I know this community is filled with a mix of veteran collectors and novice collectors. Originally, I was going to direct this to the veteran collectors, but decided that I wanted to open it up to everyone...

As a collector of non-sports cards, how do you feel it has changed over the past decade? Two? Three?

I know how small the community is (in relation to the sports side), but what happens if a few key collectors quit or retire? What impact will that have on the non-sports world as a whole?

It seems like, with the advent of the top two grading companies and their registry sets, people seem to know more about each other, who has what, etc. Did you know who had the best R69 set, 20 years ago?

I know you've seen many of the issues, what forced you to settle into your collecting area? How do you see your collection growing in the years to come?

What was your best (or lucky) purchase/trade?

As a collector for over thirty years, there have been numerous changes.
When I started, there were very few collectors and finding cards at shops or auctions was difficult; some times the items were not advertised. When you found material, it usually was pretty inexpensive due to lack of general knowledge and few collectors, the only exception would be ephemera shows; but you could find cards on a regular basis and grow your collection.

Now, the prices are higher and I rarely see any tobacco cards in shops anymore; when someone has a find, it goes directly to E-bay. Dealers will tend to list the items, rather than offer them in a shop. While you can find the one or two cards you need to finish a set, they are more expensive. You are no long competing against several collectors in your area, but against collectors world wide. With a broader market, prices have increased. My collecting is more targeted at trying to finish selected sets, rather than expanding my collection.

In response to the disposal of a collection; I am in the process of selling a good part of my father's collection. Parts of his collection were added to mine, upgraded where I could, and I am slowly selling the parts of his collection that I do not want.

One thing I would add to this is that most of the big vintage collections I know of in nonsports are not on the registry. What you see there is the tip of the iceberg I believe.

Have been collecting since the early 1950's.

The last decade has been great for the collector. Yes, prices are (well, were) up, but the internet has made it MUCH easier to find cards for rural persons like me that live in rural podunk Missouri.

As to the card grading companies:

None of the major collectors I know personally would consider having cards graded. Thus, the major automobile, motorcycle, and auto racing collections are not on any registry.

Like me, these people will occasionally buy a graded card if one absolutely cannot be obtained raw, and the price will be what it is. However, given a graded card and an ungraded card of comparable grade, a higher price would be paid for the ungraded card.

By the way, all of these individuals, including myself, will never see 60 again.

Others will certainly have differing opinions as to the grading companies.

Jon.

Jon, not sure I understood when you said,

"However, given a graded card and an ungraded card of comparable grade, a higher price would be paid for the ungraded card."

Why not just buy the graded card in same condition, if cheaper, and just bust it out?  Pair of pliers and a screwdriver, less than a minute's effort . . . and you're done!

Ralph - just the aggravation and care necessary not to damage the card when removing from the slab. Also, while the issue is not as probable in non-sports as sport; some of us trust our own judgement as to authenticity and grading than what some "expert" may have done.

Jon.

I agree with this line of reasoning to a point, as it is very difficult to tell from scans on Ebay what is and is not trimmed in the T and E card realm. I don't collect NS pre war but I do collect T206 and trimming is prevalent in the raw offerings, to the point I will only bid on slabbed cards, even in the low grades I collect. I do bust 'em out from the slabs though.

Thanks for clarifying, Jon.