For Card Collectors

[121Josey]

The thread about the sweetest swing in baseball had me thinking about Ruben Sierra, Will Clark, and Barry Bonds. My mind quickly shifted to regret over the numerous opportunities I had to buy the complete set of the '87 Donruss The Rookies when it was worth next to nothing.

So I ask: what is that trading card - that unicorn as it were - that you had the chance to obtain yet still entices you like a fly to honey and cultivates visions of nostalgia?

 

[JacksonDevilDog]

Always wanted a ken Griffey junior upper deck rookie card. I think it was a 1989. Never bought it and I was an avid card collector. Last year, one of my friends gave me one out of the blue. That's a reasonably priced card that I never spent the $100 or so that it was worth back in the day.

My all time want: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantke rookie card #311.

 

[dawgstudent]

I traded a 1961 Willie Mays for a Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente when I was a kid. I still wish I would have kept the Mays.

 

[dawg21]

Always wanted a ken Griffey junior upper deck rookie card. I think it was a 1989. Never bought it and I was an avid card collector. Last year, one of my friends gave me one out of the blue. That's a reasonably priced card that I never spent the $100 or so that it was worth back in the day.

My all time want: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantke rookie card #311.

Ken Griffey Jr. was my favorite player when I was young. I focused on collecting his cards early on. Got two of his upper deck rookie cards, an autographed card (who knows if its real), and I think 40 total. Only problem is, I dont know where all my cards are.

Side story- when I was growing up my neighbor's Dad kept all his cards from when he was young. His collection was awesome- Nolan Ryan's rookie, Mickie Mantle cards, Ozzie Smith rookie, I can't even remember the all the cards but at the time (early 90s) he estimated all his collection at $20K.

 

[punterjoe]

As a youngster I was naive and traded away a Hank Aaron rookie my dad had given me for a Jim Everett and Quinn Early. Like ten years later I met the guys brother and we became friends. One day he brought me the Aaron back, his brother had died in a car wreck like a year before.

The only two cards I possess now are a Ricky Williams minor league baseball card and a Corey Dickerson. When Corey makes it to the Bigs and breaks all the records I'll cash in lol.

 

[haildearoldstate]

Biggest regret: Not buying every Michael Jordan rookie card I could get my

hands on. Used to have two or three but traded some away and now only have one.

 

[Dawghouse]

It makes me sick to my stomach to think of how stupid I was as a kid. My cousin gave me his collection that included several rookie cards from the 60s. Willie Mays, Willie McCovy, Rod Carew and several others I don't remember. I traded them away over time for a pile of worthless cards when I was about 12.

I did manage to hang on to a Reggie Jackson rookie and a Hank Aaron rookie. The Aaron card may or may not be autographed. I wouldn't put it past my cousin to have forged it but my family is from Atlanta so it's plausible he actually got it signed.

I always wanted a Dan Marino rookie card, probably have over 100 of his cards but never did get his rookie card.

 

[mjh94]

i've got an Upper Deck MJ (baseball) collection 10/10 that i bought it seemed like 100's of packs to try to complete. i've got a few rookie cards that have seemed to always hold some value, but a few that i've always been proud of: nolan ryan, chipper jones, and ken griffey jr.

hands on. Used to have two or three but traded some away and now only have one.

 

[Hanmudog]

hands on. Used to have two or three but traded some away and now only have one.

I did the same thing. Still have one MJ rookie card. I also have rookie cards for Barkley, Ewing, Olajuwon, Drexler, The Mailman, and Stockton from Fleer. I wish I had kept them in better shape though.

 

[Wooly17er]

My biggest regret is easy. I left my 3 folders full of baseball cards at home when I went off to college, including cards I collected in the late-80s/early-90s (and which included the Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie card (I believe it was Donruss) and numerous Nolan Ryan cards - my favorite player at the time).

Those jokers went under about 3-feet of water when Hurricane Katrina hit and were not salvageable. I tried to pull some out of the plastic containers, and they stuck. Broke my heart. The set was beautiful. I had even taken some time when I was just a pup to alphabetize my set by team and player name.

I was able to keep my Ozzie Smith signed baseball that also went underwater. It was in a plastic case. It's a little faded now, and when you open the case it smells like a bucket of turds. Otherwise, you can still see the Wizards signature on there. And speaking of items I salvaged, my first ever cowbell was taken from the same spot where these cards were located and I still have it. It's rusted as hell and also has a stank to it, but I still got it.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I think we've all had enough of the bucket of turds at this point. Find a new metaphor or a new user name. Your call.

 

[Wooly17er]

Come on, man...I worked that one in like a literary genius. It was a simile. And it's funny...because who's ever actually seen "one" <--- See there, you have me afraid to even say it anymore. Would it make you feel better if I started calling it "one" (though it would obviously be more akin to a number "two")

 

[Dawgtini]

+1 Nice

 

[drummerdawg]

Ken Griffey Jr was my favorite player growing up. I have several of his early cards and I think I've got one or two rookie cards. I also have a framed magazines of him (his rookie year) and his dad (dads last year) together on the front cover signed by both of them.

 

[The Peeper]

I've got an old Killebrew and think there's a Clemente in the book too. I still have a bunch of them from about the late 60's - '76 or so, both baseball and football. The most valuable I have (or was probably 10-15 years ago last time I checked value) is an old Steve Carlton, don't remember the year. The most unique one (several different ones actually) I have are from the 1969 Seattle Pilots, the only year that the Pilots existed before they moved to Milwaukee to become the Brewers. They are obscure players but may be worth something just because of the Pilots.

 

[Shmuley]

Whenever you feel like writing 'bucket of turds' write 'genius literary device' instead.