Quote:
Originally Posted by G1911
I wish the TPG’s would disappear, but rewinding time to before the internet is not even vaguely realistic.
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Agreed. I started collecting in 1986, and by the time I learned some rudimentary things about the cards that came before me - and almost immediately started pining for vintage cards of HOF'ers that I had no idea where to find - I realized that you were at the mercy of whatever shop or show you could get to that might be somewhat proximate to your physical location. Both with baseball cards (including many that turned out to not be rare at all...) and even non-sport things like Garbage Pail Kids (you'll excuse me, I was 8 in 1985...) in some cases I looked for certain things for YEARS before the internet.
The physical only days I'm sure had their benefits, but the market as a whole for many things - including old cards - was in many cases very poorly allocated before the internet. I found online auctions as a junior in college in 1998 or so, and almost immediately picked up some cards I had desired for what seemed like forever, but had never found. I remember a '53 Topps Yogi Berra was one of them.
While I assume that comment was meant to be wistful / kidding, I have no desire to go back to an era where the only option to get cards is if you do it in person. Don't get me wrong, I prefer to buy in person if at all possible. But the selection based on what we know is possible in the 21st century now would probably be pretty disappointing across the board.