What's the CRAZIEST year of your collecting life?

[BBCgalaxee]

Title can mean many different things.

For me it was 1990.

Up until that year, I collected baseball cards big time. BIG TIME. Had no interest in those inferior other sports cards.

If you were collecting at this time, you'll remember how non baseball cards went from zero to hero seemingly overnight.

In 1989, I bought the following products:
Topps baseball
Fleer baseball
Donruss baseball
UD Baseball

In 1990 I bought the following products:
Topps baseball
Donruss baseball
Fleer baseball
UD Baseball
Score baseball
UD Baseball
Fleer football
Score football
Skybox basketball
Fleer basketball
Score hockey
UD Hockey
Pro Set hockey

All on a kids budget.

I went from baseball to everything overnight and haven't done that since.
One year and out even though I enjoyed it.

In fact, the next year I was basically out of collecting.

How about you?






Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[rsmath]

probably 2001 - got back into collecting about that time after a lost-interest hiatus started in 1993 and saw there were mind-dizzying amounts of releases compared to 1993.

I admit my re-interest happened at a good time with being able to get a lot of pujols and suzuki rookies at pack/box prices instead of secondary market prices.

 

[magicpapa]

 

[smapdi]

2008 is when Grady Sizemore really exploded in the hobby, so keeping up with all his stuff was a lot of fun. One monster box holds all his 2000-2007 cards, and I need a whole other one to hold his 2008 stuff. That plus I was really into prospecting hard, Frank Thomas was still active, I was heavily into building my Magic collection, and I had numerous project sets going. Kind of amazing I didn't get into debt that year. Didn't save anything, either.

 

[fordman]

1997 was the craziest year for me.

I had a good full time job and also a full time dealer at shows within the midwest (OH, KY, IN, MI, IL, MO). I'd miss days at work making 3 times as much as I'd make at a show. My daughter just turned 11 yr old and wanted to be a cheerleader with the middle school. She made the squad but little did I know being a cheer leader meant all day cheer competitions on Saturdays, which usually was the biggest card show day. After missing a few shows, other collectors and dealers was calling wanting to know if I'd called it quits. After a few cheer competitions, I decided to do shows again. I missed the competition that my daughter had taken 1st place in several individual events. Yeah, we had it on tape but not the same as being there. After I missed her competition, I evaluated what it was I was doing with this hobby and where I was going with it.

When I did my evaluation, I had more money on paper than in my wallet. Basically, I gave personal credit to a lot of local buyers and smaller dealers. After calling them all on their debt to me, less than 10% said they could pay up right away. Others said they didnt know when they could pay. I was one of the few dealers that had a decent job that could buy by the case and not affect my personal finances. So I decided to sell what I had (pennies on the dollar), call all debts owed to me due. When a lot of the same dealers that owed me money found out that I was selling out, they were some of the first to ask to buy what I had (basically borrowing from others to buy what I had yet still owe me for past debt).

So I sold out everything that wasnt personal to me. I ignored the hobby until around 2012.

Fordman

 

[JoshHamilton]

Two stand out

1994:
I was 13 that summer, and it was the first year I made any "real" money working for my dad, mowing lawns and selling golf balls. I also started helping out at the local shop and making $6/hr...I was paid in cards. Regardless of the strike, 1994 was a pretty awesome year for cards. Fleer and Ultra baseball and football, with all the 1-per-pack inserts. Pinnacle came out with Museum collection. Flair Marvel was gorgeous. I got into Magic: The Gathering cards (which I later sold on Ebay for $300). I discovered my all-time favorite magazine that summer - Collector's Sportslook. I still read them on occasion. It was my first and only National in Houston. I remember paying $60 for the 1992 Fleer Team Leader Olajuwon at the show. I marveled at all of the 1993 Finest refractors in one inch thick lucite holders. The Ripken was priced at $2500 (!). POGs were popular. We used to sit on my friend's driveway and have tournaments. The OJ trial and trying to convince my dad to buy me one of the Signature Rookies he signed in jail.

Nothing really "crazy" about 1994, it was just a kick ass year

2001:
I didn't really collect in the dorms my first few years in college, because I lived in a dorm. Oh, and girls and beer. By 2001 I moved to my own place and started collecting again. It was also the first summer I stayed in Lubbock and I found a nice shop. I had my best ever pull, a 2001 Donruss Classics Classic Combos Ruth/Gehrig 4/50 bat/jersey (Gehrig's jersey #). I had the shop owner list it on ebay. It sold for $2000. I also pulled an Arod auto from Topps Fusion, which is my best ever auto pull. At some point early in the school year, I was sideswiped by a girl. I realized later it was the daughter of the shop, which made things a bit awkward. I was pretty badly bruised and cut up, but didn't have any major health issues. I guess her insurance company saw my truck and freaked (it was demolished), because they offered me $3000 in addition to writing me a check for my truck. SOLD! I used the money from that and the Ruth to buy two 2001 Pujols BC rookies and a PSA 9 OPC Gretzky rookie. At the time, Pujols was selling for $400. I later sold one for $1200 and the other for $2800. Nice! Nevermind the fact that the same exact Gretzky sold for $30k this September, but you can't win em all! I did end up selling it in 2005 for a profit...which was dumped into $700 worth of Brandon Wood rookies. Whoops. I also bought a lot of Luis Montanez cards that year

2001 was just a great year for cards. Pujols and Ichiro, SP Legendary Cuts, Heritage, Topps Archives Reserve...on second thought, Arod wasn't my best auto pull that year. I pulled a Willie Mays redemption, back when you had to mail them in. Got it back a few months later. I still regret selling it. Football was loaded as well. Vick, LT, Brees, SP Authentic was killer. '01 was the last year companies really tried to get on-card autos. from '02-'06, it was sticker city.

 

[cjedmonton]

Although the details are hazy at best, 1986 stands out for one reason....Fleer Basketball.

I was at the flea market at North Carolina State Fairgrounds around that time looking around for nothing in particular (t-shirts, games, cards, whatever). I was with my folks and remember getting restless. Just as we were getting ready to leave, I walked past a table with a bunch of sportscards. Right there in front were several stacks of cards in ziplock bags with a handwritten sign saying something like (New! Fleer Basketball. $14/set $25/box). By several, I would say at least a dozen, if not more.

Up until that point, I had collected only baseball cards (and to a much lesser extent, football). In fact, the only basketball card I ever remember owning was a 1977ish George Gervin card that I landed as part of sone trade with a friend along the way somewhere.

At any rate, basketball or basketball cards were not on my radar whatsoever, despite growing up in the heart of college hoops country. However, by 1986, everyone and their grandmother knew who Michael Jordan was, along with several other up and comers like Olajuwon, Barkley, Pippen, etc... Jordan was everything, as those old enough to remember now recall.

So, with some disposable income burning a hole in my pocket, thanks to a part-time after school gig at Burger King, I was strangely compelled to hop on the Jordan bandwagon. For a moment, I hesitated at the "outrageous" $14 asking price, but I had enough in my pocket to swing it...even though I knew I would catch flak from my Dad for throwing that money away on something as frivolous as a set od basketball cards. Not a pack, mind you, but an entire set....and I previously had no interest in basketball, remember?

I had a twing of guilt as I threw down a ten and a five, and received a baggie of cards and some change. I was giddy. I got in the car and showed my dad what I bought, and his reaction was just as I expected. A sigh, shake of the head, and a pretty silent car ride home. I felt guilty for making such an impulse buy, but what's done is done.

I got home, carefully took the cards out of the bag, and thumbed throug all the cards, the checklist, and team stickers. Looking back, it was an exciting half hour or so, but after that day, I just added them to the rest of my stash of sports cards.

Fast forward a year or two, and Jordan and Friends were just taking the NBA by storm. I remembered the cards I had bouught, and pulled out a Beckett to see what they might be worth. While I don't remember the exact figure, suffice to say it was worth far, FAR more than my initial $14 investment.

I showed my Dad this info, and he just chuckled "nice work, son!"...or something like that.

Shortly after, I got a $2k loan for a 1978 Chrysler Cordoba, and took the cards to a local shop to see what they would offer to help me pay off the loan. By now, the cards were in a binder. The shop owner was impressed with what he saw, and although they were not mint, he offered me $950 for the set + stickers. I was floored. I quickly accepted the offer, and paid off the car loan much sooner than I though....thanks to 86-87 Fleer basketball.

Over 25 years have passed, and I understand those cards have realized a slight uptick since? Still reminisce with my Dad over that from time to time.

1986...my one and only savvy decision with sportscards.

 

[gpenko826]

1997 was the craziest year for me.

I had a good full time job and also a full time dealer at shows within the midwest (OH, KY, IN, MI, IL, MO). I'd miss days at work making 3 times as much as I'd make at a show. My daughter just turned 11 yr old and wanted to be a cheerleader with the middle school. She made the squad but little did I know being a cheer leader meant all day cheer competitions on Saturdays, which usually was the biggest card show day. After missing a few shows, other collectors and dealers was calling wanting to know if I'd called it quits. After a few cheer competitions, I decided to do shows again. I missed the competition that my daughter had taken 1st place in several individual events. Yeah, we had it on tape but not the same as being there. After I missed her competition, I evaluated what it was I was doing with this hobby and where I was going with it.

When I did my evaluation, I had more money on paper than in my wallet. Basically, I gave personal credit to a lot of local buyers and smaller dealers. After calling them all on their debt to me, less than 10% said they could pay up right away. Others said they didnt know when they could pay. I was one of the few dealers that had a decent job that could buy by the case and not affect my personal finances. So I decided to sell what I had (pennies on the dollar), call all debts owed to me due. When a lot of the same dealers that owed me money found out that I was selling out, they were some of the first to ask to buy what I had (basically borrowing from others to buy what I had yet still owe me for past debt).

So I sold out everything that wasnt personal to me. I ignored the hobby until around 2012.

Fordman

Out of curiosity, what shows did you do in Ohio and Michigan around that time? I had just moved to Toledo for school and was at a show nearly every weekend - it would be kinda cool if I endeavor buying stuff from you back in the day

 

[fordman]

Out of curiosity, what shows did you do in Ohio and Michigan around that time? I had just moved to Toledo for school and was at a show nearly every weekend - it would be kinda cool if I endeavor buying stuff from you back in the day

If it was a bigger show, chances are, I was there. I did several in the Toledo area from school gyms, National Guard Armory's to a large convention like center.

Most of the shows in Ohio were in the Cincinnati-Dayton area. Moeller High School, few hotel meeting rooms, Wright State University, Hobart arena in Troy, OH.

In Michigan, mostly around Detroit, the down river area, Taylor, Lincoln Park, Trenton & Southgate to name a few areas.

Been so long ago, glad I'm out of that part of collecting. I still see a lot of dealers from then, now at shows and the funny thing is, they're still trying to peddle a lot of the same stuff they had then.

Fordman

 

[gpenko826]

That Taylor show at Gibraltar was always one of my favorites - used to have 200-250 tables there every month and a decent autograph guest. You could find insane deals in quarter and dollar boxes and there was a HUGE variety of stuff there. Place was always jammed!

1997-1998 would have probably been one of the craziest times for me because of this - I would head to Taylor from Toledo every 4th weekend, there was a BIG show every Tuesday at a church on the north side of Toledo, and there were at least 5 shops in the area I could go to on a regular basis. I went to my first ever National in Cleveland and it blew my mind! It's where I first got into my box busting (and soon case busting) obsession. Every K-Mart, Target, and Meijers had a massive selection of these new things called "blaster boxes" and eBay was just starting to become a big thing. Jersey cards and 1-per-pack autograph products were emerging and the sets that came out had great designs and unique inserts. That Gibraltar show , at least to me at the time, was like a monthly National convention!

I went there a few years ago before they closed it down and there may have been 50 tables, most of which had nascar stuff or gaming cards. The saddest part of what you mentioned - I saw some of the same guys I saw from 15 years ago with the same stuff that practically the same prices

My passion for collecting has never died and honestly grows stronger every year, but that 1997-1998 period will always hold a special place in my heart.