Pre-80s Rookie Card Craze?

[steve B]

I only started collecting seriously in 77, so I sort of bridge the eras. I collected as a kid starting in 69, and realy got into it in 74.

Before about 1977 as adealer then explained it someone would typically only collect for maybe 3-5 years. Then the shoebox got set aside. When it came time to move out the kid stuff was either handed down or tossed. Except sometimes someone would save a card or two - Usually their favorite playes- which often meant the big stars.
So by the late 70's the rookie cards of many stars were actually in demand, but less supply than established stars.
Who would you save as your one card from 54 topps in say 1955 - Ted Williams or some kid playing for Milwaukee who hit 13 homers?

The hobby had some big growth from 77 to about 1982-3 full time stores became a lot more comon, and a lot of people either bacame collectores or continued after they'd normally have quit. Prices went up too.
Part of the whole rookie card thing was Joe Charboneau. An expensive card in it's day, only to become a common a couple years later after he didn't live up to the hype. That didn't stop the hoarding and promotion of other flash in the pan guys. The smart guys bought vending cases and sold the rookies at a buck each.

Then minor league cards started to catch on, as well as some local issues. And "rookie card" got redfined as being from a major set. Mostly because there weren't enough of the minor leage and local cards for the bigger dealer to profit from.


Steve B

[Wite3]

I too started collecting in the late '70s and spent a ton of time talking to some of the older collectors at the shows. I actually recall a show where the dealer had marked up a bunch of cards because they were the last card of the player ('76 Aaron) and showed all the stats of the player. I always remember this because I could not understand why someone would want a card with no stats on it!

Joshua

[D. Bergin]

The first cards I remember catching on as Premium Rookie cards soon after their release (not established players of Hall of Famers or thought to be HOF'ers), were Fernando Valenzuela and Tim Raines in 1981.

I really don't remember there being much of a premium for Joe Charboneau, as his career was pretty close to over before his first card even came out.

Soon after Rickey Henderson's 1980 card began to take off and in 1982 we had Steve Sax, Kent Hrbek, Cal Ripken, Johnny Ray and a few others begin to drive the Rookie card market.

[steve B]

Yeah, the Charboneau thing was brief, but impressive at the time.

The area I was in had a card shop, unusual for 81. And the Cards of all 3 companies arrived well before spring training. The premium wasn't huge, but getting anywhere from .50 -1.00 for a card that was brand new was usually only for big stars like Reggie Jackson or locally Yaz. I did pretty well helping break down vending cases to make sets and stacks of stars and rookies.
(Sorted cards for trade value, so much a set, another bit of trade for 100 of a certain player. ) Of course the guys who had paid a buck each for a hundred count - or more! of Joes card were out quite a bit when he got hurt. One guy bought a vending box full at .50 each.

And they came right back demanding Valenzuela cards soon after.

I put my trade pay into Low grade 48 bowmans and probably a t206 or two.
Sold the Bowman set to fund a ski trip about 5 years later, so I guess I did a bit better than they did.

Steve B

[cincyredlegs]

I remember 81 as the year the rookie card really got hyped. Joe C., Raines and Fernando. I don't remember who we looked for in 82 but I remember 83 was the year of Ron Kittle. Still have a ton of his 83 fleer cards. We were looking for Boggs, Mattingly, Sandberg, Strawberry and Gwynn rookies in 84.

I can remember dealers have 100 count rookie cards wrapped in plastic and selling for $100. I look back on that now and think of how dinged the corners must have been. I can also remember in the early 80's looking through my collection for Eddie Murray, Fisk, Brett, Yount, Schmidt, Rice, Carter and Fred Lynn rookies.

Luckily as a 10 year old in 81, I was vintage collector at heart and put most of my money towards tobacco, goudey, and 50-60's. Still bought the new stuff because who doesn't like busting packs.

Mark