Tell your story about the cards Mom threw away

[Jim VB]

I've told this story before, so apologies in advance to those who have heard it.

In the 1950's through 1966, we lived in Queens, NY (corner of Metropolitan Ave and Woodhaven Blvd. for those who know the area.) Dad worked for the A&P plant at Bush Terminal in Brooklyn, as Superintendent of Shipping. The trash contractor who picked up from the A&P also had the Topps printing plant on his route. He and Dad got to be friends, so he would, almost daily, drop off all the uncut sheets that Topps tossed out. (Remember, this was 1953 to maybe 1964. These sheets were discarded for printing flaws. They had "no value".)

My older brother or I would sit at the kitchen table on many nights and cut them, with a scissors, into individual cards. (I know! I know!) My brother was responsible for most of the 1953-1959 cutting. I took over for the early 1960's.

We always had thousands of cards, all hand cut, many miscut. But... when you have so many of something, at so low cost (free) they have no value. We tossed them every year, as soon as the new cards came out.

Around 1964 or so, the supply seemed to dry up. I never asked why, but a few months ago I was emailing with Dave Hornish and looking at his site and it hit me that around 1964, Topps moved their printing facilities to Duryea, PA.

I had to start to collect in the conventional way and actually buy packs. But each year, I still treated the cards like before. They held no value, as soon as the new year was released.

So, my Mom wasn't the villian here. I was. In fact, the last year I collected back then was 1968. I had nearly the full set. When the 1969's came out I tossed the 1968's and decided I was too old (14) to waste money on cards.

My mother actually pulled that shoebox from the trash and saved it for years, until I came to my senses.