New guy to the forum. Just got back into collecting & looking for suggestions
 

After a 25 year "break," and spurned on by my 12 year old son wildly picking up the hobby, I have started collecting baseball cards again and having a blast as it is now a hobby that I get to share with both my son and my father, who is also starting back a little. I collected through most of the 70's, all of the 80's, and into the 90's but sold 95% of my collection back in 1996 so I am essentially starting all over. Would really appreciate some suggestions on places to buy on the internet (other than Ebay), shops in the north Alabama area, and shows that we can all go to together. I would also appreciate any tips and suggestions on the new cards to buy as I am a bit blown away by all of the types and brands available (not like the old days of Topps, Fleer, and Donruss). I am mainly into the cards of the 50's through the 70's, but my son loves the new stuff. Thanks in advance for any help.

Derek

The Buy/Sell/Trade section on this board is a good place to start, caveat emptor, while COMC.com is also a good way to go (scans of each card, easy shipping).

Welcome back into the fold! I'd highly recommend venturing into whatever areas of the hobby pique your interest at all. I've found pre-war to be more and more fun and interesting ever since I got back into collecting. Whatever you do, this board will likely have a lot of good information and some other places to go and find more, whenever you have a specific question about a set/era/player/etc.

Many sellers on eBay have websites. Their prices on their website are a little less than eBay It would be nice to see a list.
I was in Huntsville this past weekend playing softball. I wondered if they had any card shops.

Oh, btw, welcome!

Hi Derek! Welcome to the board. And congrats on rediscovering the hobby that you can enjoy with your kids and father. It's a great way to connect. Collecting can be anything you want it to be. Every era from pre-war, post-war and modern offer excellent choices. It's great your kids like the modern cards because that allows them to connect with the current players. I imaging they will become more interested in older eras as they get older and more interested in the history of baseball.

Ebay is a great place to search sold auctions to find the values of cards you're interested in buying. Unfortunately the Internet has killed off the majority of shows. At least here in my area they have. There's only a handful of good shows for me to attend so most of my purchases are made online via eBay, net54 BST or auctions. Beckett does have a "show" section on their website. You can go there and look up what shows are in your local area. A small show would be a good starting place for you guys to get your feet wet while you are getting back up to speed in the hobby.

Keep your boys interested because they are the future of our great hobby. Modern cards can be overwhelming with the different variations, color refractors and auto'd cards. But, if that is what they get excited about, then keep them going.

Welcome back Derek. Take your time, find your groove and enjoy the special moments you will have with your kids and father while enjoying this fun hobby They will be great!

Dean

Welcome back to the hobby. I jumped back in, in 2012 and have had a fun 6 year run. My favorite part about collecting with a little bit of money in my pocket, is that I get to buy the cards that I would just ooh and ahh at when I was a kid collector. The trips to the mailbox used to be near daily. Then, it turned into weekly. Now, it seems like it is about once a month when something new comes, but I still get excited like a kid at Christmas time when I open up the package.

Enjoy!

I moved here a year and a half ago and we do have a card shop:

Champs Sports Cards
805 Regal Dr SW #3
Huntsville, AL 35801

It's 95% modern but there is a little vintage (50's-80's) if you spend some time going through all the boxes. The owner seems nice. I stop in every month or so to pick up modern pirates/steelers/penguins. He puts a stack aside for me. I'd rather give my business to a local guy instead of ebay if possible.

There's also a decent show close to the Nashville area. I think it goes on twice per month like the 2nd and last Saturday each month. I haven't been there yet but will in the very near future. Here's some info:

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...rns-smash-hit/

Lighthouse Christian School
5100 Blue Hole Rd
Antioch, Tennessee

I wish I would have known this time last week. I played in a senior softball there last weekend!

If you want to get into modern cards with your son try blowoutcards.com. You can buy boxes of new cards for decent prices and their forum is geared more towards modern collectors. There is no better resource than this site for the vintage stuff though. Spend some time reading the posts to catch up on what you've missed over the years. Welcome.

4sharpcorners.com is a great place to buy individual cards from.

welcome
 

you will love it here! try on a t206....be careful, they are addictive:)

peace

johnny

My son & I have discovered that shop & have been trying to run over there at least 2 or 3 times a month & we have both picked up some nice stuff there, him more than me since he likes the new stuff, but I've gotten lucky a few times myself. I had no idea about the show in Antioch but will make plans to run up there soon as well. Thanks for the heads up about it.

JDB

Yeah, I forget how addictive this hobby was but we are having a blast. Just seeing my son's face light up when he gets a Mike Trout or Aaron Judge makes it worth every penny.

Not sure how old your son is, but if he's middle elementary/middle school age, have him check out the "_____ & Me" books by Dan Gutman. That's where my love for Pre-War started, and now I'm 24 with over 55% of the Hall of Fame complete (one playing days/involvement card of each HoFer; yes my signature needs updated).

Half the fun of these pieces of cardboard is the stories behind them and how they tell not only the history of baseball, but America as well.

Great. I am going to look them up. Thanks for the suggestion!

A belated welcome to the fray here and also back into the hobby, Derek. Collect what you enjoy, do some research before buying, and it will be fun. Our BST areas are quite safe but you still have to be on the lookout for a scammer who might have gotten in. Any member can always PM me for a reference on someone. Many times it will be obvious once their posts are looked at, their interaction etc..... It is caveat emptor on our board BST areas and there are no other protections besides our US legal system. Other places to buy are any of our great advertisers who run auction houses. All of the banners you see are advertisers who have good reputations (and of course there are many others too). Good luck and have fun!!

I have two words for you: Topps Heritage

We have discovered those. One of my son’s favorites.

My daughter brought Ray [Chapman] & Me home from the library today. She's still in first grade but was excited about our bedtime story tonight. Just read the first few chapters. She has some modern cards, but I might have to get her a Chapman after we finish the book.