When did you start collecting pre-war/vintage?

[williamcohon]

When I was a kid, I bought cards until I discovered girls. When we moved, my Mom threw the cards out; they were, after all, mere ballast.

At forty, my seven-year-old son asked me to take him to a card show. It was 1989, and he was looking for a Ken Griffey Jr. card. I had no idea I would see the cards of my youth, but there they were!

I immediately began buying the cards of the 50's, and within a year started collecting 30's and t cards as well.

My son lost interest in a year or two, but I'm still at it.

Thanks for this fun topic.

[willworkforT206]

I bought my first pre-war cards at a flea market when I was about eight years old back in 1976. Paid a couple of bucks for four T206 beaters - G. Brown (Washington), Graham (Boston), Abbaticchio (Brown Sleeves) and Maloney. All Piedmont or Sweet Caporal backs. I had absolutely no idea what they were at the time. Later did some research at the library and bought Bill Heitman's The Monster by mail. My friends thought I was crazy ("Why do you want that old stuff? Who are those guys anyway?"). As the years went on, they kept collecting the latest Topps and Donruss sets while I bought many more T206s blind through the mail from card shops on the east coast (House of Cards MD, Den's Collectors Den, etc.) because they were so hard to find at local card shows. Got out of the hobby after high school and back in again just three years ago - well after the dawn of third party grading and ebay.

I sure miss the old days.

Steve

[benderbroeth]

first off great great thread!!!

i must say ever since i was young i have always loved old stuff...the older the better i still own a 1797 penny, why becaus it is old, i love old books i just love old stuff. then i was into the whole pack stuff the thrill of the pull...but i would get great cards sell them then either boom they went way up or..i would keep them..those cards always went way down in value lol, so i would from time to time see older cards 50's or 60's i loved the older look the older feel, so i would buy them but i live on the west coast, well try finding t206 or that era on the west coast in the 90's good luck so i could never get the tobacco cards till the dawn of ebay and other great sites, now i collect old judges and t206's t205's why because they are old and i can afford beaters lol

[geor952]

In 2003, 28 years old, I was at the Moeller Show in Cincinnati looking for cards to finish my 1964 set. I met Mark Irodenko, owner of Outfield Sportscards, and bought a
t206, Ed Summers. I have been trying to slay the "Monster" ever since.