First collecting blunder...

72skywalker · January 14, 2010 9:52AM

I remember when I was a kid my father and 2 of his friends were trying to complete the 1981 Fleer set with all of the errors. The one card that gave them the most trouble was the "Craig" Nettles error card where they spelled his first name wrong. They bought a case of the cards and only got 3. Of course after he showed it to me and left me alone with it I traded it to one of my friends. ( I believe for a 1981 Topps Reggie Jackson) When I told him he actually went to my friend's house with $20 and the card he traded for it and asked for it back. I still have that set and is one that I will never sell. I found the "craig" Nettles card at a card show a few years ago in the $1.00 bin and had to buy it for him. He is still very surprised to find out how all those cards are not worth too much now.

All of my favorite cards are the ones I collected with my father and are only worth a few dollars except for the 1958 All Star Mantle and 1968 Mantle. Those did hold their value.

digicat · January 14, 2010 9:58AM

My first collecting blunder was not keeping a close eye on my trade binder during lunch-time trade sessions back in middle school. I recall that there were about 10 kids sitting at the table passing binders around. When my binder got back to me, it was missing 2 of my 3 1989 UD Griffey rcs.

The one that was left was one I had Junior autograph at a show. No one believed that it was authentic, since the sig didn't look like the one on his 89 Bowman card. Everyone thought I signed it myself. I still have it too.

Karb · January 14, 2010 10:04AM

I must have been about 5 and my brother was 3. My dad had a lot of unopened wax. My brother and I decided to go through dad's office looking for some sweets. We must have remembered dad opening packs of cards with the gum inside of them. Apparently we ripped through two boxes of early 80's Topps. So that would count as my first blunder and first rippage

He was pretty upset at the time, I guess, but he's over it now.

gtgrad99 · January 14, 2010 10:43AM

I was on the receiving end of one. I was looking through some commons boxes that my friend had. He said I could keep anything that I found. Lo and behold, I found a Joe Montana RC in the box. He said he wanted it back, so I proposed a trade. I got his 1969 Tom Seaver and he got his Montana rookie back.

Elemenopeo · January 14, 2010 10:55AM

In the late '80s, I kept a 1973 Mike Schmidt RC in my wallet for "safekeeping." No sleeve. No toploader. Just stuffed in my wallet.

72skywalker · January 14, 2010 11:00AM

That is like Bob Costas and his 58 Mantle All Star.

PhilG · January 14, 2010 11:30AM

I suppose putting a Roger Maris rookie thru the spokes of my bicycle could be considered a blunder.

Phil

My hoard of 93 Finest Refractors

Stone193 · January 14, 2010 11:51AM

<< I remember when I was a kid my father and 2 of his friends were trying to complete the 1981 Fleer set with all of the errors. The one card that gave them the most trouble was the "Craig" Nettles error card where they spelled his first name wrong. They bought a case of the cards and only got 3. Of course after he showed it to me and left me alone with it I traded it to one of my friends. ( I believe for a 1981 Topps Reggie Jackson) When I told him he actually went to my friend's house with $20 and the card he traded for it and asked for it back. I still have that set and is one that I will never sell. I found the "craig" Nettles card at a card show a few years ago in the $1.00 bin and had to buy it for him. He is still very surprised to find out how all those cards are not worth too much now.

All of my favorite cards are the ones I collected with my father and are only worth a few dollars except for the 1958 All Star Mantle and 1968 Mantle. Those did hold their value. >>

Luke

What year was your dad doing the 81F set? The "Craig" error was hot around 1990 or so. Just curious.

mike

pdub1819 · January 14, 2010 1:28PM

<< My first collecting blunder was not keeping a close eye on my trade binder during lunch-time trade sessions back in middle school. I recall that there were about 10 kids sitting at the table passing binders around. When my binder got back to me, it was missing 2 of my 3 1989 UD Griffey rcs.

The one that was left was one I had Junior autograph at a show. No one believed that it was authentic, since the sig didn't look like the one on his 89 Bowman card. Everyone thought I signed it myself. I still have it too. >>

I had a similar story, except when I was 5th grader (1988 I think), a family friend gave me a box of 65 topps (I'm talking Mantle's, Roses, Clementes) for helping them clean their backyard. The dad who gave it to me was not a sports guy. Anyway, I used to take them to school to show off and trade and one day I came back from recess and someone had gone into my desk and stolen all my cards. The only card I had left was a 65 Clemente which I ended up selling at a yardsale a couple years later. I got taken on that one too!
Now, I have decided that one of my collecting goals is to collect the whole set of 65 Topps BB. It's going to take a while, but I'll do it someday!

Allen · January 14, 2010 1:54PM

<< That is like Bob Costas and his 58 Mantle All Star. >>

I am not familiar with that one. Do tell.

hammered · January 14, 2010 3:15PM

<< I suppose putting a Roger Maris rookie thru the spokes of my bicycle could be considered a blunder.

Phil

My hoard of 93 Finest Refractors >>

Am I reading that right? You have 86 Randy Myers Finest refractors?

PhilG · January 14, 2010 3:45PM

<< 

<< I suppose putting a Roger Maris rookie thru the spokes of my bicycle could be considered a blunder.

Phil

My hoard of 93 Finest Refractors >>

Am I reading that right? You have 86 Randy Myers Finest refractors? >>

Actually it is now 87. I won one tonight.

Phil

72skywalker · January 14, 2010 9:26PM

My dad was trying to complete the set back when it first came out in 1981.

72skywalker · January 14, 2010 9:28PM

The Bob Costas story is that he has had a 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle Allstar card in his wallet for the past many years (since he was younger. i am sure it is not mint anymore.

byronscott4ever · January 14, 2010 10:44PM

Years ago I had the chance to get Bob Costas' autograph and had the chance to talk to him briefly. I asked him about the Mantle card he carries around and he showed me the current one. He said that it wasn't the same one he started with and I wasn't even sure which one is one but as I recall, it was worn down to about the size of a credit card (probably because he had some CCs in his pocket next to it at the same time)

Indy78 · January 14, 2010 11:09PM

About 2 years ago, I mentioned to a friend of mine who is in his early 50's that I collect baseball cards. He promptly reached for his wallet and pulled out a beautifully-centered and heavily-creased and worn 1959 Topps Mantle card (the regular card with the red background- I don't remember the card number at the moment). It was given to him by another friend of ours back in the late 90's, and spent time in the wallet ever since. He's not a collector at all, just a Mantle fan dating back to his childhood. I didn't have the heart to tell him what that card would have been worth had he protected it (there was no point), and I know he had no idea.

First collecting blunder...

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