How many of you also collect postwar pre 1980

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The cards that got me jazzed up about collecting as a kid were the classic Topps and Bowman cards from the 1950s and 1960s so I collect them too. I have conscientiously downgraded from slabbed high end specimens to lower grade cards because I can get so many more of them for the same price, and I can own cards I always wanted but never could afford in high grade.

I love your approach to collecting now, Adam. I really do.

[stewbacca]

Sold my post war collection of 80,000 cards to a local brick and mortar to help them out just last summer. Have not really looked back. Narrowing my focus to 3 things and may cut that down with a kid entering college. T206 in low quality which I am at 160 of the set, a 1976 topps set of which 350 are autographed, and the "topps 40 years of baseball" book which I have gotten neary 700 autographs in it since I bought the book back in 1990.

[GehrigFan]

I'm in the vast minority in that I collect pre-war (all HOFers, a few Black Sox and should-be-HOFers), post-war vintage (recents completed sets include 48 Bowman, 52 Red Man, 54 Topps, 60 Topps, 64 Topps Giants, 69 Topps, etc.) - just starting to collect the 50's and 60's HOF RCs like Killebrew, Jenkins, Perry because they are so cheap in low to mid grade, then I also still collect modern a little. For modern, I used to be heavy into autographed high end prospects. I have kept a few of those (George Springer, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Joc Pederson, Joey Gallo and others I believe will be superstars for years to come), but sold most to fund more pre-war. In modern, I also collect non-sports autographs and original sketch cards from James Bond, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, and other entertainment properties.

I just see the value in all three genres. By far, the modern rookie prospecting is the most dangerous. For every hit I've had, I probably have another 25+ that didn't pan out. Pre-war is the most wise in terms of returning my investment, and post-war is just kind of semi-interesting to me. But all three still hold my interest.

[Theoldprofessor]

My T206 collection is currently in the top 20 on the PSA Registry. I also have a nice set of Salutation Exhibits, complete sets of ('50 & '52 Bowman, '52, '55 & '56 Topps) and partials of '53 and '54, partials of 70s and 80s football and for fun a complete set of '52 Topps Look 'N Sees and a start on B18 blankets.

I love 'em all.

[bbcard1]

I dabble in a lot of things, focus on pre-war but I do not really have any projects going except periodically upgrading my T206s and working on a couple of runs, mainly Davidson, which I have gotten most of the easy ones out of the way. My big project is slowly working on a nice Exish 1961 set, my birth year. I also get one of most everything I can of Marshall alums...which is mostly limited to Aaron Blair and Dan Strailey and football players.

[novakjr]

My main focus is HOF rookies, so it allows me to dabble in all eras of the game. For a while, I kinda played with the idea of the complete Topps run, but lost interest shortly after starting. I'll pick up HOF non-rookies occasionally if the price is right, usually in the beater range. The Bo Jackson master set, and AUTO rookies of the guys on my fantasy team are really my only other focuses now... The only part of my collection that really takes me into pre-war anymore seems to be the HOF rookies, and beaters..

[ValKehl]

When I resurrected my childhood 1955-1960 collection in the 1980's, I first worked to complete these sets and started 1952-54 sets and various 1960's sets. And, I also picked up various football & basketball cards. But, the more pre-War cards I saw (which I never knew existed when I was a kid), the more I became drawn to them. By the early-mid 1990's, I was pretty much totally into pre-War cards, and have been ever since, although I am always looking for very scarce cards of Pete Runnels & Mickey Vernon (my childhood favorite players). I keep telling myself that I should sell my post-War cards to fund more pre-War, but I just can't bring myself to do this because I still like them and because of the childhood memories. But, at least I'm starting to part with the football & basketball cards, which no longer interest me.
Val

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

I love your approach to collecting now, Adam. I really do.

Thanks, Bill. I'll take ten to one every time. Just picked up a collector grade near set of 1971s to replace the slabbed 7, 7.5 and 8 cards I am getting rid of. Selling off the remaining slabs will likely pay for the whole thing. I kept only two slabs from my partial high grade set, Aaron and Ryan, both 7s. They don't fit my goals but I have had them for over 20 years [bought both raw before slabbing existed; the Ryan was a freebie grade back in the days when PSA used to make good on its turn time promises--loved those blue slips!] and I am somewhat attached to them. I have a collection of cards that I bought raw 20-40 years ago and had slabbed and I just can't bring myself to liquidate them.

I bought this one about 25 years ago then got it slabbed:



Pulled this sucker from a pack in 1976 that I bought at a candy store on the corner of 84th and Lexington in NYC. Aaron was a favorite player and I remember the pack bust vividly. I carried it all the way across the country to L.A. and somehow kept it in great shape despite moves all around the state for school and even an earthquake in 1994 that nearly took down my building:



I not only know that I've had this for nearly 30 years, I know the exact date I had it autographed; how fun is that?



Obviously isn't from the 1970s but this is the only good insert card I ever pulled from a modern pack, and it turned out to be a pretty nice one to have in retrospect:



Finally, a few more childhood wish list cards that I picked up well-loved: