Spells of nostalgia followed by depression

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

I would recommend getting back into it. While the cards and nostalgia have been great, the lifelong friendships I've formed with others in the hobby have been the best part.

[gopherfan]

1980 was the first year I collected cards. I am currently putting together a PSA 10 set from that year. I remember as a kid getting paid for my paper route and taking the money to the store to buy a couple packs. It was almost 3 miles each way. I would do it a couple times a day if I found a quarter, or I recycled some cans. Great memories.

BTW, I think $200 would buy every card made from 1986-2002. You may need a little more from 1980-1986.

[Julz24]

1980 was the first year collecting for me as well. By the time I was 10 I was working two paper routes and buying packs almost every day after school. I loved sorting and organizing cards, making sets and reading stats. So many great memories, hanging out with friends and at the local card shop.

I collected nonstop for almost 20 years. Topps, Donruss, Fleer, Score, Upper Deck.. My favorite player from 1988 on was Ken Griffey Jr. I loved watching him play, I wore his number on the ball field and I mimicked his swing. And of course I had to have all of his cards. But when he left Seattle I was completely devastated. I quit the hobby cold turkey.

Ive been back about two years now. Why? Something had been missing in my life. A void unfilled by other hobbies I guess. The first thing I wanted to do was go back to 2000 and start buying packs and building sets again. I did the same for 2001. I researched the different issues, card designs and inserts - bought a dozen different boxes and started colliating. Earlier this year I finished 2002. Ten more years and I'll finally be caught up, lol...

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by HasselhoffsCheeseburger

I would recommend getting back into it. While the cards and nostalgia have been great, the lifelong friendships I've formed with others in the hobby have been the best part.

Arthur,

Nostalgia is great, but I thought it was all about meeting other collector's as well......where else can you find a bunch of nice but sometimes quirky guys that have the same obsessive compulsive disorders that we do....

[lsutigers1973]

I have that same feeling and can't explain it.

Summer of '86 I would take weekly bike rides to my favorite shop with a friend that also collected. Shop owner was a drunk that cared nothing about the business but had a seemingly unlimited supply of wax from early '70s to present. We would always rummage through the 86 Donruss and Fleer. Of course they were on the shelf right next to the 86 Fleer basketball that he couldn't give away and a shelf or two below the 1970-79 baseball and football packs that he never seemed to sell. Oops.

If only I had spent my $20 for mowing on 2 boxes of 86 Fleer basketball instead of a box of 86 Donruss.