What do you consider VINTAGE??

LuvOldPacks

Okay, I've seen the term VINTAGE tossed around a lot on these boards and eBay when referring to old packs and boxes. I always considered packs from the 50's and 60's vintage. Do we also include the 70's and 80's or are they just 'old'...?
I guess I still get a kick out of people listing their 'vintage' 1989 Topps Baseball Packs for sale ~ granted, they are over 25 years old now, but......????

TNP777

You're right, there are many definitions of 'vintage' out there. I'm in the pre-1980 camp (before Fleer and Donruss entered the scene). Some are pre-1973, which was the last year Topps released their cards in series. Some define it as pre-WW2.

You should add a poll to the thread and see what the consensus is.

edit: looks like a poll can only be added when composing the opening post. It cannot be added after the thread is published.

charrigan

Probably varies by sport. Lots of discussions assume baseball as the referent without speaking to it (baseball normativity), but whatever.

For hockey, pre-80 is solidly vintage. I would personally include all pre-90 cards in the category.

lawnmowerman

Anything over 25 years for me.

jsanz

The definition has changed over the years. I remember for the longest time it was 1970, then 1973, then 1975, now some say pre-1980. I'm going with pre-1980 as vintage. That stuff is getting pretty old and a little harder to find.

RookieWax

To me, the "vintage" era stops at 1991, since 1992 was the year Topps stopped putting gum in packs and switched from the classic brown cardboard to the newer white stock.

milbroco

To me "Vintage" is anything I cannot afford. No matter when it was made........................

To me "vintage" would be 1975 and before. 1976 to about 1984 would be old. After that it is just ???? not sure what to call it.

Robert

bishop

Me....1950

For cards the SCD Standard Catalog now stops at 1980. The cutoff does not matter much to me, but some people get passionate about it.

On the 73 cut off date there was quite a row on 54 since in some areas of the the country the 73 set was apparently released all at one time on a test basis

LuvOldPacks

To me "Vintage" is anything I cannot afford.Text

I believe you just came up with the perfect definition!!

seebelow

vintage today means something worn, beat up, and just old...would luv some vintage mantles.

i put vintage somewhat based on card production/ popularity...so up to 1980...some may take it to 1984....

hyperchipper09

<< <i>To me "Vintage" is anything I cannot afford. No matter when it was made........................

To me "vintage" would be 1975 and before. 1976 to about 1984 would be old. After that it is just ???? not sure what to call it.

Robert >>



I was thinking 74 / 75 and before myself. During my first phase of collecting that ended in 2000, I viewed the Brett and Yount 75 rookies as the cutoff line or near based on availability, condition etc in my case.

ssollars

For me the "vintage" era ended in the late 80's and early 90's when all of the over produced, shiny stuff with better quality control came into existence.

Stone193

This question comes up from time to time.

I have no idea. I'm sure it's "relative" to the age of the person.

Here's a classic example: Note: 1989 and the word VINTAGE



I got a wart on my ass older than that!

ReggieCleveland

I always considered 1952-1979 vintage. I am also wrong with an uncanny frequency.

Arthur

cardbender

Vintage to me means, the last year Topps issued cards by the series in the 1970's,
which would be in 1973. So pre '73 I consider 'vintage'.

1954

Like another poster said it used to be 1970 and then moved to 1973. I think the term vintage for cards changes not only with the years but most importantly the collector. My view has always been the 1973 year but I am now considering 1976 the cut off date. Vintage for unopened is 1979. With unopened that number will probably stay pretty firm for a couple more years in my eyes. Depending on the sport some unopened boxes seem to be tougher in different years.

DanBessette

Regardless of sport, I consider vintage to be anything pre-1980. Also, somebody get Mike some Compound W!

heritage

1975 and back for me.

addicted2ebay

Pre 81 for me is vintage. When the presses started ramping up.

LuvOldPacks

It appears vintage is very subjective, like grades of cards.
But most agree pre 80's is a good starting point if you will. Of course now the latest gnawing question is ~ Is Mike's asswart vintage??

MULLINS5

20 years + = vintage.

100 years + = antique.

49ersGuy

up to 1980 for me.

It really depends on your own age though. People older than me might not consider anything past 1970 to be vintage.

craig44

I always personally felt that vintage was anything that predated my own active collecting. So for me anything before 1989 would be considered vintage.

DrFong

<< <i>You're right, there are many definitions of 'vintage' out there. I'm in the pre-1980 camp (before Fleer and Donruss entered the scene). Some are pre-1973, which was the last year Topps released their cards in series. Some define it as pre-WW2......... >>



Well said gerjie. I'm in the "vintage ends at 1973" camp.

summerof68

1973... Last year for (series release) and last year for Clemente and Mays cards--end of an era!

mikelowell25

Wow, a rare post from summerof68--always great to see you on here don!!

mintonlypls

1976 (pre-free agency)...the last year that baseball was still a game.

Stone193

<< <i>Wow, a rare post from summerof68--always great to see you on here don!! >>

Hiya David.

When we met, you couldn't described "me" as vintage instead of old man.

mikelowell25

<< <i>

<< <i>Wow, a rare post from summerof68--always great to see you on here don!! >>

Hiya David.

When we met, you couldn't described "me" as vintage instead of old man. >>



True!! What I was trying to say when mike cpa introduced you to me was that it was an honor to meet one of the legends of the boards but at 8:45 am and working on like three hours of sleep I couldn't find the words so that was the best I could do!!

Dboneesq

Don ... Holy Crap ... How the hell have you been? Hope all is well.

I agree that it probably depends on how old you are. To me, VINTAGE is 1969 and before. (I was born in 1958.)

bobsbbcards

<< <i>Don ... Holy Crap ... How the hell have you been? Hope all is well.

I agree that it probably depends on how old you are. To me, VINTAGE is 1969 and before. (I was born in 1958.) >>



1969 for me too, but I'm much younger than you (1960).

cecropiamoth

For baseball I think good arguments could be made for pre-1976, pre-1981 and pre-1986 with the argument getting weaker the more modern you get. Agree that one's definition could largely be determined by their age.

Jeff

CocoaBeachDodgers

1974-preasent= modern
1948-1973 = vintage
?-1947 = prewar

strat4454

I agree with craig44

anything that pre dated my own collecting is vintage.

bishop

That explains why Bob sees everything sideways instead of straight up

summerof68

<< <i>Wow, a rare post from summerof68--always great to see you on here don!! >>


David & Doug,

Doing just fine guys and thanks for the acknowledgement. Over the past year I've focused my interests in locating and reselling vintage collector car parts. Lots to learn and there's always that rush when you walk down a row of cars at a "Pick Your Part" wrecking yard and stumble upon a nice vintage car with lots of good parts left--such as a nice '73 Monte Carlo and '70 Cadillac convertible I came across last week. What's ironic is that vintage car parts from 1977 and older are very tough to find and those from '78 and newer are much more common. I had to chuckle when I thought about unopened material and how it has the same dividing line as well.

Baseball cards were a huge part of my childhood and though my collecting focus has changed I must admit the feeling I get from holding a mint pre-'80 rack in my hands will never diminish.

Happy collecting guys, Don

LarkinCollector

Speaking of cars, vintage is 1919-1930 for those I agree with Casey in that it really depends on sport. For golf cards, anything prior to 1981 (though I see a lot of the 81/82D described as such); for baseball, it's somewhere earlier though I don't have an exact date in mind, but do appreciate the argument for the 1973 cutoff. I guess I would prefer to see a different wording completely for baseball, perhaps Topps era to cover 52-80, Mass production era for 81-95ish, and Modern era for anything newer?

Stone193

<< <i>

<< <i>Wow, a rare post from summerof68--always great to see you on here don!! >>


David & Doug,

Doing just fine guys and thanks for the acknowledgement. Over the past year I've focused my interests in locating and reselling vintage collector car parts. Lots to learn and there's always that rush when you walk down a row of cars at a "Pick Your Part" wrecking yard and stumble upon a nice vintage car with lots of good parts left--such as a nice '73 Monte Carlo and '70 Cadillac convertible I came across last week. What's ironic is that vintage car parts from 1977 and older are very tough to find and those from '78 and newer are much more common. I had to chuckle when I thought about unopened material and how it has the same dividing line as well.

Baseball cards were a huge part of my childhood and though my collecting focus has changed I must admit the feeling I get from holding a mint pre-'80 rack in my hands will never diminish.

Happy collecting guys, Don >>

Hiya Don

Glad to see you here.

Are you finding the parts first and then listing them or do the "search" for people that don't have the time to do it themselves? I like car restoration shows - sounds like fun to do the searching!

Best of luck in your endeavors.

summerof68

<< <i>Are you finding the parts first and then listing them or do the "search" for people that don't have the time to do it themselves? I like car restoration shows - sounds like fun to do the searching!

Best of luck in your endeavors. >>


Hello Mike, we have about a dozen self-serve wrecking yards here in the Los Angeles area and every weekend I grab my tools & wheelbarrow and walk the rows consisting of thousands of cars. Still many '80s era GM to pick from but the earlier generation 1977 and older are becoming a rarity. Couldn't believe it last weekend when I came upon a '73 Monte Carlo. Exterior was rough but what a surprise when I opened the door and viewed an exceptionally clean interior I removed every part but the carpeting, headliner & dash pad.

To answer your question I pull my own parts and then sell them on both ebay & craigslist. Lots of fun, good exercise, being outdoors, and of course the thrill of the hunt--and find!

jmb

I tend to go with 1976 and earlier. 76 was Aaron's last card and before the Blue Jays & Mariners were added to the AL.

Dboneesq

Don ... don't get Mike all excited about THE HUNT for car parts. If he starts doing the same thing and stores them alongside all his old games, his wife is going to hunt YOU down! LOL Again, great to hear from you. Best of luck in your new business.

slum22

Obviously, there is no definitive or right answer to this topic, which makes for a great thread. I will throw another idea out, that the line demarcating vintage/modern could be when there came to be more than one mainstream manufacturer of cards. For baseball this would be 1980 as in 1981 Donruss and Fleer joined Topps/OPC. In football it would be 1988 as 1989 ushered in Score and Pro Set. In basketball it would also be 1988, as 1989 brought Hoops to join Fleer. Forgive my lack of hockey knowledge but I believe this would be 1989 as 1990 brought Score, Pro Set and Upper Deck to join OPC/Topps.

slum22

Don, I'll second the others in saying it is great seeing you on here. I always do a double take when I see your avatar. Hope to see you on here a little more regularly.