65 koufax, too many tops and up against the wall card flipping competitions as a 7 year old! I destroyed the entire set, which I still have minus the Neikro rookie card.
1963 Topps Pete Rose [rookie] - that was the holy grail of cards when I was a kid, and I had one in really good shape. Not sure why I traded or sold it!
It was the holy grail for us mortal when I was a kid, too (behind Mantle). Sounds like you don't remember exactly what happened to yours -- wonder what you got in return?
I sold most of my collection around 1990 [which wound up being a good time to do so looking back], but I know the Rose rookie was already gone. I probably just flipped it for some ca$h [I worked at a sports card/hobby store]... Would be awesome to still have that + many others, but I did manage to keep a few cool cards at least...
Nolan Ryan rookie card, Topps with Jerry Koosman. Attached it with a clothes pin to my bike spokes to make noise. Now that I know, it wasn’t worth the noise it made!
1959 Mickey Mantle. It was the earliest Mantle card I ever owned. Back in the day, we played with our cards like they were toys. Heck, they only cost a penny a piece.
Yep, they were definitely toys (at best). My dad was buying cards a bit earlier, in the early 50s, and he loves to regale me with tales about buying the Topps gum in about 1952 and throwing away the rest of the "packaging" -- baseball cards included.
Haha a 1990 Frank Thomas NNOF, it didn't get protected in a screwdown case until a long time after it was pulled, and the screwdown it ended up in isn't exactly a good idea.
When I got into the hobby hot and heavy in the mid-1980s, that's how you could identify a *really* good card -- the screwdown ... or the damage it wrought. lol
Taken better care of my 1974 #1 Hand Aaron. Still a presentable card but I rubber banded my cards. I was ten years old. Didn't even know about plastic card pages at the time.
65 koufax, too many tops and up against the wall card flipping competitions as a 7 year old! I destroyed the entire set, which I still have minus the Neikro rookie card.
Sounds like you put Sandy to good use, at least. Is there a story behind the missing Niekro?
1963 Topps Pete Rose [rookie] - that was the holy grail of cards when I was a kid, and I had one in really good shape. Not sure why I traded or sold it!
It was the holy grail for us mortal when I was a kid, too (behind Mantle). Sounds like you don't remember exactly what happened to yours -- wonder what you got in return?
I sold most of my collection around 1990 [which wound up being a good time to do so looking back], but I know the Rose rookie was already gone. I probably just flipped it for some ca$h [I worked at a sports card/hobby store]... Would be awesome to still have that + many others, but I did manage to keep a few cool cards at least...
Those were fun years in the hobby. Like you said, at least you kept some of your collection!
When I was young we would all use Rodger Maris cards on our bicycle spokes
Bike spokes ate so many cards! Why did you pick on Roger in particular?
Red Sox fan
That would do it!
61 Mantle. Gave it to a friend because I hated the Yankees.
At least it was for a good reason!
Nolan Ryan rookie card, Topps with Jerry Koosman. Attached it with a clothes pin to my bike spokes to make noise. Now that I know, it wasn’t worth the noise it made!
Expensive sound effects!
On the ‘59 Topps Killebrew, I just trimmed one side on all Senators cards to fit all my ‘59’s in one cigar box. Ouch! Marty Parsons
Ouch for sure.
1959 Mickey Mantle. It was the earliest Mantle card I ever owned. Back in the day, we played with our cards like they were toys. Heck, they only cost a penny a piece.
Yep, they were definitely toys (at best). My dad was buying cards a bit earlier, in the early 50s, and he loves to regale me with tales about buying the Topps gum in about 1952 and throwing away the rest of the "packaging" -- baseball cards included.
Oh, Lord. That makes me want to cry.
Yep
My brother collected 1980 and 1981 baseball cards. He glued them into scrap books.
I hear that's the only way you can keep Rickey from stealing a base. :)
1982 Topps Ripken rookie. I think I sat on it at one point, and he also autographed it in ballpoint pen. Oops.
Ha! A double whammy. Sounds like a well-loved card, though.
Haha a 1990 Frank Thomas NNOF, it didn't get protected in a screwdown case until a long time after it was pulled, and the screwdown it ended up in isn't exactly a good idea.
When I got into the hobby hot and heavy in the mid-1980s, that's how you could identify a *really* good card -- the screwdown ... or the damage it wrought. lol
Taken better care of my 1974 #1 Hand Aaron. Still a presentable card but I rubber banded my cards. I was ten years old. Didn't even know about plastic card pages at the time.
I rubber-banded my '81, so luckily nothing as good as that Aaron got nicked. Still, those dings add "character," right?
I still have the card as part of my set. Would not part with it. Marked checklists too. Character and a story to go along with it.
Can't beat that combo.
Kobe Bryant Rookie Card.
Iconic.
Not trimmed 1959 Harmon Killebrew.
Ouch. Did you cut all the way down to the circle?
1971 Topps Roberto Clemente- I should have placed it in plastic!
That's a great card! Tough borders, for sure.