Anyone Else Feeling Marooned on Vintage Collector Island??

[jchcollins]

One of the things I realized fairly quickly upon getting back into the hobby after a dozen years or so in 2015, is that the whole "Keeping up with the Joneses" game with vintage cards wasn't something I was going to be participating in. As I recalled from earlier stints in the hobby as an adult, back to the time I was hardcore into it as a kid - the general rule seemed to be that there will always be someone whose collection will blow yours away - but if you are paying attention - you will notice that you are often far more fortunate / accomplished than many others in what you are trying to do yourself.

I don't, as a rule more or less since this last run of adulthood collecting, do much with prewar vintage cards. I just don't. I think they are incredible, but the value proposition isn't there for me and my budget right now. I can get one lower grade second-tier T206 HOF'er for the same price as I could buy an EX or higher 1950's or 60's Aaron or Clemente card in most cases - and for that, I'll take the latter every time. Postwar vintage was my first love as a kid in the late 80's / early 90's - and those players, mostly those of my parents generation - remain the most relatable to me. So that's where I play. Technically, could I take my budget and current assets and turn a very nice, midsize postwar collection into a much smaller but more elite collection of 5-figure and higher cards that are older? Sure! But to me it's a hobby first and foremost, and I don't really see myself making that move without turning it into something more than just a hobby - so I'm happy to continue to live in my playground, at least for the time being.

As some here have pointed out, the postwar board here perhaps isn't super popular compared to the main board - but whatever. I'm happy to show off my pickups there, and hang out with Jolly and a few others. Heck, back when I first got interested in old cards there was no camaraderie the likes of social media and what we have today - so who knows, maybe I'm just used to kind of following the beat of my own drummer. Things may change one day, they may not - either way is ok with me.

James, I hope you can find some peace with it. I think every collector here - even those who do eventually finance what some of us would consider insane $ cards - have had that feeling of not measuring up and not being able to do what we might want to if money were no object. I don't know though, I find when I ignore that noise and just focus on what I like - there are still plenty of things I can buy within my budget that make me happy. I could conceivably continue to buy postwar stuff I don't have for the next few decades, and still not cross everything off my list. But that is just me.