Best Collecting Years!!!!

[Jay520]

Hi everyone

First off my 200th post!!!! Wanted to make it something worthwhile.

I thought about this a few weeks ago and wanted to wait till 200 to do it. Anyway I wanted to know what you collectors thought was your best time as a collector. When was it? How long did it last? Why? It doesn't have to be a huge story, but a brief one that meant something to you. I will give you mine as an example to start out the thread.

I started collecting football cards when i was about 5 or 6 when my grandma sent me several packs from the late 80's(now26). Since then I have been a collector of basketball only. I just recently got back into the hobby(August09) and found out that Panini is going to be the sole producer of NBA Basketball cards. I couldn't believe it.

For me my best time as a collector had to be from 01/02 to 03/04 or so. I had a decent job as an after school rec aid for the county. I went to the card show every month either to buy singles of Richard Jefferson or get a box of new cards that were out to find the new hottest rc's. When Amare was drafted by the Suns I knew he was the next good thing to come out of high school. I tried to get as many of his rookies as I could on what budget I had. Also this is when rc's and jersey cards were becoming easier to obtain and were not extemely difficult pulls. There were 3 major card makers at the time Fleer, Topps, and Upperdeck that made very different products. My favorite was easily Topps Chrome and a close second was Hoops Hot Prospects. My first good pull from a box I bought was KG/Kwame Brown RC jersey that I have to this day from 01/02 UD Honor Roll. I got to know the show dealers pretty well and they knew what I was looking for when I came in to trade. Most of the trades were pretty good and I felt like I made out with some good cards. So overall during that time was the best collecting experience I have had.

As I type this I think of all the cool people I met and traded with to improve my collection of cards.

Would like to read your stories or comments!!!

[WilyWestbrook0]

Congrats on 200, and nice thread idea!

I guess my favorite years were from 1993 to 1995 because of the nostalgia and innocence; I was 8 to 11 years old at the time, still a kid essentially. My late brother and I just collected for fun - we didn't worry about value, and in fact beat up our cards, lol. We would have them all tossed randomly in a box, and then we had this game where we could close our eyes and draw cards randomly for the box, assembling fantasy teams with them.

Ah, those were the days! Then I went online in 1996 and found out all these adults wanted expensive cards kept in good condition.

[montej1695]

Im torn between the days when I enjoyed collecting cards, and presently as I enjoy PC collecting.

I miss the innocence of breaking a box and being content with simply pulling a cool insert or two.

Now I really enjoy the chase for my next CP3. Its as enjoyable for me, but its become something different i guess....

[garnett_21]

Great thread!

My best collecting time would have to be now - prior to SCF, I had noone to trade with, so I'd bust packs, and put them in my binders/boxes...that was it...had no idea about the difference between hobby/retail, knew nothing about trading online, etc, etc, etc...so, the collecting time of my life has probably not happened yet, but if I had to choose a time, I'd say it's been for the last 18 months.

[gatorboymike]

Between 1992-96, and then again from 2004-06.

[Zeppelin1985]

I would assume most people would say during 2003-04 because of the crop of basketball players from that draft class. Where you could buy 1 pack of Topps and strike gold pulling a LeBron RC.

But that comes up second for me. My favorite time would have to be from 1994-1997ish when I was a kid around 9-11ish buying packs of basketball cards with my allowance just HOPING to pull either a New York Knick, Michael Jordan or Charles Barkley cards. I still have those base cards and they're my favorite cards in my collection because they hold so much sentimental value...

JammingJames23 - sorry to hear about your late brother.

[beishuizen91]

My best collecting years have been ever since I joined SCF and got to trade! The day I found out about group breaks and mystery packs on youtube was pretty awesome too, not having to spend 50 bucks for cards was great! Not much of a story but my 2 cents.

[jordan23]

Best years were 96-97 and 97-98. Can't go past landmark set's such as autographics, game jersey, credentials, precious metal gems,topps chrome kobe and MJ's final Bull's season. They were the days when busting boxes was a joy!