Your first Really Nice pull ?

[packs]

I remember my mom buying me a pack of 91 Upper Deck cards and pulling a Donnie Baseball. I was in heaven.

[slinger23]

Pulling that card out of a pack was such a thrill for me as a 17 year old. Reflecting back I should have kept it since it was my first significant pull but I traded it in 2000 or 2001 for a bunch of Fb rookies. Also, I didn't truly know how much upper deck produced and how tough a pull it really is. They still might be printing those 1992 base cards for all I know. LOL.

[Econteachert205]

Pulled an 83 Boggs rookie at age 5 in 1987.

[steve B]

Tough question. Going by value now? Or value when pulled?

My first pack I got A Reggie Jackson rookie. It's a bit beat now, but still one of my favorite cards.

These are the highlights, from years. Some were not much when I got them, some aren't much now.

94 I was buying signature rookies and kept getting he same guys on the signed card. 3 of this Jeter guy from NY who doesn't really look tough enough to play in NY.

9? Hologram die cut emit smith upper deck something or other. A big deal a the time.

97? Edge personal collection an early 1/1 but not marked no indication on the card as to the name of the insert set, and it took me a few years to figure out that's what it was.

The most valuable right out of the pack.


Couple years ago, either GQ or Allen and Ginter triple autograph with Pujols and a couple other really good players #/10 and was around 350 at the time.

So one of those, depending on how you look at it.

Steve B

[pokerplyr80]

I remember a couple from when I was a kid. In 94 I pulled a red holoview Manny Ramirez from an Upper Deck SP pack. Not worth much any more but I was pretty excited at the time.

In 1996 I bought a pack of the leaf signature series and pulled a Alex Rodriguez auto gold variation at a local card show. It was basically the best card you could pull from the product at the time. It had just came out and I had no idea what it was worth. I must have had offers from about every dealer at the show before I sold it for about $400. Not bad for a pack that was around 10 bucks.

'90 Leaf Frank Thomas. My mom picked the pack at a card show while we were on vacation in AZ

[7nohitter]

A Brooks Robinson auto in a (I believe) Heritage pack a few years ago.

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

'90 Leaf Frank Thomas. My mom picked the pack at a card show while we were on vacation in AZ

Nice, when I first got back into collecting two of the first cards I bought were a 90 Leaf Thomas and an 89 Upper Deck Griffey. Never did pull one as a kid though.

[BradH]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

Pulled an 83 Boggs rookie at age 5 in 1987.

A couple weeks ago I picked my son up from basketball camp and we stopped by a local card shop on the way home. He bought some packs and I bought some supplies. He knows I don't really collect too many modern cards and as we looked at all the "old" wax boxes on the shelf he asked me what pack I'd want if I was going to buy one. I looked at the shelf for a minute and replied that as a kid I always loved the 1983 Topps cards. It was the first set I ever put together.

He wanted to buy a pack for me and he chose one carefully from the 1983 box. We opened our cards when we got out to the car and I was pretty surprised when I opened my pack. It had four Hall of Famers and a would-be Hall of Famer (if not for scandal):

--Wade Boggs (rookie)
--Tom Seaver (super veteran)
--Reggie Jackson
--Bruce Sutter
--Pete Rose

I complimented his pack-picking ability and told him he could keep the star cards for his HOF collection. He was thrilled and so was I.

[almostdone]

Originally Posted by BradH

A couple weeks ago I picked my son up from basketball camp and we stopped by a local card shop on the way home. He bought some packs and I bought some supplies. He knows I don't really collect too many modern cards and as we looked at all the "old" wax boxes on the shelf he asked me what pack I'd want if I was going to buy one. I looked at the shelf for a minute and replied that as a kid I always loved the 1983 Topps cards. It was the first set I ever put together.

He wanted to buy a pack for me and he chose one carefully from the 1983 box. We opened our cards when we got out to the car and I was pretty surprised when I opened my pack. It had four Hall of Famers and a would-be Hall of Famer (if not for scandal):

--Wade Boggs (rookie)
--Tom Seaver (super veteran)
--Reggie Jackson
--Bruce Sutter
--Pete Rose

I complimented his pack-picking ability and told him he could keep the star cards for his HOF collection. He was thrilled and so was I.

Very cool story.
Drew

[brian1961]

Nice father & son outing, Brad. The fact your son wanted to buy a pack for you was especially moving. Thanks for sharing.

My first really nice pull occurred when I was 7 in 1961. My father was a very busy motion picture cameraman for NBC News. Since his work assignments took him away from home for long periods of time, any days when he was at home were special for my whole family.

I do not remember why I was out with my Dad alone, but anyway we stopped at a Wahlgreen's Drugstore in Skokie, Illinois on the way home. It was a cool late summer night with a bit of rain. He bought me one wax pack of 1961 Topps baseball cards. For whatever reason, it was just one pack, and the only pack of seventh series Topps baseball I would ever get.

However, upon opening the wrapper to see the five cards I got, I pulled the Mickey Mantle All-Star! Was I ever thrilled. Twas an unforgettable father & son outing for me on that evening.

I wish I had a happy ending for that wonderful moment. Being the naive, gullible kid I was then, I took the card to Powhatan Park in Skokie where I lived to show anybody who wanted to see my Mickey Mantle. This Italian kid a couple years older than I, whom I'd never met, walked over, looked at the Mantle, then raised his fist to my face. Glaring at me, he spoke ominously, "give me that card, kid, or I'll beat you up." I handed over the card to him. I wound up going to his house, and he gave me in trade as I remember three 1960 Topps cards, all commons, one being Turk Lown. I wanted my Mantle back. My Mom was furious, and told me to demand it back. I never got it back.

However, Joey and I actually became friends, and one time I remember waiting downstairs in their den while Joey and his parents ate their supper. His dad spoke with fury and was so loud I was frightened. I recall a large black 'n white photograph placed prominently of a WWII ship and all her officers and crew. I'm guessing that Joey's dad must have served our country in the Navy.

Anyway, after hearing Joey's dad somehow I had compassion for him. Later on, we were in a field with his little brother, Johnny, who was about my age. Deliberating naughty action, John opined that if he got caught, the first thing that'd happen would be "my father will kill me." I was stunned; I'd never before heard a kid speak like that about what his dad would do to him. I think it was then I mentally dropped the Mantle All-Star. Much as I wanted it back, maybe Joey needed that Mickey Mantle worse than I. Whatever. I never got Mickey back. Joey even tried to pull that trick on me again, but he broke into a grin, realizing I knew he wouldn't do anything. We'd become pals, loyal to each other.

Had the father ripped up the '61 Topps Mickey Mantle All-Star? I will never know this side of heaven.

Many years later, I finally replaced the card. It was always a tough one to find in nice condition. Mine came out an SGC 88 NM/MT. When I see my Mick, I often pause to reflect on my old pals Joey and Johnny; I'm sure they somehow made it through childhood with their hot tempered dad. Still .....you wonder.

Thanks for initiating a good thread. ---Brian Powell

[dbuchan]

I'm sure when I was younger I may have pulled something valuable but the only thing that really stands out is my most recent pull. A 2015 Topps Series 2 Babe Ruth Cut Signature, first time I bought cards in 20+ years. Pack cost me $12.99 and I sold it about 2 weeks later for over $7000. I still have pictures and the start of memories to get into collecting.