Am I nuts to consider this?

[Exhibitman]

Forget about era, investment, etc. The question I asked myself was why am I doing this? The answer was because it was a way of recollecting what I felt like during the happiest time of my life, as a boy following sports of the time and collecting cards. That instantly refocused my attention to acquiring as many of the iconic cards of my childhood as I could afford and getting them into my albums just like I did when I was a kid. All of the slabs, the high grade stuff, modern cards, etc., instantly out of the picture. I also went back to my childhood heroes for collecting inspiration and started career-contemporary player collections for Aaron and Koufax and Ryan. My childhood heroes. Being an adult fan just isn't the same. Even the cards of the players I regard most highly in the modern era--Jeter, Paul O'Neill, Mariano Rivera, Clayton Kershaw, etc.--pale in comparison to my boyhood heroes. Because they were boyhood heroes.

[RGold]

Sell, Mortimer, Sell!

[t213]

Once upon a time I hoarded Joe Charboneau rookies -- He Can't Miss!!

Enjoy watching the stars of today play on tv, but sell the shiny cards.

Andy

I'd sell most of it and invest more in pre-war. You can always pluck out the some of your favorites for the long haul if you just don't feel right selling them right now.

[pawpawdiv9]

a couple of years ago, while i was on Beckett...i traded a bunch of my modern cards for some or what looked vintage. Basically gave the shit away who wanted it more.
People there were team collectors, so i threw in a ton of Cowboys cards, didnt care who.
Threw in a ton of Emmitt Smiths, Romos and etc.
As long someone would enjoy them more than i did. I still got a ton of the modern crap left, I know i got the A&G stuff, i guess everyone kept the Erin Andrews/Kate Uptons.

[Luke]

Do whatever makes you happy. I would sell them. But I'm not you and what I would do wouldn't necessarily make you happy. I wouldn't have put money into modern stuff in the first place because I can't imagine it holding value. I remember seeing a Mile Zunino autographed rookie card at a shop for an insane price, and thinking, "even if he lives up to his potential (Jason Varitek or thereabouts) who is going to pay this same price in 20 years when his good but not great career is over? That said, I just collect vintage because I like it and it makes me happy. The fact that vintage holds it value is nice, but it's not why we collect. I would throw all this money in the stock market if my cards didn't make me happy.

[ALR-bishop]

I have collected Topps sets from 1948 to 2014 and Fleer from 1923, and 1959 to 2007. I don't care what other people collect ( though I like hearing about and seeing their collections), and don't care what other people think I should collect. You should know best for yourself what you want to collect and why.

[Section103]

Sell. But if you have any Michael Wachas, sell those to me.

[Jay Wolt]

Al, well said!
Buy what you like & what you can afford!

[chipperhank44]

I got rid of all my modern cards about a year and a half ago, traded most for a Mantle RC and sold the rest. I have never regretted the decision, however here are a few of my observations on the negative side. (For me, the positive outweighs these negatives)

1. I can no longer hold my own in a conversation with my prospecting friends

2. Opening a pack/box of cards has no appeal, and I do miss the appeal of
opening the occasional box/pack

3. Card shows are very different. The number of deals you make, the number of
cards you see that you want and can also afford/trade for is greatly
decreased. It's far more difficult to trade with vintage dealers (IMO) than
modern dealers. I've found shows to be very different as a vintage collector

[ls7plus]

It sounds like you're really attached, Bill, regardless of future value. If that's the case, keep them--I still regret auctioning off my Exhibit Gehrig rookie, M101 Sisler rookie, '34 Goudey PSA 8 Greenburg, '38 Goudey PSA 7 DiMaggio, and '59 Bazooka SGC NMT Mantle a few years ago, even though it was financially necessary at that time (not to mention my very first Corvette, a white '73 454 that I purchased shortly after graduating from law school). Joy doesn't have to make the best financial sense!

Highest regards,

Larry