Questions for Vintage Football Collectors

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Do any of you collect vintage football exclusively? Have you guys always collected football, or did you perhaps cross over from baseball? I assume some of you dabble in both? Thanks!

[LuckyLarry]

I crossed over from baseball. I'm a set collector and it got to the point where my baseball card want list was short, and only included high priced star cards. I added football basketball and hockey cards (vintage full sets 1981 and older) in 2012.
Larry
Do any of you collect vintage football exclusively? Have you guys always collected football, or did you perhaps cross over from baseball? I assume some of you dabble in both? Thanks!

[BigDaddyBowman]

Football only for me. Stopped collecting baseball in the 90's to focus on football.

[jefferyepayne]

Collected both football and baseball as a kid. Was into football first, though.

Decided to focus on football when I got back into the hobby in 2009 as I've always loved the history of the sport.

jeff

[Stevew]

Collected football, hockey, basketball and baseball in mid to late 80s into early 90s and then stopped entirely. About three years ago started collecting only football, mostly graded, cards. Specifically dallas cowboys.

[clamendo]

I tried to collect everything, but financially impossible so decided to go all in on football which was my favorite. Sold my baseball first, then hockey, basketball, boxing, non-sports (#2 fav). All I have left is a few piles of old football cards. :)


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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Thanks to those of you who have responded thus far. I first "discovered " vintage football cards last fall. I have always enjoyed the game of football. I have been a baseball collector throughout my collecting life, but I am falling in love with football cards, especially the '50s, especially Bowman. I stand amazed at how affordable and small many of the sets are. That is one factor driving me to football. I have tried to fight the urge, but I am a set collector at heart. I am already making some purchases in the '51 Bowman set. I may go for an all SGC set... 5s-7s. I love the way they look in those black holders! I look forward to sharing my progress on this and other sets. I appreciate all of the vintage football experience on this board.

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[TanksAndSpartans]

Robert, great thread!

Collected baseball as a kid since it was my first favorite sport. As football started to overtake it, I did put the 84 football set together, but soon after my interest in collecting anything waned.

As an adult, with marriage, kids, etc., baseball has completely dropped off my radar, I don't think I could name 5 players in MLB right now - I did watch the All-Star game with some friends last summer though.

And with football, for about the last 10 years or so, I found less and less I was a diehard fan of one team, less having to be in front of the TV for a certain game, etc. and more I was picking up video of old games on the internet (dvds by mail or youtube), reading about the history of the game, strategy of the game etc.

Finally in 2012, having discovered COMC by chance - I don't even remember what I was searching for, I stumbled back into the hobby - exclusively on the vintage football side.

John

P.S. Something just came back to me - I think it might have been an ESPN the Magazine article about the Dmitri Young collection that reminded me how much I used to enjoy cards as a kid.

[revmoran]

My story of collecting was kindly told by Chris Levy

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/collecting-father/

a lot of my collection can be seen at http://www.hapmoran.org/

[S_GERACE]

Hi Robert,
I started out w/ FB. Bought my first packs in 1978. Then by around 1980-81 I collected everything, including non-sports & boxing. By the early '90's my collection evolved into strictly Baseball. Then around 1998 I started watching NFL games more avidly and my interest in Baseball waned. I currently collect only FB but I do have 2 Baseball cards (although I'm probably going to sell them). Like John, I couldn't name more than a handful of Baseball players and the ones that I could are at the tail end of their careers (Suzuki, Pujols, etc...).

To me Football cards have so much going for them that I feel that they're a good buy at current price levels. There are/were fewer cards printed. Football is easily the most popular sport in America. Also, with the increased popularity of Fantasy FB, people feel like they "own" the players and are more likely to want to own a card of their stud players as a trophy for their mancave, which may lead to them becoming interested in the older players/cards as well.

Here is a link to a good article on Bowman FB cards (I'm w/ you, the Bowman's are my favorites):

http://www.nearmintcards.com/blog/2009/08/07/b-is-for-bowman/

Good luck on your collection!

Scott

[S_GERACE]

Great article Mike. Thanks for sharing that.:)
Scott

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

My story of collecting was kindly told by Chris Levy

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/collecting-father/

a lot of my collection can be seen at http://www.hapmoran.org/
Mike, wow! I had no idea. Thank you for sharing. What a great read!

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Robert, great thread!

Collected baseball as a kid since it was my first favorite sport. As football started to overtake it, I did put the 84 football set together, but soon after my interest in collecting anything waned.

As an adult, with marriage, kids, etc., baseball has completely dropped off my radar, I don't think I could name 5 players in MLB right now - I did watch the All-Star game with some friends last summer though.

And with football, for about 10 years, I found less and less I was a diehard fan of one team, less having to be in front of the TV for a certain game etc. and more I was picking up video of old games on the internet, reading about the history of the game, strategy of the game etc.

Finally in 2012, having discovered COMC by chance - I don't even remember what I was searching for, I stumbled back int the hobby - exclusively on the vintage football side.

John

P.S. Something just came back to me - I think it might have been an ESPN the Magazine article about the Dmitri Young collection that reminded me how much I used to enjoy cards as a kid.
John, I can relate to your '84 football set. When I was a kid my parents bought me the '85 USFL and '89 Score football sets for Christmas. Until lately that was the only non-baseball cards I owned.

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Oh, and John, you aren't the only person expressing a love for football and disinterest in baseball. I have had to really work to stay interested in today's baseball.

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[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Hi Robert,
I started out w/ FB. Bought my first packs in 1978. Then by around 1980-81 I collected everything, including non-sports & boxing. By the early '90's my collection evolved into strictly Baseball. Then around 1998 I started watching NFL games more avidly and my interest in Baseball waned. I currently collect only FB but I do have 2 Baseball cards (although I'm probably going to sell them). Like John, I couldn't name more than a handful of Baseball players and the ones that I could are at the tail end of their careers (Suzuki, Pujols, etc...).

To me Football cards have so much going for them that I feel that they're a good buy at current price levels. There are/were fewer cards printed. Football is easily the most popular sport in America. Also, with the increased popularity of Fantasy FB, people feel like they "own" the players and are more likely to want to own a card of their stud players as a trophy for their mancave, which may lead to them becoming interested in the older players/cards as well.

Here is a link to a good article on Bowman FB cards (I'm w/ you, the Bowman's are my favorites):

http://www.nearmintcards.com/blog/2009/08/07/b-is-for-bowman/

Good luck on your collection!

Scott
Scott, thanks for your reply and that article on the Bowmans sums up the years of production pretty well. I have collected baseball for years. I have always enjoyed the game's history. However, I find that much of what I want has gotten so expensive and many of the sets are so big that I just couldn't collect the way I really want. Add to that my lifelong love for football and here I am. This is like beginning again. I mean, looking at the cards and sets out there and seeing how relatively affordable most of it is...well it is just very exciting. The possibilities are endless. I have fought the urge, but I am a set builder at heart, and many football sets I am seeing are actually doable for me. I love seeing all the designs which are fresh to my eyes.

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[jefferyepayne]

Hi Robert,
To me Football cards have so much going for them that I feel that they're a good buy at current price levels. There are/were fewer cards printed. Football is easily the most popular sport in America. Also, with the increased popularity of Fantasy FB, people feel like they "own" the players and are more likely to want to own a card of their stud players as a trophy for their mancave, which may lead to them becoming interested in the older players/cards as well.
Scott

This has been my premise for years. I don't 'invest' in cards but believe football cards will continue to increase in value because of these factors.

The great unknown is what will happen when baby boomers sell their collections. Younger generations do not seem as interested in collecting. Which cards / sets will hold their value and which ones won't?

jeff

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

This has been my premise for years. I don't 'invest' in cards but believe football cards will continue to increase in value because of these factors.

The great unknown is what will happen when baby boomers sell their collections. Younger generations do not seem as interested in collecting. Which cards / sets will hold their value and which ones won't?

jeff
Jeff, this idea resonates with me as well. I am not in anyway an investor when it comes to cards. It is strictly a fun, stress-relieving hobby for me. Of course, I attempt to educate myself about what I am buying so I know what I am buying and roughly how much is too much, but I just want to collect. I have no plans to retire off of any card collecting profits. Apparently my personality is such that I am going to collect something. [emoji1] Football seems more budget friendly, and there does seem to be good value and good upside. Also, while I have long been a football fan, I have a lot of football history to research and learn about, which might just be my favorite part.

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[BigDaddyBowman]

Jeff, this idea resonates with me as well. I am not in anyway an investor when it comes to cards. It is strictly a fun, stress-relieving hobby for me. Of course, I attempt to educate myself about what I am buying so I know what I am buying and roughly how much is too much, but I just want to collect. I have no plans to retire off of any card collecting profits. Apparently my personality is such that I am going to collect something. [emoji1] Football seems more budget friendly, and there does seem to be good value and good upside. Also, while I have long been a football fan, I have a lot of football history to research and learn about, which might just be my favorite part.

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I recommend getting the book "75 Seasons." There is also a video as well. This is what got me hooked on collecting vintage football. Watching NFL Films as a kid got me started, but it was the NFL 75 Seasons book and video that got me started in collecting the Bowmans.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I recommend getting the book "75 Seasons." There is also a video as well. This is what got me hooked on collecting vintage football. Watching NFL Films as a kid got me started, but it was the NFL 75 Seasons book and video that got me started in collecting the Bowmans.
BigDaddy, you must be reading my mind. I have been planning on starting a new thread about good vintage football reading material. I think I remember seeing the video you are referring to, but I have not read the book. It sounds like I need to.

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[PowderedH2O]

My folks bought me a book called The Defenders in 1975. Then, the next year I picked up for 99 cents a book called The Golden Age of Pro Football: The 1950's. I started collecting in 1973. I collect vintage football because that's all I need. I hope to have all of the Bowman and Topps mainstream done within the next 2-3 years.