Michael Salfino new member introduction

[Salfino]

I wanted to say hello to everyone. I write about collectables (and baseball and football generally) for The Athletic/New York Times. So I may solicit some participation/quotes at some point. I started writing about collectibles in The Wall Street Journal. I wrote an article comparing Mickey Mantle cards in appreciation vs. other investment vehicles in 2016. That was the most read article in the Journal online that year. I've also been a writer for Topps since 2019 (card backs), specializing in the Heritage and Archives sets (also Dynasty). I collected starting in the 1970s but had to sell premium vintage cards to stay in college in the 1980s for pennies on the dollar -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, roookie Robinson. I paid for them working in restaurants and delivering newspapers starting at age 11. This broke my heart but I got back in strong in 2016 arond the time of the Mantle article. My collection is pretty large -- all but the first two Mantles, all but the first May, complete Aaron, complete Clemente, complete Koufax, most vintage rookies in baseball/football/hoops, complete Jim Brown, complete Namath, complete Wilt and many other inner-circle players -- Jackie, Williams, DiMaggio, etc. I also have NM complete sets including 1971 Topps baseball and 1962 Topps football. Anyway, nice to meet you all virtually. I'll keep you posted on topics I'm working on in case any of you have a perspective you'd like to share.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Michael, as I recall we spoke back in the early days of the altered card "scandal" but ultimately your editors decided not to go with the article. Or I may be mixing up journalists in which case apologies. Good to see you.

[Salfino]

I fought so hard for that, Peter, but ultimately lost, obviously and unfortunately.

[Leon]

Welcome to the fourm, Michael. Happy hunting!

And no thread should go without a card. The OBC guys, a great group of collectors, gave this to me years ago, as they knew I loved this action shot of Reese.

Originally Posted by Salfino

I wanted to say hello to everyone. I write about collectables (and baseball and football generally) for The Athletic/New York Times. So I may solicit some participation/quotes at some point. I started writing about collectibles in The Wall Street Journal. I wrote an article comparing Mickey Mantle cards in appreciation vs. other investment vehicles in 2016. That was the most read article in the Journal online that year. I've also been a writer for Topps since 2019 (card backs), specializing in the Heritage and Archives sets (also Dynasty). I collected starting in the 1970s but had to sell premium vintage cards to stay in college in the 1980s for pennies on the dollar -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, roookie Robinson. I paid for them working in restaurants and delivering newspapers starting at age 11. This broke my heart but I got back in strong in 2016 arond the time of the Mantle article. My collection is pretty large -- all but the first two Mantles, all but the first May, complete Aaron, complete Clemente, complete Koufax, most vintage rookies in baseball/football/hoops, complete Jim Brown, complete Namath, complete Wilt and many other inner-circle players -- Jackie, Williams, DiMaggio, etc. I also have NM complete sets including 1971 Topps baseball and 1962 Topps football. Anyway, nice to meet you all virtually. I'll keep you posted on topics I'm working on in case any of you have a perspective you'd like to share.

[Salfino]

I wrote about that card: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/181...pee-wee-reese/

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Salfino

I fought so hard for that, Peter, but ultimately lost, obviously and unfortunately.

A very unsatisfying chapter of hobby history all around, in hindsight. The bad guys won, big. Pitched a shutout.

[CW]

Welcome to the forum, Michael!

Coincidentally, I just saw your recent article on The Athletic about your top 8 vintage sportscards that are toughest to find centered. I thought it was a fun, well researched, and interesting read. BTW, I might include the 1952 Topps Ed Mathews card on that list, but I'm sure everyone's going to have a different list.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/612...rds-centering/

[FromVAtoLA]

I was happy to see The Athletic adding collecting to their coverage and have been enjoying your articles. It's great to see collecting get exposure to their large audience.

[Casey2296]

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Welcome to the sub Michael.
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[tjisonline]

Welcome to Net54 Michael.

Originally Posted by Salfino

I wanted to say hello to everyone. I write about collectables (and baseball and football generally) for The Athletic/New York Times. So I may solicit some participation/quotes at some point. I started writing about collectibles in The Wall Street Journal. I wrote an article comparing Mickey Mantle cards in appreciation vs. other investment vehicles in 2016. That was the most read article in the Journal online that year. I've also been a writer for Topps since 2019 (card backs), specializing in the Heritage and Archives sets (also Dynasty). I collected starting in the 1970s but had to sell premium vintage cards to stay in college in the 1980s for pennies on the dollar -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, roookie Robinson. I paid for them working in restaurants and delivering newspapers starting at age 11. This broke my heart but I got back in strong in 2016 arond the time of the Mantle article. My collection is pretty large -- all but the first two Mantles, all but the first May, complete Aaron, complete Clemente, complete Koufax, most vintage rookies in baseball/football/hoops, complete Jim Brown, complete Namath, complete Wilt and many other inner-circle players -- Jackie, Williams, DiMaggio, etc. I also have NM complete sets including 1971 Topps baseball and 1962 Topps football. Anyway, nice to meet you all virtually. I'll keep you posted on topics I'm working on in case any of you have a perspective you'd like to share.

[Snowman]

Hello Michael, and welcome to the friendliest place in the hobby!

[ClementeFanOh]

Welcome Michael! Trent King

[Bobbycee]

Hey Michael. Welcome to Net 54. Loved your Fantasy stuff for years. Looking forward to reading more of your stories on collecting in The Athletic.

[doug.goodman]

Welcome to Fantasy Island!

[Salfino]

Thank you. Yes the Mathews definitely could have been on the list. The rookie Dr. J too. I think 1968 Mays is very tough (I have a PSA 8 that's perfect that I paid good money from another collector years ago). I think the 1961 Koufax is tough. 1960 Clemente. Rookie Palmer. Many of the 1962 Topps football. When I started in the 1970s at Sports Corner in the old Bergen Mall, it was corners.