Prewar Cards

[ullmandds]

i started collecting in 1977 and eventually acquired thousands of cards from mid 50's-present...I loved the stars from the 50's-70's and collected them all. While at a show probably in the early eighties I was offered a used t206 matty white cap for $2...and I bought it and still have it. I sold my bb cards...minus a few...to buy a 77' camaro in high school. When I got back into collecting in the late eighties/early nineties...it was only vintage!

[Mark]

When I was about 10, somewhere around 1970, a couple of dealers started offering prewar cards for sale in Baseball Digest and, I think, in the back of the Sporting News. James T Elder and the Card Collectors' Company were among the names that I recall. Since I was getting a real kick out of it, my parents took me to a card show in 1971 in Detroit (met Frank Nagy. I continued to collect via the Trader Speaks. I was able to get a bunch of t206's and Goudeys and Play Balls, but I didn't run across much that was rare way back then.

[4815162342]

When I was 13, I saw an article in Beckett about an unopened T206 pack. Last January I decided to begin collecting the set.

[Jim VB]

When I collected as a kid (1960's) I was aware that there were older cards out there, but only because my dad had some from the mid 1930's. There wasn't really any good way to collect old cards back then. When I got back into collecting, in the 1980's, there were shows available most weekends (sometimes 2-3 a day within a short drive.) That first opened my eyes to what was out there.

Great thread, by the way!

[old-baseball]

My first vintage cards came my way as I was working on a set of 1974 Topps. My grandmother found my dad's cards as they were cleaning out the garage at the house that they had moved into while my Dad was in the Navy during WWII. It's hard to believe that they lasted as long as they did in a cardboard box in an unheated, detached garage. The box was filled with 1933 through 1935 Goudey's, a few Tattoo Orbits, some Delong's and a bunch of non-sport stuff. I really didn't start collecting these sets until the mid to late 80's, but the cards and his stories of seeing Ruth and Gehrig in Cleveland as a boy sparked my interest. Here's a couple of cards that survived the 30 long years in that garage.

[Peter W Thomas]

I started collecting Leafs in Natick MA 1949 with Bob Olshansky and the aid of construction workers pop bottles. Not long after we started my grandmother and my step-granddad were visiting and he brought out a box of about 50 Goudys that were punched canceled as a part of a promotion that the drugstore that he worked at was a participant and gave them to me. Well with 2 Ruth cards, I was hooked. Still have the cards - Thanks "Uncle Ed ".

[fkm_bky]

I like that story about your father Kevin...very neat!

I collected tons of modern cards from 81 - 89, then got interested in girls and swiping cans of Old Style from the refridgerator in the garage. I picked up collecting again in the late 90's, but was more interested in the shiny crap and inserts (anyone want to buy them off me?). I then found Ebay and the original Vintage BB Card site and started just collecting T206 Polar Bear backs. Now, vintage is all I collect, but I'll keep the modern stuff for my son to see if he has any interest.

Bill Kasel

[bijoem]

Very early on in my collecting days, at a small local card show - I stumbled across a T205 McGraw.

I couldn't believe how tiny the card was. Much different than the Topps cards I would buy from the candy man.

I bought the card and have been hooked ever since.

[ChiefBenderForever]

My dad bought me my first pack of Hockey Cards in 1978-79 and I have been addicted since then. In 1980 I traded a box of Star Wars cards for a box of 1965-72 Topps baseball cards with almost complete sets from 70,71, and 72. Then in 1981 my neighbor who lived accross the street saw us playing with baseball cards outside and told us we should take care of them, he had complete topps sets from 1951 and up and also had a bunch of Old Judge Cabinets, mayo plugs, t206, ect and other 19th century cards. He quit collecting years ago but still has everything, I was supposed to look at his 19th century and prewar last thanksgiving but he boxed it all up years ago and doesn't know where it is, I'm in the process of trying to buy all his prewar and 19th century if he can find it. When I was 11 or 12 I had the opportunity to buy old judge cabinets for 5.00 and 10.00 each in 1982 but instead ordered Pete Rose, Lou Brock, Duke Snider, Hank Aaron, ect. I did buy a couple T206 an T205 for 1.00 each but blew it on the old judge cards!

[longstreet766]

I bought 3 beat up t206s at the 2003 National at age 13, and have been hooked on them ever since. Seven years later and im only half way done

Mike