Hey guys, new to the forum just looking for some suggestions

[FUBAR]

collect what makes you feel good, makes you happy.... whatever catches your eye

[martyogelvie]

I am with Barry.. the T206 monster is a great place to start simply because they are around every corner and you can pick up quite a few at reasonable prices.

[Jewish-collector]

Welcome.

Come to the National in Baltimore this summer & let's talk about it over some crabs & beer.

[Rob D.]

I think the biggest misstep a collector -- whether it be someone who's new to prewar or a veteran -- can make is to be overly influenced by what the current "hot" issue is or what other people are talking about at the time. Collecting T206 backs are all the rage right now, and you see more people posting that they want to buy them. Chances are good that a year from now, when T206 backs have fallen out of the spotlight, many of these these same folks will be looking to sell. The same thing happened 12-18 months ago with a few of the E-card sets.

The downside to this, aside from the fact that your collection will lack focus, is you'll probably lose money each time you change direction. Plus, it will feel like often your chase is being dictated by other collectors or the market.

If you think you have the patience to try to put together a set (and many collectors don't!), then that would be a great start. Or maybe collecting an individual player or team might be the route to go.

Decide what area you like, and as has previously been posted, what makes you happy. You'll find yourself "refocusing" your interests less and likely enjoying the hobby more. I would advise not to be consumed with trying to get everything you want in the shortest time possible. Many will tell you that collecting really is more about the journey than reaching the destination.

(Along these same lines, if you decide you'd rather collect graded cards, do it. And vice versa if ungraded cards appeal to you more. Or maybe a mix of both. You'll no doubt hear from collectors who say that the "right" way to collect is by avoiding graded cards. Don't believe it. Again, do what you want.)

[FrankWakefield]

Amen to the suggestion up there of getting a copy of Mr. Ritter's book, The Glory of Their Times. Additionally, not instead, get the 4 audio cd's by the same title. It's great to hear the energy and emphasis in their voices... hear them say EEE-vers, instead of the general, mass held pronunciation of ev-ers, when they mention Johnny Evers of Tinker to Evers to Chance... If you do that, then you gather a handful of T206s of some of those players, THAT would be a good place to start.

I think reading about the era, to understand baseball of the day, is a way to derive more enjoyment from collecting the old cards. For me it isn't so much about any value the cards may have, but about the player and his place in baseball. If you follow the board you'll see that some folks love graded cards and set registries; some focus more on the player and the card with less concern with condition; some do both. Get a few cards ungraded and graded, from different sets, and then you can figure out the cards and collecting style that suits you best. Collecting is a journey, not a destination, enjoy the trip.

[Bicem]

research, research, research... start here...

http://www.oldcardboard.com/

and then choose your favorite that's within your budget. Good luck & have fun!

[GrayGhost]

Without doubt, the greatest hobby in the world, and I wish you luck starting out on the journey. Best thing is, it NEVER ends!!! There's so much to choose from to collect. You may decide you want memorabilia, autographs, cards, etc, best thing is, its your choice. I'd say start out buying a few different things till you decide when/if you want to focus on a set/player/team. Enjoy the ride and welcome to the board!

Scott.

[3-2-count]

As others have already stated all good advice so far. I would like to add that until you obtain a bit more knowledge in vintage/prewar cards be careful with whom your purchases are with. Ebay, etc. There's alot of bad stuff floating around out there for sale and I would hate to see you get discouraged right out of the gate with a bad purchase. If you see something you like feel free to post it here for opinions or simply private message one of us if needed.
Good luck!!

[Leon]

All of the advice so far is good advice. I would re-emphasize that you should collect what you enjoy. From day 1 in collecting I realized I didn't particularly care about completing sets. I have always been a variety type of person so I am a type collector. Don't worry so much about cards that are graded, or not, but if you spend serious money (to you) then the graded route is a bit safer, at least at first. There are millions of ideas and ways to collect so pick what you enjoy and move forward, slowly . If you move too fast you might burn out. BTW, it's ok to think about the money aspect of it all but I wouldn't dwell too much on it. You want to make smart decisions but when you see something you really need, and it's rarely seen, then that is the time to pick it up. I have rarely regretted paying a bit more than I want to for something I really want. You could probably spend the next year reading old archives on this board....and we do have an archive section in the upper right of the screen. Good luck!!

[ChrisStufflestreet]

My suggestion: read whatever you can about the subject. And don't just jump into the hobby until you're ready.

While others here have mentioned Ritter's Glory of Their Times, there are other books and websites that are hobby-specific.

Below this post are three links you could feel free to check out.

My website covers a lot of vintage issues with pictures and info...but without getting into prices. I'm willing to say brag, even) that it can help you get a nice foundation about the hobby. However, it barely scratches the surface about what's out there, so places like Net54 are excellent sites to build upon that.

The "Hobby Bookshelf" link has a number of books available through Amazon about the hobby. What's even better is that many of these books are available used, at a great bargain. The more you learn and understand about the hobby, the better and more informed you are as a collector, and therefore much less likely to be burned by the few shady characters out there selling fake cards with interesting "stories."

Finally, the third link is to my vintage sportscard blog. 3-4 times a week, I add new posts to it, covering vintage from prewar through about 1980. I tend to be a little irreverent, but hopefully my deep love and respect for our hobby comes through, even when I'm showing off some of the more "well-loved" specimens in my collection. My entire point of the blog is to share my hobby with others, and there would be no better thrill than to someday find out that something I wrote caused a new collector to gravitate more to the hobby.

When I was younger, I read a 1981 book by Ron Erbe and Keith Mitchell called The American Premium Guide to Baseball Cards that I found in my middle school library. In fact, from 6th grade through 8th, the book would be checked out dozens of times and gave me my first glimpse into the vintage hobby. I would love to tell both of those guys about the impact that book had on me. Also of interest are the three volumes of Lew Lipset's Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards (also found as a 3-volume set). Unfortunately, all these books are often a lot more expensive than others but worth searching out if you're looking for a deeper knowledge of the hobby.

Finally, welcome!

[Volod]

Originally Posted by FUBAR

collect what makes you feel good, makes you happy.... whatever catches your eye

Yeah Jim - As one who has followed that dictum for many years, I have to point out that, sadly, there are many who ignore it yet escape the predicted consequence.

[dstraate]

Can't boast the experience or wisdom of the others on board, but have you seen the T202's? Very attainable price-wise and super cool with a photo in the middle.