Yearbooks
Denny,
Having completed the run of NYY yearbooks, I can tell you that it is a rewarding experience. As stated above, 1950 is the first year the NYY yearbook was published. "Official" NYY yearbooks (those not published by Jay) made their appearance in 1955. Certain years contain multiple revisions (roster changes, etc.), so a "complete" collection will contain ~130 yearbooks (I focused on the primary editions and did not worry about the revisions, so I guess my collection is not "complete" in the truest sense of the word).
With respect to the yearbooks, patience is key - do not overpay for the 1950s books (especially the ones from the early 50s). A lot of folks think that because the yearbook is associated with the early 1950s NYY it is worth more than it really is. Plenty of nice copies pop up at auctions (and card shows) at very reasonable prices (indeed, a near run of 68 books dating from 1950-2010 just sold in the most recent H&S auction for $800). If buying on eBay, do not hesitate to ask the seller as many questions as possible (Some of the books I purchased via eBay ended up having pages cut out, pictures cut out, etc - Sellers are often not aware of these issues). When possible, I purchase either in person or via a trusted auction house.
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