Any player collectors out there?

[Vintagevault13]

Thanks for the responses so far. I am enjoying reading about the different players we collect. A cool thing about player collecting is that we have can see a timeline of a career. In addition, it gives an opportunity to collect an incredible variety of cards (national releases, regional releases, food cards, inserts, etc).


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[z28jd]

I didn't get the final two cards yet in the mail, but I just finished a small collecting goal by getting a signed Topps card for all ten years that Al Oliver was on the Pirates(1969-78 Topps). It originally started because Oliver was signing at a card show back in 1986 and I bought three Pirates cards for him to sign. Then he was signing at PNC about five years ago and I had him sign two more cards, so I ended up getting the final five cards since then.

The strange thing, which was not done on purpose, is that the five cards he signed were all in black sharpie. The other five are in blue sharpie. Didn't realize it until I bought the last card earlier this week.

Here is a scan, obviously all the ones I got in person. I also have a handful of his rookies, not a bad card with Richie Hebner also on it

[brewing]

Originally Posted by z28jd

I didn't get the final two cards yet in the mail, but I just finished a small collecting goal by getting a signed Topps card for all ten years that Al Oliver was on the Pirates(1969-78 Topps). It originally started because Oliver was signing at a card show back in 1986 and I bought three Pirates cards for him to sign. Then he was signing at PNC about five years ago and I had him sign two more cards, so I ended up getting the final five cards since then.

Here is a scan, obviously all the ones I got in person. I also have a handful of his rookies, not a bad card with Richie Hebner also on it

I used to collect Al Oliver cards. He was my favorite non-Tiger. I have about 100 different cards of his.
I can't say I am really collecting any individual player anymore although I'll pick up the occasional high grade Oliver, Whitaker, and Trammell if the price is right.

[mrmopar]

I collect Oliver too, although I find that I can't bring myself to go after him the way I do with my primary player because I don't want to pay the individual premium on most of the oddballs people sell on ebay these days and nobody has had any quantity in bulk that I needed to sell otherwise.

The 76 Topps is a definite favorite of mine and this modern card is one I snagged as well.



Had this been a Dodger card, it would have been over the top, although his time in LA was brief. Pirates would have been my 2nd choice for a club on this one, but i can live with Texas.

Originally Posted by brewing

I used to collect Al Oliver cards. He was my favorite non-Tiger. I have about 100 different cards of his.
I can't say I am really collecting any individual player anymore although I'll pick up the occasional high grade Oliver, Whitaker, and Trammell if the price is right.

[Koufax32fan]

I am also a Koufax collector (and to a much lesser extent, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo). Once I had most of the cards (I am still holding out on buying the 58 Bell Brand card, and I think I might be missing 1 or 2 of the Venezuela cards), I started branching out into other things. I have tried to get a copy of every magazine that his picture on the cover from his playing time; as a plus, they have some great articles and the ads make me laugh - for less than a buck, you could bulk up in case that bully kicks sand in your face while you are at the beach, or you could buy lifts for you shoes that make you 2 inches taller. I then started on ticket stubs and programs/scorecards from games in which he pitched. The thing about those is that I know with almost certainty that I will never finish them. It is truly about the journey and not the finish line with those. I also have copies of all of the books about him, caches, wire photos, items from his Tropicana Motel, pins, cups, penknife, mug, bobble head, etc. The nice thing about collecting a player like Koufax (or Aaron or Clemente or Mantle or Mays) is that there will always be items that you can find, even if just new cards and inserts, and that can fit most budgets. I have been at it for many years and I still find things I have never seen a few times a year (this year, for example, I bought a full back from a box of Post Toasties Corn Flakes with Koufax and others on the back and in just the last couple of weeks I bought programs from a game in San Francisco in 1961 and one from a gain in NY from 1966).

My only suggestion is to enjoy what you collect. Ok, I lied, my other suggestion is to take your time and enjoy what you collect. While there may be a few things that you will not see again for a while, there will always be Topps and Bowman cards to buy in whatever condition you want. If you happen to see a ticket stub from Koufax' first game please let me know.

[ALR-bishop]

His toughest Topps item would be the 66 Punch Out

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Koufax32fan

While there may be a few things that you will not see again for a while

That's for sure...