How did you get into pre-war card collecting?

cannonballsun · #1 04-24-2022, 08:10 AM

It's sounds like you're talking about pre-war collecting, rather than just vintage.
I'm a post-war vintage collector. I started buying when I was a kid. That was back in 1962. So the players were current to me. I did see them play, and I grew up with them.
I never did get into pre-war collecting. I thought it was too expensive for me. In hindsight, that was a big mistake on my part. Anything I could afford back then, it has now greatly increased in value.
While a collector didn't grow up with the great pre-war players, they are legendary, and most baseball fans are very familiar with them.

SyrNy1960 · #2 04-24-2022, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cannonballsun

It's sounds like you're talking about pre-war collecting, rather than just vintage.
I'm a post-war vintage collector. I started buying when I was a kid. That was back in 1962. So the players were current to me. I did see them play, and I grew up with them.
I never did get into pre-war collecting. I thought it was too expensive for me. In hindsight, that was a big mistake on my part. Anything I could afford back then, it has now greatly increased in value.
While a collector didn't grow up with the great pre-war players, they are legendary, and most baseball fans are very familiar with them.

Thanks for sharing. You�re correct, I meant pre-war.

Mark17 · #3 04-24-2022, 09:12 AM

I read "The Glory of Their Times." A half dozen times (so far.)

cannonballsun · #4 04-24-2022, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark17

I read "The Glory of Their Times." A half dozen times (so far.)

I also read "The Glory of Their Times". It's a great book, but I only read it once. Maybe it's time to pick it up again.

ullmandds · #5 04-24-2022, 09:27 AM

I grew up a big yankees fan...had a neighbor who was a sportswriter for the herald trib. He told me stories of the past...I was really interested in baseball history...I read a lot. I sold my childhood collection to buy a car in the late 80's which consisted mostly of 50's-present. I kept my prewar which was maybe 2-3 cards.

When I got back into collecting a few years later I didn't want to re-collect the cards I used to have so I decided to focus on prewar...they were much more interesting to me.

I've since re-accumulated many of the more modern cards from my original childhood collection...but to me these cards belong in binders...not slabs!!!

Rhotchkiss · #6 04-24-2022, 10:24 AM

I have collected on and off for 40+ years (since I was 7). In my first collection, I had a t206 Bresnahan batting, and I thought it was so cool. Before my brother and I sold the collection (in 1992), my best and favorite vintage card was a real beat up t206 Cy young with glove. For some reason (maybe I am an old soul), I have always been attracted to the old stuff.

I got back into the hobby in 2014-15 with an eye toward investing, but investing in things I love and would like to collect. So, I jumped head first into t206 HOFers, and fell in love with rare backs. Then I expanded into Cobb, Wagner, Jackson, Plank, Ruth, and then have just stayed with rare version of key early HOFers. I love the players, the stories, but especially the Americana and add-backs. Below is my favorite add back - given out only at one store, in Philadelphia in 1909.

From an investing standpoint, I believe there is no better risk-adjusted-return in cards than rare pre-war and HOF pre-war.

Exhibitman · #7 04-24-2022, 10:40 AM

This:

I saw it in a bookstore on 86th Street in NYC. I was ten and there with my parents. A suitable amount of begging, whining and pleading and it was mine. Read and re-read it incessantly and I was hooked.

birdman42 · #8 04-24-2022, 10:39 AM

In the early 80s I was working in a coin and stamp shop. The owner let a fellow set up his baseball card inventory in a display case. I've been a baseball fan all my life, especially Washington, so when Wayne Miller put his cards out I was interested. The oldest cards I had were Post off the back of my mom's Raisin Bran boxes. One thing led to another, and I was hooked. Wayne had a seemingly endless supply of T-206s among other fabulous items. The only regret is that I didn't buy more.

Bill

Some cards from Wayne:
Maybe the last five-buck T-3

Walter...

...and his battery-mate

EddieP · #9 04-24-2022, 09:12 AM

I got into pre-war vintage because the cards mimic the popular art forms/ theories at the particular time. The cards are also a fascinating representation of the socio-economic of that era.

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