evolution of your collection

[Archive]

Posted By: Brian Lindholme

Guys, I thought this would generate more interest (maybe it's not controversial enough:) So I dug it up from pg 2.

I actually think many of us have been on the collecting roller-coaster, myself included.

I started by buying Topps cards in the early 70's as a kid, all 4 sports, every dime I had. Lots of neighborhood kids did the same for a few years. None of them except me ever kept theirs!

Fast forward to 1989, I found a price guide. This surely doesn't sound too unique so far.

In about 1991 I found an old bookstore with dispay cases of vintage cards. First time I ever saw real DiMaggio, Mathewson, Cy Young etc. cards. I had enough on me for a 58 Pee Wee Reese and a DS Frankie Frisch. I made it back several months later...no cards. I was told they were all stolen but the shopkeeper didn't seem too upset, maybe they were'nt his...

That turned me on to the old timers, as from 1989 to 1991 I spent hundreds (thousands) of dollars on Topps, Fleer, Score, Donruss, Upper Deck. Wish I never did but heck, I liked it then.

Then I turned the focus to HOFers, I amassed a good chunk from Albany, NY shows and a trip or two to Cooperstown.
I started T205 then too, as I always liked those.

When I found eBay and Solomon's auctions, it was a deadly time to the wallet but I got a lot of cards...and some real gems in those days for reasonable prices.

By 1997 I had most of the HOFers and 1/2 of T205, only buying some new hockey cards here and there but gave up on new baseball as I couldn't keep track of that shiny stuff.

When I joined OBC, I started venturing to completing all those old Topps sets I had when I was a kid, crazily going back into the 50's for old Bowman & Topps sets until the 1953-80 years are about 90% complete as of today.I don't do much with those now, a few here and there, mostly because I need a lot of those pesky high numbers that aren't much fun to hunt for (or pay for)

All along I've been buying type cards, HOFers and T205's.
I gotta find a reasonable T205 Wilhelm and I'll be done with that set. I have an example of all the post 1900 HOFers.

I'm kinda stuck. I will always go after HOF cards I don't have...I want everyone from every major set because I'm nuts, but I can't seem motivated to buy the commons for long (failed T206 a few times because of that) and the other sets I've started might end up being sold. I've got too many cards and I'm not that interested in 80% of them anymore.

I'm gonna hang tight in case I change my mind, but if you start seeing some types on the BST, you'll know why.

So, as I mentioned, this is probably not too unique a story...a bunch of you probably evolved the same. I'd love to read about how you guys cycled through your collecting interests and where you are today.

Thanks
Brian L
familytoad
Ridgefield, WA