Do any other collectors of retired players only collect cards made during their career?

[Austin]

I'm a casual collector of Rickey Henderson, my all-time favorite player. I've been collecting him since 1985 and have around 500 different cards. Plus, lots of magazines, figures, collectables and autographs on balls, pictures and two bats.

But I only collect cards made during Rickey's playing career. So the cutoff is 2003, which means no recent Topps, Panini or Leaf cards, except for some that people have given me and a few retro cards that I thought were really cool.

It also makes it easier, both financially and numeralogically, since there's a finite checklist (although sometimes previously uncatalogued cards get discovered).
And most of his new cards are unlicensed, airbrushed and ugly anyway, so I'm usually not tempted to buy any of them.

Do any of you other collectors of retired players also limit your collection to cards released during their career?

 

[Brewer Andy]

Not really but to be fair my players have only had 5 or 6 cards total produced since they retired. This is good and bad at the same time but if I collected a player with new releases I'm sure I'd still be going after the new stuff. Fortunately it's just more funds for other collections

 

[VizquelCollector.com]

Personally, I'd love to have cards to chase. I doubt there will be many new cards produced of Omar, so it's not much of a choice for me. I'll take whatever I can get!

 

[joey12508]

i collect mainly the 90's. ill pick up some of the newer sets but not much. really only cards when he played.

 

[Mozzie22]

I only collect Ozzie cards produced during his playing career 1978-1996. As far as Matheny and Matt Carpenter are concerned I collect anything they have produced.

 

[Kid4hof03]

I collect Gary Carter, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Roger Staubach, Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman and Curtis Martin. For all of them I only collect 1 year after retirement, that way I can have their full career stats on the final year cards. I think some of the new stuff is great but I just had to draw a line somewhere.

 

[michaelstepper]

As a griffey collector. Sort of? I'll pick up a freebie now and then from gypsy queen or tribute if it's offered but won't spend money on anything from the last 3 years product, with the exception of the first gypsy auto, gypsy dual with felix hernandez and a copper rose auto I'm still waiting on.. Topps has ruined the chase for me with its 5 million parallels and using the same picture on 30 different cards in 3 year.
Makes it somewhat easier on the wallet anyway :/

 

[mrmopar]

I'd be done if that were the case, but after the blast of 2005, I prefer that there be limited new issues to keep it reasonable.

 

[JoshHamilton]

I only have a game used Parkhurst reprint of Jacques Plante. Everything else is from
his playing days

 

[MansGame]

To answer your question, I wish haha

Go after all new stuff which financially sucks but the cards are awesome and it is what it is.


---
Buying Albert Belle cards! PM me!

 

[EDGARMARTINEZcollector]

I go after any and all Edgars, regardless of year. It's become more expensive recently, as there has been an influx of new Edgar autos in the past couple of years (especially if you count all of the Tribute parallels).
I enjoy the new cards though and am patient, waiting until I can snag an auto at a price I'm comfortable with.

 

[u2me57]

No, I still collect Jim Thome cards, but no high end stuff. Of course he hasn't officially retired yet. But if Giambi keeps hitting .000 Thome has a chance to come back to the Indians.

 

[notjomommasclint]

I have 1 card from nomar outside of his playing days. 5 star silver signature that I stumbled across yesterday for way way less than they close for on eBay.

 

[smapdi]

Not strictly, but I highly prefer Frank Thomas cards through 2008. There will be approximately infinite post-retirement cards ever made, and they mostly don't do it for me, especially the logoless ones. There's definitely enough to keep me busy through his active years.

 

[thelesquad]

My main focus is on his playing years, but I do have many cards from post-playing years. It'll cost me enough to pick up the ones I still need. I can't afford to go after everything else right now.

 

[Hawk8]

I collect everything Andre Dawson.

 

[olerud363]

I collect any John Olerud cards, though he's another player who has very little issued since his retirement. Like you mentioned for Rickey, most recent Olerud's are unlicensed, airbrushed cards that generally look horrible. (Case in point: 2012 TriStar Obak.) I kind of like that he isn't a star player who still has a ton of new stuff coming out... and my budget likes it too!

FWIW, a big reason I started collecting J.P. Arencibia was so I could chase some newer stuff like rainbows.

- Rodrick

 

[BunchOBull]

My focus is 2001 and earlier in terms of completion, but I collect anything beyond that, including post-career, if it catches my eye. If I ever finish the first 11 years of Frank's career, I'm sure I'll focus more greatly on more modern issues.

Two recent modern issues that I've focused on include 2013 Allen & Ginter, and 2013 Panini USA Champions...beautiful cards, so I invested in the runs.

Here's my A&G semi-rainbow:

http://www.bighurthof.com/#!2013ag/cwk