Sentimentality & cards - particular copies?
 

Trying to get some perspective on a dilemma I'm currently having; would appreciate some thoughts:

Earlier this year, after many long years of putting it off - I was finally able to upgrade my favorite card of all time, which is the '56 Topps Mantle #135. My original and new one are both gray backs. The "original" is an SGC A that I've had since I was about 13 years old, so for right at about 30 years now. As a kid I traded for it in a shop, and left the dealer with about everything I had. No regrets and I have loved the card ever since. The card is an A because it has some corner paper loss in the form of an erasure that doesn't look right to graders. No problems with that. But otherwise it presents like a nice 3+ or so, no creases, nice centering and decent color.

The card I upgraded to finally was an SGC 4 in an older label. Similar on the whole, except the color and clarity on this card is much sharper, and the centering is dead nuts perfect. I mean I rarely say that about a card, but on this one it's true.

Drumroll please - of course the question is, do I sell my original SGC A '56? I've never been one to hoard copies of the same card or take pride in dupes. At first I thought I never would sell it just in this one case, but now in the last few days I've been thinking about it to make room for other things, and of course now I can't make up my mind. The new card of course is great, and is a no-brainer in terms of better appearance.

Has anyone been faced with a dilemma like this? Does the actual COPY of the card matter? The first card was just the cornerstone of my collection for so long, it's hard for me for whatever reason to let it go. I am worried I may have some huge regret once it's gone, LOL. But I've also had other "key" cards from my childhood that are gone now, many replaced in the same fashion with what are now better conditioned copies. Thoughts? Ugh.

I am a hoarder but that is what I like on certain super rare cards.:)

If you have already though about selling it, sell it and add something new to your collection. Collect what/how you like and dont give a rats butt what anyone else thinks.:eek::D

It's like I think I would remember the story of how I got it, and I would miss the card. But OH, here is THE SAME card in better shape. Is that enough? Is sentimentality a dealbreaker? For years also as an adult, I had regretted selling a '48 Leaf Ted Williams that I owned probably while I was still in my 20's. Last year I finally got another copy. Bud do I miss my specific copy of the old one? Not at all, no - of course not. I don't even remember many of the details about the condition it was in, except that my new one is technically not as nice. But strangely that does not bother me this time around.

I have some cards I won't sell even if they are replaced with better ones, the cards I had when I was a kid. If you don't need the money, why not hold onto your old friend and enjoy the new one too? It isn't like you have to divorce it to get remarried...unlike (most) women, you can have more than one at a time and not feel like a douchebag.

LOL good analogy. Most of my cards from when I was a kid though were things like beat up '86 Topps with thumbtack holes from where they were on my wall in my childhood room. Those aren't ever going anywhere, but they also aren't worth much in that shape or even in mint condition. This Mantle is like the first card where the value of it is a consideration, I guess is why I'm asking.

No, I don't "need" the money right now. Part of it also if we are being honest is a bit of guilt from COVID-times overspending...

There is no way I'd sell your original.

Even when we don't need our dupes, there can be exceptions to getting rid of something. Based on your story, this is definitely one of them.

It's an important part of your childhood, and I'd guess you'd regret getting rid of it. Especially since it's not a situation where the money matters.

I'd hang on to it. As a kid, I found a box full 70's cards in the garage that must have belonged to my older brother. Inside was a '75 topps mini Yount, That card had me hooked and I haven't looked back. It will be the absolute last card I ever sell. Sounds like you have a connection with the Mantle as well. Keep it for now and see how you feel about it later. You can always sell it. But, you may never find it again if you sell it now. Good luck!

Thanks guys.

In a similar vein, when I started my signed 1953 Topps project, there were still about 40 players living who responded to my autograph requests. A lot of the signatures I obtained then were either in sharpie or had something else that detracted from their appearance. Since then, I've picked up, or had the chance to pick up, much nicer looking examples, including some vintage signatures, but I just haven't been able to upgrade from the original ones. The ones I picked up TTM have stayed in the set, while the purchased ones have gone into my duplicate pile. I think part of it is the direct connection to the players (most of who are now deceased), and that if I do get rid of the first ones, there won't be a way to get them back. So for now, I'm holding on to them, and if I get tired of lugging them around at some point, then I'll reassess.

Sentimentality & cards - particular copies?
 

I'm convinced, at least for now. Thanks again. This is really one of only two vintage "keeper" cards left from my childhood collection, mostly from when I was 15 or younger (I'm now 43). The other is a '56 Ted Williams that I know I'll never get rid of because of a similar memory in another now long defunct card shop. I had many others that I traded away when I was still a kid. The most important ones to me as I look back I have replaced, but there are still a few random things on the list which I need to re-acquire: A '52 Topps Warren Spahn. '58 Berra...

Good call, I think. I once had a card that I upgraded, then sold the original. Now every time I look at my new card, I think about it. Meh.

All I know, is that anything I ever had that ever had sentimental value to me, that I ended up giving away or getting rid of, I regretted later. I think if you got rid of it, given what you said about the card, you would regret it later. The fact that you posed the question to us, shows that the card means something to you. I think keeping it is the right move!

Old, wrinkled cardboard (and the stories that go with it) is one of the heaviest anchors you will ever be attached to. You ain't getting rid of that card. :)

Thanks Darren. You’re right. PS, I love your new avatar. [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to build off what others have said, I certainly get sentimental with my cards. I've had the opportunity to purchase upgrades, but with certain cards, they just have a hold on you. Especially if certain memories are associated with certain cards.

I'm a little late to the party, but I agree that you should keep the card John. I have several cards that I won't part with. Especially ones from my childhood. I've gotten rid of some that I convinced myself I could let go to buy other cards and always regret it when I see the same card in an auction. I'm happy with the new cards that I bought with the funds from selling the sentimental cards, but I just wish I had found another way to afford them without getting rid of my other cards.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ps%20Dropo.jpg

This is the first old card I ever got. i cannot have been more than 6 or 7 years old. It has traveled with me across the country and ridden out two major earthquakes. I will never part with it willingly. I may even have my daughter toss it in my casket some day a long time from now (hopefully).

Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, A time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories; They're all that's left you

While my examples aren't vintage, I can relate. When I was 12 or 13, the kid across the street (who was 3 or 4 years older than me) needed money for a date and also wanted to make some trades. His favorite player and my favorite player at the time was Darryl Strawberry. When the dealing was done, I ended up with his '84 Donruss rookie and two of his '84 Topps rookies for pretty much nothing. He was desperate I guess...LOL! I still have those cards, and my adult eyes now realize they are vgex-ex, but to my 12 or 13 year old self they were simply awesome. I realize they have basically no monetary value now, but they were important cards back then, and I wouldn't ever want to part with them! Whenever I see the guy, he still remembers those cards, and he still expresses regret!

I'd also be on the "keep" side.
I have a couple cards like that.

My first card, a 69 Jackson I got in a pack. Bought a pack while at the store with Dad, we went through them in the car just after, and when he got to that one he said "hey this guy is pretty good" it survived a few years in the toybox and a move, until I got more into cards in 73-74.

First T206. I wanted one, but was too cheap to spring the 1.50 for a vg common.... One day the shop owner handed me a Beckley that was simply awful, nearly torn in half. but it was only 20 cents!

Keep em both
 

Sounds like in this case the original is not going to garner anywhere near enough $$ in the marketplace to even consider letting go it. Now, if it were worth much more, that would be a much more difficult decision.

I would keep it because it is sentimental....and it's not as big as a car. Those in that collection my wife insists I sell.

I have sentimentality towards certain things in general (RC cola cans, local team issue items, 1978 Topps Baseball, etc) because they bring me back to my youth, but I don't hold any specific item in higher regard because I owned it as a kid or it belonged to someone else. The Rod Carew RC cola can I selected, purchased, drank and saved as a kid could be replaced with a new copy and I would be fine with that.

I have nearly all of the cards I have ever owned along the way and none of those copies are specifically special to me, more so than any other one. I never got any older cards from family members that could have meant something, but I don't think I would have assigned them any specific value if I had.

My question to you would be this: Aside from possibly not keeping ANY duplicates as a matter of personal collecting policy, do you need to sell the original card or would it benefit your collection in any way to sell it and would you miss it after it was gone?

The obvious answer is any item of any decent value could be sold and turned into cash to buy another different item of value. But is the value you get worth letting go of something you seem to cherish quite a bit or could you just spend the cash you might have gotten for by buying a new item out of pocket and move on, while still keeping your card.

I don't look at my collection that way though and I have doubles upon doubles. I don't consider anything I do hoarding, but sometimes I just like a certain card and for the right price, a 2nd, 3rd or 10th copy if fine by me. I have purchased some lots in the past, so I have as many as 500 of a specific card, but the largest count of any card I didn't buy in bulk would be the Garvey RC. All said, I probably have close to 100 of them now in all their forms (Topps, OPC, graded, autographed, etc). Most are regular Topps (at least 70).

Good luck whatever you decide and nice pick up. I bought that card when I was in college. It is lightly creased, but harder to tell unless you are holding the card at the right angle. I would like a better copy, but at this point it is not worth the added cost it would take. I have always loved that card myself, but for me Jackie Robinson's career capper gets the nod for best card in the set, maybe of all time.

Sentimentality & cards - particular copies?
 

Here are the two cards. I think my A looks pretty nice all things considered. It’s not trimmed or anything.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e7e11936f3.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk