Good Old Baseball Cards - America’s Greatest Hobby

The baby boomers have helped us develop one of the greatest hobbies in America: baseball card collecting. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the story about "Mom throwing away my baseball cards", I could retire tomorrow! Even my own Dad gave away his baseball cards when he moved 3000 miles from New York to California in the 1960's.

When the Baby Boomers began buying their baseball cards back in the early 1980's, the hobby exploded. Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax,Ted Williams and Hank Aaron were on the top of their lists. Baby Boomers started building complete sets from the years they were born as well as building sets from the years they remembered when they opened packs during their childhood. It was a bit more affordable in the 1980's than in the 2000's, however in the last five years I have learned a lot about the desire of collectors to own vintage cards. Collectors today are privy to much more information than what was available 20 years ago. We can learn much more about the type of people and team mates players like Mantle, Mays, and Koufax were. We all know that it’s more difficult to find a nice vintage Aaron or Clemente than it is to find a modern Jeter or Rodriguez.

Perhaps the most significant observation I’ve made in the past 5 years is that more collectors between the ages of 15 and 30 are gravitating back to the cards from the 1950's, 1960's and even the 1970's. Is it due to the "Steroid Era?" Is it because most players during those early years were with the same team for most of their careers and they seemed to play for the "Love of the Game?" Is it because these young and educated collectors believe that it will become progressively more difficult finding these vintage cards in the future so they better get started now before these 50 year old and even older cards are all impounded in collections?

The answer is "yes" to all of the above. I can give you countless reasons why vintage is the future!

Nice quality cards of Hall of Famers and regional stars have always been in high demand. Now even lower grade Hall of Famer cards, team cards and high number cards are being sought. It will get tougher to find these cards in the future making it more difficult to complete older sets.

Here’s a challenge! Try one or a few of the following approaches. Go ahead and pick a vintage player you like or your favorite team. Browse a list of 500 Home Run Hitters or pitchers with 300 wins Check out the different types of older cards that appeal to your eye. Consider building your birth year set a few cards at a time. You'll enjoy building your collection even more when you have a goal in mind. While this is all happening, your collection will begin to include some of the greatest players ever to play the game.

That’s how I started when I was just 5 years old, enjoying older cards. Almost 30 years later, I still have my cards and I have only 1 regret.......I should have bought more!!!!!!