[the 'stache]

Hey guys.

Either at the end of July or August (whenever I am satisfied with where I've rebuilt my savings to), I am going to recommence my baseball card collection, and vintage and pre-war cards will gradually become the greater focus of my hobby.

After reading the many discussions on this forum, and getting invaluable help in answering the seemingly countless questions I've had (and a big thank you to everybody who have indulged me), I feel comfortable enough to move into eras I've never explored. I know the "kid in a candy store" idiom is overused, but it best describes how I feel. I am really excited to get started, and I'm waiting somewhat impatiently to give myself the green light. I have some definite favorites, but I know there are so many cards out there I have never seen, so I want to broaden my horizons, so to speak.

There are some players I really want to add to my collection early on, chief among them Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Nap Lajoie, Honus Wagner, Tris Speaker, Joe Jackson, Cy Young, Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Roy Campanella, etc. There are others, but these are the first ones to jump into my head.

If I had to pick a card I'm most likely to buy first from the pre war period, it would likely be the T206 Walter Johnson portrait. But then again, I really like the Matty T206 dark cap, as well as several of the Goudey Gum cards, and the Cracker Jack cards. And getting the latest Robert Edwards auction catalog really exposed me to a lot of cards I've never seen before. Things like the T202 triple folder cards, the T205 gold border set and the 1921-1922 era American Caramel cards are simply gorgeous.

So, while I count down the days until I can open up the ol' wallet, I'd love some suggestions on cards you guys think I might like. They can be individual cards for some of the players I've listed, or even sets you think I might have overlooked.

I typically spend about $400-500 a month for my collection, so if there's a card I want that exceeds my monthly budget, instead of going beyond my self imposed limit, I'll just save up until I have the card I want. I'm 41, and plan on sticking around for a long time. So, I'm in no rush. I want to build a collection I can enjoy (even if it means I have to drive to the bank, and pull them out of a safe deposit box to look at them in person!)

I am greatly looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with. And thank you in advance for your help. I have my thinking cap on, and I'm ready to learn.