Tickets!

[Rhotchkiss]

I started buying tickets this year. In the past, I looked at, and in some cases bid on, some very iconic tickets, like the Jackie Robinson Debut and Game 1 World Series tickets, but I never went beyond that. Over the summer I acquired a Jackie Robinson Debut Ticket, which I have since upgraded to the one pictured below. That ticket sparked a fire in me - I love tickets! Here is why:

1. They are rare. Like prewar cards, few people thought to retain/collect tickets. They were utilitarian - they got you into a game. But unlike prewar cards, their populations are so much smaller, since they only printed enough for that game/event in that venue.

2. They were there (usually). Below is an Aaron Debut ticket. There can only be as many of those as the stadium held that day. And that ticket marks the day, not the year, that Hank Aaron began his major league baseball career. The all time home run leader, who passed the untouchable Babe Ruth, started that journey that day, and that ticket was there. (I say sometimes because full tickets from older events usually means the event went unattended by that ticket owner).

3. They are very investable. This is perhaps my biggest reason for buying tickets (making this thread, admittedly, somewhat self-serving). Cards are super hot (perhaps too hot) and super expensive. To me, tickets are the most card-adjacent collectible out there. I believe disillusioned card collectors and investors feeling there is little juice left to squeeze out of card values will migrate to tickets -- I mean, many cards have gone up 200%-400%++ since 2020, how much more can they really go up over the next 5-10 years? Plus, the ticket world is very fragmented -- there are no price guides, the pop reports are suspect, grading standards are fluid, etc. All of this keeps most investor money away -- investors like certainty. As the ticket world grows less fragmented, information becomes more exact thus attracting the investor, which in turn drives demand and increases prices.

4. They are the right size. Most tickets fit in a standard PSA card flip or post card flip. They are easy to store, they are easy to display, they are easy to transfer. As card collectors, we have grown very comfortable with the size of cards; perhaps this is why cabinets and to a lesser degree post cards are not as popular, and why, I think, memorabilia is largely less valuable than cards. Tickets are generally the same size as cards, and size does matter in this hobby.

5. They are diverse and dynamic You can collect debuts, special events, sports, movies, concerts, every game of a streak, every game of a series, every game of someone's rookie year, every touchdown or pitching win, major league, minor league, college, etc. There are literally endless ways to collect tickets and infinite pursuits one can undertake. As you can see below, I have game 8 (the clincher) of the 1919 world series -- I many try to collect a ticket from every game of the 1919 world series. I know someone that is collecting a ticket from every different touchdown celebration and another for every rule, uniform, and other football innovation (like first helmet, first 2 point conversion, first onside kick, etc).

6. They are affordable. Tickets, for now, are a fraction of what their rookie-card counter-parts cost. Moreover, tickets of events (as opposed to debuts) tend to be very affordable - often less than $100. So, you may not be able to afford a Willie Mays debut, but you probably could afford his first hit, or home run, or world series game, or home game, etc.

Anyway, I have fallen in love with tickets,. I collect mostly baseball, but I have also acquired football and basketball tickets as well as music events. I collect signed and unsigned, stubs and fulls. This being a vintage baseball, I have posted below some of my baseball stubs.

Please share your thoughts about tickets and lets see some, post your prewar tickets!!

[Rhotchkiss]

As an aside, if anyone is interested in learning more about tickets, I found these two youtube shows very helpful: Stub Luv and Talking Tickets.

I understand there are also several instagram groups and a facebook site called Boogers Tickets that people really like, but I am not on social media, so I have no firsthand experience there.

[BabyRuth]

Ruth's last HR at Yankee Stadium off Walter Johnson August 23, 1942.

Oh and a signed program by Ruth and Johnson from that day to complete the ensemble!!!!

[ValKehl]

Ryan, you have made a very nice promotional posting for ticket collecting, and I'm glad that you are now enamored with this aspect of the hobby. However, I have no interest in tickets because tickets are boring to look at to me. Baseball cards would also be boring to me to look at if they didn't have pics of the players on them. But Ryan, when I view your fantastic tickets at the Net54 vintage collectors get-together in VA next February, I'll do my best to feign interest in them!

[perezfan]

Vintage Tickets are very cool, and a great segment of the hobby. But you might get a more enthusiastic response than Val's, if you post it on the Memorabilia side. Lots of advanced ticket collectors over there, and this is a category that's right in their wheelhouse.

Great stuff, and you have some killer examples!

[raulus]

Ryan - glad you found something new to enjoy with the hobby!

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Vintage Tickets are very cool, and a great segment of the hobby. But you might get a more enthusiastic response than Val's, if you post it on the Memorabilia side. Lots of advanced ticket collectors over there, and this is a category that's right in their wheelhouse.

Great stuff, and you have some killer examples!

I hear ya! I took a chance here, knowing Leon may move it, because I am trying to open the collectible category up to pure card collectors. Not that tickets are a secret, but the thread will get more, new, and different eyes over here. Plus, it will get different type of discussion.

Val, I am going to find you a senators debut ticket (don’t a Sam Rice exists)!

[Exhibitman]

Some tickets are visually blah. Some are nice looking. Whatever floats your boat.




A ticket was the only worthwhile thing I got from the AC National a few years ago:

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Val, I am going to find you a senators debut ticket (don’t a Sam Rice exists)!

Ryan, truth be told, if I were to come across a Sam Rice debut ticket/stub (August 7, 1915, a home-game loss to the White Sox), I would have to acquire it! Many thanks in advance if you are able to come across one for me!

[theshowandme]

Awesome stuff.

I went to Game 1 of the World Series last night and they would not print me a ticket at guest services. I am not sure if you have to do it at the box office outside or not. There are some significant moments which will not have physical tickets tied to them and that sucks!

[Lucas00]

Wartime Browns Double header. This day in history sept 13th is the date Germany would begin it's "House to house" ground assault on Stalingrad. The deadliest battle in history. Technically a bus pass not a ticket, but I think it's acceptable.

[guy3050]

I Love collecting tickets, I've been collecting Montreal Expos tickets for close to 15 years , I have over 2000 different games , what I like about tickets is "Every ticket tells a Story" ,No pre-war ticket , here are Complete tickets to the Expos 1st Home Opener April 14th 1969, which also happens to be the 1st MLB game outside The United States

[GBU]

Picked this up a few years ago.

[Al C.risafulli]

Tickets are fantastic - I highly recommend following Tom Daley's account on Instagram. He's got some amazing tickets, and he's considerate of not just the important milestone games like Ryan alludes to here, but also cool games like the Boston "Here comes the pizza!" game, or the time Don Mattingly grabbed a fistful of popcorn from a little kid in the stands. There are all sorts of things that can make a game memorable, and Tom pays attention to all of them. My favorite ticket he's shown is the one with the first ever high-five.

I vastly prefer stubs to fulls; a long-time ticket collector once told me "I don't collect full tickets - the stub actually went to the game!"

-Al

[Schlesinj]

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[Schlesinj]

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[tippedfinger]

Great thread -- there is a pretty established one for ticket collectors (about 15 yrs+) on the other vintage/game used forum. It's an awesome run through history.

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=113349

[Schlesinj]

I love the idea of pairing tickets with other items like photos, art or in this case bats.




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[mybuddyinc]

No tickets to share ............. but a fun aside ................

img147.jpg

1990's Sally Savannah Sand Gnats.


Fun, fun, Scott

[MVSNYC]

Cris, great tickets!

I had a signed copy example of the 84 AS game ticket, sold it recently. Looks like the ticket was able to be ripped from the top or the bottom...and Doc was the youngest All Star ever...

[Yoda]

Being mainly a card guy, I only have a couple, all full tickets; Connie Mack Day with a great picture of Connie, Paul Molitor's 3000 hits game, and Mike Schmitt's 300 HR game.

[tod41]

Some Tour of Japan Tickets.