanks for sharing. What are some of the next cards your after? >>


    Hmm, that list is pretty long. I continue to shop around to upgrade what I already have, which is increasingly more difficult without spending major money. I'm waiting to see how my group rip plays out, but I'm keeping my eye on Cal Ripken, Griffey Jr., Mark Messier, and Magic/Bird/Erving. Some of my grails would be Gordie Howe RC, Bobby Orr RC, and Bobby Layne RC.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Not rookies but I really liked these cards and added them to the collection.
    image[/URL]

    Just picked up a Nolan Ryan rookie and another Jim Brown that will go to psa and then posted. I've got some less valuable ones that I think would be fun to pull together and show.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    I've made a number of recent additions and upgrades. Some new pics:
    [image[/URL]
    image[/URL]
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    image[/URL]
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    image[/URL]
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    ThoseBackPagesThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
    NIIIIIICE!!!!
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
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    belzbelz Posts: 1,217 ✭✭✭
    Davis, really enjoyed looking at all your cards. Thx for sharing, some of my favorites!!!
    "Wots Uh The Deal" by Pink Floyd
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    DniceDnice Posts: 848
    Some really good cards there. Good stuff.
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    WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Great cards, really like that Walter Payton RC, very nice! I like the graded Billy Sims, I remember he looked like he was gonna get 10,000+ yards for a career before the knee blowout on that terrible Metrodome turf. I have a couple raw ones of that 1981 card, pulled them from packs as a kid.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations on your new additions!

    Nice Ryan RC - wish I had one.

    The Marino is killer!
    Mike
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    slum22slum22 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭✭
    Davis,

    Wow! How did I miss this thread the first time? Awesome collection of cards. I am in my late 30's so it looks like we grew up watching lots of the same stars. Thanks for mentioning me in your original thread. If one of my posts inspired you to start this thread than I couldn't be happier. This is my favorite kind of thread. Where a guy gets to show off a collection that means something personal to him. I know I have been inspired for my collection by threads just like this.

    Congrats on that Marino PSA 9. In your original thread I thought the Marino pictured was sharp and I know it looked like a 9 to me. Congrats on the Sweetness, Ripken and Campbell RC's too! Nice grades on the Marino and Payton, were the other two self-submitted as well? The centering on the Marino is fantastic for that card. Keep posting updates!

    Steve
    Steve
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Steve, thanks! I appreciate the responses. I was actually waiting to sub the marino in the original pic because I thought it had some flaws and I already had a 7. The psa 9 you see is from the recent fundraising for mike's family. ThunderDan donated it and is a great guy.
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    slum22slum22 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭✭
    Davis,

    Congrats. You picked up a very nice 9. I would say that is on the high end for centering for most of the 9's I have seen.

    Steve
    Steve
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    RudedawgRudedawg Posts: 345 ✭✭
    Glad you are enjoying yourself and there are some great cards here. I think collecting our childhood "wants" is the first step in re-discovering this hobby. I know it was mine and it kind of filled a hole in the soul image

    Keep going!!
    Currently collecting PSA graded:

    1991 & 1992 Fleer Pro Visions
    1952 Topps
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    RookieWaxRookieWax Posts: 1,066 ✭✭✭
    Very nice selection and choices....and in only 8 months time! You have some of the big ones I still want but don't have yet! And it is great that more and more collectors from the peak era of the hobby continue to come back in full force!
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    CWCW Posts: 1,200 ✭✭✭
    Very cool collection and congrats on the recent pickups! I really like your OPC Yzerman rookie -- very nice.

    Oh, and... GO BLUE! image
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    IndianaJonesIndianaJones Posts: 346 ✭✭✭
    Howdy, Davis. Thanks for sharing your collection and your passion with us. You have good taste. I'm encouraged that you're including other cards besides rookies. Our heroes' best-looking cards, most of the time, came along a little later in their careers. Maybe the rookies get too much attention and fanfare. Regardless, continue with your rookies and whatever touches your heart. You are having a lot of fun, and that my friend is what our hobby is all about. Incidentally, I loved your comment that you enjoy researching the background of the card/set from whence it came. I'm right there with ya, bro. Have a peaceful day. ---Indiana Jones (Brian Powell)
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Thanks for all the kind words guys. Hopefully my story inspires some of your collections the same way you all have inspired me.
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    heritageheritage Posts: 2,662 ✭✭✭
    There's nothing modest about a RC collection spanning those decades and including the greats of all 4 major sports. Well done and thanks for sharing!



    Well said..
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Added a couple new ones. A slight upgrade on the Super Mario rookie (bought raw, was hoping for an 8). Pleased to add Messier to the collection. I have a few at PSA and a couple on their way that I'm pretty excited about.

    image
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    charrigancharrigan Posts: 2,293
    Nice! Selling your Lemieux 7?
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    vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭
    I missed some of these additions. Great thread. Nice Messier. Dig the Sawchuk.
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
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    ThoseBackPagesThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭
    NICE!
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
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    Gball16Gball16 Posts: 100


    << <i>Added a couple new ones. A slight upgrade on the Super Mario rookie (bought raw, was hoping for an 8). Pleased to add Messier to the collection. I have a few at PSA and a couple on their way that I'm pretty excited about.

    image >>


    Are you gonna sell your 7 and 7.5 Lemieux rookies to upgrade to an 8?
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    DezHoodDezHood Posts: 145 ✭
    Great Collection! I'm impressed with your eye making so many raw purchases - what about the Jordan? Given the number of fakes.... Did you pick that one up raw?
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Charigan, Practically...yes. I bought a raw '85 opc complete set for the cost of about a lemieux Psa 6. It was the set I pm'd you about. I was hoping to find some stars with psa 10 potential and I knew the mario was a 7 or 8...but no luck on the others. The gretzky came in a psa 8 and the Yzerman wasn't worth submitting b/c of a wierd print dot. So I'm going to end up keeping the 7.5 from the set and inserting my psa 7 mario in the set to resell. So basically I'm going to sell an '85 opc set with a mario 7 and a gretzky 8.

    Gball, my strategy tends to buy nice raw cards and submit them to psa. I hang on to my current cards until I acquire the same card in a higher grade. I've found that if I am careful, I can find 7s and 8s raw for the cost of a 5 or 6. I usually fund additional purchases with proceeds I've made from the sale of other cards. Kind of like playing with house money. image
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    .
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    jay0791jay0791 Posts: 3,514 ✭✭✭✭
    Super nice cards. They are many of my heroes growing up also.

    True collector's don't need to have the absolute best psa 10's

    Buy what we can afford and make no excuses........
    Collecting PSA... FB,BK,HK,and BB HOF RC sets
    1948-76 Topps FB Sets
    FB & BB HOF Player sets
    1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭


    << <i>Great Collection! I'm impressed with your eye making so many raw purchases - what about the Jordan? Given the number of fakes.... Did you pick that one up raw? >>



    Thanks and that's a Good question. That one was actually a BGS 7.5 that I crossed over to a 7. I just like the psa holders much better.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    A Christmas present arrived from Newport today. Very pleased with how they graded:
    image
    image
    image


    Also had 3 1989 Pro Set Barry Sanders RC's come back at PSA 9. Continuing my quest for a 10. Bought an 89 pro set box to rip over Christmas.
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    vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭
    Nice work there. Did you buy those all raw?
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭


    << <i>Nice work there. Did you buy those all raw? >>


    Yes, with a little help from the boards on the MJ to verify it was legit. I was expecting all of them to come back at least a grade lower than they actually did. So I'm pretty happy about that. The Bird/Erving/Magic card has been at the top of my search radar for a while. The MJ is certainly the prize of my collection at this point.
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    charrigancharrigan Posts: 2,293
    Great cards. A signed Bird/Dr. J/Magic card is on my bucket list!
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    The latest addition....my year-end gift to myself from BBCE. Probably the only graded unopened I'll ever hold in my collection. Everything else gets ripped.
    image[/URL]
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    DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    I also picked up a few wax packs for ripping from BBCE along with the above. The results of the rip (evidence supporting the argument to only buy unopened from BBCE!):

    1982 Topps Baseball x2 wax: Ripken RC in first pack image
    1984 Topps Baseball x2 wax: nothing worth noting
    1989 Score Football x2 wax: Thurman Thomas RC, Jerry Rice
    1986 Topps Football x1 Cello (Dent was showing on back): Walter Payton, Richard Dent
    1988 OPC Hockey x1 wax (didn't realize it's only 8 cards): Gretzky..off center but cool pull

    My 2015 project is to complete the 1986 Fleer basketball set in all PSA 8. A few of you guys have already helped me kickoff the set! I appreciate it!
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