OT: What sports cards / memorabilia are you collecting?

[McLovin]

Topps recently released a new baseball card line called Project 2020. 20 different artist will create rookie card variations for 20 (predetermined) players. Topps sells them on their website for 48 hours and only prints what is ordered.

With Derek Jeter being my favorite baseball player and one of my favorite athletes, I have decided I am going to buy all 20 of his cards as they become available. I have bought a few other sports cards over the past few years but nothing of much value (more sentimental). Most of the memorabilia I have is from games I've attended or things I collected as a kid. My apartment is too small to do anything but keep them in storage for now, but when I eventually buy a place I want to display all my UConn and Yankees stuff in a dope man cave.

Some of my favorite UConn collection is 4 National Championship team posters you get at the games (1999 signed by Calhoun, 2004, 2011 and 2014). Also have the Sports Illustrated Championship covers framed and a pair of custom UConn branded Air Jordans.

Curious if anyone else has recently gotten back into sports cards or what other memorabilia y'all are collecting, UConn or otherwise?

 

[auggie22]

We moved recently, which prompted me to look at my baseball card collection, which I have been saving since my childhood. I opened boxes for the first time in ten years in order to uncover my treasures - row after row of unopened box sets from the 80’s, and seemingly priceless rookie cards sealed in plastic to protect against elements and age.

Many of my best pieces still had the price tag from when I bought or traded for them. I was very sad to then learn that most were worth less than what I paid for them over 30 years ago. I’m thinking about using then for kindling this winter.

 

[Huskybass]

I deal in antiques and collectibles. Sports memorabilia is one of my niches all vintage stuff from the '70s back, and select UCONN items.

 

[sledog]

I wish,]. My mother cleaned me out while I was at college. Many greats gone to the dump! Mantle, Maris, Williams, and earlier.

 

[Giscombe12]

I was going to go all in on Project 2020, with regards to Ryan, Gooden, Robinson & Clemente. I passed on most of the early ones as I wasn’t that big of a fan of the art. Thankfully I picked up the first Gooden, which helps ease the pain a bit. It has the lowest print run of all the cards (1,065) & is currently selling for $3,000+ on eBay. Not bad for a $20 investment. I just wish I had bought more!

 

[NatiHuskiFan]

My favorite UConn memorabilia is a basketball autographed by the entire 2014 team and a signed copy of Ray Allen’s book. My more random possession of something UConn related is the old Big East UConn logo banner from the Shoemaker Center at Univ of Cincy that hung in the rafters until the switch to the AAC and renovation of The Shoe. I’ve never been sure what to do with it since it’s so huge but figured I’d hang it one day.

 

[MyDorona]

I'm an avid Kemba collector. Picked up this beauty the other day. Only five printed, and includes three small encased diamonds

 

[huskiesNhoos]

My parents have a Rubbermaid full of old sports cards...and another of magic+Pokemon (nerd alert). I looked through them briefly after they moved and was amazed pulling HoF'er after HoF'er out of a random pile

My 2 favorite items though are my Mickey mantle and Bob lemon autographed photos

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I have a ton of baseball/basketball cards from back in the day. Boxes and boxes of singles but I had put anything worthwhile in hard plastic cases.

Last 10 or so years I've been collecting signed balls/pucks/pics and other memorabilia via Steiner Sports and Fanatics with my most prized possessions being a Mickey Mantle signed baseball and a basketball signed by Bird and Magic

 

[elmoses1]

I have boxes of cards left behind at my parents. Unfortunately they were so mass produced they are worthless. I have a large New York yankees autograph collection of 8x10s and cards. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig etc.

 

[McLovin]

I was going to go all in on Project 2020, with regards to Ryan, Gooden, Robinson & Clemente. I passed on most of the early ones as I wasn’t that big of a fan of the art. Thankfully I picked up the first Gooden, which helps ease the pain a bit. It has the lowest print run of all the cards (1,065) & is currently selling for $3,000+ on eBay. Not bad for a $20 investment. I just wish I had bought more!

Thats awesome, I wish I knew about Project 2020 from the beginning. It's crazy how much the first 20 or so cards are selling for.

I had to buy the first 3 Jeter cards in the series on Ebay at a pretty steep markup (4X retail). Probably late to the game on any of the current cards being worth too much, but I am buying 2 of each Jeters going forward in case they do still have value in the secondary market.

 

[McLovin]

I'm an avid Kemba collector. Picked up this beauty the other day. Only five printed, and includes three small encased diamonds

View attachment 54884

Beautiful. I should start doing a Kemba collection...

 

[Rich]

I have 30,000+ baseball cards, Topps/fleer/Donruss/upper deck from 1981-1992. Seemed like a good investment in my pre teen years.....now, not so much.

If I’d put the money I spent on baseball cards and video games in the 80s into the S&P 500 I’d be retired several times over.

 

[MyDorona]

Beautiful. I should start doing a Kemba collection...

You should! Except you'll have to fight me for the 1/1s

The great thing about collecting Kemba is that he gets relatively little hobby love, so you'll find his SP's, autos, and game pieces are relatively cheap. I don't necessarily do this for investment purposes, but a bonus is that Kemba's career is on a HOF trajectory (closest bball reference comps to this point are two HOFers), and bball HOFers generally experience a massive pop in value once inducted.

Of course, Kemba's only now entering the back 9 of his career, so he has a ways to go to maintain his pace. Nothing an NBA championship with the Celts couldn't cure!

 

[Jumpman62114]

Ever since graduating, and having some disposable income, I've been into UConn player exclusive memorabilia. Been able to snag some jerseys, practice jerseys, shoes, etc. Some through ebay and other online avenues, others by meeting fellow fans and building relationships. Just bought my first house recently so I can't wait to deck out the man cave with some gear soon.

 

[2PointGuards]

My favorite UConn collectibles in my home: a Beast of the East tee shirt autographed by the entire 1989-90 team; a set of 2 Gampel seats-one autographed by Geno, the other by Calhoun; and a pair of Jen Rizzotti's sneakers autographed.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Last year I got a little nostalgic and bought a lot of sets from a little before my time and my childhood. I picked up all but one baseball set from 74-83 and every basketball set except one from 74-82. Plus the 86 Fleer basketball set and stickers. I also added a large Derek Jeter photo signed in 1995 and have some cool signed Red Sox stuff from 13-15, including a Devers bat. As a Hank Aaron fan, I also bought a signed bat and a 1956 card.

 

[cohenzone]

My son recently was cleaning out some of his older card collection and gave me a mint condition basketball card. Tate George. Not in an orange jump suit.

 

[slepers]

I have a stack of coasters and seat cushion from the 1999 final four in Tampa!

 

[Lefty2one]

Are cards from the 80s and 90s worth anything these days? I have a ton of complete sets in my parents' attic-- assuming they haven't thrown them away after 20+ years of collecting dust--but not sure it's worth going through all of it.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Are cards from the 80s and 90s worth anything these days? I have a ton of complete sets in my parents' attic-- assuming they haven't thrown them away after 20+ years of collecting dust--but not sure it's worth going through all of it.

Worthless

 

[Lefty2one]

Worthless

Figured. Thanks.

 

[Giscombe12]

Are cards from the 80s and 90s worth anything these days? I have a ton of complete sets in my parents' attic-- assuming they haven't thrown them away after 20+ years of collecting dust--but not sure it's worth going through all of it.

UNLESS they are in perfect condition.

PSA 10 Ripken rookies sell for around $1,000. PSA 9's on the other hand, go for around $100.

 

[Old school]

Many Unopened basketball boxes Are extremely hot!

 

[tentoes4rings]

Are cards from the 80s and 90s worth anything these days? I have a ton of complete sets in my parents' attic-- assuming they haven't thrown them away after 20+ years of collecting dust--but not sure it's worth going through all of it.

Or if you have Kobe rookies etc. Other than the 86 Fleer Basketball and 80-81 Topps Basketball, there were too many manufacturers who watered down the market.