New to vintage...Where do I start?

[Northviewcats]

Hi Christian,

Welcome. It sounds like you've thought it through pretty well already. I especially like the idea of collecting just second basemen. So much depends on your budget and what condition of card is acceptable to you. If you can afford prewar cards of HOFers it is probably the best way to go, but it can get pretty pricey if creases, stains and card altering bother you. It may also be neat to focus on less famous second basemen and learn about their careers as you collect them.

Here are a few general pieces of advice. I hope they will be helpful.

1. Stay open to what you want to collect. There are so many possibilities in prewar. It's fairly easy to buy & sell prewar cards today, so you can always change course. Learning what you like is half the fun.
2. Don't be too upset when you make a bad buy. Most of the ungraded prewar cards on eBay have some flaw in them or they wouldn't be for sale. Buying cards is an emotional decision and we all make mistakes.
3. Keep learning about the cards. Knowledge = money in this hobby. The more that you know about the cards, the more cards you will be able to own.

Have fun. The last seven years since I started to collect have been the best of my life. The good news is there are a lot of great people on this board that will help you along the way.

Best of luck with your collection,

Joe