Why we collect what we collect

[Vintagevault13]

For me, collecting is very personal and goes way beyond just collecting what I like. My collection mainly consists of:

Hank Aaron: favorite player. Growing up in ATL, he was AND is "the man".
Reggie Jackson: other favorite player. Started collecting in 1974. Reggie
epitomized the mid-late 70's (see 5 WS rings in 7 yrs).
Topps sets: 1974-1981. Sets I collected as a child/early teen.
1965 Topps: birth year
1952 Topps: collecting low-mid grade (very slowly). Always seemed like the
ultimate set.

I know we all collect for different reasons. I look forward to reading other responses and reflections.

[Bestdj777]

Mantle because he was my mom's favorite growing up and because I had no idea how many cards there was for him when I got started.

[gnpaden]

1958 because it is my Dad's birth year
1955 because I love the horizontal cards
Michael Jordan because growing up in the 90's there wasn't anyone else..

[ALR-bishop]

i was born in 1950, started collecting in 1957, and have never really stopped. With one exception everything I collect in postwar, because those are the players I grew up with and actually saw play.

I have collected everything listed for Topps in the Standard Catalog from 1948 to 1994. After 1994 I have only collected the regular set, any update to it and all the Heritage sets. I have included an unopened pack and any variations listed in SCD, Beckett or the registry in all the sets

I also have collected Fleer, 1923 ( only prewar ) and 1959 to 2007. Most of the many Fleer sets I have collected from 1964 to 1980 are not catalogued anywhere that I know of except for the Fleer Sticker Blog

Mostly now I just do recurring variants/print defects and unissued Topps test sets.

Mostly what I miss today are those wonderful wax packs and cards that came out of them bathed in gum dust and smelling just right

[KCRfan1]

Mostly what I miss today are those wonderful wax packs and cards that came out of them bathed in gum dust and smelling just right[/QUOTE]

Amen to that.....

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Mostly what I miss today are those wonderful wax packs and cards that came out of them bathed in gum dust and smelling just right

Amen to that......

[Mark70Z]

Brooks Robinson - hero growing up.

Orioles memorabilia - favorite team growing up and never stopped lovin' the O's...

[Laxcat]

Maris- started strong with the collection from my dad. I have always seen Roger Maris as, my personal, Steve McQueen of baseball.

Clemente- cause damn. Awesome human. Great ball player. Loved his fans and played for one team.

T206's- we all have to chase a ghost or two right?

[pawpawdiv9]

so i can have a man cave!!!
I started early with some of those 88 donruss & early 90's topps....but too busy with school back then. Afterward school, started doing Nascar stuff. Those dang die-cast cars take up to much room. I need to sell that stuff to make room. Sometime after Dale Sr death, i stopped collecting for like 8-10 yrs and concentrated just on work. A few years ago, i come back into the hobby after a long snap. Decided to go the Mickey Mantle route and collect all the years 50-60's and several oddballs. Won several lots in a AH and got a new buddy (Bestdj777) who shared my interest in Micks. After acquiring the 'white whale' 52 Mick, i basically was done.
So i changed my focus to just HoF'ers RC's and just recently sold off most of the Micks to be able to do more projects, like the Ty Cobb T206 cards, which i got the red & green.
Of course theres several more cards i love to grab, but i got where i dont just settle, i try to get a nice centered one.
BTW, i also have had a few football RCs i had to grab while on the chase. WHAT A THRILL RIDE it had been so far!!