But one thing I enjoy about my birthday is something I started a few years ago called... the Birthday PC. It's primarily an autograph collection of athletes who share the same birthday as me.
Since then, I started collecting other pieces of memorabilia as well... such as this September 1972 issue of The Trader Speaks:
I had never heard of this magazine, but someone mentioned it on one of my posts... so I tracked it down. It's supposedly the "must have" magazine for baseball card collectors during the 70's.
This particular issue had no articles... but was packed with advertisements, want ads, and auction listings... which leads me to the point of this post.
I have always thought it was cool when I read about collectors starting collections for their children... sometimes even before they're born. One of my buddies has purchased every Topps factory baseball set for his son since 2008... his son's birth year.
This got me thinking how cool it would have been had my dad decided to do that for me.
A quick look into my issue of The Trader Speaks reveals that he could have purchased a complete set of 1972 Topps baseball cards for $12.75:
Heck... if he really wanted to hook me up, he could have bought me my favorite set from the 60's (1965) for $22:
Unfortunately, he didn't. But nine years later, he bought me a 1981 Fleer baseball card set... which was the first complete set I ever owned. It doesn't quite carry the monetary value of the 1972 Topps set, but its sentimental value can't be matched.
Do you remember the first card, pack of cards, or set of cards your mom or dad ever bought you? If so... what was it?
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29 comments:
My first reaction was "Pffft! My parents didn't buy me any cards. If I wanted cards, I had to spend my allowance on it."
...but as soon as I said that (out loud, I may add), I remembered one time when my Mom bought me a rack pack of 1974 Football. I was very happy that she bought me cards as an impulse buy, and I never told her that they were the prior year's cards and I was in the middle of collecting 1975 Football.
Mom, I'm sorry I initially sold you short... and thanks for the cards!
By the way, Fuji, that copy of The Trader Speaks is a cool item to have... I've heard of it before, but I've never seen one. I think it went out of business before I was aware that there were hobby publications beyond the Renata Galasso catalog.
As I just got into baseball recently, my parent have not bought me baseball cards yet... but my wife's Aunt and Uncle bought me the 2010 set for Christmas that year!
A large stack of 1978 Topps for Christmas. I was hooked! Well, hooked for the next five years and then again two years ago.
I've written about this several times. My mom brought home from the grocery store cello packs of 1974 Topps for my brother and me. We kept those cards for the summer and then THREW THEM AWAY when fall came because we thought that's what you did.
My first one was a 1989 Upperdeck Griffey RC. I was born in 1990 and Seattle was the closest team in the Northwest. Plus it's an iconic card.
The first packs of cards I remember receiving was on Easter of 1960 and I was given a few of that year's Topps packs in my Easter basket. In '61 I became a more active collector and I was begging my folks for rack packs at Korvettes (similar to K-Mart) and usually got one when we went.
Soon I was buying wax packs at my local soda fountain/newstand on my way to school or at my uncle's pharmacy when we visited on the weekends.
A couple things I meant to mention. I used to get The Trader Speaks, great stuff.
My father collected cards when he was young, mid 30s and on into the 40s (the years, not his age). He got rid of them when he joined the service in 1945.
I put together sets for my kids when they were born, 1987/1989. And yes, they are worth less now than they cost to put together.
I wish I could remember that far back. I do recall my Aunt and Uncle getting me a big thing of cards once upon a time.
I started collecting in 1981 and after much begging my mom took me to the store and bought three packs of 1981 Topps for me. Total cost: 96 cents. I don't remember what I pulled, but I know I don't still have those cards. Too bad really.
Well, since I only started collecting last year I only got some cards from my parents this year as birthday gift. But I'm still on time no? They got me some packs of this year flagship set series 1 and a couple of singles.
I got 1990 Score as a Christmas gift. I loved it, particularly for Bo Jackson b&w football/baseball one-off that was a super hot card for a few months that year. It was funny when that one card could be bought for the same price as the complete set. Might as well get the Frank Thomas rookie with it too!
Summer of 1969,was 8 years,my mom bought me a rack pack of 1969 Topps.The only player I had heard of in the pack was Boog Powell,still I was hooked. Parents never bought me a set,had to collect/buy those on my own .
When I was like 4 I remember getting a pack of 88 Topps baseball but I Really didn't collect. When I finally really started collecting it was 90 Pro Set Football.
I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for a Renata Galasso catalog.
Wow. I'm about to delete this comment. Can't bear to read it ever again.
Now that's a story for your grandchildren. Indeed an iconic card.
Something about pharmacies and sports cards. That's where I'd go as a kid to buy my cards too.
That's pretty cool that your dad collected cards too. As the post implies... I really wish my pops did too.
1981... iconic year for the both of us. Unfortunately I chose Fleer over Topps :(
The Bo B&W is awesome. One of my favorite cards.
The 1981 Fleer set that I can remember my parents buying for me. They might have picked up a late 80's Topps set too... not 100% sure. But my mom did buy me packs on a fairly regular basis for many years.
The 90 Pro Set design is awesome. Not a bad set to build/buy.
My parents felt, and still feel the same way, that collecting cards was a waste of money but my father did give me one set of cards. In 1987 my dad was part of the Rotary Club and during a raffle he won a set of 1986-87 University of Arizona Basketball cards that were released by the Tucson Police. I still have the cards 26 years later.
Don't remember the very first one, but I know that both of my Grandparents got me started by bringing me home packs of 1980 Topps. I got the complete set from them in '82 as a birthday gift. My Grandma like to see me having fun Playing With My Cards, which is where my blog name comes from...
Very cool. My dad felt the same way (and still does... to an extent). I guess I'm lucky that at least my momma supported me.
I'd love to bust a few 1980 packs... and be able to say I pulled a Rickey. Just added your blog to my blog list. Looking forward to reading future posts.
The first factory set my father got me was 89 Score football. Still haven't opened it. I know my Sanders, Thomas, and Aikman are in there.
If I remember right, the first pack that was bought for me and my brother was some 1985 Transformers action cards. It was my debut pack at A Pack To Be Named Later.
That's probably my favorite football set of all-time. Knowing that your father bought it for you makes your 10x cooler than any one I eventually pick up on eBay.
I will have to check that out later on APTBNL. Transformers are awesome!
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