What was the card that started it for you?

[TheNightmanCometh]

I thought, surely, there has to be better cards than this! And that's how an obsession was born.

Pete Rose

[ajquigs]

This one has always been my favorite. I finally got it about two years ago, but I wanted it for about 35 years.

[irv]

I collected hockey cards as a kid but gave up collecting for years and years until my Father gave me these back in the early 90's.

Needless to say, I went from collecting hockey cards at a young age to collecting baseball at a much older age.

[Bestdj777]

The Ryan/Koosman rookie card was what first got me interested in cards, but I recall it taking a while to grab one--maybe 20 years after I first saw one? The first card I got that made a meaningful difference in my collecting was a 51 Bowman Mantle. I'd purchased a few Mantles previously (the 1960 Mantle/Boyer being my favoreits), but this sent me chasing the Mantle master set. Now I'm one "card" away from completing my version of the set and cannot wait to post my final vintage card (for a while anyway).

[geosluggo]

When I became a card addict as a 7-year-old in 1972, the Vida Blue In Action card was the first object of my abject covetousness. I also discovered older cards that year through friends with older brothers. I distinctly remember acquiring a 1966 Mantle and other '66s from a fellow second grader with a brother in junior high school. I got the '69 Bench about the same time in a box of cards from a kid who got them from his brother, didn't care about them, and gave them to me when I let him ride my bike. After that, I was obsessed not only with ripping open new packs of cards but finding older stuff, mainly by targeting neighborhood kids who were entering their teen years and giving up the hobby. The Mantle card here is the same one I acquired 45 years ago; I'm pretty sure the Blue card is as well.

[71buc]

Although I started collecting In 1971 it was until 1973 I became obsessed with cards. I was in the 4th grade, a chubby kid with a craving for chocolate milk traded me his older brothers 1953 Topps Satchel Paige for three small cartons of milk. He approached me the next day in a state of panic. He begged me to return Satchel. He said his brother threatened to kick his a$$ if Satchel didn't return home safely. I told him that was an a$$ whipping he was going to have to take.

Twenty-eight years later my wife made me attend my 20th HS reunion. While there I was approached by a very large and intimidating looking body builder with tattoos and a shaved head. It was fairly obvious that he recognized me. After a few minutes he realized I had no idea who he was. He then asked if I still had his brothers Satchel Paige. I confirmed that I still was in possession of Satchel. I also explained that if necessary I was prepared to take an a$$ whipping in order to keep him. Thankfully he laughed and didn't take me up on my offer. I still own that card.

[BillP]

For me back in 1983 it was the 67 set and probably the seaver card in particular. After I collect that set I went after 66 and it was the Perry and Clarke cards.

[pokerplyr80]

I started collecting as a kid in 1989, so for me it was the 89 UD Griffey.