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TBobBut a few still jab me:
1) At the National in Kansas City in the mid 80's, I turned down a guy patrolling the aisles who had a stack of about 50 EXMT T205s with Matty on top. They were close to NRMT, absolutely gorgeous. I was busy collecting T206s and didn't want to get in to another set. He went from $400 to $300 to $200. I said no. Geez what a dumb move.
2) I traded a NRMT 1959 Topps set for Johnny Ray's rookie jersey for the Pirates (he played for our local college). The trade was made in the mid 80's. Ray's jersey probably goes for about $150-250. The Topps set probably goes for...I don't even want to know.
3) I sold Bill Mastro a near set of T212-3s. All but 3 cards. I defy anyone here to even try to put together a set of these rarities nowdays. I think I sold them, again in the mid 80's, for about $400.
4) I consigned a near set of T207s to Mastro's Auction in 1998. The cards were in super shape. Had I sold them on ebay now I could triple what I got. I have also tried to put together another set the last year and a half and of the 8 cards I need, 6 were in my old near set, all EX or better. Sigh...
5) In 1982 I got in to the vintage card hobby after giving up baseball cards in 1962. My first card was a Killebrew rookie which I bought from a (then) local dealer who told me that it was impossible to find a 55 Killebrew without a crease. (Was I naive or what?) I paid $10. He also gouged me on some other early Topps cards. My only solace was the next year (1983)I bought a NRMT/MT 68 Ryan rookie from him for $8 and tucked it away. When he made the HOF I sold it on ebay for $800. I made sure and looked him up to tell him. He was sick. 