Bought a '57 Topps Mays from a shop in West L.A. around 1982 for ten dollars. Thought I discovered gold and that I would never see another vintage card again. Little did I know. First pre-war card I ever bought was a '33 Goudey Dizzy Dean from Papa's Sportscards on El Camino Real in Menlo Park, California around 1987. Ol' Diz was a childhood favorite from Game of the Week broadcasts and again I thought I should jump on it because I figured I'd never seen one before and I'd probably never see one again. Paid waaay too much; Papa totally hosed me. Next vintage card I acquired was a '32 Zeenut Oana which I bought off eBay as a remembrance of my last conversation with my father the night before he passed away in 2001 when we talked about life and beauty and the San Francisco Seals. Still have all three cards; the rest is history down the slippery slope of vintage card addiction.
On another subject, the Dean card presents a cautionary tale. It has sat on a counter top for the past 15 years or so under ambient light and the colors have faded badly. Probably a good idea to store your cards with a bit more forethought. You may go now, grasshopper.