Would you trade your ENTIRE collection for 1 card?

[dancollins]

Couldn't do it!!! The problem is 99% of us are collectors not investors. If I were an investor then I would in a second but my heart is in my cards. I remember when I was in sixth grade, that was the first time I ever seen a T206 card some kid was sitting next to me in study hall and he had about 7 beat up commons. He said him and his parents found them at an antique store in PA. I tried and tried for days on end to trade him for these finally he gave in and I got ahold of 2 of them for a ton of newer 80's cards. I used to sit there with books from the library (before internet) and stare at T206 cards and just dream of being able to buy them some day. That is what collecting is all about. Here are those 2 cards I still have them, and never in a million years will get rid of them because they were what started it all over 20 years a go.

[thegashousegang]

Originally Posted by dancollins

Couldn't do it!!! The problem is 99% of us are collectors not investors. If I were an investor then I would in a second but my heart is in my cards. I remember when I was in sixth grade, that was the first time I ever seen a T206 card some kid was sitting next to me in study hall and he had about 7 beat up commons. He said him and his parents found them at an antique store in PA. I tried and tried for days on end to trade him for these finally he gave in and I got ahold of 2 of them for a ton of newer 80's cards. I used to sit there with books from the library (before internet) and stare at T206 cards and just dream of being able to buy them some day. That is what collecting is all about. Here are those 2 cards I still have them, and never in a million years will get rid of them because they were what started it all over 20 years a go.

Dan, that story sounds exactly like myself. Many days were spent being a vintage card 'dork' back in the days before the internet.

[quinnsryche]

Originally Posted by dancollins

Couldn't do it!!! The problem is 99% of us are collectors not investors. If I were an investor then I would in a second but my heart is in my cards. I remember when I was in sixth grade, that was the first time I ever seen a T206 card some kid was sitting next to me in study hall and he had about 7 beat up commons. He said him and his parents found them at an antique store in PA. I tried and tried for days on end to trade him for these finally he gave in and I got ahold of 2 of them for a ton of newer 80's cards. I used to sit there with books from the library (before internet) and stare at T206 cards and just dream of being able to buy them some day. That is what collecting is all about. Here are those 2 cards I still have them, and never in a million years will get rid of them because they were what started it all over 20 years a go.

Great story! That's kinda what I was going for when I originally posted. I myself lean both ways. I like the variety but to have a Wagner like the one posted earlier would be awful tough to pass up. I don't think I would ever tire of looking at that beauty, even if it was the only card I owned.
Thanks to all posters and let's keep it going!

[brian1961]

To strictly answer the question, no, I would not be content with liquidating or trading everything for one card. As someone aptly wrote, you would gradually become tired over gazing at the one card you received for your entire collection.

However, on a somewhat similar vein, in 1989 I found a very rare Mickey Mantle card available (please excuse the postwar example, regardless of how repugnant that might be to your prewar taste). The renown dealer wanted $2,500 for it, a very, very sizable amount at that time. Yes, he was firm about the price, too. Still, he knew what he had, and I knew that he knew what he had. Graciously, he reserved the card for me if I could get the money to him within two months.

With many prayers for God's help, I took out a large ad in Sports Collectors Digest. At this time, the hobby was in its zenith. SCD was THE place, other than shows, to procure or sell vintage cards. I was a very strict grader, and offered a large assortment of postwar cards, though the newest was probably 1973. It was not easy to sell that much in one ad, given I was selling only from my personal collection. However, by the grace of God, I sold the required amount needed. It helped that I had some great repeat business from a couple very satisfied customers.

The dealer kept his word, and upon receipt of my cashier's check, sent me a genuine dream card. I had turned many, many cards into one card. That one card even had a small half-inch front crease that began on the side edge. Nevertheless, I was very, very pleased with it.

At the 2008 National, I traveled the long way to have SGC grade it. It came out a 50 VG-EX, which after almost 2 years remains the highest they have graded. PSA has also graded a 4, but Memory Lane's president, who auctioned that 4, said upon showing mine to him that my card presented much better. Not to keep you in suspense, the card was a 1954 Stahl-Meyer Franks of Mickey Mantle.

I wrote an article for SCD on it. Long enough to require two installments, I was told recently that it would run this spring. Hopefully those of you who at least like certain postwar cards might find it enjoyable.

Take care. --Brian

[Lordstan]

It's an interesting question which I think also relates to the memorabilia side as well.

Would I trade all my stuff for a signed Lou Gehrig jersey he wore in 1927? UMMM let me think...Heck Yeah!
I like being able to look at all my stuff, but most of it I could collect again and have the thrill of the hunt all over again.

I, like many others have mentioned, am also attached to many things in my collection because of memories of my father and our journey together through collecting. Like another mentioned, even though he passed away in 1995, I still collect a few things for his memory. The thing is that I think if I could ask him whether I should trade all the stuff we got together for a once in a lifetime rare item, that perhaps we may have even dreamed about owning together in the past, I think he would emphatically say YES. I know that's what I would say to my child.
Further I do think my dad might be proud of the wheeler-dealer that he raised to be able to wrangle such a great deal.

Just my two cents.
Mark

I guess it all depends on the card. I would definitely start recollecting though.