Why do you collect memorabilia??

[ruth-gehrig]

Why do you collect memorabilia?? Do you love it? Is it for investment reasons?? Do you also collect cards and if not why?

What is it about "memorabilia" that is more appealing than cards?

The card side gets much more attention and was just wondering thoughts from us memorabilia people.

Will memorabilia(fill in the blank of whatever category you want) ever be as popular as cards??

[Swadewade51]

I love collecting memoribilia and cards. With photos it's easier to find pieces that "fit" together. Card used imagery being the easiest but most expensive (and not always that interesting). Finding that perfect paring of an action shot like the Miñoso below with an aging sepia tone is great. It complements the yellow of his 1952 and they fit seamlessly together, that is part of what gets me going and collecting photos.



It's all about storytelling for my collection not really about completing anything so thats why I lean more towards memoribilia. In weird way, it's almost backwards. A card shows a whole seasons worth of stats and career numbers but photos, tickets and programs more or less show singular moments or games. For me though, the latter brings you closer to the game where as cards I feel held at a distance.



I'd be lying if I didn't think certain pieces of my collection aren't decent stores of value (see below my orginal photo of Satchel by Jacobellis and accompanying Retirado). I try to use my funds on big names that will always have people interested in them but I also love picking up pieces of guys like Don Newcombe and Dan Bankhead (seen below greating fans in the Dominican Republic during the 1948).

[doug.goodman]

I started with cards, as I would bet the vast majority of us did as little kids getting packs of Topps cards at the store, but I've always had an affinity for "stuff" : autos / pennants / programs / at games, etc. The stories they can tell are a thing of beauty, understood by those who under understand.

Upper Deck perfecting the "chase" card started to aim me away from cards, then the destruction of the "hobby" by the opinion sellers really pushed me over the edge.

When they start making slabs big enough to hold an m113, I'll probably be done.

I have one of the mugs shown in this picture, but don't have a picture of it.

Doug

[guy3050]

I collect Expos tickets…because every ticket tells a story

[3-2-count]

For me its all about the companion piece which carries ties to the cards that I collect.

In regards to the memorabilia I collect being a good investment! I would collect it regardless because I love it as its displayed in my home and my walls are covered with it, but have witnessed the good stuff increase substantially over the years.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by ruth-gehrig

Why do you collect memorabilia?? Do you love it? Is it for investment reasons?? Do you also collect cards and if not why?

No, only cards. And the cards I collect partially due to nostalgia and partially due to aesthetics. I love them!

[Mark]

Originally Posted by ruth-gehrig

Why do you collect memorabilia?? Do you love it? Is it for investment reasons?? Do you also collect cards and if not why?

What is it about "memorabilia" that is more appealing than cards?

The card side gets much more attention and was just wondering thoughts from us memorabilia people.

Will memorabilia(fill in the blank of whatever category you want) ever be as popular as cards??

When I was 8 or 9, I found some old, pre-war baseball bats in my grandfather's basement. I thought they were tremendous. About 30 years later, I realized that people sold pro model bats at card shows and through magazine ads, and I started accumulating more because they really are tremendous. Then I started picking up photos to go with the bats. Today, I am not collecting as actively as before, but I still love the stuff.

[Topnotchsy]

Like many, I started with cards. Over time I became enamored with what could be bought for the price of a card. I think that cards have a few things going for them which will keep them as the 'go to' collectible (generations of nostalgia around collecting, small and easy to collect and store, cards are clearly defined so you know what you are looking at, there is the checklist and set pursuit aspect etc.) but I like memorabilia more for the stories they tell.

For me, the hobby and research about baseball are a circle. I come across collectibles and those drive me to do more research. The research unearths new stories and aspects of baseball history, and that drives me to find new items that are related.

I find the nexus between baseball and American and world history fascinating. Two of my primary areas of collecting are WWII baseball items and Integration-related items. Both are examples of where baseball played a role in something much bigger. I love that.

As noted, the bang for your buck is a huge deal for me. As an example: one of the players I focus on in my Integration collection is Roy Campanella. He was one of 4 black players to sign between the 1945 and 1946 offseason (meaning that he signed before the Minor League color barrier was broken in 1946).

Roy Campanella's rookie card is his (edited) 1949 Bowman card. PSA reports that there are 2 PSA 10's, and a value of $108,000 for one. PSA reports 18 PSA 9's and has the most recent price of one at a hair under $30,000.

I was able to acquire Campanella's 1946 Minor League contract with the Nashua Dodgers for a fraction of what the PSA 9 costs. Despite it being the actual historical document. Despite it being signed by Campanella twice. Despite it being a document that played an actual role in the breaking of the color barrier (Campanella to the best of my knowledge, was the first to integrate a team in the United States, as Jackie Robinson was playing in Canada). And at most there are 3 copies of that contract extant (since the player, the team and the league would get a copy). There are 18 PSA 9's and 2 greaded higher which means there are at least 20 copies of the Bowman rookie card graded by PSA (not to mention SGC and others). It is unsigned. It is small. It had no historical role in the game. And it sells for a lot more than I paid for the contract. For me, it's a no-brainer. (And the 1946 team signed photo formerly owned by Walt Alston sold for less than the 122 PSA 8's go for).

And that points to an example of a story. Doing some searching I came across a contract for Campanella with the Danville Dodgers for 1946. Doing some digging I learned that he had first signed to play in Danville, but Branch Rickey was informed that the team was not ready to integrate, so he re-signed a few weeks later on a new contract to play in Nashua. To me this added a whole new dimension to the signing which I don't recall Campanella writing about in his book (though I'm working from memory). That to me was fascinating. And I was able to snag that contract too. For less than a PSA 9.

Attaching a couple of pics as well

[puckpaul]

I love both cards and memorabilia equally. They connect us to the past, and the love of fans and collectors to games historically. They say something about our culture.

My first baseball memorabilia I collected were these ornate gold an diamond-studded booster medallions or pendants that were given to Fred Clarke for managing in the first World Series and then to John McGraw for his role in the 1904 season (‘05 Champs, though they didnt play the WS for that). The inscriptions and care put into these were amazing and I was drawn to their coolness and significance. I think items like this are much more fun than most cards.

[aelefson]

Great items everyone! Paul, I have never seen those before and I can see how those got you into memorabilia as they are amazing. I have some cards but like many on this thread I realized that memorabilia was way more interesting (and generally cheaper) many years ago.

I have built my collection through antique shops, flea markets, and antique shows. Generally, cards are not as available at those locations and when they are they tend to be overpriced. However, memorabilia is still out there and it is a lot of fun to find something cool "in the wild" as opposed to clicking the bid button in an auction online.

A couple of weeks ago I found a handwritten song called Kill the Umpire which was written on paper with headers for a baseball comedy duo in the vaudeville era. Researching the song and the comedy duo will give me plenty of extra enjoyment out of the purchase. I cannot imagine buying a card for the same price (under 100.00) would give me anywhere near the same pleasure as it would just go into one of my binders and I would not look at it much in the future.

I find collecting cards to be relatively easy as the goals are relatively simple and the knowledge needed to collect them is fairly limited (especially if you are into buying graded cards). I find that collecting memorabilia is more complicated, takes a lot more knowledge, and is generally more of a challenge. This is a very general view though as I know there are some folks who get into cards and study the nuances of certain sets but I feel in general it takes more knowledge to collect memorabilia.

Either way, collect what you like!

Alan

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by puckpaul

I love both cards and memorabilia equally. They connect us to the past, and the love of fans and collectors to games historically. They say something about our culture. My first baseball memorabilia I collected were these ornate gold an diamond-studded booster medallions or pendants that were given to Fred Clarke for managing in the first World Series and then to John McGraw for his role in the 1904 season (‘05 Champs, though they didnt play the WS for that). The inscriptions and care put into these were amazing and I was drawn to their coolness and significance. I think items like this are much more fun than most cards.

These are amazing! World-class pieces and gorgeous.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by 3-2-count

For me its all about the companion piece which carries ties to the cards that I collect. In regards to the memorabilia I collect being a good investment! I would collect it regardless because I love it as its displayed in my home and my walls are covered with it, but have witnessed the good stuff increase substantially over the years.

Love the old advertising art!

[kevlar7]

I feel that memorabilia tells a story. For me that is what collecting is about.

[ruth-gehrig]

Wow some really incredible items shown! If alot of these have already been shown previously I surely don't remember them.

This was a topic I've been curious about for awhile and glad I finally asked it. There's a psychology of collecting that's fascinating to me. Why do we collect what we collect? Why are some people collectors and others look at you weird when asked if they collect anything? Lol.

I agree with you Doug that most of us probably had an early exposure to cards and either branched out from that into memorabilia or kept with cards or later returned to cards. Memorabilia collectors "evolved".

Personally to me memorabilia is simply more interesting. I would say in the mid to later 1990s when baseball inserts were becoming more numerous I had a hard time keeping up with just my favorite player Ken Griffey Jr. I loved the cards but felt like I simply couldn't keep up. I grabbed a few older Mantles at some card shows but that didn't really do it for me either.

My dad collected gas and oil memorabilia and I remember seeing some of his auction flyers in the mail for what he collected. They always seemed to be these fold out auction advertisements that expanded to about 15" x 20" and filled with small colorful pictures of signs, calendars, globes, pumps, banners, ads, posters, etc. Absolutely so colorful. I was rather amazed and intrigued. I scoured every flyer he got wondering and hoping to spot something that was baseball related. There must be some baseball related items out there right? That was my sport after all and cards weren't cutting it any more

I cannot remember how I discovered the Nationals. It was probably a card dealer from one of the local cards shows that mentioned it. I convinced my mom to drive me from southeast KS to St Louis for the National 1998 and talk about a kid in a candy shop!! Absolutely blown away with everything I saw. This wasn't my local card show with 75 tables filled with just cards lol. I was bombarded with memorabilia I hadn't even thought about at nearly every table.

I knew I wanted to go after memorabilia. I loved advertising and have focused on that mainly ever since. It's art, it's colorful(hopefully), it's displayable and it's baseball. I also enjoy anything baseball that displays well up to about 1950s branching out into trophies, figurals, decal bats, baseballs, and most recently Mantle pins. Sometimes I don't know what I like until I see it

Like others have said I enjoy the stories behind the things I buy but of course not always possible from auction style buys. Always looking for companion pieces to compliment existing pieces. I'm not sure I've ever found much in antique shops but good stuff is still out there waiting to be found so you never know.

From the replies it seems almost like memorabilia collectors have a deep connection with what they collect for whatever reason. Perhaps the card collectors would say the same thing about themselves. I will just keep collecting what I enjoy

[Lordstan]

I agree with everything everyone has said so far.
Collecting cards, outside of a few obscure collecting focuses, to me, has been more about, do you have enough money to complete your set in a specific condition. Even before grading, people focused on not just completing a set, but wanting a condition. Grading and set registries have made this feature an even more prominent aspect.
For me, it's not just about the hunt, it's about exploring the boundaries of what you collect. Memorabilia has so many twists and turns that even if your looking for one things, you wind up with something else that you never knew was a thing.
Cards definitely scratch that inner ocd itch that most collectors have to differing Degrees and they do it in a much more straight forward way as sets are, for the most part, a finite number. If there are 100 cards in a set, then you know the goal. This is the way, the overwhelming majority of sets are.
Memorabilia, on the other hand, has many less examples of things being "sets". It's more of a free flowing journey from one thing to another.
Imo, memorabilia connects me more to the game and the people that played it. Cards connect me to my own childhood passion that involves our more innocent youthful life, among others.
Lastly, I will link a post I made several years ago that is really the perfect example of why I love collecting memorabila.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top.....Find....Ever

Sent from my SM-F946U using Tapatalk

[kevlar7]

Originally Posted by Lordstan

Memorabilia has so many twists and turns that even if your looking for one things, you wind up with something else that you never knew was a thing.

I love this! You never know when you will find something that just speaks to you.

[Tripp Trapp]

Great thread! Here are a couple of pieces from my collection that I recently acquired.

[ooo-ribay]

I’ll probably echo what others have said…

To me, cards are just a matter of money. If you want/“need” a card, they’re out there. We all get catalogs or see auctions that are page after page after page of cards. I also don’t believe anyone ever gets a “deal” on a card except in the very rare occasion you might find it at a garage sale or in a storage unit. If you buy a card at the National, you’re going to pay the going rate. Also, there’s really no mystery or back story to cards. They are what they are. About the only good thing about cards is they don’t take up a ton of room. But I could say the same of my pocket schedules and pinbacks.

Memorabilia, on the other hand, comes with stories. I think we all love doing research on its origins. Just last week, a fellow collector told me he had found a picture of Willie Mays at an I. Magnin store in 1962, surrounded by Willie Mays Say Hey skateboards. I had read earlier the skateboards were only sold at Northern California Macy’s. It’s amazing how you can stumble upon photograhic evidence. I own this banner but didn’t know exactly where it came from. Net54 member came up with a picture of Willie Mays batting in front of one on the 1960 Opening Day of brand new (fabulous ) CandlesticK Park.

I really enjoy the hunt, too. As I said, I think cards are just a matter of money. There are desired memorabilia pieces that I have seen maybe one time in a picture that I doubt I will ever find but, every once in a while, one will magically appear. And, sometimes, I will get something at a very reasonable price because I”m either in the right place at the right time or no one else covets the piece like I do. Not too long ago, I got an item that a fellow bigtime Giants collector didn’t even know existed…and he lives in SF and has been collecting for 50+ years.

Most (but not all) of my memorabilia dates to my lifetime. I have a connection to it. I can’t understand collecting cards of some guy you (or maybe even your dad) never saw play. But that’s a whole nuther topic…

[Fballguy]

Cards will always hold a warm and nostalgic place in my heart, but I don't collect them any more. As a kid in the 70s the only saving grace to summer ending and the school year approaching was the incoming football season and along with it the next set of Topps football cards. Starting in early August, I would make a daily trek to the Woolworth's candy aisle hoping they magically appeared over night. Then when they did, I would clean out as many packs as my $5 allowance would allow. This was an annual ritual for me from about 1976-1982 and I continued to collect cards...off an on...into my late 30s.

Things began to change when boxes started to cost hundreds of dollars and I was throwing out everthing but the hits. Base cards were pointless and overall, the quality of the cards was not there. Even if I pulled a nice autograph, there was a good chance a corner would be dinged or edges would be chipped. It felt like wasting money on lottery tickets and after wasting way too much money, I lost interest and never looked back.

Even now, in a moment of nostalgia, I'll scroll ebay looking at cards from my favorite sets of the 60s and 70s and the sheer number of illegal and ever improving reproductions is enough to bring me back to my senses. Not to mention all of the drama of trimming, washing, coloring and whatever else people do to cards to get an edge in the market.

Lastly, the sheer volume. Is any post war card really rare? Even the most desired cards seem to have thousands available. Why would I pay a mint for something that exists in the thousands?

So for me...It's definitely memorabilia. The nostalgia is there. The craftsmanship is there. The uniqueness is there. The art work, rarity, beauty and, of course, value. For whatever reason, memorabilia (except at the very highest end of the spectrum) is extremely underpriced and thus to me presents a nice investment opportunity. I track every purchase I make and I'm extremely confident that I'll get at least a 50% return on investement when it comes time to sell. That would be hard to duplicate elsewhere with as little risk as I feel I have with my collection...and definitely a lot less fun.

[ooo-ribay]

^^^ FWIW, “value” has nothing to do with why I collect. I’ll most likely die with everything I have and, at that point, I have no idea what will happen to it.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

^^^ FWIW, “value” has nothing to do with why I collect. I’ll most likely die with everything I have and, at that point, I have no idea what will happen to it.

I agree. I don't know what I would enjoy, or could do, in my declining years other than look at all the things I've collected over the years.

[Mark70Z]

Why do you collect memorabilia? The main reason I really like memorabilia is for display purposes. To have a space to lounge around, watch a game, read, listen to music, etc. and be surrounded by items that are enjoyable to view. I’ve narrowed down quite a bit since I started collecting and typically focus on displayable items of my favorite team (Orioles).

Do you love it? I really like collecting, but have slowly got to the point that I rarely pick up items anymore. I’m sure I have plenty of items to display so continue to think I’ll stop for good at some point.

Do you also collect cards and if not why? Basically a single player collector (Brooks Robinson). Other than Brooksie I really don’t collect cards.

What is it about "memorabilia" that is more appealing than cards? While you can display cards, most of the time they are just sitting in a box stored. Memorabilia is just better for display purposes (at least in my view).

Will memorabilia(fill in the blank of whatever category you want) ever be as popular as cards?? Overall I think cards are king. Now, with me, memorabilia will always be more enjoyable.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Topnotchsy

Like many, I started with cards.



I find the nexus between baseball and American and world history fascinating. Two of my primary areas of collecting are WWII baseball items and Integration-related items. Both are examples of where baseball played a role in something much bigger. I love that.

I love the history of baseball. I'm probably a historian because of baseball and the Ken Burns documentary. At the same time, the Conlon Collection cards were in dollar stores. While I didn't care about the cards, I did care about the pictures and stories.

As a boy, I bought all of the extras: posters, Starting Lineup, Wheaties, whatever. My favorite poster was all about memorabilia. So many amazing objects for me to look at and imagine.

I always saw GU bats, balls, Gloves, jerseys and they were out of my range. Now I can afford them. They are a true 1/1.

I have narrowed my focus to certain players, primarily Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr, and Lou Gehrig. I still have some Tris Speaker items, but I sold a few to pay for some other items. I have Joey Votto items but nowhere to display them right now.





Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

[mikecala98]

Two reasons for me are:

1. Some items are true artwork
2. How the heck did this survive!?!?!

This example I just got in the mail and made a makeshift frame for is a prime example. The detail is amazing in what you can easily see, but holding this up to light you can see even more in the white almost clear parts. It is ripped yes, but only on the borders of this silk masterpiece.

[perezfan]

I could write a novel on this, but will spare you all and keep it brief...

Memorabilia allows you to get MUCH closer to the game (and to the players) than mass-produced pictures on cardboard. How can you even compare a card to something that the player either touched, wore or used playing the actual game?

What is the real difference between a 1952 Topps Mantle and a 1952 Les Moss? Both came from the same factory, both have the same cardboard stock, and both came out of the same pack. They just mass-printed a different image on the two cards.

Compare that to a game-used Bat with tons of use and pine tar... held and swung by someone who actually played the game. Or a game-used Jersey, Jacket or Cap... all things we may have seen used on the field in our childhood, that we still remember with such fondness and amazement that we can actually own it today?

Or perhaps a Type 1 Photo.... a unique image captured and developed by a legendary photographer who stood on the very same field as Ruth, Cobb, Gehrig, Robinson, etc.

Or perhaps a scorecard, ticket or lineup card from a milestone or record-setting game? Something that was tangibly present during a meaningful time of greatness.

Or maybe an autograph... either a bat, ball, program or album page actually touched, held and signed by a legendary player.

Or a 100 year-old felt pennant that miraculously stood the test of time, still displaying incredibly artistic graphics and defying the odds with no moth holes, rips, fading or tears.

Or perhaps a Trophy awarded to a legendary player or team for accomplishing something great. The tangible culmination of a lifetime of diligent work and training.

Or a defunct stadium artifact like a Turnstyle, Sign or Stadium Seat. Something that we would otherwise vaguely remember, miraculously brought back to life as a part of our collections.

Or maybe a piece of antique equipment from shortly after the Civil War era... an early antique bat, jersey, lemon peel ball or weldless catchers mask. Miraculous survivors that tell the history of the game while making for stunning display pieces.

Okay, so maybe I did write a "novel". But how do you even begin to compare a piece of cardboard that the player never touched (or even saw) to these historic artifacts of greatness? Yes, I did start out collecting cards, but the evolution into memorabilia is one that I will never regret (until I have to downsize, that is!)

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by mikecala98

Two reasons for me are:

1. Some items are true artwork
2. How the heck did this survive!?!?!

This example I just got in the mail and made a makeshift frame for is a prime example. The detail is amazing in what you can easily see, but holding this up to light you can see even more in the white almost clear parts. It is ripped yes, but only on the borders of this silk masterpiece.

Based on the names in the upper left, can you date that to a specific year(s)?

[mikecala98]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Based on the names in the upper left, can you date that to a specific year(s)?

51-53 at first glance. Cookie is on there and he was a coach from 51-53. The small banners near the bum dare up to 1950 NL Champ flags. No Sandy’s so it isn’t 55 or later.

Edit: appears to be 1951 based on two Don’s.

[Kevlo17]

I will always love cards, but as time has gone on I've been less and less interested in owning them - outside of very rare or beautiful cards. I started to become a bit numb to them after seeing the same ones over and over at card shows, ebay, and the AH catalogues.

As others have stated, pieces of memorabilia are almost always more unique and a more direct connection to a time and place in history than cards, and can even have a direct connection to a player or historical event. They can tell a story and be unbelievably beautiful at the same time.

Here's a good example of that - a broadside I recently picked up. It's from a 1941 game between the Monarchs and Chicago American Giants at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. When I saw it at auction, I was totally captivated by it but there was very limited information shared about it in the description. So, being from St. Louis, I started to dig to learn more about the game, the artist, etc, and found that the game had a ton of significance in the area. Satchel was essentially holding out from appearing in the game unless the promoters allowed black fans to sit wherever they could afford instead of in a designated area. Given that Satch was the biggest drawing card for the game, the promoters eventually gave in - and for the first time ever, black fans could sit wherever they wanted at the stadium. Satch then went on to star in a 11-2 whooping of the Chicago team.

[mrozie21]

I'm like most people who have responded already. I started out as a card collector and slowly moved over to memorabilia.

I bought my first cards back in 1976 and moved into collecting game used items and stadium memorabilia in 1995.

Since my collection has grown over the years along with the space that I have to display items. I like to find unique pieces of history as well as items that display well.

Some examples: Forbes Field concrete facade and window (10’ x 5’), three rivers stadium original concept painting and 1960 World Series Banner

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by mikecala98

51-53 at first glance. Cookie is on there and he was a coach from 51-53. The small banners near the bum dare up to 1950 NL Champ flags. No Sandy’s so it isn’t 55 or later.

Edit: appears to be 1951 based on two Don’s.

Giants had similar, in both NY and SF.

[perezfan]

Those are simply beautiful, Rob...

Especially that bottom one. Amazing graphics and stellar condition!

[UKCardGuy]

I think I'd call myself a baseball collector. That includes Cards and Memorabilia. Cards are great but memorabilia offers a better connection to history. When I get a old pennant or a ticket stub, it's a connection to a game or a stadium. Depending on the piece of memorabilia, it might actually be a true 1 of 1....not manufactured rarity but because it's the only surviving piece of history.

[Mark17]

I can pull out my 1963 home Earl Battey jersey and know that every day during that season, Earl gazed at that same exact shirt, and half the time he put it on to play that game. Meanwhile, his 1966 road shirt travelled with him and the team around the circuit, and when Earl entered the visitor's locker room, same scenario.

GU jerseys were actually part of the game - in the clubhouse, in the dugouts, on the players' backs, in the batters' box, on the bases, and so on.

Cards are mass produced bits of cheap cardboard and ink that likely never got close to the players or stadiums. And with some cards, like those seemingly generic drawings on early strip cards, the images aren't always that great anyway.

I used to collect cards, but aside for some T202s, once I see what cards look like online, owning them doesn't hold much appeal. With GU jerseys though, those things are magical. They were THERE.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I can pull out my 1963 home Earl Battey jersey and know that every day during that season, Earl gazed at that same exact shirt, and half the time he put it on to play that game. Meanwhile, his 1966 road shirt travelled with him and the team around the circuit, and when Earl entered the visitor's locker room, same scenario.

GU jerseys were actually part of the game - in the clubhouse, in the dugouts, on the players' backs, in the batters' box, on the bases, and so on.

Cards are mass produced bits of cheap cardboard and ink that likely never got close to the players or stadiums. And with some cards, like those seemingly generic drawings on early strip cards, the images aren't always that great anyway.

I used to collect cards, but aside for some T202s, once I see what cards look like online, owning them doesn't hold much appeal. With GU jerseys though, those things are magical. They were THERE.

I absolutely love jerseys (especially the flannels), but space considerations and cost have kept me from ever getting into that segment of collecting. Probably a good thing.

[pbspelly]

Relatives

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Kevlo17

I will always love cards, but as time has gone on I've been less and less interested in owning them - outside of very rare or beautiful cards. I started to become a bit numb to them after seeing the same ones over and over at card shows, ebay, and the AH catalogues.

As others have stated, pieces of memorabilia are almost always more unique and a more direct connection to a time and place in history than cards, and can even have a direct connection to a player or historical event. They can tell a story and be unbelievably beautiful at the same time.

Here's a good example of that - a broadside I recently picked up. It's from a 1941 game between the Monarchs and Chicago American Giants at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. When I saw it at auction, I was totally captivated by it but there was very limited information shared about it in the description. So, being from St. Louis, I started to dig to learn more about the game, the artist, etc, and found that the game had a ton of significance in the area. Satchel was essentially holding out from appearing in the game unless the promoters allowed black fans to sit wherever they could afford instead of in a designated area. Given that Satch was the biggest drawing card for the game, the promoters eventually gave in - and for the first time ever, black fans could sit wherever they wanted at the stadium. Satch then went on to star in a 11-2 whooping of the Chicago team.

Fabulous poster and amazing history!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Giants had similar, in both NY and SF.

Those are great!