What was your worst hobby casualty?

BaltimoreYankee

Ever spill coffee on that pristine Nolan Ryan rookie or drop a card and get a really bad ding?

Here my worst: I used to own both a baseball signed by the 1971 NL All Star team and a 1969 Dodge Coronet. The ball was signed by Clemente, Aaron, Rose, Mays, you name it - full team. Right before I got married, I packed some things in my car to move to my new home. Left them overnight and the car got stolen. Never saw the ball or car again. (Being that I lived in Brooklyn, it was not to be the only car I ever had stolen - got the second one back so I guess I batted .500 there).

Stone193

Sorry to hear that Daniel.

I was taking a card - Molly RC - out of a holder and totally bent the corner. Went from like an 8 to a 4 in a nanosecond!

akuracy503

I was probably around 11 years old, 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan RC. I thought it was a sweet idea to take a red sharpie and re-color the entire borders, chipped edges? psshhhh its a mint card now

dontippet

Heard of a guy back in the late 80's who was planning to take is 1952 Topps set to the show the next day. Since he couldn't get them to fit into the 9 pocket sheets, he trimmed every card so they would fit and be protected.

akuracy503

<< <i>Heard of a guy back in the late 80's who was planning to take is 1952 Topps set to the show the next day. Since he couldn't get them to fit into the 9 pocket sheets, he trimmed every card so they would fit and be protected. >>



Theres no excuse for this one. A grown man did this?

dontippet

This may be the very set I am talking about.

1952 Set

Stone193

<< <i>Heard of a guy back in the late 80's who was planning to take is 1952 Topps set to the show the next day. Since he couldn't get them to fit into the 9 pocket sheets, he trimmed every card so they would fit and be protected. >>

Geez Don!

That reminds of Mr Mint telling a story where he bought a really nice Nm-mt 53T set and missed the fact that the guy had placed a neat little inconspicuous stamp with his initials on the back of every card.

akuracy503

That's actually not a bad price for the lot.

BaltimoreYankee

Just wow on the '52 Topps story!!

Akuracy - I did the same thing with a '71 Pete Rose (I guess I was the forerunner to waverly82!). Still have the card, I just wish it was in the original condition.

TNP777

<< <i>That's actually not a bad price for the lot. >>

I was thinking the same thing.

MikeyP

I was placing a Don Mattingly autographed 8x10 photo into a toploader. I had just taken a hot shower and the heat from my hands damaged the photo and distorted the image. It was personalized, so it was not something that I could replace with a new one.

WhiteTornado

This one is in terms of purely sentimental value. I had a 1982 St. Louis Cardinals world champions coffee mug which I got at the time they won. It was neat, listed all of the NL Pennant and WS game scores. About 10 years later, a so-called friend of mine broke it. He had been staying with me in my apartment and I was away travelling at one point. It had been in a box on the floor next to my bed, I simply had not unpacked that box since I had moved in. He said he was wrestling around with another friend of ours and the other person shoved him on the bed and he fell off the side, right into the box .

The other guy said the wrestling scene happened, but he was unaware they broke anything. My so-called friend turned out to be a compulsive liar, so who knows what really happened. He said he'd replace it, but what I got from him was some chintzy plastic beer-type mug that looked like a promotional giveaway he probably got at a Cardinals game. Hardly an equal replacement.

Bosox1976

I had dozens of Bird & Magic rookies back in 80.... separated them all and stapled them to my bedroom wall, along with the Darryl Dawkins, Gervin, AD, and the rest of the stars from the day. Damn perforations.

gemint

There was a 1957 Topps baseball complete set on eBay a few years ago that was in high grade except for the fact that most cards had been stamped on the reverse. Then there's one of Lionel Carter's 1952 sets that was auctioned off when he sold off his collection. The cards were pristine except for the fact they developed indentations around the corners where they had sat inside photo corners since new.

byronscott4ever

Stuck a few 86-87 Fleer basketball stickers on a Tupperware container but no Jordan thankfully

Davis

<< <i>Sorry to hear that Daniel.

I was taking a card - Trammell RC - out of a holder and totally bent the corner. Went from like an 8 to a 4 in a nanosecond! >>



Fixed...

orioles93

Was taking a 53 topps newhouser psa 3.5 out of its case, and i slipped and an edge of the broken case put a slice in the side of the card.

doog71

I had a ton of Red Sox star cards that ended up getting dropped in the toilet and flushed away never to be seen again.

Oh wait, I did that on purpose.

sbfinley

Had two cards, a Chase pink portrait and a Matty dark cap (both raw in CS1's), go missing off my desk at my wife and I's first apartment. I figured the cable guy or someone swiped them and wrote it off as a loss after a few months of fruitless searching. Fast forward six months as we are moving and one of the last things we broke down was our son's crib. Underneath the mattress is the Chase pink. I tore through the place that last 48 hrs trying to find the Matty. It never popped up. One day someone will come on a board boasting how they found a HoF t206 in a fisher price set at Goodwill. That person can eat me.

ashabby

Over bid on some cards to help as they said with cancer bills. Got the three cards all fake. First week of eBay buying. So I had to turn my cynical filter on going forward sad...

BellagioPokerKing

I live in Canton, Ohio and collect everything NFL Hall of Fame. I made a tremendous purchase of Canton Repository and Akron Beacon Journal newspapers. Both newspapers, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday editions, spanning the years 1963 ( When the Hall opened ) up into the mid '90's. Which was GREAT, because I had already started collecting them in the late 1980's. Papers were in three Large cardboard boxes, all laid out FLAT !!!!! These newspapers were in near MINT condition. None of my HOF friends had ever seen these papers from the 1960's and 1970's.

Then, one day three years ago, we had a HUGE rainstorm here in Canton. Something like 5 inches in two hours time. I had NEVER gotten water in my basement. Little did I know BOTH of my sump pumps in my basement had shorted out. I had 6 inches of water in my basement and rec-room for TWO days till it was discovered. I got a check for 10 K from my insurance company. Had to hire a salvage company to clean up the mess, new carpet and drywall in Rec-room. I lost a LOT of stuff. 10 K helped, but didn't cover nearly everything I lost. but those newspapers are probably irreplaceable. Had never found anything like that in 24 years of collecting, haven't in the three years since, and I feel sure I never will again in the future. That still hurts.....I don't think I will ever get over it.

Rocke

gregm13

The best card that I've ever pulled was a Tony Dorsett from the 1997 UD Legends set ($400+ card). At the time, I used top loaders with a penny sleeve. Well....one day I was taking a box off the shelf (which contained the Dorsett), and I fumbled the snap and the box crashed to the ground. Midair, several of the card fell from the box and the Dorsett slid from the top loader and one of the corners stuck the ground, crushing it. The next day, I went to a nearby card shop and bought a case of Card Saver II's and switched out EVERY card that I had. To this day, I still hate top loaders with a passion

Rgs,

Greg M.

plattech

I somehow dropped and stepped on my 1992 Upper Deck Shaq rookie and creased it.
Only casualty so far in off and on collecting since '81.

2Clueless2

Juan Gonzalez PSA 10 Tiffany - $500 per. Got 6. Worth about $10.

WhiteTornado

<< <i>The best card that I've ever pulled was a Tony Dorsett from the 1997 UD Legends set ($400+ card). At the time, I used top loaders with a penny sleeve. Well....one day I was taking a box off the shelf (which contained the Dorsett), and I fumbled the snap and the box crashed to the ground. Midair, several of the card fell from the box and the Dorsett slid from the top loader and one of the corners stuck the ground, crushing it. The next day, I went to a nearby card shop and bought a case of Card Saver II's and switched out EVERY card that I had. To this day, I still hate top loaders with a passion

Rgs,

Greg M. >>



I think you've posted that story before and it didn't sound any less painful the second time .

gregm13

<< <i>

<< <i>The best card that I've ever pulled was a Tony Dorsett from the 1997 UD Legends set ($400+ card). At the time, I used top loaders with a penny sleeve. Well....one day I was taking a box off the shelf (which contained the Dorsett), and I fumbled the snap and the box crashed to the ground. Midair, several of the card fell from the box and the Dorsett slid from the top loader and one of the corners stuck the ground, crushing it. The next day, I went to a nearby card shop and bought a case of Card Saver II's and switched out EVERY card that I had. To this day, I still hate top loaders with a passion

Rgs,

Greg M. >>



I think you've posted that story before and it didn't sound any less painful the second time . >>



I'm still bitter

Mintacular

Thankfully, I haven't had many, dropped a few cards here there causing a ding on the corners low # stuff. I did have a really nice '57 SP Collins PSA 6 that was perfect for my raw set but when I cracked it I caused a corner crease Only lost $20 or so but everytime I see that card I get mad cause I had the one I wanted but didn't crack it right. Gave it away for free to a collector, made me feel slightly ok about the situation.

MULLINS5

The fragility of this hobby is crazy but makes me appreciate all the high grade items out there. My fiance's father says his parents have tons of baseball cards packed away because they never threw anything out. I told him when he finds them not to touch them, call me first to come and get them. I feel like, sometimes, handling cards is like managing a crime scene.

60sfan

Back in 1993 there was a full page ad in Sports Collectors Digest for '86 Fleer Basketball singles..........I sent a check for $800 and never received anything.......it was a scam.

ssollars

Mine could be at my local post office right now waiting for me to pick it up...

But until then, buying a raw 58 cello pack would be at the top of my list.

Some might say I didn't learn anything from that

flcardtrader

Mine was back in 1989 when I tried to get an ExMt 52 Pafko out of a top loader.

Needless to say, the crease I left through the top of the card knocked this one down a few grades considerably.

It was a costly life lesson on how to properly remove cards from Top Loaders.

belz

My entire collection was stolen back in the mid 90's out of an apartment in Chicago...I got insurance money for it but not nearly what the value was...back then I didn't have anything graded so there was nothing much I could do...other then start all over

summerof68

Halloween night 1973 I burned my child hood baseball card collection consisting of roughly 25,000 1968, 1969 & 1970 Topps baseball cards. Weeks earlier I had placed the cards in 100 card bundles and tried to sell them at the Chino Swap Meet at .50 cents a bundle with no takers. I finally came down to .10 cents a bundle late in the afternoon and still no takers.

Then on Halloween night I came up with the idea of giving the kids bundles of cards instead of candy and I was met with nothing but disappointed young eyes. After giving up on that idea I spent the rest of the night feeding my fireplace with what was back in 1973 worthless blocks of cardboard. At one point I paused however when the bundle I was about to toss had a '68 Brooks Robinson on top who was my favorite player as a kid. But my respite was short-lived and in it went--after all I was in high-school now and cars and girls were my interests and baseball cards were for kids.

And to answer your question: yes, my 25,000 childhood collection was sprinkled with all the big named cards of those three years--after all, in 1973 a Ryan rookie had no monetary value, just sentimental value--and back '73 he was just a common that I nor any of my card collecting friends wanted anyways!!!

cpamike

<< <i>Halloween night 1973 I burned my child hood baseball card collection consisting of roughly 25,000 1968, 1969 & 1970 Topps baseball cards. Weeks earlier I had placed the cards in 100 card bundles and tried to sell them at the Chino Swap Meet at .50 cents a bundle with no takers. I finally came down to .10 cents a bundle late in the afternoon and still no takers.

Then on Halloween night I came up with the idea of giving the kids bundles of cards instead of candy and I was met with nothing but disappointed young eyes. After giving up on that idea I spent the rest of the night feeding my fireplace with what was back in 1973 worthless blocks of cardboard. At one point I paused however when the bundle I was about to toss had a '68 Brooks Robinson on top who was my favorite player as a kid. But my respite was short-lived and in it went--after all I was in high-school now and cars and girls were my interests and baseball cards were for kids.

And to answer your question: yes, my 25,000 childhood collection was littered with all the big named cards of those three years--after all, in 1973 a Ryan rookie had no monetary value, just sentimental value--and back '73 he was just a common that I nor any of my card collecting friends wanted anyways!!! >>



Still painful to hear that story Don even though you told it to me before. Luckily, I just packed mine away for college.

summerof68

<< <i>Still painful to hear that story Don even though you told it to me before. Luckily, I just packed mine away for college. >>


Oddly enough Mike even to this day I still get a little nauseous feeling that surfaces every Halloween. I think I know the cause but I just blame it on eating too much candy!

59Horsehide

Guess I am one of the "old" kids but back in the mid to late '50s we put baseball cards on our bike spokes with snap close pins. Made the neatest sound. I was not a big Mick fan so you know where most of those went! I still have a 1959 Ozzie Virgil I shot with my Red Ryder (BB gun for the youngsters). Probably did the same with a Mantle card also. Still have my cards from 56-60. Not sure what I am going to be when I grow up.

mlbfan2

Nooooooooo!

Piggs

Was at a Portland Oregon card show back in the late 70's early 80's and some guys yells out, " I have a Near Mint regular size '75 Topps set for sale at $99". Mini's were what I had collected and for some reason had no interest in the regular size cards. The room was silent and no one claimed the set by the way. The things you remember. Doug

cpamike

<< <i>

<< <i>Still painful to hear that story Don even though you told it to me before. Luckily, I just packed mine away for college. >>



Oddly enough Mike even to this day I still get a little nauseous feeling that surfaces every Halloween. I think I know the cause but I just blame it on eating too much candy! >>



I actually do eat too much candy during Halloween.

Of course, I can afford to add a few pounds.

epislash

<< <i>Nooooooooo!
>>



Exactly what I was thinking when reading this thread. I hate when my mother tells me all the mantles she remembered doing that with. Ugh.

IndianaJones

Honestly, this topic of "hobby casualties" would make a terrific but gut-wrenching article in Sports Market Report. Historically, until the advent of professionally graded cards, the things that were done, with the best and worst of intentions, to trading cards is nothing short of pitiful.

A few examples:

A. I remember reading and seeing a photo in REMINISCE about what some kids used to do with their '33-'34 Goudey baseball card collection: they'd take a hole-puncher and punch a quarter-inch diameter hole in the corner of the card, then slip it on a metal ring that they'd then wear on their belt loop when they went out to play baseball with the neighborhood kids. Before and after the game, they'd be showing off their latest acquisitions or favorites they knew the others did not have, making trades, and all the while during bike riding and playing baseball, the metal loop with the cards on it were treated to all sorts of bangin' and bumpin' around. Even if they were smart enough to carefully remove their ring of cards and gently lay them on the grass or dirt while they played ball, .... Those cards were still prized, loved, and played with. Just cheap boys' toys. DING DONG! DING DONG! "AND JACOBY SENDS A SEARING LINER THAT GOES FOUL---RIGHT INTO SODERSTRUM'S RING OF CARDS!!! OH THE CALAMITY OF IT ALL. I CAN'T LOOK. I CAN'T LOOK. OH OH---I LOOKED."

B. I well recall an otherwise pristine T-3 Ty Cobb premium prize that someone had mounted in a screw-down holder. The owner must have been paranoid or something, 'cause he just screwed the daylights out of those screws--screwed so far the screws left virtual indentations in the acrylic. Robert Edward Auctions did their dead level best to be tactful and tout the obvious merits of the card. After all, the photo area was still pristine, clean as a whistle, without a mark or scratch. But each corner, once removed from the screw-down, was duly flattened. SGC could only give Ty an AUTHENTIC. Really, it was a bargain hunter's paradise, but few seemed to grasp that opportunity and were spoiled by the crunched cardboard corners. That was stupid, but would-be owners were probably worried they were throwing a couple grand down the toilet. And that's about what this normally 50-75 grand or higher in its otherwise pristine condition garnered in that spring's REA auction, a couple thousand dollars. Just 'cause some stupid felt he had to "screw it down to China"!

C. A card shop in South Bend, Indiana had a very nice glass display case housing its finer cards. One of which was a regal Red Man tobacco card of Stan Musial. He had a regal price on it as well, though I think very very few of his clientele realized how special the card was. The card shop owner had it in that display case for a few years, the last couple of which placed itself directly in line with the sunset. Each day the sun's direct beam would, for just a few minutes, hit Stan "THE MAN" with its full force. I almost have to force myself to write the words describing the card's appearance the last time I happened by his establishment. Let's just say where there used to be the brilliant red there was now this insane pink........ Oh, and his faded price sticker still had the same numbers as before.

I can't write anymore; this is just too depressing. --IndianaJones (Brian Powell)

PMKAY

I was 10

SDSportsFan

Unfortunately, I've had more than one, the last two involving my favorite athlete of all time

I bought a 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan RC many moons ago (late 1980s/early 1990s) when it was only $10 or so. Anyway, it resided in an album, in the top left pocket of the page. After a while, the album was bursting at the seems due to the number of cards in it. One day while looking at the cards, the rings popped open. When I closed the rings, the page with the Ryan RC slipped off the ring, so that when I closed the rings, the top ring closed right on the card, making a nice little dent on both sides of it. I still have the card, along with a PSA 8 I picked up later.

Another time, I was vacuuming my apartment (this was in the early 1990s). As I was moving through the place, the cord whipped around and caught my 12" Sports Impressions Nolan Ryan porcelain figurine, knocking it off the shelf and onto the floor, and breaking Nolan's right arm. I was so PO'd at myself, I ended up throwing the statue away, along with the Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver figurines from the trio (they were the "Kings of K" figurines). I finally found another of the Ryan statues earlier this year on ebay, and it is safely ensconced on a bookshelf.

Also, back in the early 1980s, I was collecting T206s. I bought an oversized Addie Joss portrait. When I went to put it in a plastic page, it was too tall for the pocket, so of course, I trimmed it with an x-acto knife. Didn't do a very good job of it either, as both the top and bottom ended up with serious waves. I now have a nice PSA 4 Joss portrait in my set.


Steve