Playing in a smaller sandbox

[Casey2296]

I understand your sentiment Todd, love the Fenway Baker btw. The advantage I find in collecting cards over 100 year period is that I can always find cards that interest me, sometimes my budget allows for higher dollar purchase, sometimes not. I get just as excited about a small purchase as I do a large one if its a card I want in my collection.

I actually find it cathartic when I lose an auction, case in point, I lost a card last night that I really wanted in my collection, but that card wasn't meant for me at this time and congrats to the winner. I made a run at it and stopped a little above what I was willing to pay for it and that's okay, I'm no better or worse this morning except I do have a little more money in the bank to put towards my next purchase than if I would have won last night. You just have to find something in this hobby that makes you fulfilled and interested.

There were what I consider nice bargains in last nights auction, while I was focused on my strategy to win that one card, I missed out on bidding before the deadline on this one, which I think is just a beautiful baseball card and would have loved to have it in my collection. It went for $300 with the vig and while not inexpensive, it would not have broken the bank.
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[Exhibitman]

Your lament is one that drove me away from actively purchasing most vintage baseball cards for over a decade, with a few exceptions. It just pissed me off to be priced out of so much. I have a list of 'should have' a mile long. It also drove me to Exhibit cards 20+ years ago, which has worked out splendidly now that those issues have taken off. I've also always been a fan of oddball stuff. It's just so much more interesting to me than a T card. Regionals, premiums, picture packs, sales stimulators, etc., all were foci of mine over the last 20-30 years, followed a 10-15 years ago by snapshots and photos. Many of these things are lighting up over the last 18 months or so ($31K for a Foxx Exhibit in last night's REA!), but there is still plenty to get on a budget.







I also got into other sports, especially boxing (which I just enjoy watching more than any others), but also FB, basketball, hockey, vintage soccer, and some non-sports too.

I started collecting Carl Hubbell cards recently. His run of dominance in the mid-1930s was epic, yet he receives very little love among collectors. Even was the WAR leader for two years (including position players and pitchers). So, there are first-tier HOFers who don't get the collector admiration that others do. His RC costs under a grand, and many of his cards from the 1930s can be had for under $100 in decent shape.



If you're out for fun, it doesn't have to be big ticket stuff. I get more enjoyment from finding and researching an obscure regional issue than looking at (yet another) T206 Cobb. Not knocking the latter, just not intrigued by it.

I went a different route recently Wally Yonamine an American in the Japanese HOF. The bottom card is his rookie 1951 JGA 11 Osato Gangu and the top is a 1952 Bromide with wrapper

1 more

[Orioles1954]

Canadian and foreign cards have always been underpriced in my opinion. I no longer collect but if I did...

1937 O-Pee-Chee
1930s World Wide Gum
1960s O-Pee-Chee Baseball
1960s-1970s Venezuelan Baseball

Cuban cards are also very fun and can be had on a budget.

[Rad_Hazard]

I agree with that sentiment. While Ruth, Cobb, Jackson, etc. cards are all beautiful and I usually stare at them in awe, it's the unsung heroes of the game that really fascinate me. I think this is why I like 19th century items so much, there are so many players who fly under the radar and researching them makes them larger than life!

While it wasn't exactly cheap, it didn't break the bank either at sub-400, but this card is quickly becoming my favorite even though it's probably the dirtiest card in my collection. I can't believe he's not in the HOF, but who needs it! His numbers speak for themselves.

[Jewish-collector]

Todd - When I see you at the National maybe, we can complain together that we are priced out of collecting as we have a couple cold ones beer chug.gif

[brianp-beme]

No playing rough and tumble in the sandbox...you might get Mono.

Brian (my smaller sandbox as of late has been mostly using Net54 as a collecting substitute)