Every year for Christmas and my birthday I ask for baseball cards. When I was a kid I spent every penny of money on cards, and there's still almost nothing that makes me more excited than opening up packets of baseball cards.
For years my mom has been shipping me boxes of cards and I've never had time to look through. One of the best things about being a collector is to look through old boxes of cards you thought were no good, only to find 20-year old gems (rookie cards of late-blooming superstars).
The bulk of my collection comes from quite possibly the least valuable era of baseball card collecting (late 80s-early 90s), so my attachment to the cards is less about money, and more about sentiment.
Over the weekend I had a b-day and got about 20 packs, so I busted out the boxes and started sifting through them. Some great finds (not necessarily as far as value):
1. A 1992 Topps Traded Jason Giambi USA baseball team card. Although it's not worth much anymore (wish I would have found it in 2001), it basically puts the steroid discussion and the Giambino to rest.
2. 1985 Topps Bobby Cox Manager card (I love that guy, and it was crazy to see him in his younger years).
3. 1992 Topps Traded Jeff Bagwell. I think this probably qualifies as his actual rookie card (traded by Red Sox to 'Stros at the deadline in '92 while he was still in the minors).
4. 1978 Topps Carl Yazstremski in fairly good condition.
5. 1988 Donruss Spike Owen (WHO?). It was my first Red Sox baseball card from my very first pack of cards. I carried it in my backpack for weeks, and it has creases down the middle in both directions. Brought back a lot of good memories.
6. 1998-99 Topps Dirk Nowitzky rookie card (not sure how I got this one; was on my mission, but I'll take it).
7. My favorite: 1987 Ellis Burks rookie card. I loved that guy growing up. Was a very sad day when he signed with the (White Sox??). He and Boggs were both wearing different unis at the start of the '93 season.
It's funny as I sifted through the cards that I had in albums, I realized that what's considered a "good card" can change in a hurry. I had at least a dozen mint condition ken caminiti's that I had tucked away after his few big seasons. Probably worth pennies now. Same for Jose Conseco. I probably have forty of his cards. That doping bastard.
For years my mom has been shipping me boxes of cards and I've never had time to look through. One of the best things about being a collector is to look through old boxes of cards you thought were no good, only to find 20-year old gems (rookie cards of late-blooming superstars).
The bulk of my collection comes from quite possibly the least valuable era of baseball card collecting (late 80s-early 90s), so my attachment to the cards is less about money, and more about sentiment.
Over the weekend I had a b-day and got about 20 packs, so I busted out the boxes and started sifting through them. Some great finds (not necessarily as far as value):
1. A 1992 Topps Traded Jason Giambi USA baseball team card. Although it's not worth much anymore (wish I would have found it in 2001), it basically puts the steroid discussion and the Giambino to rest.
2. 1985 Topps Bobby Cox Manager card (I love that guy, and it was crazy to see him in his younger years).
3. 1992 Topps Traded Jeff Bagwell. I think this probably qualifies as his actual rookie card (traded by Red Sox to 'Stros at the deadline in '92 while he was still in the minors).
4. 1978 Topps Carl Yazstremski in fairly good condition.
5. 1988 Donruss Spike Owen (WHO?). It was my first Red Sox baseball card from my very first pack of cards. I carried it in my backpack for weeks, and it has creases down the middle in both directions. Brought back a lot of good memories.
6. 1998-99 Topps Dirk Nowitzky rookie card (not sure how I got this one; was on my mission, but I'll take it).
7. My favorite: 1987 Ellis Burks rookie card. I loved that guy growing up. Was a very sad day when he signed with the (White Sox??). He and Boggs were both wearing different unis at the start of the '93 season.
It's funny as I sifted through the cards that I had in albums, I realized that what's considered a "good card" can change in a hurry. I had at least a dozen mint condition ken caminiti's that I had tucked away after his few big seasons. Probably worth pennies now. Same for Jose Conseco. I probably have forty of his cards. That doping bastard.
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