Pre-80s Rookie Card Craze?

[cincyredlegs]

I remember 81 as the year the rookie card really got hyped. Joe C., Raines and Fernando. I don't remember who we looked for in 82 but I remember 83 was the year of Ron Kittle. Still have a ton of his 83 fleer cards. We were looking for Boggs, Mattingly, Sandberg, Strawberry and Gwynn rookies in 84.

I can remember dealers have 100 count rookie cards wrapped in plastic and selling for $100. I look back on that now and think of how dinged the corners must have been. I can also remember in the early 80's looking through my collection for Eddie Murray, Fisk, Brett, Yount, Schmidt, Rice, Carter and Fred Lynn rookies.

Luckily as a 10 year old in 81, I was vintage collector at heart and put most of my money towards tobacco, goudey, and 50-60's. Still bought the new stuff because who doesn't like busting packs.

Mark