Would you trade your ENTIRE collection for 1 card?

[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