What is your most cherished piece, and why?

[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.