Why Don’t We Have a Vintage Card Society?

[jpittman765]

Stamps have the APS (American Philatelic Society), coins have the ANA (American Numismatic Association), but vintage sports cards—despite being a multi-billion dollar industry—lack a central, non-profit, member-driven organization that functions like a society. Are there efforts underway to create such an organization? To me, the closest group to this concept is Net54.


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[samosa4u]

The hobby needs something like this very badly. Right now, it's like the wild west. We need some kind of governing body that can help us fight fraud and lead people in the right direction.

[sb1]

The Cartophilic Society has been around for decades, based in Britain it is a world-wide organization, though not really many US participants.

[raulus]

Good luck getting a consensus on important stuff!

Also, funding this organization could be fun, unless you’ve got someone in mind to pay the bills.

[Jay Wolt]

In the mid '80's I belonged to a group like that
They really didn't do much.

Ironically I was looking through some "The Trader Speaks" the other day
& saw an ad from famed collector Barry Halper trying to head this type of organization.
The ad was from the April 1977 edition

[jpittman765]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

In the mid '80's I belonged to a group like that
They really didn't do much.

Ironically I was looking through some "The Trader Speaks" the other day
& saw an ad from famed collector Barry Halper trying to head this type of organization.
The ad was from the April 1977 edition

Wow, the ad is ironic. Nothing is new. It appears the value of the card market has grown exponentially since 1977, but no movement on creating a structure for the hobby.
I realize we have hobby fragmentation. Unlike stamps or coins, card collecting exploded with private grading firms and for-profit shows, making it commercial-first rather than scholarship-first. PSA, Beckett, SGC, and auction houses fill some “society-like” roles—but their goal is profit, not preservation or education.


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[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by sb1

The Cartophilic Society has been around for decades, based in Britain it is a world-wide organization, though not really many US participants.

Maybe we should all join!

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

The hobby needs something like this very badly. Right now, it's like the wild west. We need some kind of governing body that can help us fight fraud and lead people in the right direction.

+1 with you sir, every word. Rather than a for-profit auction house, until such an organization comes into being, this forum is our agent. Say what you will, the hobby expertise is clearly right here on net54.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Are any of the people proposing this (and this comes up every so often) willing to do the work that would be involved? Fund it? Get funding?

[jpittman765]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Are any of the people proposing this (and this comes up every so often) willing to do the work that would be involved? Fund it? Get funding?

I am willing to do all of the legal work creating a nonprofit corporation, paying the fees for incorporation, and so forth. I also would be willing to do other work on the project. That would be relatively easy. But I realize the key would be bringing in a strong, diverse group of hobbyists to make anything meaningful happen, and there I am lacking in contacts and experience.


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[icollectDCsports]

I wouldn’t join any club that would have me as a member.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by jpittman765

I am willing to do all of the legal work creating a nonprofit corporation, paying the fees for incorporation, and so forth. I also would be willing to do other work on the project. That would be relatively easy. But I realize the key would be bringing in a strong, diverse group of hobbyists to make anything meaningful happen, and there I am lacking in contacts and experience.


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A very generous offer Jeffery, this is the kind of project that would truly take a village.

[jpittman765]

Love of the Game Auctions and Al Crisafulli do, to me, function as a hobby proponent. Their business model appears to have hobby support as, at least, an ancillary component. Maybe REA also.


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[Rich Klein]

To be Blunt:

Everyone is out for themselves in this business and until we understand that as a group we're more powerful than individuals we will never get anywhere

Also, we have so many disparate interests that new people (the stores with what they need to do) can't always mix with show dealers who can't mix with internet/on-line dealers etc. We truly do need a Card Dealer Association but until people understand that they can't always do what they want, this will never occur

Rich

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by jpittman765

Stamps have the APS (American Philatelic Society), coins have the ANA (American Numismatic Association), but vintage sports cards—despite being a multi-billion dollar industry—lack a central, non-profit, member-driven organization that functions like a society. Are there efforts underway to create such an organization? To me, the closest group to this concept is Net54.


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What exactly do the APS and ANA do for their respective hobbies?

[jpittman765]

Originally Posted by jayshum

What exactly do the APS and ANA do for their respective hobbies?

Good question. APS and ANA provide education, publications, authentication resources, annual conventions, and support for local clubs. They also help preserve the history of their hobbies and advocate for collectors. A vintage card society could offer similar benefits—essentially building on what Net54 already fosters, but with more structure, resources, and long-term support.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by jayshum

What exactly do the APS and ANA do for their respective hobbies?

The APS provides a wide variety of services.
A monthly publication giving hobby news and dealer ads.
Authentication services based on experts and a huge reference collection.
A sales department that has both online sales and books of stamps for sale that circulate to members interested in a particular subject.
Educational opportunities - videos, seminars etc.
A very large Philatelic library and archive.
Things to promote the hobby, like supporting local clubs.

They're also a reference for finding specialist organizations. Some of them are very useful. Im a member of the US philatelic classics society, Former member of the Precancels group and perfins group and APS. My wife was in a Christmas philatelic organization, a couple Canadian groups and a topical group. All have varying levels of things they support.

I have not been a member of the ANA, but did collect coins for years, and as far as I know they did or do the same things.

[todeen]

I'm not sure why this vintage hobby group just doesn't align with SABR. They already have a robust membership, they already have the research and publishing arm, and they are a respected, well recognized non-profit within our community. Asking them to create a branch within their organization would be better than starting something from the ground up.

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[toppcat]

This has been tried a few times and always fails. SABR is a research-oriented organization and has its advantages but who is going to pay annual dues just to join if not already a member?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by toppcat

This has been tried a few times and always fails. SABR is a research-oriented organization and has its advantages but who is going to pay annual dues just to join if not already a member?

Almost No one.

Plus, they still let one of the biggest criminals ever in the hobby, Peter Nash, be part of their organization. As long as the current owner is running Net54baseball, we will have very little to do with them.

https://peternashpublicdocuments.com/


.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Leon

Almost No one.

Plus, they still let one of the biggest criminals ever in the hobby, Peter Nash, be part of their organization. As long as the current owner is running Net54baseball, we will have very little to do with them.

https://peternashpublicdocuments.com/


.

Leon:

To be honest, SABR does not do background checks on any prospective members so don't blame them for not checking everyone or anyone. Just like is Mr. Nash bought a VIP pass to the NSCC the odds are they would accept him attending as well.

Rich

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Leon:

To be honest, SABR does not do background checks on any prospective members so don't blame them for not checking everyone or anyone. Just like is Mr. Nash bought a VIP pass to the NSCC the odds are they would accept him attending as well.

Rich

Many of "them" are on this forum, including very senior people there. They know about him. I am not angry or upset, or anything, just don't care to associate with those that associate with him. If other collectors love him, more power to them.
.

[John1941]

Originally Posted by Leon

Almost No one.

Plus, they still let one of the biggest criminals ever in the hobby, Peter Nash, be part of their organization. As long as the current owner is running Net54baseball, we will have very little to do with them.

https://peternashpublicdocuments.com/


.

I'm a SABR member, and just checked the SABR directory. The only Nash that is a member of SABR is a Robert Nash from Nebraska - Peter Nash is apparently not a member anymore.

I wouldn't claim that SABR is perfect - no organization is - but it has a lot of great members and I appreciate all it's done.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by John1941

I'm a SABR member, and just checked the SABR directory. The only Nash that is a member of SABR is a Robert Nash from Nebraska - Peter Nash is apparently not a member anymore.

I wouldn't claim that SABR is perfect - no organization is - but it has a lot of great members and I appreciate all it's done.

That is great to hear. It's not only that he was a member, they had held him in high acclaim, from what I remember. And no doubt, Peter Nash is very knowledgeable about the history of baseball. Kind of like Bank Burglers studying diagrams of banks. I am sure some of them are experts at bank architecture.

This sort of goes with the theme of the thread.

[bbcard1]

Originally Posted by toppcat

This has been tried a few times and always fails. SABR is a research-oriented organization and has its advantages but who is going to pay annual dues just to join if not already a member?

SABR is very much worth the investment. You not only support the research they are doing but you also get some cool perks like free ebooks and access to some fascinating research.

SABR also has a baseball card group...I've done a couple of blogs for them.

I would love to see the group sponsor a vintage card show.

[jpittman765]

Well said Steve! I agree with your thoughtful analysis.


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