Quote:
Originally Posted by arc2q
Hello. I have been meaning to post an introduction on this board for a few weeks now. My name is Andy and I have been posting a little bit but have not properly introduced myself. While new to this board I have been casually -- and I mean casually -- collecting T206 cards for several years. I picked up my first two T206s in 1987 when I was about 12 at a small baseball card store for $4 each (Jap Barbeau and Simon Nicholls and I had no idea who they were). I was the only one among my friends who was fascinated by vintage cards. In retrospect, I felt sort of odd about it then but I could not deny those old cards held so much more intrigue to me than the modern cards. I held on to those for many years and did not think to buy any more vintage cards until about 10 years ago. Since then I have casually picked up one or two here or there but did not do anything with them. Just a few months ago I decided to go all in on T206 cards and finally do something with this small collection. So I set a goal of completing the set in my lifetime (well, the basic 518 and if I get lucky a little more). Fortunately I have many years to go on that but I am currently up to about 32. I also have a few random among T205, T212, T213, and W551.
I find tremendous fascination in vintage baseball cards. I was a history major in college and have had a lifelong interest in history, preservation of artifacts, and museums. Combine that with a nostalgia for early baseball and vintage baseball cards makes a perfect hobby -- I practically want to make part of my house into a vintage baseball card museum. The fact that my wife is fascinated by the stories of these cards and players also helps.
I think the T206 set is beautiful in its artistry. That is hardly doing it justice though. I love reading about the history of the players -- I think my favorite subject so far is Royal Hunky Shaw, or possibly Ginger Beaumont -- and I am fascinated by the idea of holding and owning something that old with such an intriguing story. And the idea that these little slivers of cardboard hold some residual and enduring value is nice also. I know there are many other pre-war cards worth treasuring. Maybe someday I will branch out. But for now I will focus on this one set.
Nothing I have will impress any of you -- mostly 1s, 2s, and 3s. But to me they are special. I just look forward to the day someone actually visits our house so I can casually motion them over to the collection displayed in a cabinet to impress them with my little piece of baseball history. That day is coming.
|
Welcome, Andy!
The T206 set is what got me interested in tobacco cards in general. I first "discovered" the T206 cards in a magazine ad back around 1990. You could purchase a random sample of a few VG/EX T206 cards. From that point on I only collected tobacco cards including Canadian hockey and lacrosse tobacco cards.
I purchased a book that may interest you. Its called "The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories". Each player featured in the T206 set has a brief biography with a colour picture of their T206 card(s). I bought mine on eBay but it is probably available from a number of sources in the US.
Happy collecting!