In the meantime, I was doing some more cleaning out of the basement today (got the extra long weekend from work....I'm not looking forward to tomorrow) and found this little gem.
1985 Hockey Card Checklist
and Price Guide
and Price Guide
Oh boy....let's get depressed.
I remember this book from when I was a kid. I was in the prime of my hockey card collecting (the first time around). I was very meticulous about building my yearly set and was even working on the sticker books as well.
I was always trying to find new ways to store my cards as the 'card locker' (oh yes, I still have one of those) was just not doing it for me any more. In my search for organization, I found a great book that would identify all of the sets I had and keep that info neatly placed in one little spot.
This guide had everything I wanted. A look back at the cards and coins that were released decades before. Tips on how to collect, what to collect, how to gauge cards, how to take care of my collection and how to store my collection. On top of that, full checklists of every release from 1974/75 to 1984/85 (stickers and cards). It was awesome.
Now to the depressing stuff.
Wanna see how much the most recent card release was booking for at the time (click on the photos for a closer look)?
1984/85 O-Pee-Chee
Complete Set $15.00
Complete Set $15.00
Are you kidding me! Here's the kicker. The most expensive card - Wayne Gretzky (.25 cents). Oh, and here's another. A Steve Yzerman rookie card - FOUR CENTS!
If only I had an ounce of economic prethought back then.
Here's an even more depressing page.
Oh my. A Gretzky rookie card - $20 bucks! A Gordie Howe rookie - $75 bucks!
Here's the ultimate kicker...I had the choice of buying a Ken Dryden rookie AND a Guy Lafleur rookie for the same price as the price guide - NINE BUCKS!!
Clearly I didn't know the value of a dollar. Sadly, the guide is pretty much the only thing that drastically plummeted in value.
I might as well keep it.
i swear i had this exact guide at some point! i remember the cover vividly. also, i still have a card locker! they must have gone up in value, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteDave, I don't think you have hit the jackpot. :(
ReplyDeleteI think the card lockers would fetch $10-20 for an average conditioned one, I can't see one going for over $40. I have one that I found at a flea market about 6-7 years ago. It's in a lot better shape than the ones I had as a kid.
I'll have to show it off some time.