When did you start collecting pre-war/vintage?

[Anthony S.]

My dad collected old football programs at the time (Cal, the 49ers, and others) and brought me along to my first sports collectors show when I was about 7. I still remember the first time I saw a box of T206's. I just thought they were the coolest thing in the world. I think I bought a T206 Mullin, a T206 Abbaticchio and a T206 Irv Young -- who I thought was Cy Young for the next couple years (but then again, so did the makers of e97's and they were probably older than 7) at that first show. I made the mistake of bringing a T201 Mecca double folder to show-and-tell in 3rd grade. It came back to me in 2 pieces. I continued to collect T206's and a few T207's, e90-1's, an old judge or two, etc. until freshman year in high school. Then I went cold turkey pretty much until my 30's (with the exception of one show I went to just after college) when I decided it was time to sell off my cards. But once I pulled them out of storage, I was instantly hooked again.