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Posted By: steve k

It wasn't the first card I handled but it's the first card I remember. A Topps 1962 #53 AL HR Leaders picturing Maris, Mantle and two others. It was the first card I decided to keep and not flip or trade. I was living in Connecticut at that time and was a huge Yankees fan so I don't have to explain how treasured was that card. I still have it. I still have most of my childhood cards.

I was the most active collector I knew. I remember in 5th grade, I needed a common to complete the 72 card embossed set from 1965. The embossed card was just an insert card which many kids threw away. I offered ten regular cards just for that one insert card. I had the whole 5th grade searching for that insert card which all the kids thought I was crazy to offer ten regular cards just for a lousy insert card, but I badly wanted to complete the set. One kid finally found one and the trade was made.

But I wasn't so crazy - I was the best card "flipper" I have ever known and I obtained virtually all of my cards this way - many, many thousands of them - winning them - so it's not like those ten cards really cost me anything - LOL. Maybe once a year I'll take an old VG common, stand ten feet away from the wall and throw it against the wall...I can still get it within an inch of the wall almost every throw - LOL.

Steve