My Collecting Journey

[Eric72]

Earlier today, Adam Warshaw started a thread. It was titled, "Enough With The Damn Money Talk; Show A Card That Makes You Happy."

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=329846

I left post #9 within that thread. My post shows the same three cards I've attached here. Seeing those cards tonight took me back to the time when I first got them. It also inspired me to start a thread which chronicles my collecting journey.

While this thread won't be everyone's cup of tea, it will serve as a way for me to reminisce about the steps I've taken within this usually enjoyable, sometimes maddening, occasionally hilarious hobby. Along the way, I'll share stories, pictures, links to old threads, and other tidbits that come to mind.

So, where to start? Perhaps it's best to begin with the story of the three cards I've pictured.

The cards were a gift from Scott Mt. Joy. It was about ten years ago and I was fairly new to Net54. Scott sent me a PM and let me know he'd be willing to send me a few cards to help get me started with my pre-war collecting. I gave him my work address and, sure enough, walked into my office a few days later to find a small package on my desk. After opening it up and seeing these inside, I literally closed my door and spent a few minutes admiring the cards. The pre-war "bug" had bitten me, right then and there. I can still go back to that exact moment in my mind; nothing else in the world existed except for my desk and those three cards.

Later on, I wound up purchasing an N172 Doggie Miller card from Scott and he sent along the Old Judge book as a bonus. As someone posted (about ten years ago) Scott is a prince of a guy.

I still have all the items, including the Miller and the OJ book.

[Eric72]

...and here's the Miller. It was my first (and to this day, only) 19th Century card.

[docpatlv]

Cool story! Thanks for sharing. I remember Scott posting on the board in the past, but haven’t seen him post in quite a while. Do you know if he is still collecting?

[Casey2296]

Fantastic post Eric, it's what this forum is all about.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by docpatlv

Cool story! Thanks for sharing. I remember Scott posting on the board in the past, but haven’t seen him post in quite a while. Do you know if he is still collecting?

I hope so. Before the first post, I sent him a PM. However, he hasn’t been on the board since 2019. Let’s hope he stops by.

[BobC]

Great story Eric. Already looking forward to the future installments. And great cards to start out with. But really, you have got to get yourself another 19th century card!

[Eric72]

OK, let me get this out of the way. My first T206 card was a Frank Chance (Batting) I pulled from a Topps 206 pack around 20 years ago. I had it graded (EX 5) by PSA and sold it rather quickly. The amount of money I got was appropriate at the time. Given today's prices, though, I practically gave it away...

...

I'm back.

No, those weren't tears. *sniffle* It was allergies...

...

Fast forward about ten years. I was at a card show in Southeastern PA. Then, as now, it was called The Philly Show. It was (and is) a major regional show, with hundreds of dealers. Of the many T206 cards I saw that day, this was the first one I purchased. It cost me $77. I probably overpaid slightly at the time; however, it didn't matter. Just the thought of owning a 100 year old baseball card was a thrill.

So thrilling, in fact, I shelled out another $47 for a second T206 that day and $63 a week later on eBay for my third. I'll drop a picture of those other two cards in the next post.

And so it began, my T206 journey. Like many collectors throughout the years, I find myself drawn to these little cardboard treasures. They're miniature works of art. As with artwork, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think T206 cards are beautiful and this was the first one that caught my eye. I have roughly 25% of the set now, not that completing it is a realistic goal. Wagner and company ("The Big Four") are likely out of reach. However, I can probably get to 520 at some point.

There will definitely be more T206 card stories and pictures in this thread. For now, though, I figured it best to start at the beginning. My first one. I've actually owned this card slightly longer than I've been on Net54. Acquiring it started me down a path which quickly led to this site. It's hard to believe I've been on here for more than 10 years now. In many ways, I still feel like a newbie. That’s not a bad thing, though. With the collective knowledge of Net54, there's always more to learn, especially about this one intricate little set.


# # #

[Eric72]

The Seymour was my second purchase. The Congalton was the eBay purchase a week later.

[bnorth]

Great thread Eric. I get it as I still own some of my first cards. Got to post my first vintage purchase in the 53 Bowman thread recently.

Weird how we can recall the details of a card purchase from decades ago but can't remember yesterday.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Great thread Eric. I get it as I still own some of my first cards. Got to post my first vintage purchase in the 53 Bowman thread recently.

Weird how we can recall the details of a card purchase from decades ago but can't remember yesterday.

The things I forget, Excel will remember for me.

[Eric72]

Quick note:

This is not meant to be a linear thread. I'll hop around a bit, flash back to childhood experiences, fast forward to modern day, etc. For this post, I'm taking a trip through the decades and landing back in the 1980s.

I don't have much left from those days. I churned through cards rather quickly in my youth; I often built a collection, sold or traded it off, and then started again. As a young adult, I set up at local card shows and used my collection as inventory. Cards went through my hands quickly; however, I was trading at a "profit" since I was on "the right side of the table."

Despite this, I did manage to keep at least one card all these years. I never displayed it in a showcase, wouldn't bring it to a show, and didn't have it with me when trading with friends.

So, what is this card? I'll place an image of it in the next post. You might be surprised. While quite a few people have cards from their youth, I seriously doubt many of you have one of these...

[Eric72]

For those of you who collected back in the 80s, I’m sure you remember the staggering number of card shops. Of course, we called them, “baseball card stores” back then. The hobby was very heavily focused on the diamond in the 80s. Sure, there were other sports (and non-sport) cards floating around. However, baseball cards dwarfed everything else put together.

I spent countless hours in my local baseball card store. My first experience with price guides (CCP…remember that one?) and the “value” of cards was here. So, too, were introductions to penny sleeves (funny how their price has changed so little throughout the years) and top loaders, screw-down holders and 9-pocket pages. And, of course, there were cards. Cards in cases, binders, boxes, sealed packs. Cards everywhere! Including, as it turns out, cards of a different kind sitting right on the front counter.

I grabbed this business card nearly 40 years ago. Amazingly, I managed not to lose it. Sure, I misplaced it few times throughout the years. It would always resurface eventually, though. A few years ago, I was going through a box of cards I hadn’t looked at in a while. Sure enough, this card was there to greet me, to remind me of a time when life (and the hobby) was much simpler. A time when I’d grab my bike on a Saturday and head to the baseball card store. A time when I’d spend a few hours (talking baseball and cards, probably driving the owner crazy) figuring out how best to spend a few bucks.

When I look at this card, my thoughts drift back to those glorious days gone by. Although I realize it was just a storefront from the 80s, my mind recalls a place that might as well have been painted by Norman Rockwell. A large window display, inviting passersby with a colorful sign and assortment of merchandise. Shoppers browsing; they’re leafing through binders, gazing upon racks, excitedly pointing at showcases. A friendly shopkeeper, helping his customers from behind the counter. And in the middle of this idyllic scene, there’s me. Wide-eyed and filled with joy, grinning from ear to ear.

So, do you still have any cards from your youth? Do you still take them out and look at them every now and then?

When you do, what goes through your mind?

[BobbyStrawberry]

I've enjoyed reading this thread, Eric. I still have many cards from my childhood, including what was most prized to me then, an Ozzie Smith rookie.

I'm reminded of the days when I used to stop at the baseball card store on the way home from school and then immediately check the paper for the previous day's box scores when I got home. And that connection between the season starting and knowing that the school year would be ending before long and summer to follow... memories!

[Eric72]

“If you love something, let it go…”

Isn’t that how the classic maxim begins? In literature, it makes for a romantic tale. In my card collecting reality, it makes for a quick story with a happy ending. In today’s world, those are generally the most well received stories.

For starters, I wouldn’t recommend letting go of your favorite cards. Life doesn’t usually play out like a fairy tale. They usually don’t come back to you. They’re usually gone for good. As I wrote in a previous post, I don’t have much left from my childhood collection. I was constantly trading and selling. Even as an adult, I found myself wheeling and dealing with regularity.

One time, around nine years ago, I sold a T206 HOFer here on Net54. I regretted the sale almost instantly. I remember packing the card for shipment and wondering why the hell I’d decided to let it go. In the weeks (and months) that followed, I checked eBay, looking for a replacement copy. Of course, they were all either priced higher, centered worse, or “not nice enough” in some way.

Then, by a sheer stroke of luck, I found a nice-looking copy for sale here on the BST. It looked as nice as the one I’d let go. Hey, wait a minute…that IS the one I let go. And it’s being sold by the same person who bought it from me. The price is only slightly more than I sold it for.

Remember, this was 2014. I sold it for peanuts. It was now being offered for sale for those same peanuts and maybe a couple cashews. ($140 to $150, in case anyone is wondering)

I posted “I’ll take it” instantly.

The transaction went without a hitch. The card came back to me; it was meant to be, after all.

It’s easily one of my favorite cards. A classic image of a great player…on a card to which I’ve formed a sentimental attachment. I’ll drop an image in the next post.

[Eric72]

Here it is:

[Leon]

Great thread, Eric. I just got around to reading through it. Very well done (so far)...

I wish I had my cards from my youth but I sold them in a trash bag, for about $50. That was back in '74-'75?....Started again, around '95-'96....

[Eric72]

After you see the three cards posted here, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

.

Hmmmm, the centering is...

This thread isn't about that.

.

Those cards are worth...

No, it isn't about that, either.

.

Oh, great. Eric is blathering on about something again. It will take longer than 20 seconds to read this...

Yes, but you knew that when you read the earlier posts in this thread.

.

What are 80s cards doing on the main page?

OK, fair point. However, cut me some slack. These are cards are part of my collecting journey, a rather important one. I'll tell you why in the next post. I'll let you know what comes to mind when I see these three cards.

[Eric72]

As I wrote earlier, I have very little left from my childhood collecting days. This group of three cards is an exception…sort of. They weren’t originally mine; these cards belonged to my father.

Tom Perry was in his 30s when he got these. So, they’re not from his childhood, either. He picked them up in the 1980s, though, when Don Mattingly was all the rage. I was 16 years old and up to my eyeballs in cardboard back then. OK, so I’m still up to my eyeballs in cardboard. The point is…my dad decided to start collecting with me and he brought home a pack of 1988 Topps one day, for himself! Candidly, I was a bit surprised; however, the initial shock wore off quickly and I became excited at the prospect of doing this together.

Side note: never doubt the wisdom of parents. Along with the obvious, there was also a subtle message. I was 16 years old at that point. In Pennsylvania at least, I could begin earning my own money at that age. Terms and conditions were changing at the First National Bank of Dad. Sure, he would buy food, clothes, tickets to games, etc. However, my voracious appetite for cards became much more selective when I was the one footing the bill.

Back to that pack of 1988 Topps. As luck would have it (and as you probably guessed) there was a Don Mattingly inside. Clearly, the star of the pack. My dad and I, plus a friend of mine who happened to be there, all had the type of fun that is unique to cards and talking baseball. On that day, my dad discovered “his guy” in the hobby. My friend was a Canseco/A’s fan (in Southeastern PA…traitor) and I was (and am) a Phillies fan. Donnie Baseball and the Evil Empire (I mean, New York Yankees) weren’t spoken for within our decidedly small circle. So, my dad “claimed” him, and so began my dad’s own personal collecting journey.

Inevitably, by the way, the conversation that first day turned to Mattingly’s “best” cards. Nearly everyone who was part of the hobby back in the 80s will remember these three cards. Sure, there were others. The benefit of hindsight tells us there were scarcer things to chase. However, these three were the most popular back then, and no Mattingly collection was (or is) complete without them. It wasn’t long before my dad picked these up, the ones I’ve pictured in this thread. Yes, I realize they’re not “Gem Mint 10, dead centered, razor sharp blazers” or anything like that. That’s not what this thread is really about, though. It’s about still having cards my father got back in the 80s, when he and I collected together.

My dad’s pursuit of all things Mattingly lasted for about ten years. It’s funny how random chance can shape a decade. I think of all the hobby-related things that happened in my life during that time. I went from collector to show dealer to running a baseball card store. Collections came and went; started anew, rebuilt, sold off…again and again and again. All the while, my dad kept plugging away with incredible focus. He never sold or traded anything, something for which I am eternally grateful.

My dad passed away three years ago. I miss him quite a bit, as we shared many wonderful memories through the years. We also shared a love for baseball. Fortunately, I have that collection we put together. Unlike most baseball cards, its value transcends “book price” or “recent comps.” To me, it’s priceless. I can look through a box and find myself transported back in time. I can leaf through a binder and feel emotion welling within me. I can pick up three cards, get the irresistible urge to photograph them, and share this with all of you.

Damn, I love this hobby.