[jchcollins]

I'm mostly (99%+) active on the postwar vintage boards, but recently have been looking for some modern that won't break the bank for a change of pace. For too long now, I've employed a strategy whereby I seemingly cannot get any utility out of a card unless it's vintage and expensive. While that has been fun, don't get me wrong - it's also exhausting at times, and I'm just looking for a break.

Any recommendations for what to collect as a lapsed junk-era kid? My active years with childhood collecting were 1986 up to about '93. I have recently started to go back and pick up some stuff there I never had as a kid when I was losing interest - for example some of the early Topps Stadium Club issues. I know they aren't particularly rare or valuable, (or maybe even popular...) but they do hold some nostalgia for me. With true modern, I will occasionally buy the random Heritage hobby box or Topps Chrome blaster, but I must admit I was shocked earlier this week to see how much even some of the greenest rookies go for in graded slabs online. I assume this is pure speculation. I mean yeah, Acuna seems great but he's played what, 2 years? And some cards are listed for over $500. Him at least I can kind of understand, but like with Bowman Chrome there are kids I've never heard of selling for just as much.

Anyhow, I'm starting to digress. What advice would you give a collector like me who's looking to branch out? I do think that to keep this reasonable for true modern, I'm going to focus on singles and my team (the Cubs). With slightly older "modern", it may be easier to go back and cherry pick some stars from certain sets in the junk era that I don't have yet. But I would appreciate recommendations!

Thanks.