Card collecting reference books? Which do you own and recommend?

[OldEnglishD]

I did a quick search and didn't see anything on this in the past few years, please correct me if I am wrong....

What are, in your opinion, the best card collecting reference books out there? (not talking about price guides)

I see that 'The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin and Company' is well thought of by members here.

Also 'Classic baseball cards: The golden years, 1886-1956' has been mentioned (published in 1987) in good terms.

I have the Cracker Jack book from my PSA membership, but to be honest, haven't even cracked it open (not my collecting interest).

What else? And don't forget hockey!

Dave

[darwinbulldog]

The Goodwin book is the best. As a general reference for just about all of the vintage sets it's always nice to have a copy of the Standard Catalog handy. http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Catal.../dp/1440238499

[Cozumeleno]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

The Goodwin book is the best. As a general reference for just about all of the vintage sets it's always nice to have a copy of the Standard Catalog handy. http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Catal.../dp/1440238499

Concur on the Standard Catalog vintage card book. It's great for identifying cards and providing short snippets of information. And while I don't use it for pricing, it's helpful in providing a frame of reference on items you are not at all familiar with.

[Enfuego]

Originally Posted by Cozumeleno

Concur on the Standard Catalog vintage card book. It's great for identifying cards and providing short snippets of information. And while I don't use it for pricing, it's helpful in providing a frame of reference on items you are not at all familiar with.

+1

[byrone]

The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards" by Lew Lipset


For hockey I'd recommend "Vintage Hockey Collector" by Bobby Burrell.
It is sold out, but there is a copy listed for sale on ebay.

Also there were price guides issued by Beckett and Charlton which document plenty of information for hockey collectors

http://vintagehockeycollector.com/

[Enfuego]

The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by byrone

The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards" by Lew Lipset

I'll second this. You can get Vols 1,2,&3 combined. I read through it 3 or 4 times when I first started collecting pre-war about 6 years ago.

Also, get as many auction catalogs as possible.

Tony

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by byrone

For hockey I'd recommend "Vintage Hockey Collector" by Bobby Burrell.
It is sold out, but there is a copy listed for sale on ebay.

http://vintagehockeycollector.com/

Bobby is working on an updated version of his book-not sure when it will be out though.

[OldEnglishD]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Bobby is working on an updated version of his book-not sure when it will be out though.

Thanks for that tidbit, was seriously considering ordering the printers error copy from eBay. Will hold off for now.

Dave

[trdcrdkid]

In addition to the books that have already been mentioned, Dave Jamieson's "Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession" is a useful history of the hobby, including the card companies themselves, collectors like Burdick and Lionel Carter, and the rise of the grading companies in the 1990s.

[clydepepper]

Well, I have ALL of those previously mentioned

The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards" by Lew Lipset (1983)
- a great source for 19th Century issues

The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories (2010)

The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin and Company (2008)
the most info on Old Judge cards

Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards, 3rd Edition (2013)
- By far, My favorite source.

Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession (2010)
- more about the hobby in general.

Additionally I have the following:

Beckett Baseball Card Alphabetical Checklist #11 (2005)
- which is very handy for finding all cards available of specific players

The Cracker Jack Collection: Baseball’s Prized Players (2013)

Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards, 15th Edition (2006)
- which I discontinued purchasing every year once I started concentrating exclusively on pre-1981 cards and the Vintage Catalog started being published.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by trdcrdkid

In addition to the books that have already been mentioned, Dave Jamieson's "Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession" is a useful history of the hobby, including the card companies themselves, collectors like Burdick and Lionel Carter, and the rise of the grading companies in the 1990s.

+1. An extremely interesting read. I also agree with the reference to Alan Hager's book/price guides issued in the '90's (don't pay much attention to the prices listed in the book, as they were excessive when it was published in '92 or '93, but the color photos of the cards and accompanying historical info are good. His Six-Sport price guide, which includes many vintage issues, together with estimates of their relative rarity, is worth having, as the prices published were pretty accurate for the time in 1995, and his rarity estimates can have value when comparing one issue to another, although he clearly botched a few of them). It is also interesting to note how much various cards have appreciated in value since 1995, and which have not done as well, thereby indicating how collecting trends have shifted in the last twenty years. I also agree that you have to have an edition of the Standard Catalog every few years, though I wouldn't pay much attention to the prices given.

Best wishes,

Larry