[Big Six]

So I started collecting baseball cards in the late '70's mostly by buying packs each year. My first card show was probably in the mid-1980's and it was a small Sheraton Hotel-type show...I get chills just thinking about it now. That said, my collection really only encompassed the years I bought packs. Neighbors two houses over from us had three kids (two boys and a girl) and the oldest - Michael - had a few baseball cards lying around that one day he decided he wanted to get rid of, so he gave them to me. He was in his early twentys at the time and I couldn't have been more than 13 or 14. One of the cards - the only card I remember - was a 1964 Topps Mantle. I have no idea what condition the card was in...all I remember was that stance...and those arms. They were the largest arms I'd ever seen on a baseball player and though I never saw him play, I knew Mantle was baseball royalty.
Anyway, I made a huge deal about his "gift" and said many thank you's and went home to show my parents my new cards...I also went to my old price guide and saw that the Mick was worth quite a few bucks...certainly the most expensive card in my collection!
Well...Mike had some remorse about the gift and made a pretty big deal about the card and wanting it back...so I guess I did the right thing at the time and gave the card back. It bothered me for a long time and my friendship with Mike cooled from that moment on. For over 25 years, I've wanted to replace that first vintage card in my collection...and with jjcollects' help, I have...