Mission #1 Accomplished! (Backs collection)

[Chicago206]

On January 5th, 2010, I purchased on ebay my very 1st T206 card. It was a beat to hell Bob Hall in a PSA 1 for about 16 bucks. Although I have been an on again, off again collector of cards since my youth in the late 80's, I had never owned a vintage card. Upon its arrival, I was absolutely mesmorized at the antiquity and beauty of that Bob Hall, and all of its dozen or so creases. My wife had commented that it looked like "the cover of a miniature old time book". The richness of color and fact that it was a drawing rather than a photo forced me to want more. Afterall, what a fun and INEXPENSIVE new hobby this was going to be for me. Hell, I could afford 16 bucks a few times a month, right?

Cavvy was my second card, perhaps a week or so later, and I knew that I really dug the oranges....ok...nothing but cards with orange color from here on out, right? Wrong! I could care less who was on the front, for I had heard of just 3 players in the entire set anyway, Cobb, Young, and of course Wagner. I wanted more of the vivid colors!!!

A few weeks later, I ran into a BIG problem! You see, it seems that these wonderful little pieces of artwork actually had 2 sides in fact. Who woulda thunk it? As it turns out, the backs of these cards were almost as interesting as the fronts....more research needed.

Two weeks later, im now "bad shit" because my 1st Polar Bear arrived in the mail! Wow, the cards DO come with backs other than Piedmont and Sweet Caporal! This is fun....but now the cards are no longer $16, they are more in the $30ish range....no problem, thats not very much....lets keep going. Yeah!

Another week or so and I start getting the shakes and sweats because its been a full 7 days since my latest "fix". Need.....more.....206's! I spent $175 on a pair of cards, EPDG, and a Tolstoi. Now its getting semi serious. How do I explain the missing funds to my better half....surely she just wouldnt understand, would she???

My 1st score!!! I cherry pick an AB460 off ebay as a BIN for $125....what a great feeling, we have all been there im sure. Oh, and by the way, I buy a CB and a Hindu for $350 apiece that same week or so.....hey, wait a second!!! What the hell happened to my fun $16 per card hobby? Am I firmly in the grasp of the fabled "Monster"? You betcha!!! And having an absolute BLAST!

Another few weeks, another few sweet pick-ups including a beater BL350 from Leon's auction, a very pretty Cycle 460, and a couple AB350's (with and without).

Next up, the Chicago SunTimes show....$2500 on a very pretty Drum....who cares, im already this far in, right?

Two weeks later or so, I pick up a nice Lenox, and then a beat to all hell Uzit...but its MY beat to all hell Uzit!!! Just shy of my 4th month into the hobby, I have completed my 15 card "basic" backs set. Im already actively pursuing the varieties now as im not quite sure when the "Monster" will release his grasp, if ever. I have learned so much in these 4 months, mostly thanks to this very forum. One thing I have always been short on is patience, but since my collection will remain a "work in progress", there will be opportunities to upgrade. Enjoy the photos!