If you got back into collecting in the last few years, what made you come back?

[Brent G.]

I stopped collecting in 1995 when I was 21. I thought about getting back into it during covid, but then almost two years ago exactly, I saw there was an upcoming card show nearby with Bo Jackson signing. It was my first show since '94, I was 3rd in line for Bo, and he signed my favorite card of his from back in the day.

It's been an amazing journey in the two years since, including discovering this site and vintage in June '24.

[ASF123]

I collected as a kid from 1986-93 or so. Shortly before the pandemic, I happened upon YouTube videos of junk era (or older) boxes being opened, and the nostalgia bug started to nibble.

I saw an opening of a product called Repacked Wax, and I ordered 5 packs just to dip my toe in. Pulled an 85 Donruss Clemens and a Rickey Henderson rookie - this was in the glorious first run of Repacked Wax before they figured out that they could just load them with junk wax and a few older commons and people would still buy them . I was hooked. I bought a few more boxes of RW (usually with a significant wait as they were sold out a lot) and pulled various vintage stars including a beat-up T205 Frank Chance.

At that point it was right in the thick of Covid, when so many were getting back in, and I decided to put together the vintage HOF collection I always wanted as a kid but couldn't afford. 11-year-old me is quite pleased.

(But I stopped buying Repacked Wax a long time ago.)

[brianclat11]

I collected during the 70's and early 80's. My favorite team was the Big Red Machine. Right around Covid time, there was an auction on Hunt that sold a huge amount of Johnny Bench memorabilia. While I was only able to win a few small things, this initiated signing up with some of the auction houses and reignited my passion for collecting. This also happened to coincide with the hobby explosion during that time. I so wish that Bench auction had happened years before so that I could have accumulated more at better price points, but it is what it is.... Happy collecting!!!

[bandrus1]

As a kid collected through 90's.. stuff was tucked away along with my father's stuff from the 90's.... We stopped collecting late 90's.... Around 2018 my parents divorced dad left all the cards behind and Mom wanted them cleaned out so I sold them to a local guy in early 2019.. he showed me a 49 Bowman jackie he just got from a lady that was tucked away in a makeup chest since she was a kid and he also showed me a 56 mantle PSA 6 and both just got the juices flowing again.

I bought both the cards from him just before the boom and IV been back ever since

[DrSatanis]

I collected from early 00s (elementary school) until adulthood (early 2020s). I invested literally every dollar I made back then into sports cards (don't judge, being middle class had its perks!).

When I stopped collecting, I had millions of base (Post 1985) that my father eventually dumped in a dumpster I'm sure lol. And an extensive collection of autographs, relics, high end rookies, etc.

I sold them for pennies on the dollar when I got married so we could keep our house when times got hard.

Big mistake. Should've put the lady out with the bathwater!

Now I'm back as of 3 weeks ago. My 10 year old son has started getting into soccer cards thanks to mom's new boyfriend (who needs therapy!?). So I took him to the card shop to look around.

I ran into some old friends there, looked at some singles, and picked some stuff up. Now, we're back! However, I hope to be a tad more organized with my collecting goals this time around!

[The Detroit Collector]

The chase

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by The Detroit Collector

The chase

You know what? I second this! I don't even know if, once I complete the collections I'm working on, if I'll even want to keep them. Part of me is terrified I'll get the last card and go..."well now what?"

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by DrSatanis

You know what? I second this! I don't even know if, once I complete the collections I'm working on, if I'll even want to keep them. Part of me is terrified I'll get the last card and go..."well now what?"

My friend, you want a rookie card, an auto and a relic of *every* HOFer. I don’t think completion is going to be a concern.

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by ASF123

My friend, you want a rookie card, an auto and a relic of *every* HOFer. I don’t think completion is going to be a concern.

Lies! Lies and slander! Because many I will accept that the auto/relic options arent available, and I will obviously be accepting reprints on some rookies!

[StraightRaceCards]

I came back in 2020 during the pandemic when I found my childhood cards.

Saw a picture of a T206 card and my mind was blown that cards could look that beautiful.

Someone pointed me to the Net54 website and thanks to this community, I was hooked!

Been an amazing 5 years and so grateful to have gotten to know so many amazing collectors both on net54 and in person!