Personal Pre-War Set and Collector Survey

[BobC]

Originally Posted by G1911

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

I am not interested in the money game, so my most significant cards are my sentimental favorites. My T205 Livingston that started my collection, the T3 Schlei that was my first cabinet, the E94 Joe Lake that was my first caramel. Other cards I would consider significant are cards that found new variations or I learned something from in boxing and non-sport sets, though they would not be significant to most.

G1911,

Great cards and collection, and totally agree with your position on what are "significant" cards. In an earlier post I already mentioned I don't necessarily equate significance with value (though very often significant cards do seem to cost a little more). Cards can be significant to someone for personal, historical, rarity, emotional, and any other number of reasons, aside from the very obvious monetary ones. Your explanation as to those particular items that are significant to you is a great part of this survey in helping to explain who and what we are as collectors. I think your choices are fantastic and spot on in responding to that particular question.

[IndyDave]

1. Sometime in the early 1970s when I found the hobby through an ad in The Sporting News. Found a newsletter and remember an ad for t206 commons for something like 35 cents. Send for one

2. Probably 200-250

3. Same. Really haven’t sold any

4. I would say my t206 Cy Young portrait. Bought it in the early 80’s from a Frank Nagy auction. Believe I paid around $20. Sent it to PSA a few years ago and it came back as a 1. Have a couple of T206 Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss - pretty sure all from Nagy auctions. I’m a Cleveland fan so most of my pre war lands there

F9C079C9-A819-4172-915D-85C47685CBE4.jpg

5. None really. Even Cleveland team sets are hard due to Young, Lajoie and Joss I’m maybe 20% of the way on 1941 Play Ball but other than Pee Wee Reese I don’t have the big cards

[BobC]

Originally Posted by IndyDave

1. Sometime in the early 1970s when I found the hobby through an ad in The Sporting News. Found a newsletter and remember an ad for t206 commons for something like 35 cents. Send for one

2. Probably 200-250

3. Same. Really haven’t sold any

4. I would say my t206 Cy Young portrait. Bought it in the early 80’s from a Frank Nagy auction. Believe I paid around $20. Sent it to PSA a few years ago and it came back as a 1. Have a couple of T206 Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss - pretty sure all from Nagy auctions. I’m a Cleveland fan so most of my pre war lands there

Attachment 464141

5. None really. Even Cleveland team sets are hard due to Young, Lajoie and Joss I’m maybe 20% of the way on 1941 Play Ball but other than Pee Wee Reese I don’t have the big cards

Dave,

Great story about you T206 Young card. Hard to believe they could be purchased for those kind of prices not really that long ago. Good luck going forward on some Cleveland sets. Am a Cleveland fan myself.

[jchcollins]

Well, I'll be that guy.

I don't collect prewar cards.

It's not that I don't like them or find them interesting, it's just that there are other things I would rather do with with the vintage hobby in terms of my postwar interests given a limited budget, and limited time here on the ol' merry-go-round to do it.

I'm 44. I started collecting with Topps packs at the grocery store and 7-11 at age 9 in 1986. Within 2 years or so, I had quickly come to know what "vintage" (then just called old) cards were, but anything prewar was a rare sight indeed. At the shops back then it was mainly current wax, and then overpriced 50's and 60's cards in lower grade. It was more common to see T206's and other tobacco cards at shows - but for me as a kid those were few and far between - and way out of my price range anyway. So I didn't get the bug as a kid with prewar in the same way I did with 50's - 70's Topps cards. I had other opportunities, but it never clicked. I passed up a PSA 1 Goudey Ruth at a show maybe 20 years ago for $800? I think I bought a Mantle or Aaron instead.

I have dabbled in the past. I've owned T206 portraits of Walter Johnson, Cy Young, and Nap Lajoie. But I was always miffed at the tradeoffs I had to make with selling a lot of other cards in order to be able to afford just a few prewar cards like that - and in much worse condition to boot.

Please don't misunderstand - I'm not knocking the prewar side of the hobby at all - it's just a choice I've made for myself given where I am with my collection right now. I have a decent sized 50's and 60's single HOF'ers collection, and I'm working on a couple of 60's and 70's sets. I do own one token T206 - Danny Hoffman? and somewhere an absolutely destroyed '34 Goudey Hugh Critz. But they aren't cornerstones of my collection or anything. I'm not ruling out a limited type set or anything prewar in the future - it could happen - but the last serious evaluation I made in this department - and there is still far more postwar stuff I'm interested in collecting first for the foreseeable future.

[Casey2296]

Well, I'll be that guy.

I don't collect prewar cards.

Its okay John we still love you, and you have quite an outstanding post war collection from what I've seen you post on the pick-up thread.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Well, I'll be that guy.

I don't collect prewar cards.

Its okay John we still love you, and you have quite an outstanding post war collection from what I've seen you post on the pick-up thread.

Thanks Phil!

[jchcollins]

Oh! - I would be remiss in not mentioning - the greatest prewar thing I ever (briefly) owned was an E92 Dockman Cy Young. It was raw, and I had no clue what I had. I forget what I paid for it, but it was probably around $500. This was also 20 some years ago. I kept it for awhile, and later sold it in the early days of me having an eBay account. I made maybe a couple hundred bucks on it.

A few months later I was browsing random things - and come across the exact Dockman Young I had - I could tell by the centering and an identifying mark on the back - in a PSA 5 slab. Whoops. I think it sold for more than 2 grand - and again this was forever ago.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Well, I'll be that guy.

I don't collect prewar cards.

It's not that I don't like them or find them interesting, it's just that there are other things I would rather do with with the vintage hobby in terms of my postwar interests given a limited budget, and limited time here on the ol' merry-go-round to do it.

I'm 44. I started collecting with Topps packs at the grocery store and 7-11 at age 9 in 1986. Within 2 years or so, I had quickly come to know what "vintage" (then just called old) cards were, but anything prewar was a rare sight indeed. At the shops back then it was mainly current wax, and then overpriced 50's and 60's cards in lower grade. It was more common to see T206's and other tobacco cards at shows - but for me as a kid those were few and far between - and way out of my price range anyway. So I didn't get the bug as a kid with prewar in the same way I did with 50's - 70's Topps cards. I had other opportunities, but it never clicked. I passed up a PSA 1 Goudey Ruth at a show maybe 20 years ago for $800? I think I bought a Mantle or Aaron instead.

I have dabbled in the past. I've owned T206 portraits of Walter Johnson, Cy Young, and Nap Lajoie. But I was always miffed at the tradeoffs I had to make with selling a lot of other cards in order to be able to afford just a few prewar cards like that - and in much worse condition to boot.

Please don't misunderstand - I'm not knocking the prewar side of the hobby at all - it's just a choice I've made for myself given where I am with my collection right now. I have a decent sized 50's and 60's single HOF'ers collection, and I'm working on a couple of 60's and 70's sets. I do own one token T206 - Danny Hoffman? and somewhere an absolutely destroyed '34 Goudey Hugh Critz. But they aren't cornerstones of my collection or anything. I'm not ruling out a limited type set or anything prewar in the future - it could happen - but the last serious evaluation I made in this department - and there is still far more postwar stuff I'm interested in collecting first for the foreseeable future.

No problem John, all collectors are welcome. Like you, I first started collecting what I initially thought of as "vintage" beginning with the '56 Topps set, for the year I was born. That was about 30 years ago. All the cards, comic books, and other things I had aquired back mostly in the 60's were set aside and forgotten about as I got older, discovered girls, and eventually went to colllege. Then in the late 70's my parents moved, and my Mom lived up to the old cliche' and threw my collections out. Today, in addition to my pre-war collection, I also have quite a few 50's, 60's, and 70's sets, and many near complete partial sets from then as well. Both main sets and many of the oddballs like stand-ups, rub-offs, stamps, coins, and.....well, you get the picture.

I even have some newer, what I call specialty sets I've collected and work on, like the '97 Donruss Signature Series autographed red base set. Got them all except for a short printed Edgar Martinez auto card, which I've been looking for since the set came out in '97. Or a throwback to vintage with my 2002 Topps 206 collection of just all the autographed and game used cards. Have every single one of those as well, except for one short printed Honus Wagner bat relic card. Been looking for it since 2002, and have only seen one for sale in all these years. The guy wanted about what a really nice condition (PSA 6 or 7) T206 red Cobb would sell for today. I said "No thanks!", and am still looking.

So I am also into a lot of the post-war cards just as are you. And my mention of the 2002 Topps 206 set was to also bring up how even with modern card issues there are still references and throw-backs to pre-war. In fact, I think that 2002 Topps set was the first time anyone had ever done buybacks and inserted and distributed real T206 cards in a modern card issue. The way Topps inserted the cards into a modern size card or card holder, whatever you want to call it, I thought was ingenious and turned out very well. (Often wondered why no one ever came out with such a holder anyone could use to store their tobacco cards in so they'd display nicely in the standard 9 pocket pages.) So question for T206 (and T205) collectors, do you like collecting these Topps issued T206 buybacks, and do you leave them in the Topps issued card holders or break them out raw? And never seen one done, but would a TPG allow you to have a T206 buyback card graded and encapsulated by them while remaining in the Topps issued card holder? I've seen where SGC has graded some of the game used relic cards from the Topps 206 set with and without the standard sized holders being encapsulated along with the T206 sized relic cards.

I was also wondering if there were any niche collectors that specifically go after these prewar Topps buyback cards. Seems like any time I've seen one go up for auction on Ebay, it ends up selling for a lot more than what I would have thought the actual T206/205 card would have sold for raw.

And just for the record, I also am against having card companies cut up old jerseys and bats to just put little pieces of them in modern cards, especially for players like Ruth, Cobb, and Wagner. So please don't start admonishing me for collecting something like that. The card companies figured they can promote their products and make a lot of money by doing it, which they have been doing since the first game used cards started coming out back in the 90's. That horse left the barn a long time ago and has long since died, so no reason to keep beating it now. And like was said in the recent thread about the member who destroyed a Hal Chase T206 card after finding out what a not so nice person Chase was, he paid for it and can do what he wants with it. And if the card companies pay and own these bats and jerseys, they can unfortunately do what the want with those items as well.

[Mike Eisenbath]

I love reading all the posts here. I learn so much more than I can contribute, but I hope the knowledge (and wisdom!) I gain from all of you I can pay forward to someone else down the line....

My answers:

1. Bought my first pre-war cards in 1971 when I was 10 years old. Responded to an ad in the back of the Sporting News placed by Gar Miller. I bought a T206 Cobb red portrait (for 5 bucks!) as well as a 39 Play Ball Red Ruffing and 40 Play Ball Bill Dickey (even as a kid, I recognized the names of Yankees greats). That got me hooked. I kept collecting contemporary Topps cards but proceeded to gather as many low-grade T206 cards as my lawn-mowing and birthday money allowed. Took a break in the late 70s for college/marriage/kids, back in heavily (for me) a few years ago. Wishing I'd never left, even though I always kept close tabs on things in the hobby.

2. and 3. go together for me: I have 170ish pre-war cards right now. About 130 are T206. I just buy whatever strikes my fancy where they are concerned. I'm a Billy Southworth fan, so I will always be on the lookout for his cards (thank you, Mac, for the Zeenuts Southworth rookie!). And although I only recently bought my first Cracker Jack, I could see myself going full headlong that way.

4. For me, a "significant" card is one I cherish and never would part with. That includes my Cobb portrait, if only for sentimental reasons, my really nice 48 Bowman Musial (whom I remember fondly every time I look at that youthful face), 33 Goudey Dizzy Dean (also really nice), my five 1934 Butterfingers (particularly the Dean and Bottomley) and my dozen W512 strip cards. I know they are kinda unattractive to many, but they strike me like the kitschy art of that era -- and my Babe Ruth, from the peak of his heyday, was one of my first pre-war purchases as well.

I'm not gonna lie when I say collecting cards literally saved my sanity during the last 15 months. All of the Net54 folks have been a part of that. Thank you!
Mike Eisenbath

[Casey2296]

Nice post Mike, this is far and away the best place to talk baseball cards.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Mike Eisenbath

I love reading all the posts here. I learn so much more than I can contribute, but I hope the knowledge (and wisdom!) I gain from all of you I can pay forward to someone else down the line....

My answers:

1. Bought my first pre-war cards in 1971 when I was 10 years old. Responded to an ad in the back of the Sporting News placed by Gar Miller. I bought a T206 Cobb red portrait (for 5 bucks!) as well as a 39 Play Ball Red Ruffing and 40 Play Ball Bill Dickey (even as a kid, I recognized the names of Yankees greats). That got me hooked. I kept collecting contemporary Topps cards but proceeded to gather as many low-grade T206 cards as my lawn-mowing and birthday money allowed. Took a break in the late 70s for college/marriage/kids, back in heavily (for me) a few years ago. Wishing I'd never left, even though I always kept close tabs on things in the hobby.

2. and 3. go together for me: I have 170ish pre-war cards right now. About 130 are T206. I just buy whatever strikes my fancy where they are concerned. I'm a Billy Southworth fan, so I will always be on the lookout for his cards (thank you, Mac, for the Zeenuts Southworth rookie!). And although I only recently bought my first Cracker Jack, I could see myself going full headlong that way.

4. For me, a "significant" card is one I cherish and never would part with. That includes my Cobb portrait, if only for sentimental reasons, my really nice 48 Bowman Musial (whom I remember fondly every time I look at that youthful face), 33 Goudey Dizzy Dean (also really nice), my five 1934 Butterfingers (particularly the Dean and Bottomley) and my dozen W512 strip cards. I know they are kinda unattractive to many, but they strike me like the kitschy art of that era -- and my Babe Ruth, from the peak of his heyday, was one of my first pre-war purchases as well.

I'm not gonna lie when I say collecting cards literally saved my sanity during the last 15 months. All of the Net54 folks have been a part of that. Thank you!
Mike Eisenbath

Mike,

Great collection and stories, especially concerning the red Cobb for $5. Can understand why that card would be significant, and virtually priceless to you. And so glad to hear how collecting has helped you make it through the pandemic. Hang in there!

[sreader3]

1. First prewar cards were four T206 commons (Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes, Schreck). Bought them for $3 each from The Baseball Card Shoppe in Claremont, California around 1982.
2. Maxed out at over 500 prewar about seven years ago: Almost 450 different T206s, about 50 different HOFers from a variety of other sets and 20 or so different OJ Denver poses (I live about 30 miles from Denver so it’s a local history thing).
3. Have about 150 prewar right now. Kept all of the T206 HOFers (have added a few since) and about 50 of the tougher commons; also kept the OJ Denvers and a handful of the HOFers from other sets that I liked the best.
4. Have the T206 Cobby quartet, 2 Cys, 2 Mattys, 3 Naps, the WaJo portrait, a Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, and an E93 Wagner. Also have a really nice E120 Traynor that it took a while to find. Almost everything is EX or slightly better (except the OJs) which is my collecting wheelhouse.
5. No near complete sets, unless you count the T206 HOF subset where I am about 90% complete. Also have at least one pose of every OJ Denver player.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by sreader3

1. First prewar cards were four T206 commons (Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes, Schreck). Bought them for $3 each from The Baseball Card Shoppe in Claremont, California around 1982.
2. Maxed out at over 500 prewar about seven years ago: Almost 450 different T206s, about 50 different HOFers from a variety of other sets and 20 or so different OJ Denver poses (I live about 30 miles from Denver so it’s a local history thing).
3. Have about 150 prewar right now. Kept all of the T206 HOFers (have added a few since) and about 50 of the tougher commons; also kept the OJ Denvers and a handful of the HOFers from other sets that I liked the best.
4. Have the T206 Cobby quartet, 2 Cys, 2 Mattys, 3 Naps, the WaJo portrait, a Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, and an E93 Wagner. Also have a really nice E120 Traynor that it took a while to find. Almost everything is EX or slightly better which is my collecting wheelhouse.
5. No near complete sets, unless you count the T206 HOF subset where I am about 90% complete. Also have at least one pose of every OJ Denver player.

Great collection Scot. You appear to be my opposite and go more for quality over quantity. There is no wrong way to collect!

[sreader3]

Hi Bob, Thanks for the kind words. It seems to me like you have quantity AND quality! Scot

[BobC]

Originally Posted by sreader3

Hi Bob, Thanks for the kind words. It seems to me like you have quantity AND quality! Scot

LOL Depends on how you define "quality" I guess Scot. To one person, having say an F-50 Yuenling's, an E103 Williams Caramel, and an E253 Oxford Confectionery card of Ty Cobb would maybe be considered as having quality cards. But to another person, having them all in a PSA or SGC 1 condition may not. I guess I've always equated "quality" more with the condition and shape the cards are in rather than who it is that is actually on the cards. Appreciate your kind words as well, and thanks to you, I may have to start rethinking about how I define "quality" from now on.

[Yoda]

1. Since before the Flood.

2. Over 1,000 - Full Count days.

3. Now about 300.

4. Multi current examples from pre-war set: OJ to '41 Playball.

5. Best current cards are T3 Cobb, Turkey Red Cobb, '33 Goudy Ruth #53 &149, '33 and '34 Gehrig !60 and 37, respectively, and a '36 WWG Gehrig.

6. No complete sets at present.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Yoda

1. Since before the Flood.

2. Over 1,000 - Full Count days.

3. Now about 300.

4. Multi current examples from pre-war set: OJ to '41 Playball.

5. Best current cards are T3 Cobb, Turkey Red Cobb, '33 Goudy Ruth #53 &149, '33 and '34 Gehrig !60 and 37, respectively, and a '36 WWG Gehrig.

6. No complete sets at present.

Hey John, looks like you've got a really great collection of significant cards there. Awesome!!!

[robw1959]

1. This is the toughest question for me to answer. I started collecting vintage cards in 1976-78, but took a hiatus off during the '80s and '90s, with the notable exceptions of buying a few Topps 1987 sets in '87 and a T206 Christy Mathewson card in 1990. I then resumed collecting vintage cards in 2003. So I guess it all amounts to about 20 years in total.

2. I've never owned too many - right about 200 is my max ever, but that number didn't last too long.

3. I currently have 142.

4. My most significant card is either my '33 Goudey Ruth or my T206 Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder).

5. My only prewar set is a 1934-36 Diamond Stars set of 96 (no repeated high-number prints)

[BobC]

Originally Posted by robw1959

1. This is the toughest question for me to answer. I started collecting vintage cards in 1976-78, but took a hiatus off during the '80s and '90s, with the notable exceptions of buying a few Topps 1987 sets in '87 and a T206 Christy Mathewson card in 1990. I then resumed collecting vintage cards in 2003. So I guess it all amounts to about 20 years in total.

2. I've never owned too many - right about 200 is my max ever, but that number didn't last too long.

3. I currently have 142.

4. My most significant card is either my '33 Goudey Ruth or my T206 Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder).

5. My only prewar set is a 1934-36 Diamond Stars set of 96 (no repeated high-number prints)

Rob,

Definitely still a great collection with some classic cards as your most significant. You can't deny the attraction to a Goudey Ruth, or a Cobb T206. And what do mean you don't have many pre-war cards? I think most people would feel having almost a couple hundred would be a pretty sizable collection. It can be the quality, and not just the quantity, that mekes up a great pre-war collection.

Heck, I've got a ton of pre-war cards and items, yet. I've never owned a Goudey Ruth or a T206 Cobb. I guess one of my collecting quirks is that I'm more attracted to the less popular and more obscure pre-war sets. Oh, I own some T206s and Goudeys, but just a handfull or so of each as type cards or examples. Seems like pretty much everyone here on Net54 collects and talks about T206s and Goudeys all the time. Probably a big reason I like a lot of the other non-mainstream sets a little more. Less competition for collecting them, and you have a chance to discover and learn things that not everybody knows. Plus, you've got to love some of the more diverse sets out there, like Rittenhouse Candy cards or Rinkydinky stamps, right. LOL

And your choice of the Diamond Stars set to be working on is a great one. Got to love their iconic art deco design and look. Love that set, and always thought it stood out from most others. Kind of like the '72 Topps set design, just one of a kind.

[UKCardGuy]

Wow, there are some fantastic cards in this thread. I love Bob's Exhibit vending machine.

I'm relatively new to Pre-War collecting. I've previously focused only on post-war. I initially dabbled without too much focus by I've begun concentrating on 3 sets (W554, T3 Turkey Red and 1916 Zeenut PCL).

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

18 months

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

1911 T3 John McGraw
1932 Bulgaria Cigarettes Babe Ruth


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

1930 W554 (61% Complete)

[25801wv]

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

I purchased a T206 Addie Joss when I was a kid. I started again around 2008.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

75 to 80

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

2

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

My favorite obtainable card of all time is my 1921 E121 “Babe” Ruth series of 80. My next three significant cards are my 54 Topps Aaron, 55 Topps Clemente and (gulp) 2000 Bowman Tom Brady. I have always enjoyed Poor condition cards because they allow me to own a piece of history that I normally wouldn’t have been able to afford.


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

None. The oldest set I ever owned was a 1956 Topps set that I built and once I completed it I no longer enjoyed it and sold it soon after. That was it for me with set collecting. The hunt was more fun than owning it. I did once have about 40 or 50 1933 Goudey’s including three Ruth’s and a Gehrig but I lost interest. I do have a 1975 Topps set in poor to fair condition, lol.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by 25801wv

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

I purchased a T206 Addie Joss when I was a kid. I started again around 2008.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

75 to 80

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

2

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

My favorite obtainable card of all time is my 1921 E121 “Babe” Ruth series of 80. My next three significant cards are my 54 Topps Aaron, 55 Topps Clemente and (gulp) 2000 Bowman Tom Brady. I have always enjoyed Poor condition cards because they allow me to own a piece of history that I normally wouldn’t have been able to afford.


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

None. The oldest set I ever owned was a 1956 Topps set that I built and once I completed it I no longer enjoyed it and sold it soon after. That was it for me with set collecting. The hunt was more fun than owning it. I did once have about 40 or 50 1933 Goudey’s including three Ruth’s and a Gehrig but I lost interest. I do have a 1975 Topps set in poor to fair condition, lol.

Great items Eugene, and nothing wrong with the modern Tom Brady card in there. The 1956 Topps set is a fantastic set, and was the first set I ever completed. Good stuff. And need to get more pre-war cards so you can turn the frown upside down.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by UKCardGuy

Wow, there are some fantastic cards in this thread. I love Bob's Exhibit vending machine.

I'm relatively new to Pre-War collecting. I've previously focused only on post-war. I initially dabbled without too much focus by I've begun concentrating on 3 sets (W554, T3 Turkey Red and 1916 Zeenut PCL).

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

18 months

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

1911 T3 John McGraw
1932 Bulgaria Cigarettes Babe Ruth


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

1930 W554 (61% Complete)

Great items Gary. Good luck on the remainder of that W554 set, its a nice set.