1954 Topps Hank Aaron vs 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

rats60 I appreciate your insight!

As do I.

You know, Lou, there are so many things to consider for the future, and likely more than a few surprises. The future generation is not that "in" to collecting baseball cards. PSA has kept its business strong with the robust business they're doing grading Pokemon cards. I have a nephew by marriage that makes his living buying and selling old video games from the late 20th century. He is a walking price guide of what these things are going for, so he can spot a "good buy" as soon as he sees one in the used game shops, which seem to be as prolific as the card shops of a quarter-century ago. Back then, dads got their kicks buying old baseball, football, and hockey cards they once had, or never got and wanted. They lived it up, while the far, far, far majority of their sons played video games, that did not need to be enjoyed with a dad present. Now those late 20th century boys are men earning good livings in their 30s, and WHAT DO THEY WANT?

Old video games, as you already guessed by this response. These collectors are dead serious, too. They want those old games they used to have, those that their parents could not afford to buy at the time, and those they never heard about that piques their fancy.

They've split apart into nuances exactly what an old game must have to be COMPLETE, to "one up" a fellow gaming collector----the condition of the game cartridge, if it has the original box it came in, if it has the game instruction manual, if it has the original flyer cards that came inside THAT GAME, and a real kicker---if it has the original game poster that came as a freebee with the game (referring to the few games that offered a free poster), that a kid could display in his room!!! They are happy as a clam, talking as they do about various rare games, and all the accoutrements that may be had. Their discussions mirror what we used to do, and we still do today.

As far as Mickey Mantle versus Hank Aaron?

"Who's that?"

Just sayin'.

So, enjoy collecting while you can. There will still be ferocious collectors of Hank and Mick down the road. However, from what I am seeing, there's not gonna be too many of them.

By the by, a generation ago, serious coin and stamp collectors were angry about all these young guys who were going stark raving mad about collecting baseball cards! Baseball cards? They should be collecting coins, or even stamps like us! How are we supposed to keep our beloved hobby going? Who's going to be around to pay world record prices for my great collection I painstakingly built and spent my adult life building? AH!!!!!!!!!!!!

The passing parade. ----Brian Powell