Cumulative collecting experience....

[Rickyy]

I first started collecting seriously in 1973 to try to get a complete topps set of that year... and have been into it ever since...started the type collection soon after I discovered this forum....

[cwazzy]

I started in 1987 when at the age of 7 and have been collecting ever since. So I guess that makes 23 years this year. Of course my collecting interest has changed too many times to count but that wasn't the question.

[Steve D]

I bought my first packs of both baseball and football cards in 1970, when I was seven years old. Kept buying packs until 1975, except for 1971...still can't remember why I didn't collect in 1971 though.

In 1975, I bought my first cards through the mail: the 1975 Topps team sets of the Reds and Padres, through a Larry Fritsch ad in The Sporting News. Started buying baseball complete sets in 1976 from Fritsch.

Bought my first pre-WWII cards in 1979: T206s of M. Brown, Keeler and Bresnahan for $10 total.

I haven't stopped since


Steve

[toppcat]

Originally 6 years (69-75), then a five year break, then 29 and counting, so 35 years. To reference a post above, still have the girl, still dig the punk rock.

[Doug]

I bought my first vintage card in 1998 so I've been collecting off and on for the past 12 years.

[HBroll]

Got my first pack of baseball/football cards in 1970 so its been about 40 years now and counting.......

[Kawika]

First learned of the existence of baseball cards when I was 6 in 1956, bought my first pack in 1957 and collected like mad until 1961 when we moved from NYC to Denver, and where cards didn't seem to have much traction with kids in those pre-expansion days. Bought a few vintage cards here and there in the '80's and '90's but really started hitting it hard around 2000. Let's say 15 years all told.

[Wite3]

32 years and I still love it!

Joshua

[jbsports33]

over 15 years selling and over 25 years collecting

Jimmy

[uffda51]

6 years as a kid. 30 as an adult.

[Rich Klein]

But this is my 42nd year of collecting in some fashion

Rich

[vintagewhitesox]

Started collecting when I was 9, in 1987, took a break in high school, and have been collecting ever since. So about 20 of my 32 years here.

[SteveMitchell]

Bought my first pack of baseball cards in April 1957 just before I turned 8 years old but I had picked up a Davy Crockett card or two the year before. (Didn't know baseball cards existed but it would not have mattered. Walt Disney's Davy Crockett was THE BEST to most any child of that era.)

Steve

[Kenny Cole]

Long story short -- 41 years, give or take a couple. Boy does that make me feel old.

[Jantz]

I started in 1977 and collected until 1979. All three sports (baseball, basketball & football).

Then started back up in 1994 and still at it today.


Jantz

[MVSNYC]

i collected as a kid in the '80's, then later in college thru the present...i'd say almost 25 years total.

[onlychild]

...about 30 years total.


Kevin

[ethicsprof]

'57-'77
'82-'10

'round 49 years

best,
barry

[Publius]

0 years collecting baseball, 17 years collecting football cards

I wanted football to represent!!

[HTBB]

started at 10 yrs old

1953 - 1960 cards
1975 - 2010 cards and memorabilia

still going - sort of - at 67 yrs old

Approx 42 years

Mike Ellis

[ValKehl]

1955 - 1960 as a kid.
Resurrected my collection, which Mom didn't throw away (she was going to do this sometime in the late 1970s, but fortunately, she first called and asked me if I still wanted them!) sometime in the mid to late 1980s, and been at it ever since.
Total of 25 - 30 years.

[btkpath]

Hard to believe that at age 45 I am one of the babies of the group in terms of years collecting. For me, I make a distinction between accumulating cards when I was a kid (mostly in the '70s) and collecting cards (with an eye to value, card condition, eye appeal, completing sets and historical perspective). Having said that, I have been collecting for the past 5 years and have enjoyed sharing the hobby with my family and friends. I no longer have to worry where any disposable income will go. I'll get off the soapbox now.

[martin neal]

Probably 30 of my 55 years

[Kotton King]

8 years as a kid collecting the junk from the 80's and 90's.

Just started collecting vintage cards 3 years ago. I'm 32 now, so I've got a lot of years to continue this!

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Like most of you I bought packs and clipped Post boxes as a kid (1960-65) with 1962 as my biggest buying year. After a few years off I was fortunate to find John England's card shop in Ft. Smith, Arkansas in 1975. that day I bought 2 T206s and an Old Judge- Bushong for $4.00. I also purchased a copy of The Trader Speaks and the SCD. From there I purchased T206s from George Lyons and T205s from Wirt Gammons. In a fit of stupidity I sold my T205 set and 481 T206s in 1990. I just started back two years ago after getting energized while peaking at this forum. At age 55 I still find it fun.

[Rich Klein]

Who I think he is, say hello to my friend Mike Dugan (sic) (IIRC his name correctly) and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Note his post count at 3, and I think the story he tells is one I remember him telling me in 2006.


Regards
Rich

[cardinalcollector]

Hi Leon, I was born in 1960, I'll turn 50 during the World Series this year. so I've been collecting for about 42 years. Collecting only Cardinals since 1992.

[Kalineman]

I still have my first Detroit Tigers card - Red Wilson - from the very first pack of Topps I opened in 1959. Luckily, my best friend's dad owned a dime store that carried Topps. At the end of the year, he gave me box after box of 1960 and 1961 Topps. So this marks more than 50 years collecting cards. And I remember setting up at my first show at the Troy Hilton in 1972. There is no other hobby like ours.

[Ladder7]

Apprentice collector for 42 yrs.

1967, with hockey and the Red Sox. I recall once flipping an Orr rookie for a Bucyk, Howe or Hull and "beating" the older kids . I just hope it suffered a nice ding.

[drdduet]

If my calculations are correct we thus far have accumalated 2035 years of collecting.

Hey Jim, good point!

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Hello Rich! Yes, it is Mike Dugan in Hot Springs, the birthplace of Spring Training. I have visited this forum as a guest too many times to admit to and am amazed at the depth of knowledge held by it's members. I recently joined, probably to praise postings more than contribute vital information. By the way the bi-annual SABR Deadball Era Committee "Boiling Out in the Springs" meeting is this weekend here in Hot Springs National Park. As Rich can attest many if not most of the SABR folks that wrote the bios for the wonderful pair of book on players in the deadball era for both leagues usually attend. I am also excited about the new T206 book coming out this year, I love to find about the real personalities of the people on the cards. By the way also this week in Hot Springs Farm Bureau Insurance company is sponsoring a Deadball Era photo exhibition at our convention center. They have procured 25 seldom seen photos of baseball here during the heyday period 1900-20. Included are two actual action photos of Honus Wagner. They will be on display for about three months so if any of you are attending the big race between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta next month you can take it in. By the way our A&P Commission issued two really nice collector cards of both horses yesterday. Sorry to ramble and get off track.

[sayhey24]

Please add 44 more years to the total. First purchased packs in 1966 as a 7 year old -- was lucky enough to buy Cracker Jacks, Goudeys and P2 pins while hitting antique stores with my parents. Have never really stopped collecting cards, although my focus shifted to memorabilia as an adult.

Greg

[Leon]

I am obviously biased but......I think anyone that says that this forum has gone down or there isn't a lot of experience on it, might look at this thread. It's really eye opening. I hope that in the future more of you guys that have been collecting for 30-50 yrs will chime in a bit more. Your experience is priceless. We all appreciate the wisdom that is shared. best regards

[GoldenAge50s]

Bought my 1st pack of cards in the corner store @ 8yrs old--1948 Bowman and collected actively until I graduated HS in 1958. Into the cigar boxes they went and into the closet until I returned north in 1980 & dug them out again!

Been at it ever since collecting the same years of cards I started with and adding to them, so call it 40 yrs active or 62 yrs possessing the same collection.

I'll be 70 in July and bought my 1st T206's this past fall.

[scooter729]

First cards were purchased as a 6 year old in 1979, and there's been no stop, so I guess this is Year 31 of the collecting bug...

[Dustanh1]

I've been collecting for 20 years. I started in 1990 when I was 8. I did take about 2 years off during high school, when I found other interests. I kept all my cards though, and picked it back up right before I turned 18 when I found ebay. I've been collecting vintage for 2-3 years. Oh how I wish I had gotten into vintage back in 1994, which was the first time I went to a National. Oh well.

[BleedinBlue]

Put me down for 34 years. Found a stack of cards in a nearby lot in the summer of 1976. Stole some quarters from my folks and bought some 1976 Topps Packs and got the Kurt Bevaqua Bubble Gum Card. Hooked ever since. Really got rolling in 1977 when I put my first set together from packs. I still have all those cards in my collection.

Brian

[drdduet]

Conservative tally--2204 years.....

[mets41]

I collected cards as a kid from 1960-64 (ages 8-13). From 1965-73 I'd buy 1 pack of cards a year to see what that year's design looked like. When I bought my 1973 pack (already in my 20's and working), the pack included a Clemente card. That's what got me back into collecting (and later selling as well) as an adult. I thought it was odd at the time that Topps would make a card of a dead man.

[carrigansghost]

Started in 74 but took a few years off. I would guess at 25 years.

Rawn

[sox1903wschamp]

First pack purchased in 1966 at age 5. Collected everything in sight as a kid through 74, took teenage years off and have had the collecting bug since 78.
8 years as a kid, 32 as an adult.

Quick story: I will never forget the owner of Zack's variety store in Watertown, MA switching 1969 Topps series on me as an 8 year old. I had all of the cards from the prior series and was relentless in asking him when the new series would be in. Well they finally came in and I only had maybe a quarter to spend as my allowance day was the next day. I purchased 5 packs of the new series and came back the next day with a dollar (yes, I spent every cent I had even then on cards) for 20 more packs. Well he still had the old series to sell and he switched them on me. After opening a couple I realized it, went back to the store to trade out and he would not do it. I mean really, you just don't do that do an 8 year old

[familytoad]

Super thread idea and I'd like to add my 33 years to the total.
1971-1980=10
1988-2010=23

Vintage (Pre World War II)= 22 as my Diamond Star Frankie Frisch was captured in 1989.

How many of us played (or still do play) APBA Baseball?
I used to play one of their "All-time Greats" seasons and grew to love the old HOFers. Once I saw a "real" card of some of the HOFers I rolled the dice with, I was hooked, lined and sinkered. (insider info: Who recognizes 66=1 ?)

What's really dumb is that I was collecting a HOF card every few weeks and boxes or packs of wax from Score/Donruss/Fleer/Topps and Upper Deck nearly every day in the late 80's. If wishes were fishes... I'd like the $$$ spent on that junk back or wish the money had been re-directed into my HOF collection.

Who can make that happen?