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Posted By: <b>Ted</b><p>I am new to the board, as I just posted my first response to something, but have been lurking off and on for a couple of years. As a fairly small card dealer, but not really a collector, the forum is an excellent way for me to get an education in some of the finer points of pre-war cards. I have only seen and touched half a dozen Old Judge cards in my life. My main business is in the early Bowman and Topps years, but over the last couple of years have tried to expand into the earlier cards. While I have sold some of these earlier year cards, I am reluctant to charge into selling what I have accumulated out of fear of listing a card that I have every reason to believe is legitimate, only to see my listing referenced on this board with an accusaton of fraud. I see often that many join into the lynch mob mentality in assuming that every dealer is guilty of knowingly defrauding folks. While there may be some that deserve this, I know that all do not.<br /><br />My policy has always been to offer a no questions asked return policy and I always diligently investigate any issues brought to my attention about my cards.<br /><br />I guess what I am really writing this for is to affirm the Forum as a great source of esoteric details about pre-war cards and ask for guidance for an even better education. (Yes I have Lipsett's books.) At the same time, I want to caution not to convict somebody of fraud until all the evidence is known.

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Posted By: <b>Scott Forrest</b><p>complaints are also about the abundance of posts that don't relate to the board's original intent. I realize you're okay with that - some of us aren't. Too bad for us.

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Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>I'm not ok with the posts about 60s cards, Mantle sigs and other obviously non pre-WW2 items. I don't have a problem with people having the annual HOF conversation, etc. <br /><br />As John pointed out, we can stay here and help keep this wonderful place its been, or give in to precieved slights and go away to a new board or some other place. There has been a big influx of new people here lately, so it's kind of lost its homey feel a bit. But we as long time members, we need to help guide them in the right direction as to what this is about.<br /><br />I'm not sure, but wasn't about this time last there that were going thru some turmoil here on the board about finding a new host, etc? It's prolly just the time of the year. Things will be fine again once everyone reports to spring training <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Jay<br><br>I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: <b>Aaron</b><p>Bill: <br /><br />I'm very appreciative of the transition to baseball collecting--it was something I was hoping this site would eventually evolve into. <br /><br />That said, I don't think anyone needs to be at all concerned that discussing vintage baseball non-card items is in any way going to overwhelm the card discussion (we memorabilia collectors are few and far between). I also think discussing items like vintage postcards, tickets, photos, and the like, is a natural extension of collecting cards of the era and a helps build a general knowledge of baseball from the time period. (I know I have learned much about cards of the era on this site and it's helped me in my own collecting expertise.) <br /><br />Thanks, <br />Aaron <br /><br />PS, I'm very sad to see the baseball backgrounds go! They built great atmosphere, and now the site looks a little drab. <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>David Williams</b><p>Well, I'm pretty new here, and only posted a few times, but it seems to me most of us who collect cards, also dabble and cross over into other forms of memorabilia and other sports as well.<br /><br />Personally, I've learned a lot about cards, but also a lot about other things I collect or have considered collecting.<br /><br />I have no idea what this forum was like 6 months ago, but the variety of topics keeps me interested.

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Posted By: <b>Donald Johnson</b><p>Bill,<br /><br />Keep up the good work. The way things are organized one can pretty much tell what a thread is discussing from its title. If the title doesn't interest you, don't read it!

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Posted By: <b>Mark Evans</b><p>As a continuous lurker, my view is that Bill strikes an excellent balance in controlling board content. I'm inclined to think that any effort to further fine-tune this process would almost certainly do more harm than good and result in a decline in participation. Hope to see large turnout at Chicago dinner. Mark

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Well when I found this board it was already titled "Vintage Baseball Collecting" so I assumed that it meant anything pre WWII. I have probably close to 100 tobacco and candy cards, but my main focus is photographs, programs, scorecards, et cetera. I have participated in the HoF and memorabilia threads as well as card threads. I would hate to see the content of this forum narrowed down to only cards. As long as threads are properly titled I just don't see a problem here.<br /><br /><br />And I already miss the vintage card background....

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Posted By: <b>Julie</b><p>GOOD GRIEF! WHAT DID I JUST SAY?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/jphotos/110103_diving_prv.gif">

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Posted By: <b>Scott Forrest</b><p>When the board had a pre-wwII card focus, the majority of board members had more knowledge about those cards - if you saw ebay auctions questioned on this board, it was usually with reason.<br /><br />Nowadays you see a plethora of newbies using this board to make uneducated attacks on ebay card auctions, or disgruntled memorabilia and autograph collectors taking shots at auction houses and dealers. <br /><br />There's really not much you can do about it, but I empathise with your situation - most of us have been there during the last year or so.

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Posted By: <b>Eric B</b><p>I am just asking because I just posted one of these. I wasn't attacking the seller. I am not ashamed to say I know very little about pre-war cards and that is why I am here. I posted my question with a little trepidation because the last time I did, I was belitled on the board by a member for my lack of knowledge. If this is an educated members only club, please say so and many of us will seek advice elsewhere with no hard feelings.

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Posted By: <b>Rob L</b><p>Stick with it. There is an elitest feel from some folks but everyone is really a good egg. Post away and if they belittle you too much, bite back. I do (see the attack above).<br /><br />Fire Captain Rob L<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Billy</b><p>I think vintage cards (and this board) need a fresh approach from newbies anyway. Obviously the "old dogs" haven't caught on that if you buy up as many cards as you can in a set and corner the market with these low pop sets, you can make ALOT of money$$$$$$.<br />(or they would have done that already)<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>honus3415</b><p>.... "if you find the PERFECT church .... don't join it .... because if you do then it will then no longer be perfect."<br /><br />In some small way this advice can apply to this or any other forum. <br /><br />Accept the things you like and work to make better the things you don't like because if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem.<br /><br />Mom also said ..."if the people living in this house can't get along together ... what hope is there for the world?"<br /><br />Enough Mom wisdom....<br /><br />Thanks Bill for the time and energy you spend doing the thankless job of forum administrator which in some small way makes the vintage baseball collecting community a better place for us all.<br /><br />By the way, could you change......... <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>An Old Dog</b><p>"I think vintage cards (and this board) need a fresh approach from newbies anyway. Obviously the "old dogs" haven't caught on that if you buy up as many cards as you can in a set and corner the market with these low pop sets, you can make ALOT of money$$$$$$.<br />(or they would have done that already)"<br />*<br />*<br />Every time that you open your mouth, you show us how much of an inexperience pup you are.<br /><br />What makes you think that we don't know about card population, a subject matter that you are just discovering.<br /><br />What you are describing is the stock market approach.<br /><br />Yes Billy, even though they can co exist with each other, there is a difference between a collector and a speculator.<br /><br />Have you thought about joining the "Overwhelming 50?" <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />An Old Dog<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br />

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Posted By: <b>Scott Forrest</b><p>&lt;&lt;work to make better the things you don't like because if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem.<br />&gt;&gt;<br /><br />But what we are hearing is "things have changed - take it or leave it"<br /><br />It's also a little disheartening that suggestions for change are taken by the newbies and memorabilia collectors as attacks on Bill.<br /><br />As far as new people posting questions - again, you guys aren't hearing anything whatsoever. The comment was about newbies making uneducated attacks on legitimate dealers and auctions, which is a fact Jack. If seems that some of you are sanctioning that behavior, in the interest of "education", so I humbly drop out of this thread and you can return to using it as a place of worship.