So What’s Your Story?

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Posted By: Dave

My introduction to baseball cards is one that has all the stereotypes of the scam seller on ebay. Mine doesn't have a grandfather, but instead a great uncle. And a trunk in the attic. RUN.

However, I've NEVER actually sold a card, and none are for sale, at least now. The first card I parted with was a free T210 here when Ben started the "take a penny, leave a penny" thread.

My wife's father died about 5 years ago, and as my mother-in-law got older she moved into a smaller condo than the large house in the country that was getting to be too much. This was in Virginia. A few years later, she was less able to cope, and decided to move into an assisted living apartment near me and her daughter, in Spokane, WA. As we helped her upack, she grabbed a notebook and told me she wanted me to have it. It was about 500 T206's, almost 50 T205's, and about 15 T210 Red borders from Virginia - the most common series in the set. There were about 100 duplicates in the T206's, which is about the number missing as well. No rare cards.

The original idea was that I would find the best way to liquidate these and share the proceeds with my brother-in-law. I didn't have them 10 minutes before I knew I would never part with the set. You should never sell art that you really like. I've bought about 40 T206's on ebay since, mostly commons. I did get get a Matty dark cap, which was #3 in price on my missing list, behind Cobb bat off and Matty portrait. Not counting the missing rarity and error cards. I guess every dream has a limit.

I have cleared ownership and $ with my brother-in-law, so I am free to do what I want to do with these.

My father-in-law got the entire set from his uncle (the generation of my grandfather for those fake story purists), from a trunk in the attic (true), as his uncle aged. It was for no money, but with the consent of the uncle, who actually smoked the cigarettes. They were never pasted in any album, so the backs are in good shape, almost 100% Piedmont. I'd grade the cards as mostly 3 or 4, some 2's and 5's.

If I ever start selling the duplicates or when upgrading, I won't tell the story because it triggers too many alarms. But it's true.

Reading the posts here make me realize that I will never come close to the passion of any of the collectors here. I don't really like baseball, as a sport. Ichiro has been great, but Seattle really tests team loyalty. Besides, college football has started.

I can't imagine where I'd be, how many fakes I might have bought, if I hadn't found this forum. Thanks to all.

Dave