What is your most cherished piece, and why?

[CW]

...

[CW]

Haha, wow... William and Gary with the same card, signed. What are the odds?? Great cards!

[Exhibitman]

These are all cards I've had for 30-40 years:

First vintage card I ever got, probably 40 years ago:



Pulled this from a pack in 1976; obviously had it slabbed quite a bit later on:





Got this as a boy in the late 1970s; had Stan The Man sign it at a show in SF while I was in law school:

[kdixon]

About 30 years ago my Dad told me I should go to an auction in my home town. The auction was at the home of the former Postmaster in my town and my Dad had worked for him and thought it would be nice to have something of his. I got this Wheat piece in a box of junk for like $1.50. It was my first Wheat piece. My Dad passed away 21 years ago but I have collected Zach Wheat ever since and I would never sell this piece even though its not that valuable.

Great thread! Easily my autographed 1953 Topps Willie Mays passed down to me from my grandfather who passed away about 6 years ago. He obtained it in person while working in Milwaukee, WI in what he used to say was Willie's rookie season...even though it obviously wasn't. This is the card that got me into the hobby, reminds me of my grandfather, and the one that I hope my 16 month old son will someday pass down to his son. This is why I love cards!

[the 'stache]

Great stories, guys! It's amazing how diverse your individual cards are...and then you have William and Gary with the exact same Sandy Koufax cards, signed by the man himself.

Chuck, I especially enjoyed the article about your mom. I'm tickled that she was such a big Tigers fan. That Fidrych card is beautiful, and I can imagine her holding the card while watching him pitch. That's the classic example of a card that's been loved, and they're much more interesting to me. I know that a card's value is tied to their condition, but there's just something about holding a card...feeling the cardboard, smelling the very faint scent of the bubble gum it was packaged with. Baseball cards are meant to be handled.

Adam-those cards are killer, especially the '53 Bowman Musial (that's my all-time favorite set, and one of my favorite individual cards ever made). And of course, I love the Aaron. What a beauty!

Fred, I fully expect that there will be other people that have a hard time choosing just one. If you have pictures of your Mulvey and Dunlap cards, I'd love to see them.

Z28jd, that Alcott Old Judge is a beauty! That's history, man-something I'd expect to see in a museum. I can only imagine the rush you felt when you finally crossed that one off your want list. Congratulations on finally adding this absolute treasure to your collection!

Kenny, that's a great story, too. The Cooperstown piece signed by Zach was the beginning of a pretty incredible and eclectic collection (I'm still looking at it). You never know where inspiration will come from. When I was a kid, I remember my dad taking me to the baseball card shop, and telling me about Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Ernie Banks. He had the chance to see all of them when he was a kid, so naturally, I became fans of them, too.

Dan, I love the Willie, and the sentiment that goes with it. I hope your son will appreciate it, and the hobby, the way you do, and your grandfather did.

Keep the stories coming guys, I'm loving what you all are sharing. I'm stuck in bed right now (three more days in the hospital, and I'm free to go back home), so I have lots of time to read. Your collectibles and memories are bringing a big smile to my face.

[auggiedoggy]

My most prized/cherished item is not a baseball item and is therefore outside the scope of this forum so I'll keep it brief. Its a PSA 5 1911 C55 Georges Vezina rookie card.

UPDATE: Scans added

[leaflover]

The Chicago Cub infield the year I was born.

[JollyElm]

I've always been a Mets fan, but when Reggie appeared in the Bronx in 1977, I became mesmerized with Mr. Jackson, so I'd tune into the Yankees games on Channel 11 just to watch his at bats. Those were some heady times.

I got this Reggie Bar wrapper autographed through the mail. It's ballpoint on the waxy wrapper, so it's not the best autograph for displaying, but I love this thing!!! It's framed and matted, so my scanner couldn't do it justice. These blurry photos are the best I can do at the moment.

[Sean1125]

My most cherished piece is actually a case... It is a case of fake Michael Jordan GU items that taught me a very expensive lesson early on in the hobby.

[ullmandds]

Love the reggie bar wrapper! I used to have one. You just caused me to buy a reggie bar wrapper magnet off ebay!

[67_Palmer]

The most important thing in my collection would have to be this group of autographed index cards my father collected while selling hot dogs at Griffith Stadium when he was a teen.

He gave them to me when I was a young teen in the 80's and I unfortunately cut some of the better names to fit in holders. What can I say, I was a dumb kid. He also gave me a Senators team signed ball witch I promptly played with.

To this day I haven't been able to identify all the signatures. To me the highlights of the collection is the very early Mantle and the Hank Greenberg.

[Exhibitman]

Nice write-ups guys.

I find it interesting--and very heartening--that the stories here are all about emotional connections we've made through our collections to our families or our childhoods or to the game, and not about the value of the cards themselves. I have cards worth thousands of times what my beater 1952 Dropo is worth but that card means something to me. You can always tell a collector, too. The first thing I am asked by a collector is "What's your favorite card?" while the first thing a non-collector asks me is "what's your most valuable card?" Non-collectors don't understand that this thing of ours isn't about value, it is about emotions. That's why I shlep to places like Cleveland in August to hang out with a bunch of fellow idiots in an old tank factory. In cards, as long as it means something to you, no one can be a "better" collector; the blue collar guy with the well-loved collection of beaters is just as respected as a collector as the titan of industry with the well-loved minty fresh collection of 19th century HOFers.

[whitehse]

I have a couple of items that are considered cherished.

My mom and dad would always try to take us to a few baseball games every year at Wrigley Field. I knew they didnt have much money and my dad would always say he got the tickets from "some guy" but I knew dang well my dad had to work some OT to get them for us. My dad always had a habit of buying a scorecard at every game he went and he would keep score like an offical scorer. Fast forward to the '80's when I was working for the Cubs. My dad still loved the game and I would take him to work with me every weekend and make sure he had great seats and a scorecard. I would pop in to check on him once in awhile and bring him something to drink but he always kept score at these games. A year or so ago I was cleaning out some of the "stuff" we had packed away and I found a stack of scorecards my dad had completed and instantly I was taken back to that time and in my minds eye I could see my dad, who has now been gone for 8 years, scoring the game with a huge smile on his face. It felt so good that I could give back to my dad in that way and to have those scorecards as reminders is just dang cool for me.

One of my other items is a ball that was hit by Ken Reitz of the Cardinals in '72 or '73 that my mom actually caught. I remember begging my mom to let me take my glove to the game but she would not let me as she felt I would lose it and besides....there is no way a ball will even come close to us. I have never let her forget this!

And finally, I have a small amount of cards I had as a child that I wrote the new team name on when the player was traded. I came across these a few years ago as well and I instantly put them in top loaders and put them next to my best cards.

Great memories and a great thread!!!!

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

My most cherished piece:

Darryl, could you please explain why this is your most cherished piece? I know next to nothing about collecting wrappers, so I'd love to know the significance of your Mellow Mint wrapper.

Originally Posted by leaflover

The Chicago Cub infield the year I was born.

Mike, that's a cool piece. Was that something that was given to you (perhaps handed down from a family member), or did you buy it on your own when you started collecting?

Originally Posted by JollyElm

[URL=http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/JollyElm/media/reggie_zpsd2745a5a.jpg.html]

I've always been a Mets fan, but when Reggie appeared in the Bronx in 1977, I became mesmerized with Mr. Jackson, so I'd tune into the Yankees games on Channel 11 just to watch his at bats. Those were some heady times.

I got this Reggie Bar wrapper autographed through the mail. It's ballpoint on the waxy wrapper, so it's not the best autograph for displaying, but I love this thing!!! It's framed and matted, so my scanner couldn't do it justice. These blurry photos are the best I can do at the moment.

That's so cool, Darren. I've always liked "Mr. October". He's one of those larger than life personalities that make the game's history more colorful. It's fitting to me that he ended up playing for the same team that the Babe did.

Where do you display your Reggie wrapper? I'm assuming the glass is coated to keep the color from fading.

Originally Posted by Sean1125

My most cherished piece is actually a case... It is a case of fake Michael Jordan GU items that taught me a very expensive lesson early on in the hobby.

Sean, I'd be interested to know what happened, if you care to share. I must admit that I've been very hesitant to buy cards with game-used pieces (bats, gloves, shoes, uniforms). With an autograph, you can at least compare to other pieces that have been authenticated. With these patches/swatches, etc, we have to take the card manufacturer's word for it.

Originally Posted by itjclarke

Attachment 106935Attachment 106936

Triplets anyone?? Koufax is not my favorite, but had to post mine after the first two.
Attachment 106932

My favorite item is no doubt the signed ball my dad got while watching a 19 year old shortstop Mickey Mantle and his Joplin team face my Dad's hometown Enid Giants. I think year was 1950, and the Mick hit about .380 and think made about 50-60 errors. It's a multisigned balled with a combination of players from both teams and the young Mick's sig in the sweet spot (where else since he was was OK legend already.. and pre the loopy M's, more in line with the facsimile on his '51 Bowman). My dad recently handed this piece down to me and I wouldn't sell for $500K. My hope is that it will be handed down as many generation as possible. I'll post a pic next time I visit my safe deposit box.

Ian, what a great card. That's a nice, bold auto. And I have to admit Sandy is one of my favorites. There have been so many great pitchers throughout the game's history, but I'd be hard-pressed to find anybody better than Mr. Koufax in his prime. Having seen the three Koufax autos in this thread, now I want one of my own, haha.

I'd love to see your Mantle autographed ball, too. I know a person's signature will change over time so I'd be curious to compare an autograph from his youth to the one we're used to seeing after he joined the Yankees. When you have a chance to post it here, please do so. Also, are there any other signatures from players we would know?

Originally Posted by UOFLfan7

Fantastic idea!

The 1968 #150 Bob Clemente is the card that started it all for me, and the fact that it got me into collecting baseball cards is a miracle. It was just last year that my papa (grandpa) took me to a baseball card convention in Atlanta. I was hesitant and didn't really want to go, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that I hated baseball and would have no interest in baseball cards. My papa insisted that I would love it, and that even if I didn't buy anything, that it would still be interesting just to go look at what the vendors were selling.

My papa always dragged me to yard sales, auctions, and estate sales and I thought that this would be no different, if not worse. As I said above, I was a sixteen year old boy who despised everything about the sport baseball. Well, low and behold, when we got to the hotel were the convention was being held I was pretty...uninterested to say the least. The hotel itself was nice, but I didn't really know any of the players or what not so I had no clue what I was looking at and worse of all my papa left me to fend to myself so he could go make a deal with some collectors.

Now, I have a bad habit of having to buy something everywhere I go, so I started to look for a card that seemed to have at least some value. I came across an elderly vendor, who was breaking down his sets of Topps baseball cards. I thought that I would buy something from him since he had so much to choose from and instantly went to the 1987 Topps set. Now, he didn't have any of his cards priced...instead he either wanted you to make an offer or he wanted trades. I saw a name I recognized in the set, Barry Bonds, and told the man that I would give him $75.00 for the card. Now I look back and laugh at myself for being so dumb, but at the time my brain told me that I would be able to sell it for at least $100.00 since it was a famous player and a somewhat old card. Well, the vendor laughed and asked me if I was new to baseball cards. I told him yes, and asked why. He merely said that the card was not worth that much and told me to give it back to him. I gave the card back, and he asked me to pick out a set from the 1960's that I liked. I picked out the 1968 set, because I loved the design of the cards and thought they looked pretty cool.

The man flipped through the pages and pulled out a card, which turned out to be the Bob Clemente. He told me he would give it to me for free, but I would have to promise him that I would continue collecting baseball cards and that I would study up on them so I don't spend hundreds of dollars on overproduced cards from the 80's. I felt a little bad about taking the card for free since it was so old, but I promised him that I would continue collecting. I asked him why he was giving the card to me for free, and he said that it was rare to see someone so young interested in baseball cards. He said that he "wanted to keep the hobby alive."

I thanked the man, and took the card. I browsed some other vendors' collections, but didn't buy anything. My papa told me it was time to go and when he asked me if I bought anything, I told him no but a man gave me this Bob Clemente card. He asked to see the card and I gave it to him. He said that the card was probably worth about $40.00 in the condition it was in and asked why he gave it to me. I told him what the man told me, and my papa then gave me a few cards to help me start my collection. I started to research baseball cards, and while searching cards I joined this forum here. My very first post was about a 1933 Babe Ruth Goudey card that I bought on Ebay. The posters told me that the card was probably a fake, and I thanked them for their help. I sent the card in to PSA using my papa's account (he also thought it was a fake, but said "might as well give it a try."). PSA sent the card back and it turned out the card was indeed a fake.

I was impressed with the knowledge that the members of this forum had and thought it would be a great place to learn about baseball cards. I still can't stand watching a baseball game, but I learned to love baseball cards. Without that elderly vendor I would have never discovered my hidden love for a hobby I thought I would despise. That Bob Clemente was the first card in my collection, and as if by destiny was the first card in my most valuable item. A complete, hand collated, 1968 Topps Complete Set.

I just want to thank this forum for helping me in my baseball card journey and for helping me learn more and more about baseball cards. In fact, I'm still learning things about them from this forum even today! I also would like to thank that elderly vendor, just in case he too happens to be a vendor here, for the card that started my hobby.

Thanks for reading the story behind my most valued card. I know its a rather long post, but I thought that you guys and gals here at Net54Baseball might enjoy reading how a seventeen year old got into what has been called a "dying hobby". Here's hoping more young kids, teens, and adults get into the hobby so that we can keep it from becoming "an old man's game".

Thanks,
Cameron

Cameron, what a great story (and the Clemente is quite nice, too). Please see my comment after Dan's post below.

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

Cool story Cameron. Its also true that you don't actually have to enjoy watching modern baseball to enjoy collecting cards.

That's a great point, Dan. I enjoy modern baseball quite a bit, but I'm finding that I enjoy learning about the history of the game at least as much, if not slightly more. The great thing about our hobby is that you can focus on an era from the past, and not follow what's going on currently. It just so happens that I enjoy both a great deal.

[kmac32]

My most cherished piece is a framed photo of my Great Great Uncle Elmer Miller which is matted and framed with his E120, V100. And E121 cards and also in the frame are cards showing the backs of the E120 and E121 cards. Would take a pick to display it but it is back in Illinois at my brother"s home. Very cool and very sharp.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 67_Palmer

The most important thing in my collection would have to be this group of autographed index cards my father collected while selling hot dogs at Griffith Stadium when he was a teen.

He gave them to me when I was a young teen in the 80's and I unfortunately cut some of the better names to fit in holders. What can I say, I was a dumb kid. He also gave me a Senators team signed ball witch I promptly played with.

To this day I haven't been able to identify all the signatures. To me the highlights of the collection is the very early Mantle and the Hank Greenberg.

'67 Palmer, that's a great collection, and that your dad got them, and gave them to you, makes them all the better (and personal). I'm curious, have you thought about posting pictures of the signatures you have not identified here on the forum?

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Nice write-ups guys.

I find it interesting--and very heartening--that the stories here are all about emotional connections we've made through our collections to our families or our childhoods or to the game, and not about the value of the cards themselves. I have cards worth thousands of times what my beater 1952 Dropo is worth but that card means something to me. You can always tell a collector, too. The first thing I am asked by a collector is "What's your favorite card?" while the first thing a non-collector asks me is "what's your most valuable card?" Non-collectors don't understand that this thing of ours isn't about value, it is about emotions. That's why I shlep to places like Cleveland in August to hang out with a bunch of fellow idiots in an old tank factory. In cards, as long as it means something to you, no one can be a "better" collector; the blue collar guy with the well-loved collection of beaters is just as respected as a collector as the titan of industry with the well-loved minty fresh collection of 19th century HOFers.

Adam, what a great post!

Originally Posted by auggiedoggy

My most prized/cherished item is not a baseball item and is therefore outside the scope of this forum so I'll keep it brief. Its a PSA 5 1911 C55 Georges Vezina rookie card.

UPDATE: Scans added

Rob, thanks for adding the scan. I have to agree with John. I never thought to read about the story behind the Vezina Trophy. After seeing that beauty, I'm going to do some reading after I'm done responding to the other posts on this thread. I didn't even know there were hockey cards that old.

Originally Posted by midwaylandscaping

Mine isn't a baseball item either. It's an 83-84 Star Co. Clyde Drexler BGS 7.5. Way, way back in the day I once had an ungraded Star Drexler RC. For some ridiculous reason I don't even remember, I sold it. When I got back into card collecting again I made it a point to go after one of those cards first. But I wanted one in as close to the condition that my ungraded Drexler was. 7.5 is about as close as I could get

I did the same thing with two baseball cards my dad got for me as a kid (well, I traded them). An autographed 1972 Topps Hank Aaron "In Action", and a 1972 Topps "In Action" Roberto Clemente. I'd give anything to get them back. I'll replace them, but it just won't be the same.

Originally Posted by packs

My father bought me this card for my 14th birthday. It was raw when he got it and is the first 19th century card I ever owned. I would never part with it.

Packs, that's a beautiful card. I love the old Allen & Ginters.

Originally Posted by cwazzy

So many great stories!

This is by far my favorite card. I will NEVER sell it (not that it's worth that much anyway). Back in the early '90s my dad set up a card show in a small town near my home town. We had always dealt in modern cards so I had no experience whatsoever with vintage. One of the other dealers there had a table full of '50s and '60s cards. One card in particular was a 1953 Topps Roy Campanella. I couldn't stop staring at it. The thought that the card was older than my dad and the great, smiling portrait held me captive. At the time I had no idea who Roy Campanella was or even that he was a HOFer. That Christmas the card was in my stocking. Fast forward to the around 2008. I had continued collecting off and on but started to do more research on Campy and fell in love with his story. That started my vintage collection and obsession with all things Campy. I eventually graded the '53 Topps and it is my favorite piece in my collection.

I had the same kind of reaction the first time I saw the 1953 Bowman Color set, Chris. And the Roy Campanella is one of my favorite cards from it. There's something so magical about the cards from that era, wouldn't you agree?

That's a great Campy you have there!

Originally Posted by kmac32

My most cherished piece is a framed photo of my Great Great Uncle Elmer Miller which is matted and framed with his E120, V100. And E121 cards and also in the frame are cards showing the backs of the E120 and E121 cards. Would take a pick to display it but it is back in Illinois at my brother"s home. Very cool and very sharp.

Ken, if your brother can take a few pictures with a phone, or a digital camera, I'd love to see them (and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that). The E121 American Caramel set is one of my favorites from that era. The black and white photography is striking. There's real elegance in the simplicity found in the set. I don't like a lot of typography on the front of baseball cards. That's one of the reasons I like the T206 cards, the American Caramels, and the '53 Bowman sets so much. Little to no writing that would distract from the beauty of the cards themselves.

[kmac32]

Hi Bill,

Finally got the picture of Elmer Miller and his cards. There is an E120, E121, and V100 along with backs of another E120 and E121-120 cases. Had it framed years ago to protect the Photo and cards. He played for the Yankees in 1921 and 1922 including the 1921 World Series. He literally is the first Yankee to get a hit in a World Series and Ruth drove him in so he was the first Yankee to score a run in a World Series. He was my great great Uncle.

Kmac

[the 'stache]

Ken, that's a really nice piece you have there, and an equally cool story. Talk about a ready-made ice breaker when talking to any Yankees fan.

"Ya, my great great uncle got the first ever Yankee hit in the World Series. And then the Babe drove him in".

Here's the box score

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...92110050.shtml