What card(s) is a must have in your collection?
 

I have been wondering what cards define your collections. For me, Ty Cobb screams pre-war. I don't care who sees my collection, a "know-nothing" or "know it all", Cobb cards are immediately recognized and appriciated. If I had to sell my collection, everything could go, except for a few Cobbys. Don't get me wrong...I have fallen in love with adding all the commons to my sets. But the new addition of a Cobb of any kind gives me chills.

So, what are your "must have" items in your collections? Scan are always welcomed! I'm on the road again and have no access to my cards...:mad:

I think I could part with just about anything in my collection with nary a tear...with the exception of the following 4...

<a href="http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/?action=view&current=ewingn173.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/ewingn173.jpg" border="0" alt="ewingwithmascotn173"></a>

<a href="http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/?action=view&current=T206WalterJohnsonPortraitPSA4 .jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/T206WalterJohnsonPortraitPSA4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/?action=view&current=T206TyCobbBatOffPSA2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/T206TyCobbBatOffPSA2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/?action=view&current=1910OrangeBordersChristyMathe wsonSG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb189/Tyjaycox/1910OrangeBordersChristyMathewsonSG.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I'm pretty much the same way since I'm primarily a postwar collector and anything I sell is fairly easily replaced, but since this is the prewar side I do kind of wish I still had my N172 Bid McPhee.

I feel like if you are a card collector you need to own a Cobb, Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio and Mantle card. Even though 4 of the 5 are yankees and I am not a yankee fan, to me these are the greats of the game.

&nbsp;

Image clarity, contrast, appearance, real photo for the most part defines my collection.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...n172_rusie.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9..._guilligan.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...75_arundel.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...73_earle-1.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...2_myers065.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...fogarty175.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...burns842-1.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...lements709.jpghttp://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...ney_dog933.jpg

This is one I had to have,,,sorry about the size...

Holmes to Homes Bread Jackson

I figure you pretty much have to have a card of each of the original 5 HOFers if you are going to build a vintage baseball card collection.

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...pictureid=1216

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...pictureid=1215

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...pictureid=1214

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...pictureid=1212

http://www.net54baseball.com/picture...pictureid=1213

Imagine having 373 wins and getting passed over.

Tough choice, but I would say the following:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...09-11_hall.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...72_ny_gore.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q...d_75_stahl.jpg

My collection wouldn't be the same without the following cards:

Gotta have a Ruth. Best image of any of the Goudeys in my opinion, except for the red background one.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...djams/ruth.jpg

Gotta have a Cobb. This one was just re-slabbed.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ams/956a_1.jpg

Matty:

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...jams/Matty.jpg

And a couple type cards I've wanted for a long time and was recently able to track down:

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ams/redsun.jpg

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m...ms/Cabanas.jpg

These will likely be passed on to my Heirs:

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5...1/Million2.jpghttp://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5.../Z11Weaver.jpghttp://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5...tsch1/fred.jpghttp://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5...e100bishop.jpg

If Only 1
 

I never get tired of that PC. Awesome!!

Very nice Diamond Star Grove!

The collection I have been able to put together thus far has a few cornerstones of awesome cards, some hot sets like Brunners and T3s in nothing-special condition and a wide mix of pre-war HOFers & journeymen, minor leaguers, Cubans, Japanese, NY Giants, players I saw play, players I wish I saw play, type cards, iconic cards and players named DeWolf; generally speaking an all kine hemajang all mixemup mess of cards that attempts to cover the breadth of baseball cardboard from the late 1800's 'til now. That's what defines my collection.
http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...ca.%201905.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...M110Wagner.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_.../07%20Cobb.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...%20Speaker.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...96%20Brown.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...ze/DMcD115.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...%20Murray1.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...93%20Leach.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...%20Jimenez.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_...20Catcher1.jpg

David, you've got a lot more cornerstones to your collection -- and my favorite isn't even pictured (although that Matty cabinet might be my new favorite of yours).

must have
 

I don't think I will ever part ways with these...

difficult exercise for me
 

This is always a difficult exercise for me since I don't do sets and many of my cards are my faves. I don't collect 19th century anymore and will leave out 2 great ones, 1869 Peck and Snyder and the N690 Phili team card, and go with these....but there are so many others it's barely fair to them....:o...a true addict, I am...

Here are a few of mine..............

Leon,
Everybody has those. Show us some stuff that's tough to find. :)
Jim

well Jim
 

Well Jim...as far as I know all of those above are unique except maybe the Wagner D381 w/coupon.....I would guess there are another few of those somewhere.....though I don't think I have seen another with the coupon and I have seen a few without it....here are a few more that I have never seen more of....but then again, this is what I collect....so it's sort of a "shill" for me....:D

Good question,... and some amazing posts
 

Mine is far more humble, I'm afraid.
"cornerstone cards" I already have:
T200 Cleveland SGC30
T200 Pitt SGC60
T206 Lajoie w/bat SGC50

Cornerstones to hopefully come some day:
a Goudey: Ruth, Gehrig, Greenberg, Foxx
a T206 Mathewson (portrait or dark cap)
PCs with solid quality image of Cobb, Wagner and Johnson

Postwar:
1948 Leaf Musial
1954 RCs of Aaron and Banks
a quality Jackie Robinson

Clearly, I have my work cut out for me! :eek:

This is one that I don't think will ever leave my collection unless I have a chance to upgrade it.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6629/bp1fvance.jpg

For me its the key cards with in a set not nessasary Ruth or Cobb but card which sticks out, for instance Ten Million (Obak) will always be a personal favorite. :cool:

Tough call. The cards which will have to be pulled out of my cold, dead hands:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/3084954078/" title="1908 Detroit Free Press PC 773-4 by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/3084954078_91616db3e7_o.jpg" width="475" height="882" alt="1908 Detroit Free Press PC 773-4" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/2910089374/" title="1928 Star Player Candy by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/2910089374_e9f1016757_o.jpg" width="450" height="763" alt="1928 Star Player Candy" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/3548533797/" title="1914 Boston Garter Sepia H813-3 by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3548533797_7efd61cac3_b.jpg" width="737" height="1024" alt="1914 Boston Garter Sepia H813-3" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/2910106120/" title="1902-11 Sporting Life Cabinet W600 by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2910106120_1e15f456e4_o.jpg" width="750" height="1152" alt="1902-11 Sporting Life Cabinet W600" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/calvindog/3855430139/" title="1910 Tip Top Bread D322 by calvindog65, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3855430139_9916c4c365_o.jpg" width="401" height="683" alt="1910 Tip Top Bread D322" /></a>

I think you speak to most of us collectors when talking about are per-war cards. I know most of us collectors would put up a pretty good fight to keep are cards.


Charlton Heston:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0B_UZNtEk4

Jeff - I love that Garter!

Five that will stay in my collection. . .