Did you collect?

[Badactor]

Growing up... did you collect sports cards, comic books, coins, stamps, etc.?

[eye123]

Growing up, everybody collected baseball cards. If I remember right(going back thru the ages of time lol ) it was a nickel for a pack (always came with that slab of gum). You'd look for the Mantle's....but most likely end up with the Ed Kranepool's. They became the cards that went into the bicycle spokes, or cards you'd flip or scale against the wall. We used and traded them (not like today where they go into plastic sleeves.(which I guess is why not many exist in really good condition today).

[jolyb]

In 6th grade or so, every day before school started there would be a lot of guys (the girls didn't get involved with baseball cards in those days) flipping their duplicate baseball cards.  Of course, all you would win would be someone else's duplicate cards, since no one would be foolish enough to flip a Mantle or a Mays or a Snider.   You would end up with a large number or Wally Moons, Gus Bells or Mickey Vernons, perfectly good players in their own rights, but not collectors' dreams.  And a lot of those pink sheets of bubble gum.   Everyone has a story of how their mothers at some point made them get rid of the stack of baseball cards.  I took my oldest grandson to Cooperstown a few years ago and was amazed at how many of those cards that I had flipped as duplicates were for sale in the many shops along Main Street.   By the way, the players we remember from our baseball card collecting days is a direct correlation to our respective ages.

Stamp collecting tended to last for a longer time and in hindsight way very instructional.  One could learn about the sequence of American presidents and about milestones in American history from the commemorative issues.  It was also a window into world geography.  Of course, many of the countries identified on those stamps have since changed their names as European colonial empires dissolved and the former colonies gained independence and issued their own stamps.  Names such as British Honduras, Dutch Guiana or French Equatorial Africa disappeared.

[1hooper]

Played this for hours in the basement with friends.

[otis0930]

I still collect comics. Just wish I had the ones from when I was growing up (late 60's). My mother, God bless her, cleaned up my room one day while I was at school....lol.

[eye123]

Collecting coins was also big back then (before 65 when silver content still existed)...how many kids(including myself had the blue books,trying to fill them looking for that elusive 2 or 3 that never showed up) looking for the 1909 s VDB penny or that three legged buffalo nickel.....(that could be found in pocket change)....coins also had a distinctive look..... Standing Liberty,Indian Head,Morgan......most melted for silver value

Comic books were "one and done" back then for most kids. Spend the dime read, throw away, buy another, again and again.

[shoes]

Yes I did, I think In started in either 1958 or 1959, loved it. Started all over gain when my son was 6 or 7.

[spanky126]

I have an extensive comic book collection and still collect comics, especially anything from the DC/Marel series. Also coins and baseball cards. I have several boxes of unopened baseball card packs. Try Loupe.com if you want to see some cool collectibles. Owned by an ex-San Diego baseball player.

[otis0930]

Spanky do you collect any modern books or strictly silver/copper age? Also what is your favorite book in your collection?

[spanky126]

Not sure what silver/copper age is in reference to Bill. As far as books go, I have a four book series about an Indian tribe written by Carlos Castaneda called The Teachings of Don Juan. My favorite books. Many,many moons ago when I was doing mushrooms and,on occasion, mescaline...I was really interested in reading about Indian cultures. As far as comics go, I have 3 of 4 editions of a limited series about Batman.