What card did you never think you'd own, but now you do?

[z28jd]

For me it was a T206 Magie and at the time, I didn't think I would ever get one because my card budget was about $200-300 a month. In fact, the only reason I got the card is because I showed it to my dad and then after I went to work, he won it off Ebay.

That was an odd phone call at the time, around late 2000, maybe early 2001. He called me at work, told me he won the card, then said you can pay me back when you have the money. So I went from excited, to realizing I had a lot of money to pay back, then back to excited. He ended up taking some of the price off for either a birthday or Christmas present.

While I was paying off the Magie, he bid on a Plank and I had to draw the line there. He didn't come close to winning, but I pictured myself finally paying him back right around now.

[philliesphan]

Primarily because I believe this example is unique, this KBat cabinet of my favourite team with Harry featured prominently with tophat in the center still awes me everytime I look at it:

[the-illini]

Originally Posted by philliesphan

Primarily because I believe this example is unique, this KBat cabinet of my favourite team with Harry featured prominently with tophat in the center still awes me everytime I look at it:

Marc that is an amazing card!!!

[MikeGarcia]

..the pin-hole brought the price down to a point where I could just about almost barely sort of justify the purchase to TheWidowGarcia.....She eventually agreed that it "looks nice..."

..

[ullmandds]

For me its a mantle rookie....51 bowman...only because I never thought I'd be "silly" enough to pony up for one!!!!!

[greco827]

My aspirations, at least as a kid of about 8 with no financial sense, were far more modest. All I wanted was an '84 Topps Don Mattingly.

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by greco827

My aspirations, at least as a kid of about 8 with no financial sense, were far more modest. All I wanted was an '84 Topps Don Mattingly.

This post just reminded me about one card, although it's the exact opposite of a card I never thought I would get. When I was nine, I got a calendar with a picture of the Old Judge Buck Ewing & mascot card. At that time, I said I was going to get that card. Considering that I had been to many card shows and stores at that point and never saw an Old Judge card, it was quite a declaration on my part.

So it wasn't a card I thought I would never get, it just took about 17 years before I actually bought it. I'm sure if you told me when I was nine that it would cost me $400, I probably wouldn't have been so confident I'd get it one day.

[packs]

I'm right there with you buddy:

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by greco827

My aspirations, at least as a kid of about 8 with no financial sense, were far more modest. All I wanted was an '84 Topps Don Mattingly.

As a kid that was my answer, too. I never was able to get one. Always so expensive in NYC. The Donruss I just gave up on. I equally coveted the 83 Traded Strawberry and 84 Topps and Fleer Goodens. Never had them as a boy. Were the first cards I circled back for after college.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by MikeGarcia

..the pin-hole brought the price down to a point where I could just about almost barely sort of justify the purchase to TheWidowGarcia.....She eventually agreed that it "looks nice..."

..

I totally agree with your lady, Mike; that Mick DOES look nice! Glad she gave you her permission. My lady did the same for me when I poured out my heart to her about the card that I never, ever thought I would own. Congrats. ---Brian Powell

[mouschi]

I cannot believe this only happened a couple months ago, but here goes ... I'll *TRY* to make this short & sweet

Years ago, a friend showed me this card:



This is a 1998 Pinnacle Certified Red prototype. He recently told me that he believed this to be a one of a kind, and I believed him, because I've NEVER seen another.

Then this popped up on ebay:



A MIRROR RED version!!!!

No matter what it was going to take, I was going to make it mine. Then I saw this ...



I researched the seller and found out he was in Dallas. I had a very hard time getting a hold of him, and then I remembered I knew a dealer guy in Dallas. On a whim ... after about 2 years or so not talking to him, I texted him. He knew the seller! He got me in touch with him, but nothing panned out

The very next day, I received a message from the guy I knew. "Tanner, why didn't you say you were looking for that card? I think I have it!"

Uhmmm ... yeah right. A unicorn that didn't exist for 20 years until last week? No way, but thanks.

After a few days, we spoke on the phone and he said he would get me a pic.

HE HAD IT!!!!!!

AND MORRRRRRE!!!!!!!!!!



These cards have never been seen before ... nor did anyone know they existed, so I was able to add the entire run to my collection.

It was the most bizarre deal ever with plenty of twists and turns, for a complete rainbow of the most beautiful of rainbows. Definitely a holy grail find for me!

Happy does not even begin to describe what I felt/feel

I ended up writing a story on it here: http://tanmanbaseballfan.com/2017/10...en-before.html as well as for Sports Collectors Daily. Shortly thereafter, Ryan Cracknell of Beckett Magazine wrote an article for Beckett on them as well.

[LincolnVT]

I too was on the hunt for a Conseco in my younger days. The 86 Rated Rookie was the hot card of my early collecting days. Never ended up with one.

[Cerberus]

Perhaps 20 years ago, my collecting focus was on the T-205 Gold Border set, which I personally believed to be the best looking set of cards ever produced. Debatable, I know, but this has always been my personal feeling. I of course never thought I'd be able to acquire the Hoblitzell No Stats variation, because of its scarcity. Over the years, however, I was able to acquire two different versions of the card--one of them in a PSA 6. Unfortunately, like many of us, there came a time in my life where I had to sell the bulk of the collection, including the Hobby's. Sure was nice to have caught my white whale, though, for a time.

[leaflover]

I've been collecting 1948 Leafs for about 30 years and had never seen a nice high grade Cavaretta. This one surfaced in a Heritage auction last December. I feel that I was lucky to get it!

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by z28jd

For me it was a T206 Magie and at the time, I didn't think I would ever get one because my card budget was about $200-300 a month. In fact, the only reason I got the card is because I showed it to my dad and then after I went to work, he won it off Ebay.

That was an odd phone call at the time, around late 2000, maybe early 2001. He called me at work, told me he won the card, then said you can pay me back when you have the money. So I went from excited, to realizing I had a lot of money to pay back, then back to excited. He ended up taking some of the price off for either a birthday or Christmas present.

While I was paying off the Magie, he bid on a Plank and I had to draw the line there. He didn't come close to winning, but I pictured myself finally paying him back right around now.

You should have taken the Plank.....

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

You should have taken the Plank.....

I didn't like owing money, so at the time I remember having something like a dollar left to my name at the end of that first month of paying off the Magie because I gave everything to my dad. I couldn't picture five years straight of that same scenario each month. I would have actually paid it off sooner because my financial situation got better about a year or so later, but I didn't know that at the time.

I should have been a little more clear when I said I had a $200-300 card budget each month. I literally had a $200-300 budget each month for anything after I paid my bills, I just always spent it on cards, so there was nothing to cut back on to help pay it off quicker.

Would have been nice to get the Plank, but I don't regret it.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by z28jd

I didn't like owing money, so at the time I remember having something like a dollar left to my name at the end of that first month of paying off the Magie because I gave everything to my dad. I couldn't picture five years straight of that same scenario each month.

I completely understand. This seems like a rational approach. But in my case I went for the Plank. It took me two years to pay it off.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by z28jd

For me it was a T206 Magie and at the time, I didn't think I would ever get one because my card budget was about $200-300 a month. In fact, the only reason I got the card is because I showed it to my dad and then after I went to work, he won it off Ebay.

That was an odd phone call at the time, around late 2000, maybe early 2001. He called me at work, told me he won the card, then said you can pay me back when you have the money. So I went from excited, to realizing I had a lot of money to pay back, then back to excited. He ended up taking some of the price off for either a birthday or Christmas present.

While I was paying off the Magie, he bid on a Plank and I had to draw the line there. He didn't come close to winning, but I pictured myself finally paying him back right around now.

I have a similar story. I was collecting the t206 set and got to 520 which at the time was the complete set in Beckett. They didn't count the big 3 as you never saw them. I figured that I was done. Then I had a chance to buy a Plank and Magie, but I was recently married and could no longer afford them. Fast forward to a couple of years ago at the National and I saw a Magie for sale. It was now in my budget by selling off duplicates from my collection. That gave me the drive to sell more cards to get my avatar.