Scared to take the pre-war plunge!
 

To be totally honest, i didn't have the stones to even start this thread because maybe, just maybe, i will change my mind.

ive reached a point in my card collecting life that i pretty much am at a stalemate. for the better part of the last 9 years, i have worked on my Post-War HOF RC Collection. I am one card shy, and that leaves me with a good feeling as a collector. That being said, i've always been afraid of the pre-war HOF RCs, mainly due to pricing and that there is so much debate as to what is and isnt a RC when it comes to that time period.

Ive thought about picking up SGC/PSA (sorry, i dont think i'll ever be able to collect raw, nothing wrong with it, thats just me) cards of the Greats of the pre-war era, not their RC, but cards that appeal to me from when they were actively playing Major League Baseball, hope that makes sense.

Thumbing through the current SMR (and yes, i know its just a guide that goes to both extremes as far as pricing goes) it seems that PSA 1's/2's are not all that "costly" in relative terms.

If anyone would be so kind as to "school" me and anyone else that is not very knowledgeable in this area, it would be greatly appreciated.

School you on what? If you want to acquire Pre-War RC's, acquire Pre-War RC's. If you just want to hit on key cards of key Pre-War players then do that. It's up to you bro...completely and absolutely. We all dictate what we collect and if you're anything like me, you friends and family are never going to "get it".

Welcome to Club!!!

I, too, am a HOF RC collector, and I've battled through the same issues as you, in fact. First of all, it's not possible to obtain EVERY prewar RC, as you might already know, since some RCs are virtually 1 of 1s....making 19th century RCs a scary place to venture. HOWEVER.....many prewar HOF RCs are cheaper than you'd think. If you don't mind collecting a card of a particular player years after it's "true RC", then you'll meet your goals some day.

Also:

1) What's the last post war HOF RC you still need, if you don't mind sharing?

2) Will you be collecting only players....or ALL HOFers?

Good luck, and let me know if you need any help!

Jimi

Grow a set!!!!!!!!

Just go for examples of HOFer's. Depending on what cards you go for, can't be too bad money wise. Low grade E121 cards are not too horrible.

That made me laugh.....so +1 as the young kids say....

Thanks Jimi!

to answer your questions

1) Paige Leaf (i could settle for the Bowman, but i really want the Leaf)

2) just players of Legendary Status

LOL!!! i know, right?

i like this approach.

ideally i would like to avoid postcards and other oversized cards (Turkey Reds would be nice, but not realistic lol).

Also, i prefer "action" (for as much as can be expected for the time) pictures over portraits

Eric,

I have a couple of E121 HOF cards on the bay as we speak. McGraw and Bancroft in SGC holders. McGraw is from 1922 E121-120 and Bancroft is from 1921 E121-80 set. That could get you started.

Ken

Don't be scared. Jump in feet first! When you have questions or concerns, ask your fellow forum members for help.

Good luck!

1+

I recently entered the PreWar area, too. It is amazing. So many great aspects to it-- especially how the cards have so much value based on their age and sheer existence in any grade, and not just condition rarity value established by some grader.

Also, so many key legendary names are here-- and if you collect baseball cards, how can you not get into Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Cobb, Johnson, Mathewson, Young, and others?

Then there are so many issues with so many nuances, as opposed to cut-and-dry sets in the 70s and 80s (which I still love).

There is great fun in choosing which specific cards will be the ones you want to represent any of these great PreWar players. Whereas with say the 70s there is really only one choice for a Schmidt or Brett.

Also, this board is tremendous. The overall level and tenor of the discourse is far superior to other options-- where anonymity seems to breed snark and trolls, and moderator sanitizing of discussions leads to one-sided threads. The collectors here are incredibly knowledgable and helpful in so many ways.

All in all, it's great stuff.

Actually, there are several optional RCs for both Schmidt and Brett.

The SSPC Brett - Great Card - Very low Cost even for perfect examples....

Some consider those SSPC cards to be 1976 and not 1975.

Eric, I have been dipping my feet into the PreWar arena as of late myself. As others have said, you have a great resource at your disposal on this board. There are a lot of great people willing and ready to step up and offer advice/opinion when solicited.

Since your on the fence at this time, my suggestion would be to stick to the legendary players of this era. You will never go wrong buying: Cobb, Mathewson, Johnson, Young, Ruth, Gehrig, etc. Even if you decide that prewar was not for you, your left with cards of legendary players, that would be a great addition to a collection as complete as your Post War HOF RC collection is.

Edit to add: Good Luck

An excellent resource:

http://www.oldcardboard.com/ref/rookies/RookiesList.asp

Try on....
 

some T206 cards.....they are awesome...or oj's:)

If you're buying low grade PSA and SGC, I don't think there's anything to be scared about. If you were buying raw on then it would be another.

As mentioned Oldcardboard.com is a great resource for Pre-War cards.

Lastly, different people have different tastes as far as Pre-War go. If you're paying a fair price and have some knowledge about the issue, buy what interest you. There's no right or wrong.

Lastly, this is a Pre-War chat board. A collector asking questions about cards, single to types, is a point of the board.

newbie
 

welcome aboard the board!
and all the best with the swim,
barry

I collect any and all rookie cards, as well as complete sets. For pre-war rookie cards, I normally use the earliest available card of that player and treat that card as the player's rookie card. For example:

Jackie Robinson:

For me his true rookie card would be his 1947 Bond Bread card and not his 1948 Leaf. (I know it's not a pre-war card, but I'm just using it as an example as to how I decide a player's true RC if it came out pre-war)

Hey Eric, the National is 4 days away and a perfect time to decide to look at a new collecting focus. I would spend the first day looking at all the Pre-War cards. I believe this will help you decide what you would like to collect. BTW, Pre-War is VERY addicting.....LOL.

Mark

do it now!

Very true fellas. With The Show just three days away, i think i can safely pick up some pre-war Legends.

I don't think you have anything to fear... there are still some great pre war cards of stars and HOF graded that you can get at an affordable price and you will get a kick out of it!

Ricky Y