NEWBIE.. I picked up over 20,000 card

[foonpyk]

I'm just starting in collecting baseball cards., This is something that I've always wanted to do but never had the time.

Yesterday my wife and I were at the salvation army buying some extra shirts for me to wear at work. Looking through the boutique section, I happened along a box of baseball cards (about 3000) selling for $20 (onsale for 1/2 price $10). I bought the box. It contained TOPPS, Fleer and Upperdeck and the like. While traveling home my wife reminded me that there were 8 more boxes for sale at the same price. We then ate lunch and decided to return to the SA to purchase the remaining 8 boxes which cost me $85 for all 20,000+ cards. The cards seem to be organized by type and card numbers and in mint condition.

I've been searching the internet yesterday and today to learn more about card collecting. I've always been interested in collecting but now face the problem I have now. "I don't want to sell the cards", I just want some advise on what I should do next.

What program should I use to catalog the cards? What should I be looking for on the cards? How should the sets be organized? Also I don't want to damage the collection so what is the best way to store the boxes I have? They are currently in 8 separated corrugated boxes (12" X 18" with four dividers in each).

This will be a great hobbie for me (I am a software engineer) and I am looking froward to expanding what I just acquired. Any Help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks ..

Earl..:D :clapping

[closer28]

wow great deal what years are they

[foonpyk]

From what I have been able to look through so far, 1989 to about 2001

Foonpyk

[denbuck]

Congratulations on your find. Regardless of what type of cards are in the boxes you have not invested a ton of money in them. From the way you describe the organization someone has already done a lot of the time consuming part. If you purchase a price guide at a book store or hobby store it will give you some insight into what you have. Considering the bulk and the location of the find you may have mostly common cards but you never know and part of the fun is finding out. If you do have any valuable cards in your find you may want to pull them out and place in separate card holders that will protect the condition. If they are commons the storage boxes you got them in will work fine. The important thing is have fun! :D

[E.Howard 32]

Go through them and pull out the star cards, bury the commons in the Meadowlands.

[DodgerBlue8188]

Go through them and pull out the star cards, bury the commons in the Meadowlands.

I hate to ruin the mood but I kind of have to agree with this. 90's was the worst time to collect cards. I know, I was in the middle of it. Now I have thousands and thousands that in order to sell would take up so much time it's almost not worth doing.

There are some 90's sets that are worthy of keeping. A few that come to mind are Bowmans, 1990 Leaf and I'm sure other people can add to that list. But when you get stuff like 1990 Donruss, or 1991 Fleer it's almost not worth keeping if it requires you to buy boxes or take up space with.

Def need to get a price guide and look some up. Try beckett.com. It cost about 5 dollars a month and you can get most of them looked up. Buy hard cases for the ones worth money.

You need to find a nice room temperature place for them too. Away from moist.

Sorry I wasn't able to give to much words of enthusiasm to your thread. I just realize how much time my dad and I spent on cards in the 90's and now they aren't worth much at all. A lot of time and money spent organizing. It was fun at the time but to see all that work go in completing a set that's only worth 5 bucks now is really a disappointment.

[DodgerBlue8188]

I wish I had known Earl only came here for this reason and I wouldn't have wasted my time :dance

[flyingdutchdude]

Collect them for the fun of collecting, not for an investment.

The cards from 1984-now will have little value in the future. Supply and demand has kept many of the sets under $20 ea. even 20 years later.

They were all mass produced and hoarded in closets and garages.

[NWAD1]

Collect for the JOY of collecting rather than looking at them as a pure investment. Since there are a variety of brands, you may want to consider narrowing your collection .... ie .... I grew up on TOPPS REGULAR ISSUE cards way back in the 50's and that is ALL I collect. I have complete sets 1958-1962 and 1968-present of these precious gems. I don't know if cost will prohibit it, but I would love to be able to fill in 1963-1967 and have the run.

Yea ..... they are worth some money to the person who is willing to PAY for them ... but they are priceless to me when I look at them (I have them, in binders in Ultra Pro 9 pocket sheets)! How the memories of days gone by float back to me!

Other people often limit their collections to teams, players, specialty cards, etc. Sounds like you have plenty of time to decide what it is you want to do with them and how to proceede with your collecting. At today's prices and offerings..... it is IMPOSSIBLE to collect everything .... UNLESS ... you have awfully DEEP POCKETS!!

[shoreyart]

yeah- now all those commons are great for sending to lots of former players for their autographs- I too invested lots in the 80's and 90's but I really dont care about the investment, I'm having fun with them and have acquired nearly 3,000 signed cards using "commons" from those overproduction years