Why I collect… bringing me back to ‘79

[Mike D.]

Very cool display. Wow, rack pack for 59 cents...those were the days.

And for those who aren't New Englanders, yes, "Green Monster Green" is an actual color you can get at the paint store. I should know, it's the color my son's room was repainted a few years back.

[mrreality68]

Love the look and feel of that display and nice cards.

Your next card should be King Kong Kingman.

Does anyone no WHY? What is the RedSox Connection???

[Harliduck]

Funny you should post that pic of the 79 rack pack. 79 was the first year I was buying packs like mad as a 10 year old...and being in Seattle I couldn't get enough of the Mariner cards. I would sift through the rack packs looking for M's players. The town corner store sold wax packs, but the big Kmart next town over had the rack packs and they were a special treat. That M's Tom House card showing would have had me buying that one, screw Jim Rice...haha.

79 was the first set I completed from packs and for a while I saved some unopened packs when my set was done, only to be opened a couple years later looking for Ozzie Smith cards. 79 will always hold a special place for me, so thanks again for posting that...

[mrreality68]

This was the relationship with Kingman and Boston in 1916

David Ortiz Passes Dave Kingman for Most HRs by a Player in His Final Season

[mrreality68]

This was the relationship with Kingman and Boston in 2016

David Ortiz Passes Dave Kingman for Most HRs by a Player in His Final Season

[Kurri17]

Great thread. Love the personal stories regarding collecting. 1979 was my last year to collect seriously as a kid, I was 15. I started with '71 football, and '74 when I was ten is my cornerstone year. Beautiful rack pack, congrats on a great collection.

[mrmopar]

My throwback year is 1978. I don't recall ever seeing rack or cello packs though when I was buying them, only wax. I wish I had clearer memories of the whole process, but I guess it wasn't all that special at the time. I probably saw my first rack/cello in the early-mid 80s, but even then I don't recall. I do remember finding them around 87 and searching for the stars on top.

I still find a lot of joy in just seeing the various 1978 Topps cards across all of the sports. Raw, sealed in packs, graded, autographed, etc. They are just elevated slightly higher than anything else.

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

My throwback year is 1978. I don't recall ever seeing rack or cello packs though when I was buying them, only wax. I wish I had clearer memories of the whole process, but I guess it wasn't all that special at the time. I probably saw my first rack/cello in the early-mid 80s, but even then I don't recall. I do remember finding them around 87 and searching for the stars on top.

I still find a lot of joy in just seeing the various 1978 Topps cards across all of the sports. Raw, sealed in packs, graded, autographed, etc. They are just elevated slightly higher than anything else.

1978 was my "initiation" year as well...I was lucky enough to have stores swimming in cellos and racks, though.

To this day, when I look through my '78 binder, I think I have stories about at least 80% of the cards - even if only whether I found the card in a pack myself, or I had to rely on friends' duplicates. The ones I really had to hunt for - the last couple dozen or so I needed - still have a different 'look' to me.

The very first cards I ever owned were a quad of '78s that came out of the old Scholastic mag, Dynamite - Cecil Cooper, Darrell Porter, Al Oliver and Tony Perez. I can remember how excited I was when a friend showed me the also came in packs in stores - I was like "wait - there's MORE?" - as my wife can attest today - not only is there more, there's a whooooooole lot more!