I started reading a book called Mint Condition. It's about the rise and fall of baseball cards in the 80's and 90's.

 

It's interesting to me as I was one of the suckers that spent money loading up on cards of guys like Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey, Juan Gonzalez and Dave Justice thinking they would someday allow for an early retirement for me.

 

I was still pretty young then so the money I spent was usually money my grandparents had sent me for a birthday or the buck or two I could get out of my dad. But those resulted in what are now boxes and boxes of worthless pieces of cardboard.

 

I remember the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey #1 card being the Holy Grail of modern baseball cards. It would be our generation's Honus Wagner card. It was a hot item. Now it can be had on eBay or under $50. And that's a lot for a card from that time. Most cards from that time can't be given away.

 

Anybody remember looking for things like Complete Sets and Uncut Sheets? Great baseball card buzzwords. I spent many Saturdays walking through shopping malls looking at tables and tables of cards (grab bags!) being sold by overweight middle aged men. I am sure at one point in 1990 I stared in amazement at that Kevin Maas card in the glass case. Wishing that I had $50 to buy it and then sell it one day to buy a new car.

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