Seduced by Rarity

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Posted By: identify7

I do not know what is so attractive about deriving enjoyment from uncommon examples of baseball cards. But I will admit that I am attracted to this. Actually, I am addicted to it. Here is my story.

I am not hooked on the hard stuff, you know, cards which cost a lot of money. My obscession is not even with cards which have low population. You see - I am a color freak.

When I see an Old Judge which I want (for some trivial collecting reason) and it appears with an olive hue, for example, I do not care about condition, price, or other factors. All I know is that OJs do not typically appear in that color, and because of that, I want it.

Of course the same will apply to other tints which are more and less common, and their desireability will be dependent on the color examples which I already have on the collection page (which provides the justification for this assembly of Old Judges).

I hope I have been clear about this. This addiction is certainly not limited to OJs. It is fed by issuances such as w517 and Batter Ups which specialize in color variations. And it extends through the varied and sometimes striking examples offered in Exhibit cards, and the more subtle variations which are important in many sets.

Here is your opportunity to come clean. Reveal your rarity addiction. You will feel better.

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Posted By: leon

I am addicted to whatever is rare and cool looking. Not necessarily in that order. If I like it I want to buy it. If it's rare then all the better. If I actually need it then that is the icing on the cake......nice question...I think a lot of us collect like this..

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

I like the Tin Man.

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Posted By: David Vargha

Let's face it. Spending hard-earned cash on little pieces of cardboard is not normal and is frowned upon by most members of society in general.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Scott Mosley

I'm seduced by the slabs...

They're plastic but they're spectacular!

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

beautiful--this, except for the lack of grading, makes me a pretty mainstrean collector (in most cases).

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Posted By: Richard

Are they even bigger up close?

I would vote for rarity before condition any day as well. If I see something that catches my eye and I have never heard of it, it gives me an opportunity to learn about something new, and hopefully rare. And if I am lucky enough, I can add it to my collection.

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Posted By: Scot

I like to collect complete sets. Rarity depends on the set. I have a set from the 20's I started 25 years ago, I'm only 2/3 finished. It makes my day when I find an example I need.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Collecting a certain genre in cards can be a bit challenging. It's not everyday that a rare type card in certain collecting niches become available so you pick up what you can, when you can.

Today, these cards have a very short shelf life and go off the market quick. If it's a card you've been seeking for a while (years) then you have to seize the moment. If you are fortunate enough to pick up a card from a certain team you collect then that's a bonus.

Most purchases in these cards have their own circumstances in which price and availability play a major role in the decision to "pull the trigger". I wish now that I would have purchased some of my type card wants a decade ago because now some of those cards may never be available to me again for reasons of availability and economics. The days of being picky and choosey (unless you have huge economic resources for this hobby) seemed to have passed many of us by.

The hobby is a fun one and the thoughts of "could have, would have and should have" will always be sources of little anecdotes (maybe just a little painful) that we can tell our collecting friends. There was a time that I waited for certain cards of certain players from certain issues but being picky just "isn't in the cards" any longer.

One last thought - In the past there seemed to be more opportunity to pick up "trade bait" cards (rare, tough or common). The cards may not have exactly fit a collectors habits but you certainly wouldn't pass on a great deal because you didn't collect it. I used to pick up odds and ends that didn't mean much to me because, in the end, I knew I could trade off the material and be closer to my real collecting goals.

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

not Old Judges. Not to pick on ya but OJ's bore me cause of no color.

mine are t206 Red portraits and a few others ,I have a spectacular SGC 84 Evers portrait that I guarantee that no one has seen any better color Green T206 any-where.

I had 44 Red cobbs at one time. Unlike Leon and many of you that are type collectors ,I seek dupes of color and vintage look combined . my favorite t205 is Doc White which I have 2 sgc 70's and a sgc 80 ,why ?....just goofy like that.


Like to line nem up and oogle at em. The glare when I put the 17 Tinkers and the 7 M.Brown ports w/ the 44 Cobbs....now that is a color freak!

My three 1913 Boston Garters are very rich in color. The Speaker has an orangish b-ground ,the Herzog burgundy/cranberry, and the Evers Green w/ pink.....dats color folks!

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

still one color .I had a Kid Gleason fielding with that pink and traded it.

the thickness is wierd in comparison to other pre war cards. Never been one much of black and whites , but as mentioned in another post somewhere ,was that I had about 75 some Mayos and OJ's combined and offed em much less then what I paid as they didnt do a thing for me.

I regret ridding of the 2 Anson Mayos along with Keefe and Clarkson and a Brothers oJ.....oh well , we have all done enough "not so bright" things is our card habits.

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Posted By: identify7

Dan: put that pink one next to an olive of the same player and pose. Then add an orange, brown, black and white, yellow ....

That is a tremendous card Bruce.