An Amazing Trade with My Piano Teacher
 

I was probably twelve years old when I made the best trade of my life. My piano teacher was a long time baseball card collector and was working on putting together the 1980 Topps sets. When he heard that my brother and I were also opening packs when our Mom would let us get some at the store, he suggested that we bring our cards over and we would trade.

So after the lesson was over, we headed down to his basement to his card area. He jumped right in looking through our box of cards and maybe he got something good, I actually have no idea. But it couldn't have been anywhere near what I got because he let us look through his doubles and triples from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

My brother and I were both Twins fans, so my brother started setting aside Twin after Twin. I pulled a few of those too but when I found the binder of cards from the trade much later, I apparently knew some hall of famers.

I still have the cards in the same crappy binder and pages, so I don't want to mess with pulling them out, but I will share some pictures as is. The only card I do not have is the '63 Mantle I gave to my father who is one of the many kids from that era that had their cards thrown out.

My piano teacher looked through all the cards we had selected and didn’t pull a single thing back. Maybe because they were duplicates? I don’t know, but here is a ‘62 Koufax.

I should have taken piano lessons.

I should have gone back for another trade.

That is awesome and makes the lesson worth while

I’d have gone back so often, I’d have ended up a piano prodigy :D

I’ll post one more tonight, love this card.

Attachment 561198
"I took lessons for years and years...NEVER got a single frickin' card!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

great memories
 

Your piano teacher was a good person to do that...... knowing he was giving you a great deal but inspiring you to a lifetime of collecting memories! Bravo to him (and you for keeping the cards intact!! )

So, I think what everyone here wants to know...are you any good on the piano?

I am not good at the piano, i tended to pound on the keys. I am much better swinging the bat.

Grabbed a few Clementes, including this ‘65.

Your piano teacher was very nice and kind indeed. What a nice experience. However, I was struck by how you gave the 1963 Mickey Mantle to your dad, since his cards had gotten thrown away. YOU were a wonderful son. Yep, that strikes a very high key to me.:) Thanks for the sharing your story. --- Brian Powell

Nice of you to say. It feels good to do something nice for someone you care so much about.

And I still have this Mantle in my own collection.

I wasn’t very picky about condition with my piano lesson trade.

1971 carlton

Nice cards. Definitely considering that the trade on your end involved 1980 Topps. Maybe your teacher used some cards, like the 1971 Carlton you ended up with, in the process of tuning the piano somehow, or perhaps while levelling out one of its legs.

Brian (Thanks for sharing your cool collecting story)

Friday morning Brooks Robinson

Great story!
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Willie Mays for a Sunday morning.

Monday morning Bob Gibson