Lurker Thread

[MarcosCards]

Originally Posted by GrewUpWithJunkWax

It's amazing the number and quality of the collections here. So many fine items, and things I didn't know existed. I enjoy learning, reading about what others know and their experiences over the years - that's what brought me here.

I grew up in a small Midwest town, and started collecting in the late '80s. McGwire was the guy I pretended to be in Little League, but on the playground I was a WR and wanted to be Jerry Rice. I regularly bought Beckett magazines at Walmart. I had friends who were also into cards, but none of us really had a whole lot to spend. Even if we did save up, our local card store options were a furniture store, trophy shop, and a pawn shop that each had a couple card cases on the side.

It was a relatively small bubble. Still, my collecting evolved. I eventually decided that it was more efficient to just buy the cards that I liked instead of opening packs. Occasionally, I would see some older cards, and those really grabbed me with their designs, the old jerseys, and the history. I realized that if I saved up a bit more, I could buy actual legends of the game. My options were limited though.

My first vintage purchase was made possible by spending an evening with my grandma playing Bingo. She was playing multiple Bingo cards each round, and she put me in charge of the dauber, marking each call-out on all the cards. At some point, we hit a Bingo. She won $75, but she wanted to split it with me for bringing her good luck. I took my share the next day to buy the best card I could find. I got a 1960 Topps Stan Musial. It was awesome holding that.

My first dozen vintage purchases as a kid, because I have since logged my items with good ol' Excel, were these cards:

1961 Topps 311 Whitey Ford
1957 Topps 135 Bill Skowron
1959 Topps 462 Rocky Colavito
1958 Topps 492 Bob Friend
1961 Topps 127 Ron Kline
1967 Topps 5 Whitey Ford
1958 Topps 476 Stan Musial
1960 Topps 229 Joe Morgan
1960 Topps 175 Pedro Ramos
1957 Topps 138 Minnie Minoso
1959 Topps 461 Mickey Mantle
1960 Topps 250 Stan Musial

They were modest cards. My friends never had any vintage, but I liked the cards and enjoyed learning about the players.

Like the stories of many others, life happened. My cards were stored away in my parent's house. In 2021, I went to gather my old belongings and move them to my place. I found my cards. The nostalgia was great, thumbing through my albums and remembering the time spent organizing the cards. It re-kindled something. Last year, I bought a T206 Rube Waddell. I never thought I'd own a tobacco card. Those had only existed in magazine pictures. I then picked up a Zeenut and a couple of T201 Double Folders. My collection is small but growing again.

I can go online and see so many of the cards that I had always wanted. I can learn the backstories to the cards I enjoy. I discover new sets and cards all the time. There's always more to learn. That's why I lurked, joined, and still lurk.

I love this post - it parallels my story in a way. Except my childhood collecting occurred three decades earlier — in the 1960s. What a beautiful experience to return to the old homestead and discover the cards from your youth. The memories of childhood – and collecting - come rushing back!