My journey... 1952 Topps #311 (warning: Long read)
akuracy503
Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭
Rewind 3 years ago it was a new time in my life starting a young family, my daughter was 3 with my wife and I expecting our second child.
Like many young families I got caught up in the new transition of balancing children, marriage and career.
Even though it was the biggest challenge of my life I never stopped reminding myself how blessed I am.
With family came the benefits of changing a lifestyle, I had sold all of my nice toys, hot cars from my wasted twenties, traded for a family suv and a mortgage.
I am now officially a family man, a dad and husband.
So now 3 years ago I dabble with the silly idea of collecting baseball cards again, introducing my daughter to what dad did when I was her age.
First my wife thought it was a funny yet interesting that I liked baseball cards ( I hid this side of me during our dating years
)
The only person in my household that could accept it as cool hobby was my daughter, you know what though? It felt good....
I could sense that excitement I had as a kid/teenager, reliving the moments of seeing old faces on old baseball cards, my daughter was fascinated and shared my reintroduction to the hobby.
I would buy her packs of Sara Bella so we'd have rip parties of our own, it was high fives all around
my daughter who is now 6 likes collecting topps heritage (the gum and relics is her favorite part)
Reliving those vintage moments meant buying the cards I dreamed of when I was young, what kid from the 80's never stopped and drooled at a picture of Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Nolan Ryan.
Now it has become an a true love, after a few years of learning the hobby and really understanding all of the avenues of obtaining good quality cards (I have CU forum to thank for %99.9 of this knowledge)
About a year ago I started looking at the market (ebay, major auction houses) to see if it was a remote possibility that I may own a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311.
First it was price shock, I knew it was expensive but when I had a mindset of actually maybe purchasing one?! It threw me for a loop.
I had to ween myself into it, first it was a 1953 Topps Mantle, then 1953 Topps Mays, oh damn now I gotta build the 1953 Topps set, no wait I don't have the patience to do it, sell everything and start over.
Ok how about a T206 red portrait Ty Cobb...oh yea I quickly learned the value in eye appeal meant something to me, not so much the grade.
Another favorite from the eye appeal standpoint:
Ok 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, I must own this one, it's so pretty for a 2.5, I promised my wife this purchase would the cornerstone to my collection, there was no better than this guy....
So 2010 rolls around, I was fortunate to have some good investments go right and about late February I see this beauty listed on ebay:
I end up being the underbidder =( the top bidder ends up not paying the seller, I stay in contact with the seller and rightfully so he is upset that his auction got ruined by a non payer.
I try convincing him to sell it to me, this banter went back and forth for 2 weeks until the seller decides that he no longer needs to sell the card and that he is going to submit it to PSA for regrading, my heart was broken in a sense but I wish him luck in his PSA regrade, I let him know how lucky he is to own such a beautiful 2.
I gave up on buying a '52 Mantle, it was just too difficult to find one with nice appeal in lower grades and the 4's were borderline our of my price range, I bid and gave up on a beautiful 4 offered by memory lane in April. So I gave up completely.
Fast forward 3 months and I get an email from the owner of that 1952 Mantle telling me that he got the card back from PSA and it graded the same 2, he sounded dissapointed but he gave it a try and was ready to sell the card, we quickly came to an agreement and the card was in transit.
In the end it all worked out perfectly, I forgot to mention that after I gave up on the '52 Mantle I purchased a '51 Bowman set which I am now selling.
In 3 years i've lived my childhood dream, for the cards I don't own anymore I still cherish them with pictures.
I hope my daughter and son grow up to enjoy this hobby as much as I have.
Thanks for reading and Thank you for being part of this wonderful community that has taught me so much.
In case you were wondering if there is something really wrong with the back of that '52 Mantle...
Like many young families I got caught up in the new transition of balancing children, marriage and career.
Even though it was the biggest challenge of my life I never stopped reminding myself how blessed I am.
With family came the benefits of changing a lifestyle, I had sold all of my nice toys, hot cars from my wasted twenties, traded for a family suv and a mortgage.
I am now officially a family man, a dad and husband.
So now 3 years ago I dabble with the silly idea of collecting baseball cards again, introducing my daughter to what dad did when I was her age.
First my wife thought it was a funny yet interesting that I liked baseball cards ( I hid this side of me during our dating years
) The only person in my household that could accept it as cool hobby was my daughter, you know what though? It felt good....
I could sense that excitement I had as a kid/teenager, reliving the moments of seeing old faces on old baseball cards, my daughter was fascinated and shared my reintroduction to the hobby.
I would buy her packs of Sara Bella so we'd have rip parties of our own, it was high fives all around
my daughter who is now 6 likes collecting topps heritage (the gum and relics is her favorite part)Reliving those vintage moments meant buying the cards I dreamed of when I was young, what kid from the 80's never stopped and drooled at a picture of Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Nolan Ryan.
Now it has become an a true love, after a few years of learning the hobby and really understanding all of the avenues of obtaining good quality cards (I have CU forum to thank for %99.9 of this knowledge)
About a year ago I started looking at the market (ebay, major auction houses) to see if it was a remote possibility that I may own a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311.
First it was price shock, I knew it was expensive but when I had a mindset of actually maybe purchasing one?! It threw me for a loop.
I had to ween myself into it, first it was a 1953 Topps Mantle, then 1953 Topps Mays, oh damn now I gotta build the 1953 Topps set, no wait I don't have the patience to do it, sell everything and start over.
Ok how about a T206 red portrait Ty Cobb...oh yea I quickly learned the value in eye appeal meant something to me, not so much the grade.
Another favorite from the eye appeal standpoint:
Ok 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, I must own this one, it's so pretty for a 2.5, I promised my wife this purchase would the cornerstone to my collection, there was no better than this guy....
So 2010 rolls around, I was fortunate to have some good investments go right and about late February I see this beauty listed on ebay:
I end up being the underbidder =( the top bidder ends up not paying the seller, I stay in contact with the seller and rightfully so he is upset that his auction got ruined by a non payer.
I try convincing him to sell it to me, this banter went back and forth for 2 weeks until the seller decides that he no longer needs to sell the card and that he is going to submit it to PSA for regrading, my heart was broken in a sense but I wish him luck in his PSA regrade, I let him know how lucky he is to own such a beautiful 2.
I gave up on buying a '52 Mantle, it was just too difficult to find one with nice appeal in lower grades and the 4's were borderline our of my price range, I bid and gave up on a beautiful 4 offered by memory lane in April. So I gave up completely.
Fast forward 3 months and I get an email from the owner of that 1952 Mantle telling me that he got the card back from PSA and it graded the same 2, he sounded dissapointed but he gave it a try and was ready to sell the card, we quickly came to an agreement and the card was in transit.
In the end it all worked out perfectly, I forgot to mention that after I gave up on the '52 Mantle I purchased a '51 Bowman set which I am now selling.
In 3 years i've lived my childhood dream, for the cards I don't own anymore I still cherish them with pictures.
I hope my daughter and son grow up to enjoy this hobby as much as I have.
Thanks for reading and Thank you for being part of this wonderful community that has taught me so much.
In case you were wondering if there is something really wrong with the back of that '52 Mantle...
CU Ancient Members badge member.
Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums
0
Comments
I still pinch myself every time I look at my '51 Bowman and '52 Topps Mantles
I don't think that sense of satisfaction will ever end
Congratulations on joining the club!
Steve
1935 National Chicle
1961 Golden Press
1962 Bell Brand Dodgers
Top 200 cards in the hobby
Top 250 cards in the hobby
All time lakers
All time Dodgers
1957 Disney Characters
1965 Donruss Disneyland
1966 Get Smart
Brian
Congrats, those are all cards that I would love to own.
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/pdub1819/othersets/6204
I'm mildly offended though... No mention of being a fisherman???
<< <i> I am now officially a family man, a dad and husband. >>
Ha ha, being a dad rules above all else.
Best of luck!
Patrick
Trent - I was born with being a steelhead fisherman in my blood, it's a given
CU Ancient Members badge member.
Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums