50 years ago in card Collecting

[Griffins]

50 years ago I was a few weeks back from my first major convention, the Anaheim show at the Hyatt. I'd been to monthly meetings in Garden Grove, but this was the first one with sellers from all over the country.
By todays standards it was much smaller than the National, but had a large variety. I saw my first '51 Topps All Stars and Turkey Reds, was shocked how small Tatoo Orbits were, and got to hold a card that was almost 90 years old, an Old Judge.
I'd worked most of the summer at odd jobs, so was able to come home with handful of '50's Hall of Famers (I remember a '53 Topps Feller and '54 Bowman Campy), a few '58 Bell Brands and stack of '54 Redhearts that were a buck each. Splurged on a '55 Topps low number set and a box of '30's baseball matchbook covers. T206's were still under a buck and you could stumble upon a Bresnahan or Clarke for that price.
Condition wasn't really a thing, just eye appeal, and while some of the sellers were really pretty mean to kids many more were incredibly kind and generous.
As school started I was already counting the days until the '75 show, and building the war chest. '75 show was even better.

[oaks1912]

Anthony,
My first Anaheim show was in '75. Still have the flyer with a note from Jim Nowell on the back. I can still remember the layout of the ballroom. A VERY fun event. You & I would not meet for a number of years. I would not start venturing East until I attended a Willow Grove show in '83. It was the same type of energy.

Mark

Originally Posted by Griffins

50 years ago I was a few weeks back from my first major convention, the Anaheim show at the Hyatt. I'd been to monthly meetings in Garden Grove, but this was the first one with sellers from all over the country.
By todays standards it was much smaller than the National, but had a large variety. I saw my first '51 Topps All Stars and Turkey Reds, was shocked how small Tatoo Orbits were, and got to hold a card that was almost 90 years old, an Old Judge.
I'd worked most of the summer at odd jobs, so was able to come home with handful of '50's Hall of Famers (I remember a '53 Topps Feller and '54 Bowman Campy), a few '58 Bell Brands and stack of '54 Redhearts that were a buck each. Splurged on a '55 Topps low number set and a box of '30's baseball matchbook covers. T206's were still under a buck and you could stumble upon a Bresnahan or Clarke for that price.
Condition wasn't really a thing, just eye appeal, and while some of the sellers were really pretty mean to kids many more were incredibly kind and generous.
As school started I was already counting the days until the '75 show, and building the war chest. '75 show was even better.

[bigfanNY]

Amazing how many memories can be found in a small paper bag full of old pins.

ASCCA was the official name of the NYC card show run by the Ghallager Brothers. The first card I ever paid more than a penny was from Mr Ghallager at an Antique show in MSG. It was an E95 Cobb. Anyway these are mostly the pins they gave away on admission to their shows.
1974,75,76,77,78,79. Then a Philly show pin from 84 an Exhibitor badge from 81 and a Christie's badge from 93.

[jefferyepayne]

Great stuff fellas!

I'm sooo jealous of you guys that were going to shows in the 70s. I was collecting big time as a kid back then but my world was very small and the thought of traveling to go to a show was just not something my family I could pull off so I never even considered it.

I sure wish I had figured out how to get to even a local card show as that might have been the difference between me staying engaged with the hobby instead of taking a 25-year break before returning. Oh, the cards I would have today if I had stayed engaged! Instead, my buddy and I occasionally went to flea markets and local antique shops looking for things without a huge amount of success. I did leave my childhood with a few beat up T206's and some 50s-60s baseball and football cards but that was about it pre-70s.

I guess I'll just have to live vicariously through your stories about these great early shows.

jeff

[rats60]

Originally Posted by oaks1912

Anthony,
My first Anaheim show was in '75. Still have the flyer with a note from Jim Nowell on the back. I can still remember the layout of the ballroom. A VERY fun event. You & I would not meet for a number of years. I would not start venturing East until I attended a Willow Grove show in '83. It was the same type of energy.

Mark

I wish I had known about these shows. I lived about 10 miles away and was buying a lot of cards from Card Collectors Co., Wholesale Cards and Larry Fritsch Cards.