Length of original card collecting run

[Cmvorce]

Like I do on a lot of Saturday mornings I was looking through my cards before anyone else woke up and I started to think about buying packs as a kid. I first got into cards as an 8 year old in 1987. My mom bought me a pack of Topps and I was off and running. From 1987 - 1991 I spent any money I had on packs of cards or inexpensive singles at mall card shows. In 1992 I bought a couple packs here and there. Took 1993 off completely, bought a box of 1994 Topps and then didn’t buy another pack of cards until 2007. So I had a solid 5 year run from 87-91. How long was your initial pack buying run?

[uyu906]

Originally Posted by Cmvorce

Like I do on a lot of Saturday mornings I was looking through my cards before anyone else woke up and I started to think about buying packs as a kid. I first got into cards as an 8 year old in 1987. My mom bought me a pack of Topps and I was off and running. From 1987 - 1991 I spent any money I had on packs of cards or inexpensive singles at mall card shows. In 1992 I bought a couple packs here and there. Took 1993 off completely, bought a box of 1994 Topps and then didn’t buy another pack of cards until 2007. So I had a solid 5 year run from 87-91. How long was your initial pack buying run?

For me it was 1976 through 1983. An eight year initial run.

[EGreenwood]

Mine was 1978 - 1987. Bought a case in 1991, several boxes in 2000, and a few boxes in 2008.

[egri]

Mine was 4/5 years. Then I took about four years off, before coming back.

[Tyruscobb]

I haven’t bought a pack since 1993, and probably never will again. I’m 100% into pre-1970 vintage. My pack buying days spanned from 1987 - 1993.

[rats60]

1965-2015. I bought random packs in 1965-66 and 1982-83. Every other year I bought boxes.

[fkm_bky]

My run was from 1981 to 1991 - ages 8 to 18. Went to all the card shows in the Twin Cities and collected every set from pack openings. Then went college and started my career. Picked it back up again around 2000, then found pre-war in 2003. Beyond grabbing a few packs here and there have moved completely away from packs.

Bill

[G1911]

28 years and counting. My first packs were Skybox Batman cards in 1994, started with sports with NASCAR in 1995 (I liked the card that came in the pack with the die cast cards more than the Hot Wheel style car toy), Football in 1997 and Baseball in 1998. Collected every year until college, still bought a few packs every year in university, and never really stopped; I buy a few boxes every year (mostly Heritage, and a Star Wars box or two) still though I would not consider myself much of a modern collector or particularly knowledgeable.

[Mike D.]

Originally Posted by Cmvorce

Like I do on a lot of Saturday mornings I was looking through my cards before anyone else woke up and I started to think about buying packs as a kid. I first got into cards as an 8 year old in 1987. My mom bought me a pack of Topps and I was off and running. From 1987 - 1991 I spent any money I had on packs of cards or inexpensive singles at mall card shows. In 1992 I bought a couple packs here and there. Took 1993 off completely, bought a box of 1994 Topps and then didn’t buy another pack of cards until 2007. So I had a solid 5 year run from 87-91. How long was your initial pack buying run?

Like you, I started in 1987. I was 11, maybe a bit old to start, but my folks weren't sports fans. I actually got pneumonia that summer and was laid up for a few weeks.

I had a few friends who collected cards, and it seemed interesting, and so I had my mom grab a few packs of '87 Topps at the local corner store.

I went hot and heavy until 1994. A combination of the strike and going off to college curtailed my collecting. McGwire/Sosa in 1998 brought me back in.

That being said, last time I bought boxes of unopened the year they were released was likely around 2012-13. I might have bought a pack or two after that, but probably not any new packs/boxes in roughly the last decade.

It's fun to look back at the different "stages" of your collecting. I think I've gone through probably a half dozen iterations in the last 35 years (including that 4-year hiatus).

[drmondobueno]

Interrupted by cars, beer, other stuff, marriage. And got back in with my boys again from 1981 through 1987.

Returned to collecting tobacco cards from 2013 through 2018, sidelined by health issues. Also chased post WW2 menko on and off.

For me packs 1971 to 1980, unopened boxes 1981 io 1990

[midmo]

I bought a few before and after but 1980-86 were my pack obsession years. Interests starting changing around 15...

[BearBailey]

1983 to now, never stopped not sure I ever will? I

[drmondobueno]

Interrupted by cars, beer, other stuff, marriage. And got back in with my boys again from 1981 through 1987.

Returned to collecting tobacco cards from 2013 through 2018, sidelined by health issues. Also chased post WW2 menko on and off.

[toppcat]

Bought a pack or two in 1969, then 1970-72 was huge for me, 73-74 a little less so. In 75 I bought a vending box from Renatta Galasso, then 1976 saw me buy a pack or two and that was it. Then I got back in in '81 and here I remain.

[cornhusker]

Saving up my weekly allowance funded the purchases of 1978 wax boxes at the farmers market in Manheim, PA. Paid $4 a box I think. Put together sets and horded every Reds and Phillies players I could get hold of thru 1985.
Returned to the hobby about 12 years ago with my kids and we are 95% complete with a Topps BB run from 1959-1987.
My daughter traded her stake in the BB cards for some vintage Beatles memorabilia and my son has turned his attention to comics (silver & bronze age as well as pre code horror comics.) It has been very interesting to observe the similarities and differences between the 2 communities.
Not sure if we will finish the BB set run or sell off the commons for some high end favorite HOF's and Pete Rose cards

[Chuck9788]

For me it was 1983-1987 with 1985 being my busiest pack purchasing year. I remember taking MANY bike rides to the local pharmacy to buy packs hoping for a Dwight Gooden rookie.

[bmattioli]

I've been buying packs since 1972 and always looked forward to the day I found them to start the new season. A good memory for me..

[dacubfan]

1952 through 1962. Hot and heavy 1957-62, Packs again 1978-82.

[familytoad]

Interesting topic!

I know when I started. 1971 Football cards. I would have just turned 9 years old.
Then I hit it as hard as my meager allowance would go!
That run lasted (by the volume of cards from my original collection) until 1978.

I had virtually no 1978 Football but a lot of 1978 baseball so I think I determined that cutoff pretty well.

In 1988 I started again, along with the rest of the planet.
I stopped buying packs in 1992 or so.

I got into prewar in 1991 which is still my main gig even though I have almost every Topps set complete too. It was great going backwards to fill those sets (I have baseball and football, Bowman and Topps , mostly finished but some I don’t collect at all… you know, the ugly ones:-))

I have chewed a lot of bad gum, people!