So how old are you and how long have you been into Pre War

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Posted By: James Gallo

Well my birthday just passed and it got me thinking that I am probably one of the youngest people on this board at a yound 29 years.

I have been into the Cracker Jacks for years but about 6 months ago went hard core into the set as well as other pre war stuff.

Anyone younger?

James Gallo

Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

edited spelling in title to make more clear..ed

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Posted By: Joe Jones

I am 25 and have always been into prewar but just started heavily collecting one year ago.

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Posted By: Cobby33

Physically, 36.
Started with pre-War about a year ago. Have been collecting in general for about 25 years.

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Posted By: steve yawitz

32 and about 5 years, though most of that time as a pre-war collector I was focused strictly on hockey. Over the last 18 months or so I've definitely shifted most of my hobby energy and dollars to baseball.

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Posted By: Erick Lewin

I'm only 23, turning 24 in August. Been collecting cards since i was about 7 or 8. Got my first pre war cards from my great grandpa when i was about 12 or 13 i think. I got a 1915 Connie Mack Cracker Jack and about 16 D381 Fleischmann's before i inherited the rest of his collection almost 2 years ago. Once i got the rest of those cards, i've really been focusing almost exclusively on 1910's-1930's stuff, but ocasionally still buy a newer card.
Probably going to start selling some of my other newer cards on ebay that i don't like anymore once i get around to it and have the time in order to have more money for the old stuff.

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Posted By: Paul

44 years old, & have been collecting pre war for 8 years. I went to Los Arcos mall in Scottsdale AZ, & bought a few T206's at a small card show back in 1998. I couldn't believe how much more interesting they were than the shiny cards.

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Posted By: jay behrens

43 going on 13. Bought my first pre-ww2 card in 1980. Took a break from 1992-2002 and have been going strong ever since then. This time around, I strictly collect pre-ww2.

Jay

Growing old is not optional, growing up is.

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Posted By: John Barnes

I'm 18, but I'm more of a lurker/learner than a pre-war collector. I only have a handful of pre-war cards.

John

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Posted By: Jeff P

Well my birthday just passed and it got me thinking that I am probably one of the youngest people on this board at a yound 29 years.

I have been into the Cracker Jacks for years but about 6 months ago went hard core into the set as well as other pre war stuff.

Anyone younger?

James Gallo

Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-

I'm also 29 and have been really collecting pre-war for about a year, although I did have some HOF t206's long before that. Are you on the '15 CJ Registry? That's my 2nd favorite set!

Jeff

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Posted By: Joe_G.

33 here, the board has a pretty good mix with 20 somethings & 30 somethings well represented. Vintage card collecting has a strong hold on all ages . . . a good sign.

Oh, and I started collecting 19th century at the age of 15.

Best Regards,
Joe Gonsowski

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Posted By: cn

I am 41 and was lucky enough to have worked for Paul Galagher and also set up at the shows at the Golden Gate Motel in Brooklyn which at the time showcased everything. So I started in pre- war about 1978. I know Larry Gladstone reads this board and I remember him as one of the the younger dealers 25 years ago and know how he was was very helpful to a teenage collector.

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Posted By: Brian

I am 22 and i have been collecting my entire life. i was like 3 years old when I got my first card. I love baseball and love vintage baseball cards and memorabilia. I love to collect anything pre war, especially rare items. I have had Boston Garters to T206's in my collection and I just love the thrill of collecting in general.

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Posted By: V117Collector

I'm 29, I've been collecting pre-war cards 5years now, before that I use to collect 59Topps on and off for 5years. I have know interest in post-war cards any more and I can't believe I ever did!

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Posted By: anthony

well, i was hoping i was one of the younger ones but my 30-freakin'-8 (and 2 weeks) is obviously not...how 'bout some of you older guys checkin' in ???

i've been pre-war for about 3 years at the most

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Posted By: Paul

Yikes, I'm the oldest so far at 44. (45 next month)

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Posted By: ScottIngold

36 and have collected since 1980. Boy i thought i was a young guy....Guess not.

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Posted By: John S

I am 34 and have been collecting since 1978 (1978 Topps Baseball which I still have). I started collecting vintage in 1981 when I purchased a few cards at a local show. I got real heavy into pre-war in the early 1990's which was about five years too late by my estimation. I guess it is all relative however; how many of you remember passing over the $30 and $40 Tip Tops in Mike Wheat's catalog in the mid to late 90's? I wonder what we are overlooking now?

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Posted By: Br uce Dorskind

I will soon turn 54.

Whilst I collected cards as a young boy, I am entered the hobby in 1977.

My focus has always been to collect the rarest cards in stellar condition.

Lond before cards were graded, I focused on near-mint to mint type cards.

Within two years of entering the hobby, I owend 10 top condition George
Miller cards, a dozen Ramys (from Wharton Tigar) a Four Base Hit
Just So, and Boston Garters. (Still own 6 early color cards)


It was clear that cards were a commodity, but the opportunity to grow
a great collection by fousing on the more obscure issues- and only those
in superior condition would be an apporpriate investment in times
and resources.

Along the way I obtained many cards from Buck Barker, Lionel Carter, George Lyons,
Cliff Lambert, Larry Kelley, Joe Michaelowitz, Jim Horne, Lew Neman Tom Coller and
two young teenage dealers,, Bill Masto and Rob Lifson.

I invested thousands in aquiring books and rare manuscripts along with
thousands of copies of early hobby publicaions and newspapers.

Sadly, a personal incident forced me to sell 50% of my type collection
through REA in 2004- but i have kept the very best pieces and have since
obtained 44 different type cards - many of obscure type cards in the highest known
SGC or PSA grade.(only one in 5 - but highest known, two in six, ten in seven and 30 in 8
and one in 9.

Whilst some may take pleaure in creases, chips and holes. my view is
Masters never go out of style. One rarely go wrong by focusing
exclusively on the very best .(in any thing one accumulates)

Anyone who tells you otherwise only need trace the performance of
high grade super rare materila and compare it with their low grade
cards. The numbers speak for the themseleves.

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

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Posted By: Martin Neal

I am 52. Although I collected cards and coins as a kid, the coin collection was the only thing that survived. I did purchase over a hundred t206s back in the mid eighties (I didn't really know what I was buying). In 2002 I discovered prewar on Ebay. As I never had time to go to shows (raising 5 children) or had friends who collected, Ebay was a great source of information and material.

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Posted By: Steve M.

I guess I'm the old man so far at 63.

I've been collecting since 1980 or so having run across some 59 Topps cards that brought back memories of my teenage years. I quickly built the set and was doing other post-war sets as well. I built both 53 Bowman sets, the color were real nice, and then I found T206.......

I was selling some dup 53's in SCD (remember it?) and this guy from Virginia calls me and asks if I'm interested in T206 to trade. I didn't really know the issue but had seen them for sale so I said "why not". He sends me a couple and we make a trade. He then says he has more and will send them to me to see if we can do further trades. Well, in about a week this big package arrives and there is this binder with over 800 T206 cards. Yes, 800!! I was floored! Here this guy just sent the cards on trust that we would make some deal. Well we did...he got my 53 Bowman color set in return.

That philosophy of trust has been with me throughout the years and I'm happy to say continues to this day.

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Posted By: ralph

Im getting close to the big 50... anybody else out there looking to trade me 800 T206 cards for my 53B set !

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Posted By: Rob NYC

I am 38. I started collecting prewar in the spring of 2005. I used to be a "chase card" hunter from 1991 to 1999, but it sucked the big one doing that after a while. Everything looked the same. Everything cost the same. All flash, no substance. After a 5-year hiatus/sabbatical from collecting, I looked at my 1977 world series ticket and remembered what it was actually all about. And that drove me deeper into older stuff until I hit the tobacco cards. Quite affordable, hence my new love for the hobby.

From flashy to classy. And never looked back.

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Posted By: Donald Johnson

I'm 35 and started back in '93. First pre-war card I picked up was a T206 Miller Huggins portrait; at that time, I had no clue that he was even a Hofer! After a several year hiatus from card collecting, my next two pre-war pick-ups were T206 portraits of Walter Johnson (EPDG back) and Nap Lajoie (again didn't really know anything about them at the time) and its been uphill ever since .

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Posted By: leon

I'm 44 and have been collecting for close to 10 years. It's all Brockelman's fault so if anyone has an issue with me please blame him.....

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Posted By: David Seaborn

I'm 35 and I'm surprised to see so many people my age on the board. I guess I had a misconception that most vintage collectors were a little older. This is great great question and it's been interesting to put ages with names - some of which I was way off on in my mind.

I started collecting vintage cards in 1985. The first card I bought was a T206 Fritz SL card. Since then I've never looked back (or I guess you could say that cardwise I've always looked back and never forward).

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Posted By: Jordan And Company

im 11 and by far the youngest here im not good in vintage collecting but i have topps 56 Rance Pless card

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Posted By: Joe D.

I'm 35...

collected T206s about 20 years or so ago (all with the Polar Bear back)... and sort of snubbed any other pre-war card. Stopped collecting and just got back into it this year.

Now, I am sort of snubbing the t206 (for now anyway) - and am going after all of the other stuff. I really don't know what I want or what I am after (it seems to change every week) -- which I guess makes it a fun stage in my collection.

I think I got back into collecting because my son is in little league, and that old baseball fever came back for me.

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Posted By: Cat

43 y.o. and 7 years into vintage.

Started collecting the shiny cards in 1967. I had an older brother and my mom or grandma would pick up two packs of cards during every trip to town (I lived in the country)...one pack for my brother and one for me.

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Posted By: Bill K@sel

I'm 33 next month. Been collecting pre-war for about four years now. Have about a hundred thousand shiny, and 80's cards. Anybody want to trade me a VG/EX Green Cobb portrait for the lot?

I'm trying to finish up the T206 HOF portrait collection minus the big two, and then plan on moving into candy type cards, and horizontal poses.

I'm suprised to see so many other collectors in the Gen X group.

My personal collection - http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f176/fkm_bky/

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Posted By: Paul Stratton

I'm 35 and I've been collecting pre-war since 1980. Got started when the "old guy" who owned the local shop gave me a bunch of t206's. It's been a disease ever since.

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Posted By: Anonymous

24, got into pre-war about 10 months ago after visiting a t206 booth at a local show. I knew I had to start collecting them after that.

I also collect pre-war boxing (5 months) and modern era auto rcs (10 years).

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

I'm 36. Got my first pack of cards in 1976, bought my first prewar cards in 1979 or 80, as we always were looking for "oldies", and the older the oldie, the better.

My prewar interests were always restricted to T206 until just a couple of years ago when I started branching out, buying all sorts of stuff. To gain a little focus, I started focusing on a HOF set and also on a couple of prewar sets from years the Yankees won the Series. I'm also slowly slogging through a T205 set.

I recently started a website to show parts of my collection, which was motivated by many of you here. You can see it at www.swingbattaswing.com.

-Al

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Posted By: Mike

I am 52, and started gathering pre war items in 1989.

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Posted By: Tim James

I'm 41,my first vintage card was T206 Marquard portrait.Been hooked ever since.I picked it up at an antique show at the age of 13.

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Posted By: ScottIngold

Ted ???? Where are you ? This thread is made for you.
Lets hear from a real old timer.

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Posted By: Lyle

Just turned 47...but feel like I'm about 16 when I'm collecting and discussing my vintage cards .I've been collecting for about three years after many years of my "shiny stuff" period . This site has been a big influence in keeping my enthusiasm high .

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Posted By: Chris Mc

39, prewar cards since 2002.Just like collecting stamps, after 1970 there is too much to try and collect, so I stick to prewar cards.

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Posted By: T206Collector

I turned 33 last week. I've been collecting baseball cards since 1987, bought my 1933 Goudey Lefty Grove in 1989 and bought my first T206 cards (Matty White Portrait and Bender Portrait) in 1997. I gave up the glossy crap for good after 1998 to concetrate all of my available resources on putting together the T206 set, which I accomplish last year (minus Wagner, Plank, Magie and Doyle).

I thought I was one of the younger ones, but looks like I'm about average.

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Posted By: David McDonald

Fifty-six years old. Aging sucks but it can't be helped. Was an avid Topps collector in the fifties (Mom tossed 'em) but it took the Gretsky Wagner publicity decades later to bring me the knowledge that there were other wonderful ancient cards out there. Started collecting vintage cards around five years ago. Began with the the '57 Topps set, got hooked, collected '33 and '34 Goudey sets and have been working backward through time ever since. Am currently ensconced in the 1910's, cherry picking T202's, T205's and those lovely T-3's. All a card has to have is reasonable eye-appeal and some spirit; I don't give a rat's derriere about high grade investments. When I am gone various relatives and buddies will get my cards and it makes me happy just thinking about it.

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Posted By: Ricky Y

I'm 46. Started as a kid collecting Topps in the early 70's..as a teen got hooked on vintage stuff...collected some T cards, E cards and the Goudey's...lost interest and started to creep back in the last few years and am now focusing on getting type sets and finishing up my Goudey set.

Ricky

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Posted By: Bob

Alao 56 years old. Opened a pack of Topps cards in 1958 for the first time. Although aging does suck, I feel sorry for you guys who never knew what it was like to debate between buying a 5 cent pack of cards and getting 6 cards and a stick of gum or 5 penny packs and getting 5 cards but 5 sticks of gum. I dropped out of the hobby when I was 13 and discovering girls, that sports was serious and all other pleasant diversions but got back in in 1981, lukewarm at first and then seriously in about 1990.
"Youth is wasted on the young" is a favorite expression I've heard along the way, besides you fellas have no idea how great the 60's were even with the spectre of Vietnam hanging over our heads. The music was better, the girls were prettier, the game was better, well what else would you expect from a guy my age
tbob

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Posted By: Anonymous

I'm two years shy of a 5 handle. I chased vintage cards in my youth and went to many early shows in southern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. My 15 minutes of fame was used up when I was the featured collector in SCD #4 in 1973.
It's all downhill after that. Hiatus lasted until the end of college, back at it ever since. I never went for the shiny stuff, but I am developing a weakness for slabs (true confession).

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

I'll be 46 in a few weeks.

I'm not sure of which year I started collecting pre-war cards exactly since many of my early purchases have been sold, and the receipts tossed. Checking through my records, however, it looks like 1992 is when I started putting together my current collection of 7 catchers. So I have had the sickness for at least 14 years.

Patrick

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Posted By: T. Engle

I am 14 years old. I started out collecting the shiny stuff, by buying boxes and blowing my allowance for the month. At some point I just knew I had to stop buying wax, so I started to lean towards vintage about two years ago.

What really got me hooked was about a year ago when I was searching Ebay late at night. A guy was selling 100 Goudeys that he said belonged to his dad. He only had one picture and it was of all them sprawled out, so I really couldn’t get a good look at them. All he said was that his dad cut off all the bottoms so they would fit into a cigar box he carried around. Although they were trimmed, I thought I couldn't go wrong at a buck a piece considering there was a Ruth in the mix. I asked my dad, if I could buy them with my own money and he agreed since I worked hard for the money and could spend it on what I wanted. Once they came, I held onto them for about a month learning tons about 1933 Goudeys. I attended a show and then sold them all for $300.

That was my first big deal I had ever made and it felt great as I walked out with $200 extra bucks. I am know collecting T205's with my dad and its a blast.

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Posted By: E, Daniel

37. Only been in the US of A since 2000, and discovered ebay and sportscards soon after. Bought a 93' SP Jeter, then another, discovered the whole graded thing and realized I had just so much to learn.
The more I learnt, the more I learned, the further back in history I went - until vintage came to mean somthing more to me than my grandmothers musty furniture and horn-rimmed glasses.
Boy these cards are cool.

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Posted By: JimB

I'm 38. Bought my first pack in 1975. I discovered card shows and bought my first "old" card (1960 Yogi Berra) in 1979. Bought a T206 Cobb and T206 Lajoie in 1980. Collected until about 1984, when I got interested in other things. Got back into collecting in 1994 and it has been virtually all Pre WWII (mostly pre WWI) ever since.
JimB

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Posted By: RayB

It is very refreshing to me to see so many 20 something, 30 something, and 40 something pre-war collectors!
This is the future of our hobby, right here.

I am 47 and been a baseball card collector all my life. I love this hobby.
My concentration has drifed toward pre-war T-206 and Exhibits over the last few years exclusively.
I have been slowly narrowing my collection to help feed my humble pre-war habit.
I love all the T-206 talk around here especially.
Stay with it guys.

RayB

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Posted By: warshawlaw

My driver's license says I'm 41 but I'm 28 (to paraphrase Frank Sinatra).

Been into prewar and other cards since I was a kid.

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Posted By: dan mckee

I am 44 and have been collecting pre-war for 37 years. Dan

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Posted By: Jay

I'm going to be 56 this year. I started collecting as a kid (those weren't vintage then but they are close now), took the obligatory 25 year break for sex, drugs and rock and roll, and then started up again in the late 1980s after our kids were born. I have been going pretty steady ever since.