Default Vintage Baseball…Who do you collect and why?

[kosmo886]

Reposting in the correct forum

I am trying to figure out a few players to really focus on. I want top tier players, but need some balance of affordability to be able to actual get stuff vs. just players like Ruth, Cobb etc. Also a plus if they show up in many of the iconic sets from Tobacco, Caramel, Goudey etc.

Who do you collect and why?

[jtclockwork]

A few vintage baseball I collect:

1. Players from 1919 World Series, especially the 8 men out, but I'll collect the Reds too, which are much more affordable.

2. Pre-war Cuban and Spanish Issues. My wife is Cuban and loves old photography, so it's something I can get her interested in, even if she doesn't care about sports.

3. Oddball Issues -- Ultimately, I want an example from every set I can get.

4. Pre-1900 baseball

5. 1933 Goudey Set upgrades. I have a set, but there are some bad beaters in it I'm trying to replace here and there.

Other than that, I look for deals. If the price is good and the card presents well, I'll pick it up within my budget.

[kosmo886]

Originally Posted by jtclockwork

A few vintage baseball I collect:

1. Players from 1919 World Series, especially the 8 men out, but I'll collect the Reds too, which are much more affordable.

2. Pre-war Cuban and Spanish Issues. My wife is Cuban and loves old photography, so it's something I can get her interested in, even if she doesn't care about sports.

3. Oddball Issues -- Ultimately, I want an example from every set I can get.

4. Pre-1900 baseball

5. 1933 Goudey Set upgrades. I have a set, but there are some bad beaters in it I'm trying to replace here and there.

Other than that, I look for deals. If the price is good and the card presents well, I'll pick it up within my budget.

I’m a big Black Sox fan too. I need something Joe Jackson but all very expensive.

I also feel like I will get stuff that is a good deal but that can get carried away too. It’s so hard to focus!

[jtclockwork]

Originally Posted by kosmo886

I’m a big Black Sox fan too. I need something Joe Jackson but all very expensive.

I also feel like I will get stuff that is a good deal but that can get carried away too. It’s so hard to focus!

Only Joe Jackson vintage "card" I have is the m101 sporting news supplement. I got most of the big stuff in my collection the 1990s when the prices were much lower.

[hxcmilkshake]

Mantle. Just iconic, and Dad's favorite player. I grew up during the early 80s boom and one of the first cards I ever bought was a 64 Mantle for like $25 as a 12 yr old. My mom thought I was nuts.

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[sheetskout]

Aaron and Mantle.

Aaron because he's the GOAT and played in my town and Mantle because he's the hobby-goat, has a huge audience, and I met him as a kid.

I'm open to other vintage players but mainly concentrate on them.

[discodanman45]

I used to try to do player runs, but have abandoned that. I am now trying to get the nicest card I can afford of every hall of famer. I also want one example of each set.

[vintg]

Primary:
mantle
banks
aaron
mays
j.robinson
koufax
t.williams
clemente
dimaggio

Secondary
musial
n.ryan
gibson
feller
spahn
f.robinson
b.robinson

pre-war

ruth (2)
cobb (3)
mathewson (2)

[tedwilliamsfan]

My main focus is Willie Mays because I like the way he played the game, both on and off the field (playing stick ball with children for example). I also like Ted Williams, hence my user name.

[GlupShitto]

Harmon Killebrew for me. I'm a Twins fan and I live in Idaho now, where he is from. Got to meet him before he passed and was a really sweet man. Old folks out west of Boise love to talk about him still.

[rats60]

I am currently working on a project of the top 25 players of the Topps era 1954-1978. This 1957 Williams is my newest pickup. I am currently at 10/25.

[VanLingoMungo46]

Let's see.

1. Carl Yastrzemski, although I'm running out of things to collect that aren't stupid.

2. 1903 to 2018 Boston Red Sox cards, trying to get a full T206 run with all different backs, need four cards still. Trying to complete all 1950s Red Sox sets. Looking to get a few more Ted Williams' cards and Sammy White.

3. 1975 Topps Mini set, high end, graded and ungraded.

4. 1950 to 1999 Baseball raw stars, including HOF rookies.

5. Brooklyn Dodgers golden era cards, mostly graded, 1939 to 1957.

6. Celtics greats mostly ungraded, need a 61 Fleer Bill Russell.

7. Bruins and Patriots greats, mostly ungraded.

8. NFL Rookie Quarterbacks 1950 to 1999.

I think that's it.

[Neal]

Oddball issues like postcards, Phillies and Philadelphia Athletics type cards, HOF players, and anything else that I find interesting

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[fireballmike]

If you want a little different twist other than going after a few players, try what I did and go after the Hall of Famers in a couple of iconic sets like T206 and 1933 Goudey.

There are approximately 40 HOF names in T206 and 50 HOF names in the 1933 Goudey. Most are affordable in lesser grades (other than the Ruth's, Cobb's, Wagner, Young, or Gehrig's) and most pop up on Ebay or other auction/sale sites fairly regularly.

[jchcollins]

The large focus of my collection is postwar vintage. When I started collecting cards as a kid in the late 1980's - the cards I came to quickly pine over were the stars of my parents generation in the 1950's and 60's. So when I was buying current packs of 1989 Topps and Donruss, I was also as I could afford it trying to pickup cards of players like Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron at the local shops. There is just something magical about that era to me and the generations that immediately preceded my own - that remains as special to me now as it did then.

I like all vintage cards, but to be honest most prewar is somewhat difficult for me to relate to. That and probably moreover the insane prices of most anything I would want has largely kept me out of collecting prewar vintage. I wish it weren't that way - but I came along a tad too late to pickup any of that stuff affordably and really get involved with it.

[vintg]

Originally Posted by VanLingoMungo46

Let's see.

1. Carl Yastrzemski, although I'm running out of things to collect that aren't stupid.

2. 1903 to 2018 Boston Red Sox cards, trying to get a full T206 run with all different backs, need four cards still. Trying to complete all 1950s Red Sox sets. Looking to get a few more Ted Williams' cards and Sammy White.

3. 1975 Topps Mini set, high end, graded and ungraded.

4. 1950 to 1999 Baseball raw stars, including HOF rookies.

5. Brooklyn Dodgers golden era cards, mostly graded, 1939 to 1957.

6. Celtics greats mostly ungraded, need a 61 Fleer Bill Russell.

7. Bruins and Patriots greats, mostly ungraded.

8. NFL Rookie Quarterbacks 1950 to 1999.

I think that's it.

vanlingo, i owe you an "apology"

i omitted in my secondary group Carl Yastrzemski

i only set up a once per month to sell (i'm 90% collector) and a guy
BOUGHT ALL THREE of my yaz rookies. i've still got 2 2nd year and a myraid of others, but now i'm back on the hunt to replace the rookies i sold.

[VanLingoMungo46]

No problem vintg. I have had this one in my PC since 2019 when I got back into the hobby...

[inaka]

For me, I collect what I like and the players I have a connection to in general. Future investment value really doesn't play a role in that. Many have a connection to Oakland sports teams that I grew up watching.

Baseball:
Rickey Henderson
Dave Stewart
Vida Blue
Matt Stairs
Ray Fosse
Dennis Eckersley
Rollie Fingers
Nolan Ryan
Hank Aaron
Ichiro

Football:
Ken Stabler
Tom Flores
Fred Biletnikoff
Daryle Lamonica
Jim Plunkett
George Blanda
Cliff Branch
Terry Bradshaw
Jack Tatum
Jim Otto

Basketball:
Dr. J.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rick Barry
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird

Just collect what you like! If people need to find a reason to collect a certain player, then they may not be worth collecting in the first place.

I also tend to gravitate toward designs of cards that I like. Topps 1971 basketball is possibly the greatest card design ever made, so I love those cards, regardless of the player. 1972 basketball is a close second, with Topps 1955 All-American football being another beautiful design I love.

Just collect what you like.

[Gary]

Originally Posted by inaka

For me, I collect what I like and the players I have a connect to in general. Future investment value really doesn't play a role in that. Many have a connect to Oakland sports teams that I grew up watching.

Baseball:
Rickey Henderson
Dave Stewart
Vida Blue
Matt Stairs
Ray Fosse
Dennis Eckersley
Rollie Fingers
Nolan Ryan
Hank Aaron
Ichiro

Football:
Ken Stabler
Tom Flores
Fred Biletnikoff
Daryle Lamonica
Jim Plunkett
George Blanda
Cliff Branch
Terry Bradshaw
Jack Tatum
Jim Otto

Basketball:
Dr. J.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rick Barry
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird

Just collect what you like! If people need to find a reason to collect a certain player, then they may not be worth collecting in the first place.

I also tend to gravitate toward designs of cards that I like. Topps 1971 baseball is possibly the great design ever made, so I love those cards, regardless of the player. 1972 basketball is a close second, with Topps 1955 All-American football being another beautiful design.

Just collect what you like.

Thats great advice.im very much the same mindset.i wish more people thought this way.people miss out on the real purpose of collecting sometimes..this is supposed to be fun.