Vintage - Time to draw the line...

[ranbethscards]

Okay, I've been complaining for some time that cards produced in the 1970s ARE NOT Vintage (my opinion). To me anything BEFORE 1960 is Vintage. Anything after 1961 but before 1970 is "on the bubble".

But now I am seeing more and more cards from the 80s being listed as Vintage... on eBay, Craigs List, and other sites.

1980s? What? If you are a CAR (NOT card) collector, then you know that anything older than 25 years is considered classic...but does the same go for cards? I think not!

At 57 years young, I have to say any cards that I put on the spokes of my bike (with a clothespin!) is eiher vintage or on the bubble. I am willing to accept 1970 cards as "almost there"... but please... keep the 1980s out of the conversation.

.

 

[Mike]

My line in the sand has always been the baseball strike in 1981. Kind of artificial, and not exactly related to cards, but I do believe that in the 1970s, cards were still primarily bought by or for kids who "played" with them. It was during the 80s that buying them as an "investment" became popular and it started the transformation from being something for the kids to something that primarily adults buy. To me, it's the fact that something is produced purposely as being a "collectible" item that makes it less interesting to collect.

 

[ranbethscards]

... the fact that something is produced purposely as being a "collectible" item ...makes it less interesting to collect.

well said. never really thought of it that way!

 

[gipper1985]

I think the line is constantly moving. To someone like me who grew up in the 1980's, and had some exposure to 1970's cards, anything pre-1970 feels like vintage. To someone 10 years younger than me 1970's might feel vintage.

I think of the players also. To me Bart Starr, Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas etc. were old guys who played a long time ago. To someone 10 years younger Terry Bradshaw, Dan Fouts, and Walter Payton are guys who played a long time ago.

All of this is relative, I am pretty sure I have heard 1970 music on the oldies station recently.

 

[Taliasen]

Hence why I am so loving my vintage pre-1945 wolf cards!

 

[CamaroDMD]

For me it's 1989/90ish. I know that sounds weird...but that's when cards made that major shift from matte stock to glossy. I think that glossy cards are the modern cards. Then again, I was born in 1985.

 

[NorthKorea]

For me it's 1989/90ish. I know that sounds weird...but that's when cards made that major shift from matte stock to glossy. I think that glossy cards are the modern cards. Then again, I was born in 1985.

They had glossy cards, at least from 1985... I think *maybe* as early as 1983 for the Topps All-Star sets.

 

[CamaroDMD]

They had glossy cards, at least from 1985... I think *maybe* as early as 1983 for the Topps All-Star sets.

They did...I meant as the main base sets. Topps stuck with matte finish until around 1992 or so...Upper Deck started doing glossy stock as base in 1989 and I think that made a big change in the industry.

But...like lots of things, the classification of "vintage cards" is not set in stone. Each collector probably has their own definition...as does each seller.

 

[ranbethscards]

Each collector probably has their own definition...as does each seller.

True! but the only opinion/definition that counts is M I N E !!!! lol

 

[CamaroDMD]

True! but the only opinion/definition that counts is M I N E !!!! lol

Agreed.

 

[Taliasen]

So according to some of the comments here... Am "I" vintage? ldman:

 

[ranbethscards]

At 57... can you imagine how I feel? lol