That’s quite a “bump” Howard, beautiful stuff

Amazing Bazooka collection Howard!

My Clemente collection is mostly on the back burner as I’ve shifted my focus (once again) and that’s where most of my $$$ are going.

I’m envious, I’ve never had one of those. What’s your new focus?

Mike,

I have never been able to stay completely focused on a single area/player without becoming distracted at some point along the way. I would say in the last 25 years, Clemente has on and off been my main focus. But at times, as you most likely already know, when having a narrow focus, it becomes difficult/expensive to acquire new items. And that’s when a new focus would emerge.

For example, after a long run of many years of collecting mostly Clemente, I sort of got burnt out. So for the next 8-10 years, I shifted to collecting pre-war cards. In that time, I was able to put together a near master set of 1909-12 PX-7 Domino discs, a near set of 518 T206 & about 3/4 or so of the T205 set. Pre-war postcards were another sidetrack. I also, during this time, would pick up Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner cards and memorabilia that I liked and could afford. I eventually returned to Clemente items. But again, finding new items became a bit tedious again.

So, to answer your question, the latest side track is a actually a return to one of my previous endeavors... basketball cards (primarily 1980-present). Luckily, I already had Jordan’s Fleer Rookie, Bird/Magic and all of the big rookies from the 1980s-1995. However, prior to the start of the whole pandemic last year, I did not own a single LeBron card. So in the past 10 months or so, I have managed to pick up around 40 LeBron rookies among other cards that just catch my eye (some Kobe, Curry). I thought collecting Clemente/pre-war was expensive, but the whole basketball market is crazy right now. A couple of PSA 9 Jordans sold for over $40,000 each on eBay yesterday. It is an expensive segment of the hobby to re-enter right now, but I’m having more fun with the hobby than I’ve had in the last ten years or so, and I guess that’s what it’s all about.

Sorry for the long winded response, hope that answers your question:D

Good luck with the new endeavor. I understand completely. Although Roberto and the 1971 Bucs have been my focus for many years I too have dabbled in other areas of the hobby to include photos, post war Baseball cards, autographs, bats, advertising and game worn items. I have even chased El Cordobes and Pancho Villa items. Thankfully I have been lucky enough to stumble upon rare Clemente items often enough to keep my focus at least on the periphery. I just found a rare memorial bust. The only other one I have seen is in Howard’s collection. I’m going to have to invest in some restoration but I’m still thrilled to have found one.

Modern Basketball cards have gone crazy. About 8 years ago I found 6 unopened boxes of 1976-77 Topps basketball cards. I paid $20 a box for them and them to BBCE for $600 each. Sometimes I regret doing so. Nonetheless I was able to add a large number of items to my collection I would not be able to afford today. I suppose such things keep us all in the hunt and serve to stoke our desire to collect this silly stuff.

In all the years I’ve been collecting, I only have one selling regret. The “good” pickups have always outweighed the sold cards for me.

Here’s a recent pickup. Never seen this one before, although I think Howard posted a similar one.

1987 Exhibition game ticket...





https://photos.imageevent.com/docpat...tionTicket.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/docpat...onTicketBk.jpg

with apologies...
 

With apologies to any other Mike(s)/Michael(s) who follow here and may have been in the running, I present my new favorite item:

(I used to wonder who would ever want and therefore pay money for pre-personalized items like this, thinking they seemed sort of useless. Well, duh, I get it now!)

LOVE THAT MIKE!!! Congrats on a great pickup. I have tried to win similar signed postcards but have come up short. Very nice!

What year is it dated 1955ish?