MGoCollectors: A Thread
I've been thinking a lot about starting this, and the Valiant card thread below gave me the push to do it. So here we are. I've been back collecting sports cards and memorabilia for a while now, and it's been a lot of fun. So far, my favorites to collect have been 90s Barry Sanders inserts and autographs, Derek Jeter, and vintage stuff like Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.
What do you collect? Is it all Michigan? Are you looking forward to any new releases? Any particularly cool gems to share?
Let's talk hobby.
Helmets. Michigan only. Have a few footballs that were gifted. Michigan only.
Cards were my covid hobby. Have a bunch of NFL/NBA/MLB and a bit of soccer. Have a few rad cards, but really just kind of collect for the sake of it. I always keep the Michigan guys, but they aren't the only ones I keep show. Have some SSP RPAs that I have up on a decorative mount. Also collected Pokemon cards as some childhood trauma relief thing I'm sure lol. I was a Griffey kid so always keep his stuff and have an on-card rookie auto I got him to sign which is probs my favorite. Also a pele 5/5 auto.
A Pele auto is really high on my list to grab next. I'm finding it hard to prioritize and pick because sometimes it's about what comes up at the right price. That means I grabbed a Joe DiMaggio auto instead this week...Soon, though.
I don't purposely collect anything, but I never throw away Michigan apparel. Back in the day, a trip to the mall always included purchasing Michigan shirt/hat/hoody/etc (shout-out to the old Champ's 2 for $20 college tees). I was in middle school during the 97 season, when I went from fan to super fan. I've hauled around totes of Michigan stuff through college, apartments, and houses. Now I have a nephew who is a middle school, and the last 3 years of UM football has made him a super fan (like 97 did for me). I got the totes down from the attic for him. It was an amazing experience. He took home dozens of shirts, hats, and hoodies. Every time I see him or a picture or him, he's rocking the old gear. I'm glad I held on to it all.
I remember all the baseball cards I use to collect back from age 6 to age 10. I think when I went to college, my parents may have thrown them out. They were in the basement and it may have flooded.
Yikes, I had a TOPs Reggie Jackson rookie baseball card. In good shape, it would be worth several hundred thousand dollars.
It'd have to be in damn good shape. The main reason that's the case is because of how hard they are to find (and how difficult those grades are to achieve for a card from that era). For example, the main grading company, PSA, only has ONE Reggie Jackson rookie card that's ever been graded 10 out of 10. There are only 42 that were graded a 9.
Unless it was absolutely perfect, it tops out around 10 grand, but is more likely in the 600-1000 range.
I had tons of baseball cards circa 1967 - 1970 ish. NOT kept in pristine condition. I distinctly remember a defaced “Micky Mental” card with goggly eyes drawn on. My ten year younger brother saved the best of the lot (rookie Rod Carew and Johnny Bench cards, for example), and gave them to me years later. I eventually gave them to a coworker who had a son that was into collecting.
Somewhere in my basement lies a box with 5-10 packs of unopened 1992 M Basketball cards (Fab Five freshman season) and a handful of Shaq rookie cards. I likely missed the top of the market on both of these. Perhaps my future grandchildren will be able to trade them for something of more value to them.
Barely have anything other than title short tee and long tee. Also have a plastic sign (national champions) that is above my hatsune miku calendar at my home office. That and a Jim Harbaugh bobblehead with the Michigan Stadium base
I've got one of those! In signature khakis with arms crossed, right?
I think so
One of my best friends use to own a sports card shop, and he and I use to have a TON of cards. Back then, it was more about perceived value. If Beckett magazine said a card was valuable, then I'd want it/get it - even if it was someone that I really wasn't interested in. I bought and sold a lot of Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, Barry Bonds, and Mark Mcgwire rookie cards. I loaded up on Peyton Manning and Randy Moss rookie cards. In the end, I just sold them away for next to nothing just to get out of it. But I did trade a lot of cool stuff and got a lot of cool stuff that I still have.
Now, it's more about who I like and what I like, and doesn't matter about the perceived book value. I mostly just do Michigan signed footballs, jerseys, helmets, and pictures. I really like getting the jersey auto patch swatch now. I'm also a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, mosty from those late 70's Super Bowl teams and have a lot of old Steeler stuff. However, I also liked Big Ben, Hines Ward, Troy, The Bus, and TJ Watt and have lots of that.
I'm thinking it would be cool to put together a group on like Friday evenings before Michigan games and hangout and do some trading.
This Ohio State wall is my newest favorite stuff.
Side note - for some reason, I seem to like memorabilia from this years Rose Bowl game better then the Natty game. I've got the Rose Bowl program and ticket, and the Michigan Daily for that. I scored a JJ Rose Bowl jersey too
I also have a lot of movie memorabilia from movies like Star Wars, Avengers, Fight Club, Office Space, and Super Troopers
I have the banner but that's it. Good work
I'm 99% Michigan.
I decked out my basement bar with signed Michigan pictures (football and basketball), a signed Desmond Howard jersey, a helmet signed by Denard, etc.
As far any gems to share, I have a trading card signed by Cazzie Russell, an old picture signed by Al Wistert, and a mock basketball floor parquet tile signed by a bunch of the members of the 2012 - 2013 team right before the Championship game (e.g., Trey Burke, John Beilein, Tim Hardaway Jr., Caris LeVert, Glenn Robinson III, John Horford, etc.).
I always say Desmond Howard is why I became a fan. A helmet signed by Des and his Heisman Moment Starting Lineup are cool. Denard is one of my favorites too (and I REALLY hated to hear what happened with him recently).
My father died 6 years ago and I have his collection of baseball stuff from the 1940's. When I say stuff, it's mostly autographs of entire teams, clips from the newspapers, and letters he wrote to teams, with their responses. He was around 10 or 11 at the time and he'd go to the hotels where they were staying and all the players would autograph a lined sheet of paper. He wrote a few teams asking for autographs, and he'd get a sheet of paper back with all their autographs (or at least a lot of their autographs). I haven't seen anyone super famous but there are a few good ones in there.
What awesome memories and great keepsakes. <3
Hard Rock Cafe pins. I have other pins, but I have more Hard Rock pins.
My mom has friends who knows I collect them, and they will buy pins for me.