When did you quit actively buying packs of cards?

[darkhorse9]

I think it's safe to say most (if not all) of us got into the hobby buying packs of cards as a kid or teenager. When did that part of the hobby end for you? I'm talking one at a time in the local convenience store. Not boxes to rip. Just the casual buy to see what you can get.

For me, I started collecting in 1969. Took a short break in college but got back into it in the mid-80's

I stopped actively buying packs of cards in 1992. After that I would just buy complete sets to keep my run going.

It's sad that a kid can't go into any convenience store and buy a pack of cards any more.

When did the joy of buying a pack of cards end for you?

[rats60]

I bought packs from 1965-2015. After that I decided to sell off almost all of my modern and most of post-war vintage to concentrate of pre-war. The newest "base" card I have is a 1975 Topps Brett. I have a few newer cards that are autographed and some Clemente stuff.

[jamest206]

Baseball strike. Once that happened, as a kid, I had to find a different interest. Started working as well, so my dad wasn’t taking us to the card shop to buy boxes & boxes of packs to open all weekend anymore. Once complete Bowman sets were started again, and available at Big Lots, realized as well things were getting watered down. Probably 1995 was last time, when I was 15.

[obcbobd]

I started in 1967 age 5 (very few packs). By 6 I bought a few more and my 7 I was down to the corner store (4 houses away) every Wednesday with my allowance.

1974 was the last year I bought packs. I had 100's if not a 1000 dups but not a complete set. Starting in 1975 I bought complete sets. Stopping in 1978, just concentrating on older cards from the pint forward.

[steve B]

I guess it depends on what you think of as actively buying packs.

I rarely bought more than one box at a time, and then mostly buying 2-3 from one of the old stock of junk liquidators at a show.

But I still buy packs now and then.

[glynparson]

1991

[BCauley]

I'd say I went through a few rounds of stopping. I started actively collecting back in 1986 and this carried through until 1994. Started up again in ~1998 and stopped in 2004. This was the period I'd snag a few packs here and there and buy boxes occasionally at the card shops. Started again in about 2010 where I'd buy packs/boxes and stopped in 2013.

Once I started again in 2019, I just buy singles that I want but I'd say about 2-3 times a year will pick up a retail box of cards when I'm at Target just to scratch the itch of opening some packs.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by rats60

I bought packs from 1965-2015. After that I decided to sell off almost all of my modern and most of post-war vintage to concentrate of pre-war. The newest "base" card I have is a 1975 Topps Brett. I have a few newer cards that are autographed and some Clemente stuff.

For the longest time 1975 and Brett were my cutoff too, although I eventually decided to go up to the present for HOFers. I can't recall my rationale, it just felt like the right place to stop, maybe because there were no really compelling players until Henderson and he felt too new.

[JackR]

I quit buying packs in 1962, when Topps came out with the wood-grained simulated poster format, which I thought then and still think sorta stunk.

[DHogan]

I stopped buying packs in about 2002. I still have about 150 un-opened packs in all brands and sports from the 90's to 2002. I have no idea what I'm going to do with them.

[Bcwcardz]

2021. I only recently decided to solely focus on certain years only. I collected pretty much everything before. I’m 1959-1987 with main focus on 1971-1980. It’s nice not having to buy new packs and waste hundreds of dollars.


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[jingram058]

Stopped buying packs in 1972. Bought thousands of packs 1967-70, then a few 1971-72. Put together complete sets and many duplicates, according to the checklists 1967-68-69. A great many but perhaps not the complete set of 1970. All via pack after pack after pack.

[todeen]

I bought packs from 1992 when my mom would give me 50 cents at the grocery store. I used my allowance and work money 1996 - 2005. I lost interest in packs cyz I didn't feel like there was a ROI. I moved into vintage singles around 2008 and then pre-war in 2012. I bought my first packs again last year 2021 Topps Chrome Update to open with my son. Probably going to buy some again this year as we are in WA and we will look for a Julio Rodriguez base card.

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[Leon]

Probably around 1972....
.

[Hirbonzig]

First packs were from 1974 and last packs were from 1991, then went vintage only-mostly pre war.

[BioCRN]

Started in 1981, and slowed to a crawl after 2002.

I still buy a few hobby/retail packs or a retail blaster every once in a while. I rarely spend more than $100-$150 a year these days, though. that don't go far with current prices.

I bought my first hobby boxes since 2001 this year out of sheer to desire to bust some packs, 2022 Allen and Ginter. I buy some A/G every year, even if only a little. It's not the vintage look I'm drawn to as much as the oddball stuff they pack in there. It's a fun rip.

[LEHR]

I've never really stopped buying boxes/packs, I just stopped opening them for the most part. I have 5 unopened boxes of 2022 Heritage baseball sitting on a shelf have that I added to the pile this year but I've yet to open a pack, and most likely wont.

[ValKehl]

1960.