It started with the haul of cards that I purchased at the card show in Newark, DE. The '83T Boggs RC, the '83F Sandberg RC, the '84F Strawberry RC, the '85T Gooden RC. These were signature cards when I was a kid that I could never afford in a million years. Now that I'm an adult, why did I still consider these cards to be well beyond my means? A tweet by one of my Twitter friends, @waxtopia, about the '83T set made me realize that maybe I wasn't alone in thinking this.
For example, let's start with Don Mattingly rookie cards. When I was a kid, Don Mattingly rookie cards might as well have been Mickey Mantle rookie cards. They were THE signature card to own when I was a kid and they were far beyond my financial means at that time. Do you know that up until last year, I had never owned a Mattingly rookie? To this day, the only one that I own is his Topps rookie card. Why do I still continue to think that his rookie card is unattainable? Why haven't I picked up copies of his Fleer and Donruss rookie cards? I'm sure the same could be said for a number of the star players from the mid-80's (Mattingly, Strawberry, Gooden, Puckett, Gwynn, Boggs, etc.).
When I started collecting again, after my late high school / college hiatus, I thought I would only tip my collecting toe in the water and focus on BGS 9.5-grade cards that I always wanted as a kid: Boggs RCs, Puckett RCs, Mattingly RCs, etc. This way I could have that "dream collection" that I always wanted as a kid, but all the cards would be in top condition. Along the way, I must have gotten distracted by Bryce Harpers, new Topps flagship releases, autographs, set building...you name it! I'm starting to think that I should refocus some of my collecting efforts (and funds) to get back to what I originally set out to do.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What rookie cards (or cards) did you always want to have when you were a kid, but you still don't own?
For example, let's start with Don Mattingly rookie cards. When I was a kid, Don Mattingly rookie cards might as well have been Mickey Mantle rookie cards. They were THE signature card to own when I was a kid and they were far beyond my financial means at that time. Do you know that up until last year, I had never owned a Mattingly rookie? To this day, the only one that I own is his Topps rookie card. Why do I still continue to think that his rookie card is unattainable? Why haven't I picked up copies of his Fleer and Donruss rookie cards? I'm sure the same could be said for a number of the star players from the mid-80's (Mattingly, Strawberry, Gooden, Puckett, Gwynn, Boggs, etc.).
When I started collecting again, after my late high school / college hiatus, I thought I would only tip my collecting toe in the water and focus on BGS 9.5-grade cards that I always wanted as a kid: Boggs RCs, Puckett RCs, Mattingly RCs, etc. This way I could have that "dream collection" that I always wanted as a kid, but all the cards would be in top condition. Along the way, I must have gotten distracted by Bryce Harpers, new Topps flagship releases, autographs, set building...you name it! I'm starting to think that I should refocus some of my collecting efforts (and funds) to get back to what I originally set out to do.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What rookie cards (or cards) did you always want to have when you were a kid, but you still don't own?
