What’s the cut-off year for your collection

[wdwfan]

My main focus has been 1957-62. I'm not a fan of the larger cards (early 50s Topps) and not a fan of the smaller cards (early 50s Bowman). But, I do love the 1956 Topps. Just love the asthetic and looks of the set. Other than that, not a big fan of the larger cards.

But I started collecting in 1987 and collected heavily through 1992. Then took some time off for my junior and senior years of high school and first few years of college. I started again around 1998 and collected through 2000. Then started and stopped from them until now.

But I've grown to absolutely love vintage. I am not a big fan of modern stuff as it's too volatile. If a player gets hurt, his stock goes down. Mantle, Williams, Jackie, Jeter, Maddux, Griffey are never going to get hurt. So I still like to open 1980s-90s wax from time to time when I can find it at good prices. But not a set builder of that stuff. Mainly set build 1950s.

[cardsagain74]

Main focus:

'48 to '87 baseball

'57 to '89 basketball

'50 to '89 football

Naturally there are some exceptions. But not many.

On a side note, I'd never label '81 to '85 as part of the junk wax era (in any sport) as the OP did.

[Exhibitman]

I've gradually narrowed my focus to about where it was as a kid when I stopped with each sport:

Baseball: 1981

Basketball: 1976

Football: 1975

Hockey: 1976

I have later cards in all four sports but I don't care about them: no childhood memories.

[MarcosCards]

For the longest time it was 1964 — because the early 1960s was my childhood collecting wheelhouse. Then, relatively recently, I stumbled onto and purchased an unorganized horde of about 15,000 baseball, basketball, football and hockey cards spanning from 1974 to 1981. It’s been a lot of fun organizing and collating them all — and sleeving the star cards. In general, Topps offered some interesting, colorful sets during those years.

[Ten Million]

I draw the line at 1989. I grew up in the 80s and so I get a lot of joy from those cards, nostalgia, etc. I collect much earlier stuff as well, back to 19th century (as I did even back in the 1980s), but the emotional force isn't the same as the stuff from the 80s. That's the one I lived through.

[campyfan39]

51-87

[Frankish]

US baseball. Totally due to my childhood collecting, 1979 is the last real year of interest. Only have a few cards after that (save a huge Ohtani collection because my 6 yo son loves him and we can see Angels stadium in the distance from our house).

To be honest, it's probably the same for football and basketball.

These days, 90% of my new purchases are Japanese cards. For the most part, I'm only picking up cards from 1959 and earlier.