Question For All(Probably Stupid But I Need Help)

[dpetty21]

Ok, so if you have seen my posts recently you would know I'm getting fully back into the hobby but need to cover all my organizational bases. Anywho one of them would be me jotting down all my cards into a notebook(I only have a couple hundred left because I sold the rest to tutall to start over). Well I usually get mixed up on years. I can use beckett to help me if I get the year wrong but don't have one or the money to use an online right now.

So my question is the back of cards for example may say 1997 but they are really 1998 cards. Some say 1997 and mean it.Is there a key way without beckett or the empty pack to know what year is the one the card is from? I am about to go write down my cards so I can start over soon but can't without this because I don't want to get them all wrong. Someone PLEASE help me.

Thank you.

[S.A.M.]

A free and usually effective way of determining the true year is searching on ebay for the card you have (ie. the company, player, and/or card #) and the year you think it is. If cards show up in the search results that look like yours then you were correct on the year. Otherwise adjust your search to the next year you think it might be and keep doing this until you find your card or cards that look exactly like yours.

[WilyWestbrook0]

You can also use Beckett's online tool MyCollection for cards you cannot find on eBay. They have a listing of all cards, and you can check the years you think the card may be in to see which exact set contains the number of the card you have. I've used MyCollection many times for this very reason.

[dpetty21]

Thanks guys. The problem with that is I don't think I will be doing my listing of base and commons online because it is easier for me to keep those by hand since I have a couple hundred and looking each up online is a lot of work. My desk space is also limited here so it is hard for me to do anything at the comp. On the other hand I may have to if I want to get it done because I don't know what else to do. I was hoping each brand had their techniques like for example, Fleer always puts the right year on the back as opposed to Upper Deck being one year behind on all their products. If that is not the case I will have to do the long agonizing way.Thanks for the help.

[sivjosh]

It's also often helpful to reference statistics on the card. If the most recent line of statistics is from 1996, then most often, you have a card from a '97 set..........

[dpetty21]

That's right! I forgot about that. Statistics are an easier way of knowing. Thank you. I am surprised I actually forgot about that. Most of my cards I kept are 1990+ Cleveland players so I guess what I will do is go through them and the ones I can't figure out I will come on the comp and do so.

[SingleDaddyof2]

It's also often helpful to reference statistics on the card. If the most recent line of statistics is from 1996, then most often, you have a card from a '97 set..........

Excellent point there, sivjosh! That's how us veteran collectors used to determine the set year before computers were common, lol.

Edit: Are there any stats for offensive linemen? I know they didn't have any on their cards when I was a kid, lol.

[tutall]

another way is using Naxcom to figure it out... there are always pics of almost any card you could imagine on there

[sivjosh]

I'm sure the stat geeks have numbers for offensive linemen, but I don't recall seeing a stat line on their cards like you would see on skill player's card.