Personal Pre-War Set and Collector Survey

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Cool thread.

I only collect pre-war, with 99.5% of my 750+/- cards originating from 1903-1921 and the overwhelming majority of them being t206s

I have a complete, 524 card, t206 set, along with a number of rare front/back HOFers.

I have a complete e104-2 Pirates set and a complete 1906 Lincoln Publishing PC set. I am about 80% complete in a D304 set, including no team variations. I am kicking around the idea of a 1914 CJ set. But I am not really a set guy.

Aside from t206s, I really collect just players - Wagner, Cobb, Ruth, Jackson, and Plank. And I love the real rare stuff, especially with HOFers.

For not being a set guy you seem to have a few very impressive ones, WOW! And I really like the somewhat esoteric choices with the Lincoln Publishing PC and D304 sets. And as for any any signficant cards.....with a complete 524 card T206 set, it kind of goes without saying. Damn nice! And good luck if you do decide to go after a 1914 CJ set. i have a couple CJ commons buried somewhere, but understand the '14 set is way tougher to complete than a '15 set. Good luck.

[abothebear]

1. I've been collecting cards since 1984 but started pre-war collecting at the end of 2010.

2. I have owned around 40 pre-war sports cards.

3. I currently own around 30.

4. My most significant cards are my National Game "runner sliding" Cobb, and my Churchman Ruth.

5. The only set I have collected and completed is the R313-A Gold Medal Food cards.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by abothebear

1. I've been collecting cards since 1984 but started pre-war collecting at the end of 2010.

2. I have owned around 40 pre-war sports cards.

3. I currently own around 30.

4. My most significant cards are my National Game "runner sliding" Cobb, and my Churchman Ruth.

5. The only set I have collected and completed is the R313-A Gold Medal Food cards.

Thanks for responding George. Like that you have completed a Gold Medal set, another one of those obscure, but wonderful, sets that rarely get talked about on the forum. Now we just have to get you started on another set!!!

[G1911]

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

Since about 2001, when I was 10.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

378 baseball cards according to my spreadsheet. I have sold a few duplicates recently, traded some over the years, but cards leave my collection at a very small rate, and come in at a higher one. Most cards I buy will never leave, unless I get a duplicate of it in a lot.

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

378 baseball cards, ~3,000 from other sports, about ~11,000 total pre-war cards sport/non-sport. Mostly centered in the 1909-1912 ATC/ALC sets.

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

I am not interested in the money game, so my most significant cards are my sentimental favorites. My T205 Livingston that started my collection, the T3 Schlei that was my first cabinet, the E94 Joe Lake that was my first caramel. Other cards I would consider significant are cards that found new variations or I learned something from in boxing and non-sport sets, though they would not be significant to most.

5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own?

In baseball, none. My baseball pre-war are mostly opportunistic pickups, a card I like at a good deal. I will pursue a complete set when I have a majority bought on bargain, but usually not until then. I have complete or near complete master sets of many boxing and non-sport issues, as set collecting is my preferred way. "Overpaying" to finish a bird or boxer issue is a lot more palatable than Cobb's and Wagner's when my personal enjoyment of all 3 subjects are about the same.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by G1911

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

I am not interested in the money game, so my most significant cards are my sentimental favorites. My T205 Livingston that started my collection, the T3 Schlei that was my first cabinet, the E94 Joe Lake that was my first caramel. Other cards I would consider significant are cards that found new variations or I learned something from in boxing and non-sport sets, though they would not be significant to most.

G1911,

Great cards and collection, and totally agree with your position on what are "significant" cards. In an earlier post I already mentioned I don't necessarily equate significance with value (though very often significant cards do seem to cost a little more). Cards can be significant to someone for personal, historical, rarity, emotional, and any other number of reasons, aside from the very obvious monetary ones. Your explanation as to those particular items that are significant to you is a great part of this survey in helping to explain who and what we are as collectors. I think your choices are fantastic and spot on in responding to that particular question.

[IndyDave]

1. Sometime in the early 1970s when I found the hobby through an ad in The Sporting News. Found a newsletter and remember an ad for t206 commons for something like 35 cents. Send for one

2. Probably 200-250

3. Same. Really haven’t sold any

4. I would say my t206 Cy Young portrait. Bought it in the early 80’s from a Frank Nagy auction. Believe I paid around $20. Sent it to PSA a few years ago and it came back as a 1. Have a couple of T206 Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss - pretty sure all from Nagy auctions. I’m a Cleveland fan so most of my pre war lands there

F9C079C9-A819-4172-915D-85C47685CBE4.jpg

5. None really. Even Cleveland team sets are hard due to Young, Lajoie and Joss I’m maybe 20% of the way on 1941 Play Ball but other than Pee Wee Reese I don’t have the big cards

[BobC]

Originally Posted by IndyDave

1. Sometime in the early 1970s when I found the hobby through an ad in The Sporting News. Found a newsletter and remember an ad for t206 commons for something like 35 cents. Send for one

2. Probably 200-250

3. Same. Really haven’t sold any

4. I would say my t206 Cy Young portrait. Bought it in the early 80’s from a Frank Nagy auction. Believe I paid around $20. Sent it to PSA a few years ago and it came back as a 1. Have a couple of T206 Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss - pretty sure all from Nagy auctions. I’m a Cleveland fan so most of my pre war lands there

Attachment 464141

5. None really. Even Cleveland team sets are hard due to Young, Lajoie and Joss I’m maybe 20% of the way on 1941 Play Ball but other than Pee Wee Reese I don’t have the big cards

Dave,

Great story about you T206 Young card. Hard to believe they could be purchased for those kind of prices not really that long ago. Good luck going forward on some Cleveland sets. Am a Cleveland fan myself.

[Mike Eisenbath]

I love reading all the posts here. I learn so much more than I can contribute, but I hope the knowledge (and wisdom!) I gain from all of you I can pay forward to someone else down the line....

My answers:

1. Bought my first pre-war cards in 1971 when I was 10 years old. Responded to an ad in the back of the Sporting News placed by Gar Miller. I bought a T206 Cobb red portrait (for 5 bucks!) as well as a 39 Play Ball Red Ruffing and 40 Play Ball Bill Dickey (even as a kid, I recognized the names of Yankees greats). That got me hooked. I kept collecting contemporary Topps cards but proceeded to gather as many low-grade T206 cards as my lawn-mowing and birthday money allowed. Took a break in the late 70s for college/marriage/kids, back in heavily (for me) a few years ago. Wishing I'd never left, even though I always kept close tabs on things in the hobby.

2. and 3. go together for me: I have 170ish pre-war cards right now. About 130 are T206. I just buy whatever strikes my fancy where they are concerned. I'm a Billy Southworth fan, so I will always be on the lookout for his cards (thank you, Mac, for the Zeenuts Southworth rookie!). And although I only recently bought my first Cracker Jack, I could see myself going full headlong that way.

4. For me, a "significant" card is one I cherish and never would part with. That includes my Cobb portrait, if only for sentimental reasons, my really nice 48 Bowman Musial (whom I remember fondly every time I look at that youthful face), 33 Goudey Dizzy Dean (also really nice), my five 1934 Butterfingers (particularly the Dean and Bottomley) and my dozen W512 strip cards. I know they are kinda unattractive to many, but they strike me like the kitschy art of that era -- and my Babe Ruth, from the peak of his heyday, was one of my first pre-war purchases as well.

I'm not gonna lie when I say collecting cards literally saved my sanity during the last 15 months. All of the Net54 folks have been a part of that. Thank you!
Mike Eisenbath

[Casey2296]

Nice post Mike, this is far and away the best place to talk baseball cards.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Mike Eisenbath

I love reading all the posts here. I learn so much more than I can contribute, but I hope the knowledge (and wisdom!) I gain from all of you I can pay forward to someone else down the line....

My answers:

1. Bought my first pre-war cards in 1971 when I was 10 years old. Responded to an ad in the back of the Sporting News placed by Gar Miller. I bought a T206 Cobb red portrait (for 5 bucks!) as well as a 39 Play Ball Red Ruffing and 40 Play Ball Bill Dickey (even as a kid, I recognized the names of Yankees greats). That got me hooked. I kept collecting contemporary Topps cards but proceeded to gather as many low-grade T206 cards as my lawn-mowing and birthday money allowed. Took a break in the late 70s for college/marriage/kids, back in heavily (for me) a few years ago. Wishing I'd never left, even though I always kept close tabs on things in the hobby.

2. and 3. go together for me: I have 170ish pre-war cards right now. About 130 are T206. I just buy whatever strikes my fancy where they are concerned. I'm a Billy Southworth fan, so I will always be on the lookout for his cards (thank you, Mac, for the Zeenuts Southworth rookie!). And although I only recently bought my first Cracker Jack, I could see myself going full headlong that way.

4. For me, a "significant" card is one I cherish and never would part with. That includes my Cobb portrait, if only for sentimental reasons, my really nice 48 Bowman Musial (whom I remember fondly every time I look at that youthful face), 33 Goudey Dizzy Dean (also really nice), my five 1934 Butterfingers (particularly the Dean and Bottomley) and my dozen W512 strip cards. I know they are kinda unattractive to many, but they strike me like the kitschy art of that era -- and my Babe Ruth, from the peak of his heyday, was one of my first pre-war purchases as well.

I'm not gonna lie when I say collecting cards literally saved my sanity during the last 15 months. All of the Net54 folks have been a part of that. Thank you!
Mike Eisenbath

Mike,

Great collection and stories, especially concerning the red Cobb for $5. Can understand why that card would be significant, and virtually priceless to you. And so glad to hear how collecting has helped you make it through the pandemic. Hang in there!

[sreader3]

1. First prewar cards were four T206 commons (Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes, Schreck). Bought them for $3 each from The Baseball Card Shoppe in Claremont, California around 1982.
2. Maxed out at over 500 prewar about seven years ago: Almost 450 different T206s, about 50 different HOFers from a variety of other sets and 20 or so different OJ Denver poses (I live about 30 miles from Denver so it’s a local history thing).
3. Have about 150 prewar right now. Kept all of the T206 HOFers (have added a few since) and about 50 of the tougher commons; also kept the OJ Denvers and a handful of the HOFers from other sets that I liked the best.
4. Have the T206 Cobby quartet, 2 Cys, 2 Mattys, 3 Naps, the WaJo portrait, a Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, and an E93 Wagner. Also have a really nice E120 Traynor that it took a while to find. Almost everything is EX or slightly better (except the OJs) which is my collecting wheelhouse.
5. No near complete sets, unless you count the T206 HOF subset where I am about 90% complete. Also have at least one pose of every OJ Denver player.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by sreader3

1. First prewar cards were four T206 commons (Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes, Schreck). Bought them for $3 each from The Baseball Card Shoppe in Claremont, California around 1982.
2. Maxed out at over 500 prewar about seven years ago: Almost 450 different T206s, about 50 different HOFers from a variety of other sets and 20 or so different OJ Denver poses (I live about 30 miles from Denver so it’s a local history thing).
3. Have about 150 prewar right now. Kept all of the T206 HOFers (have added a few since) and about 50 of the tougher commons; also kept the OJ Denvers and a handful of the HOFers from other sets that I liked the best.
4. Have the T206 Cobby quartet, 2 Cys, 2 Mattys, 3 Naps, the WaJo portrait, a Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, and an E93 Wagner. Also have a really nice E120 Traynor that it took a while to find. Almost everything is EX or slightly better which is my collecting wheelhouse.
5. No near complete sets, unless you count the T206 HOF subset where I am about 90% complete. Also have at least one pose of every OJ Denver player.

Great collection Scot. You appear to be my opposite and go more for quality over quantity. There is no wrong way to collect!

[robw1959]

1. This is the toughest question for me to answer. I started collecting vintage cards in 1976-78, but took a hiatus off during the '80s and '90s, with the notable exceptions of buying a few Topps 1987 sets in '87 and a T206 Christy Mathewson card in 1990. I then resumed collecting vintage cards in 2003. So I guess it all amounts to about 20 years in total.

2. I've never owned too many - right about 200 is my max ever, but that number didn't last too long.

3. I currently have 142.

4. My most significant card is either my '33 Goudey Ruth or my T206 Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder).

5. My only prewar set is a 1934-36 Diamond Stars set of 96 (no repeated high-number prints)

[BobC]

Originally Posted by robw1959

1. This is the toughest question for me to answer. I started collecting vintage cards in 1976-78, but took a hiatus off during the '80s and '90s, with the notable exceptions of buying a few Topps 1987 sets in '87 and a T206 Christy Mathewson card in 1990. I then resumed collecting vintage cards in 2003. So I guess it all amounts to about 20 years in total.

2. I've never owned too many - right about 200 is my max ever, but that number didn't last too long.

3. I currently have 142.

4. My most significant card is either my '33 Goudey Ruth or my T206 Cobb (Bat Off Shoulder).

5. My only prewar set is a 1934-36 Diamond Stars set of 96 (no repeated high-number prints)

Rob,

Definitely still a great collection with some classic cards as your most significant. You can't deny the attraction to a Goudey Ruth, or a Cobb T206. And what do mean you don't have many pre-war cards? I think most people would feel having almost a couple hundred would be a pretty sizable collection. It can be the quality, and not just the quantity, that mekes up a great pre-war collection.

Heck, I've got a ton of pre-war cards and items, yet. I've never owned a Goudey Ruth or a T206 Cobb. I guess one of my collecting quirks is that I'm more attracted to the less popular and more obscure pre-war sets. Oh, I own some T206s and Goudeys, but just a handfull or so of each as type cards or examples. Seems like pretty much everyone here on Net54 collects and talks about T206s and Goudeys all the time. Probably a big reason I like a lot of the other non-mainstream sets a little more. Less competition for collecting them, and you have a chance to discover and learn things that not everybody knows. Plus, you've got to love some of the more diverse sets out there, like Rittenhouse Candy cards or Rinkydinky stamps, right. LOL

And your choice of the Diamond Stars set to be working on is a great one. Got to love their iconic art deco design and look. Love that set, and always thought it stood out from most others. Kind of like the '72 Topps set design, just one of a kind.

[UKCardGuy]

Wow, there are some fantastic cards in this thread. I love Bob's Exhibit vending machine.

I'm relatively new to Pre-War collecting. I've previously focused only on post-war. I initially dabbled without too much focus by I've begun concentrating on 3 sets (W554, T3 Turkey Red and 1916 Zeenut PCL).

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

18 months

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

1911 T3 John McGraw
1932 Bulgaria Cigarettes Babe Ruth


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

1930 W554 (61% Complete)

[25801wv]

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

I purchased a T206 Addie Joss when I was a kid. I started again around 2008.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

75 to 80

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

2

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

My favorite obtainable card of all time is my 1921 E121 “Babe” Ruth series of 80. My next three significant cards are my 54 Topps Aaron, 55 Topps Clemente and (gulp) 2000 Bowman Tom Brady. I have always enjoyed Poor condition cards because they allow me to own a piece of history that I normally wouldn’t have been able to afford.


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

None. The oldest set I ever owned was a 1956 Topps set that I built and once I completed it I no longer enjoyed it and sold it soon after. That was it for me with set collecting. The hunt was more fun than owning it. I did once have about 40 or 50 1933 Goudey’s including three Ruth’s and a Gehrig but I lost interest. I do have a 1975 Topps set in poor to fair condition, lol.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by UKCardGuy

Wow, there are some fantastic cards in this thread. I love Bob's Exhibit vending machine.

I'm relatively new to Pre-War collecting. I've previously focused only on post-war. I initially dabbled without too much focus by I've begun concentrating on 3 sets (W554, T3 Turkey Red and 1916 Zeenut PCL).

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

18 months

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

86 + 73 Pre War Pins (Sweet Caporal, Orbit Gum, Cracker Jack, etc)

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

1911 T3 John McGraw
1932 Bulgaria Cigarettes Babe Ruth


5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

1930 W554 (61% Complete)

Great items Gary. Good luck on the remainder of that W554 set, its a nice set.