A Cultural History of the Baseball Card

[ErikV]

My brother just sent me this article from today's issue of The Atlantic.
Thought I'd pass it along to the board.

Over 100 years, small images of athletes went from tobacco companies'
marketing materials to overhyped investments favored by nostalgic grown
men. Now, they’re worth virtually nothing.

Read More:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...l-card/383784/

ErikV

The authors concluding paragraph summarizes it all "After learning the history of baseball cards, I suspect...."

Really, the entire history? Where is this book? Does it tell the future too?

[Fred]

I was expecting at least a 20 page mini saga on the topic... 2 pages?

[z28jd]

It's just basically someone that bought the wrong cards as an investment, now complaining about it. I have over 100,000 cards from my childhood and while they will probably never be worth anything, you can't replace the fun I had collecting them as a kid, trading them with friends, getting cards of my favorite players and finishing an entire set one-by-one. I can grab a box of cards anytime I want and look through them without worry about the value of the cards.

One of the great things about a set like 1988 Donruss cards is you can get a young kid into collecting cheap and have him get cards of Hall of Famers and great players and not worry if they ruin the cards. Maybe get them hooked on cards then have them go for older stuff over time. While the monetary value may be very small, you can't put a price on memories.

My advice to that author would be for him to do others a favor. Take his cards and to quote Ebenezer Scrooge, "decrease the surplus population"

[Cmount76]

I couldn't agree more. I am a product of the 80's and was told that I was sitting on my retirement fund, so long as I kept my Oil Can Boyd's in mint condition. OK, maybe not Oil Can, but certainly my McGwire USA cards.

Fast forward 30 years and my cards are nothing more than wonderful childhood memories and that, more than the monetary value placed on them, is worth more than my retirement fund. Had I not had those opportunities as a child, thumbing through Score, Fleer, Donruss, and early Upper Deck (Ooooh, the fancy packaging) - I wouldn't have my passion in the hobby that I currently do.

Not to mention, as I am now the uncle to a child who loves baseball, he has a gateway into the hobby that doesn't require $100 for a pack of 5 cards, hoping to hit the 1/1 lottery ticket stashed inside.

Whew - rant over!

[Fred]

Originally Posted by z28jd

It's just basically someone that bought the wrong cards as an investment, now complaining about it. I have over 100,000 cards from my childhood and while they will probably never be worth anything, you can't replace the fun I had collecting them as a kid, trading them with friends, getting cards of my favorite players and finishing an entire set one-by-one. I can grab a box of cards anytime I want and look through them without worry about the value of the cards.

Admit it John, the first offer from someone to trade an OJ Larry card and the whole 100,000 cards you have will be traded and delivered to the person making the offer.... no losing any sleep over the memories of the childhood...

When I first saw the thread I thought I was going to be in for a really cool article. Oh well, maybe someday someone will write that article the way it should be written.

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by Fred

Admit it John, the first offer from someone to trade an OJ Larry card and the whole 100,000 cards you have will be traded and delivered to the person making the offer.... no losing any sleep over the memories of the childhood...

When I first saw the thread I thought I was going to be in for a really cool article. Oh well, maybe someday someone will write that article the way it should be written.

I'm putting a couple of paragraphs about the T206 Southern League subset in my master's paper this spring, but it is going to be far from an in-depth study on the subject.

[Bosox Blair]

Hahahaha - more junk reporting. What a "piece" of crap. One of the funniest things is that all the cards illustrated with this "piece" have tremendous value, despite the ignorant thesis of this garbage article.

Sad that people actually read and believe the junk that gets printed.

"Now they're worth virtually nothing." Too funny. This would be surprising to the 20 or 30 auction houses that make fantastic six and seven figure profits every year dealing in these virtually worthless goods. Or the many hundreds of dealers doing profitable sales regularly. Or the thousands of collectors who make gains from selling these items for more than they paid.

But why talk to any of those people before declaring your educated opinion in a published article? That would require actual work and integrity.

Cheers,
Blair