if you had to downsize your collection, what would stay?

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Posted By: anthony

Let me start by saying I am not just a collector of vintage baseball cards, I collect antiques that you dont see in the average persons house. Everything from dinosaur eggs to newspapers printed by ben franklin to civil war items. (stay with me here)

So, when I first starting collecting vintage stuff about 6 years ago (I was done collecting the glossy stuff at this point) my goal was to find those 2 or 3 cards I could add to my "antique" collection. Thinking that I always wanted a Ty Cobb card but couldnt afford one, I started my search...well, thanks to you guys I've had a ton of vintage cards go from my left hand to my right hand to your hand and back again and it's been fun.

I'm trying hard to keep my collection at just 5 but some are so cool and interesting that its really hard. My goal is to keep the ones with a neat story behind them. Here's what I have left outside of a few that I still have to sell.

1. Cap Anson (1895 mayo, all around good guy)
2. King Kelly (n162 all around good guy)
3. Ty Cobb (t206, greatest ball player ever)
4. Buck Weaver (1911 zeenut, blksox scandal)
5. Ty Cobb (1923 willard chocolates)
6. Cy Young (e90-1 one of the greatest pitchers)
7-9 a Mello-Mint, Red Sun and Mino Cigarettes Backs

So, If you had to keep just 2 or 3 out of your "Current collection" what cards would they be???

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Posted By: leon

Not sure I could only pick 3-4....I love the E90-1 Young-Boston card...always have. The rest of them are so difficult to choose from. You really need to keep the ones you enjoy the most . I know you are soliciting opinions, and I would too, but in the end it will hopefully be what you enjoy the most that you keep (money/value not withstanding.)....good luck..

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Posted By: MVSNYC

well, i have been going thru the same struggle...i have been working on streamlining my collection..."trimming the fat".

my advice is keep these 3: rarity, rarity, rarity.

as you know from your days of collecting dinosaur eggs & furniture, the rare ones hold value and will appreciate the most.

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Posted By: Jeff Prizner

I wouldn't go so far as to call Anson an all around good guy. He was extremely racist. But the Mayo is a sweet card.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I wouldn't call Anson an "all around good guy" either, but we have to remember that most people of that era were racists. He refused to play with or against African Americans, but I'm guessing most players of that era agreed with him. Our society has evolved. The society that Anson lived in was segregated and segregation was the law. That doesn't make it right, but it's hard to judge on that criteria when it was the common thinking of his day.

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Posted By: Cat

I would keep:

3 - 6 - 1 - 2 - 4

in that order.

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Posted By: Brian Lindholme

1+2+6+rare backs+3

1+2. You gotta keep those 19th century cards first.

6. Then keep Cy Young. (Everyone recognizes the yearly award, and damn that card is an awesome portrait!)

7.Rare backs/issues are cool. Extra cool even. Get a HOF Mello-mint and you got a real keeper.

3.Although I'm unsure about this one, as there are T206 Cobbs everywhere. I can't afford one right now, but if I could, and wanted one, I'd have 50 to choose from at any given moment.
(If you have a Babe Ruth, he should be kept well ahead of Cobb)

(As far as historical significance Top 5, I'm looking for the nicest Jackie Robinson I can find to stash away for the time capsule...along with my Ruth, Young, Mantle, and Wagner)

Brian L
familytoad

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Posted By: anthony

guys, i want to know what you would keep from "YOUR" collection...not mine. of course i appreciate the input as always.

and "all around good guy" was being nice...i didnt really want to put in racist eventhough it was my first thought. i probably should of put something like "premier player".

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Posted By: Wesley

From your list, I would keep the Mayo Anson and the Zeenut Weaver. The other cards might be easier to replace.

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Posted By: Dylan

Everything is relative. If you lived in the south during the mid 19nth century virtually every white citizen, even the most fervant christians as well, were racist to some degree. Cap Anson was a very colorful ballplayer, and a darn good one too, and thats good enough for me. As to him being a "good guy" or not who can say?

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Posted By: T206Collector

1. T206 Buddy Groom (my wife gave it to me on our wedding day -- "Groom")
2. T206 Autographed Marquard portrait (my first auto'd T206 still amazes me)
3. T206 SGC 80 Matty Portrait (I named my second child Mathewson)
4. T206 Lionel Carter Plank (I sold 80% of my set to get it)
5. T206 Magie (Gave me the inclination to go after Mr. Carter's Plank)

...but fortunately I get to keep a bunch of other ones, too!

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Posted By: MVSNYC

ok, if i had to choice 5 from my collection:

T206 Demmitt, St.L PSA 3
T206 O'hara, St.L PSA 2
T206 Elberfeld, Wash. Port PSA 5
T206 Warhop, DRUM PSA 4
T206 Stahl, Broad Leaf 460 raw

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Posted By: leon

I think a few of us did misconstrue your question. Since I collect, and enjoy, "scarcity" it would be very difficult to pick 5-10. I think I probably have more unique, or almost unique, cards than that. A short list could be:

N690 Four Base Hits Kelly (of course)
N690 KB Phili Nationals
T231 Fans Cig Baker
E222 AWA Caramel
T207 Red Cross Weaver
N-unc 1886 Hancocks minor league card
D304 Martens Baker SGC 92
D310 Buck Weaver
E221 San Fran w/Weaver
H-813-1 Boston Garter- 1912 Nap Rucker
T208 Cullivans Morgan

I wanted to keep it to 10 but had to have 11 so I guess this is it. It's really hard for an addict though. Great question......and best regards

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Posted By: Jerry

Easy for me on 4 cards
Harry Wright (Studio Cabinet)
King Kelly N173
Tim Keefe N173
John Ward N173
Toss up, PSA4 T206 Ty Cobb (Red Portrait) or Beautiful S81 Matty.

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Posted By: Jason L

1) Mystical Cardboard: T206 Nap Lajoie w/bat (brand new & possibly altered, but I don't care)
2) The Man: 1976 Topps Walter Payton (PSA 9)
3) Family: 3 Lee and Gene Handley cards: 1949 Bowman PCL (both) & 1940 Play Ball (Lee)
4) Classic '50s Baseball + Dad's favorite: 1951 Bowman Roy Campanella (PSA 7)
5) The Local Powerhouse of Yesteryear: T206 Chicago Cubs Team Set

runners-up:
an Eddie Mathews card
1955 Topps Ernie Banks (SGC70)
T207 Edgar Lennox (SGC 40)

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Posted By: Ray Piskadlo

1. T205 Matty
2. 1914 CJ McGraw
3. T200 Cleveland (my only shoeless joe)
4. T3 Doyle (love t3's)
5. T206 Doyle (Lenox back)

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Posted By: JimB

I would keep my E93 set. Most everything else is replacable.
JimB

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Posted By: Cat

I would probably keep these five:

M101-5 Ruth
Toleteros Gibson
N172 Anson
T204 Johnson
e90-1 Jackson

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Posted By: joe brennan

A few HOF T206's and a few postcards. The way things are looking, might be all I keep anyways.

In Rememberance of James W. Brennan Sr. 1924-1982. Dad, thanks for everything you did for me.

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Posted By: Jason L

Holy smokes!
Yeah, those are the 5 I'll be hanging onto from my collection too!!!!


I think his top 5 has me beat by more than $150k!
Damn...

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Posted By: anthony

jason, i just read "cat's" list...i'd hate to see the top 10 !!

i really enjoy collecting these vintage cards but man is it hard when you are on a budget. i'm still trying to find an "affordable" cracker jack joe jackson, i'll have to live in my car for a year to pay for it but it'd be worth it

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Posted By: Rob

Leon, I haven't heard of most of those cards you mentioned


1) 1909 M101-2 Cobb
2) T206 Keeler (just got, "nicest" of the very few t206 i have)
3) 1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese
4) the single Old Judge N172 card I own, in poor condition
5) a single card of Mattingly, and a few random cards given to me by family members for sentimental value only.

Rob

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Easy.

1977 Topps Rod Carew. The first superstar I pulled out my first pack of baseball cards. I was amazed. ROD CAREW. He was the best player on earth, in my mind. And there he was, with a first baseman's glove, waiting for a throw, in living color.

1964 Topps Billy Williams. I bought this card at a show when I was about 10 years old. It was the most beautiful old card I'd ever seen, condition-wise. I bought it and immediately put it in plastic; never touched it again because I didn't want to wreck it. I still have it. If I submitted it for grading, it would get a 5.

'81 Fleer Craig Nettles error. When I was a kid we went through a tough financial stretch. My mom had to work three jobs. Nettles was my hero as a kid. For my birthday, she bought this card for me for $17, when $17 was like a million bazillion dollars to us. I had a plastic case that came with a medal I won in little league. The case was the exact size of a baseball card. I took the medal out (and lost it) and put the card inside the case, along with the foam that protected the medal. It's still there. Today, it is worth a million bazillion dollars to me.

T206 Rube Waddell portrait. Not just any one, though, the one that was my first T206, bought it for a dollar at my card shop when I was a kid. It's clipped on all four corners and completely wrinkled to death, as if it went through the wash or something. It's got a Sweet Caporal back. It's my favorite baseball card.

1960 Topps Tex Clevenger. This card was the oldest card in my neighborhood when I was a kid. At one point or another, everyone in the neighborhood owned it - whoever owned it would use it as trade bait when somebody else had a card that we REALLY wanted. Nobody could say "no" to the Tex Clevenger. Gradually we all grew up and moved away. Evidently I made the last big trade, because I have it.

All the other cards I have are just paper. Those five, though, are valuable.

-Al

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Posted By: MVSNYC

Wow Al, thought you would've included a few '38 Goudeys in there?

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Al, are you telling me that you would not save that DiMag 38 Goudey???

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Posted By: MVSNYC

Jeff- great minds think alike...

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

True.

Mike, if you see Al, tell him that I've got a Nettles autographed ball to trade him for his 38 Goudey set.

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

I've got a '78 World Series ball autographed by Nettles here in my office.

Last weekend I went to see the Somerset Patriots play. Jeff Nettles is their third baseman - he wears #9. At one point he went down on one knee, snared a smash to his left, whirled around and nailed the guy at first. For a split second, I felt like I was 10 years old again. Then I got heartburn from the hot dog, and remembered I'm not.

But no - I love my Goudeys, and at first I'd try and hide them under my bed or something, but if I REALLY had to downsize, and couldn't cheat, I could eventually replace them all.

Except the Feller. Maybe I keep the Feller.

-Al

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Posted By: JimB

Leon,
Does this mean you are ready to let go of the E94 overprint set?
JimB

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Posted By: leon

Since that e94 overprint set is 10 cards it would be almost all of what I would keep. Now if I could count that as "1" then I could replace it with maybe the D310 Weaver......Overprint set is pretty tough....and so tough I don't think anyone is seriously trying for it (or cares about it). There was one that a board member with about 5 different didn't have, that was on ebay not long ago, but he didn't win it, another board member did. No harm in asking..... ....My right hand man is really wanting my Halla 1911 E136 too....but I digress.....regards

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Posted By: barrysloate

I have to say it's a Halla of a card!

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Posted By: Jason L

Barry....how could you?
That was just terrible!

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Posted By: Bob

One Lionel Carter slabbed Tattoo Orbit.
One Frank Nagy slabbed T207.
My orange E94 PSA slabbed Devore E94.

Maybe eclectic but all three would be one of a kind items. And of course the McDonald gift card- the slabbed M116 Joe Wood and the Marr gift card- the E94 slabbed Chance, both of which I would never, ever sell. Two fantastic cards from great guys and true hobbyists who gave me a gift out of the blue which I will always treasure.

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Posted By: Jason L

If you have time and are of the inclination, can you post those 5 scanned together? That would be an interesting array...

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Posted By: quan

but i love these alot...

w600 delahanty
e103 wagner
t206 lajoie w/bat american beauty
e101 cobb (until i find an affordable e92)
e107 plank (until i find an affordable t206)

a few others i'd really miss e97 young/keeler b/w, t222 grover, d322 wagner, e94 wagner/lajoie

jim b. are you getting my emails?

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Posted By: Bob

Jason- Sure, when I round them up from the safes, no problem. What is interesting is the Tattoo Dale Alexander, a very, very tough card, and from the Lionel Carter collection is only a 20 but looks like an 80 or better but has a tiny gash on the back. Carter, who stored all his cards in scrapbooks in photo mounts may have loved the condition of these cards but perhaps back in the day the condition of the backs didn't mean that much (????)
tbob

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Posted By: Phil Garry

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Posted By: Dylan

Leon why dont you post put those E94 overprints up for auction and will see if anyone is really interested in going for it or not

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Posted By: peter ullman

I'd keep my:

1-e90-2 wags
2-e95 cobby
3-t206 green cobby
4-t4 melchoir
5-e97 nichols
I guess...

pete in mn

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

HM Taylor Postcard Cobb

E102 Cobb

14 CJ Jackson

T227 Cobb

1921 Herpolsheimer's Cobb


Not necessarily all of my most valuable cards but maybe my favorites and hardest to replace at my grades.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

cards of my cousin:

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Posted By: Jason Carota

T200 Boston Americans
T206 Johnson portrait
T206 Speaker
T206 Jimmy Collins
M101-2 Smokey Joe Wood

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Ramly Frank Chance
W514 Joe Jax
W590 Lou Gehrig
52' Topps Mantle
58' Topps Aaron


Daniel

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Posted By: Paul S

Keeping it pre-war, in no particular order:

1922 East. Ex. Sup. Co. Babe Ruth (PC back)

E93 Wagner

T206 Ty Cobb (bat on shoulder)
(my first T206)

T201 Johnson/Street

1939 Play Ball Ted Williams (sample back)

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Posted By: Brian Lindholme

I was one who misread the original intention of the thread, so I penalize myself 1 card on my own downsizing project...I can only keep 4.

York Caramel Type2 Babe Ruth
M116 Blue Nap Lajoie
E105 Mello Mint Honus Wagner
1971 Topps FB Jim Kiick

(The 71fb card started this madness for me as a 9-yr old. 36 years later I'm putting together 14 sets of 1971 Topps Football. 5 complete,9 in progress !!
I could probably use to downsize but I don't want to !!)


Thanks
Brian L
famiytoad

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

Deleted due to pix problem....will re-post

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Posted By: Rob

nice cards Ted! That 52 Mantle for a penny was probably your best investment

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Keeping it at five would be a gut-wrenching decision. Maybe it was the Jack Daniels doing the thinking, but...

(1) Gus Weyhing Gilbert & Bacon cabinet
(2) Deacon White Fearnaught cabinet
(3) Bid McPhee Old Judge
(4) Honus Wagner Colgan's Chip
(5) Jesse Burkett Koester's Bread

And I'd have to keep my 1960 and 1961 Topps Roger Maris and Clete Boyer cards since they were my childhood idols.

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Posted By: Ken W.

In no order:

1. Old Judge Hoss Radbourn
2. Fatima Pitt. Pirates w/Wagner
3. 1953 Topps Mantle (I also paid 1 penny!)
4. Mayo Hugh Duffy (my first 19th cntury)
5. 1889 Goodwin Album King Kelly
6. T206 Cy Young
7. 1880's Taber Studio Cabinet Alexander Cartwright
8. Old Judge Roger Connor
9. 1888 Sporting Times Cigars N.Y. Giants
10. 1946-47 Propogandas Montiel Martin Dihigo
11. 1864 Abner Doubleday CDV

AND... My 1876 Hartford Blue Stockings CDV w/Candy Cummings which is embedded inside an antique paperweight, if it is not a fakery. If it is, I'm going to throw it through a window, someday.

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Posted By: Phil Garry

Ken W:

Is your Alexander Cartwright Cabinet the same one that just appeared in the REA/Mastro April Auctions? I bid a good amount on that one but ultimately could not afford to bid any higher.