I'm kind of done with cards. . . .

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Just seems so much more satisfying at this point to own an amazing piece of memorabilia or a great photo.

A rare Negro league photo or cap. A cabinet photo from over 100 years ago.
An amazing signed contract. Some genuine rarity from the Ruth - Gehrig barnstorming days. A real picture postcard of Cobb or Mathewson. A great scorecard from an important game. An old jersey. Even a nice piece of baseball related art.

Realize there will probably never been the liquid market for such things like what cards have. But for someone who just loves baseball so much these things just seem to pack a satisfying punch that I don't get anymore from putting cards in a plastic holder in my safe or safe deposit box.

Game used items are tangible. You can hold it and in your minds eye, place yourself at an event. You know that the person wore a hat or jersey, hit a ball with a bat, hit the ball. A picture captures that place in time for as long as that picture exists.

A baseball card, does not come close in many ways to recapture that feel. One could argue playoff or World Series cards, but they don't hold the same effect as a photo or a game used/worn item do.

I have a few game used bats, baseballs, and jerseys of players but they were all from minor league AAA games. Not too much of a market for them. But, they were used in games I saw and was lucky enough to get that item from the player after the game. That is cool stuff for me. Plus I have a lot of cards that I got autographed by the players and coaches (many if not all, ex major leaguers) at the games I went to too. More cool stuff for me.

The strike back in the 90's was cool and opportunistic too. All the major league coaches and manager of the Rockies came down to watch their AAA team. I had a picture of Don Zimmerman as a Senator. BOOM! now it is autographed. Don Baylor was sitting next to him and ragged on him that he looked old in that picture too! A memory I get to keep and remember when I see that picture.

My sister going to the last game of the Washington Senators and giving me those tickets. Documents of an event that happened in the passed. Nothing like it IMHO.

[bocca001]

I still buy a card or two now and then, but I especially enjoy putting my memorabilia on display. There is a thread here somewhere with pictures of memorabilia displays/rooms. It has a large number of views, especially relative to the number of posts. I love looking at this stuff and I think that many others do as well.