[Deertick]

1973 Topps at a corner store in Overbrook Park in Philly with 2 half dollar coins my grandmother gave me. I remember getting water ice and some cherry licorice and a pack of cards. Went back and opened them up and spread them out on the carpet and studied them. NO PHILLIES! Went back after dinner and spent the rest on more packs.

A few things:
I had no idea they were issued in series, so I spent a good deal of the summer only to get the same damn players, and no Mike Schmidt's!

Even back then I had a nose for numbers, and when I saw Rack Packs for the first time (at a 5 & 10 in the Bazaar of All Nations) I knew my cost per card had gone down considerably, of course sans gum.

At some point, my persistence paid off. I got my Schmidt! And I hated it! I traded as many as I could to non-discerning friends for Bowa, Carlton, and Luzinski.
I kept one that was sweet. I took it to a game in '85 in a bobo display holder (black border with 2 little snap in legs) and I showed it to Tom Foley and asked him if Schmidty could sign the holder. He said probably not, but could he take it to the clubhouse to show it around? The few that I saw him show it to before he disappeared, were laughing their asses off. After a while I started to get worried because batting practice was winding down, and by this point it was my prized possession. Luckily he popped out a few min later as security was trying to shoo everyone back to their seats. He thanked me (!) and handed back a beautifully signed autograph nearly the entire length along the bottom.
It was stolen in 1988.
I still have a good deal of my original cards.