The very first series I created for this blog is called From the Favorites Box. Each entry provides a look into why one of my favorite cards is, in fact, a favorite. And guess what? All of those cards are stored in a box that I call . . . my favorites box!
That's right. The favorites box does actually exist.
I will say, however, that it's not the original favorites box from my young collecting days. That one was a shoebox. And when I say "shoebox", I mean an actual shoebox that, at one time, contained a pair of shoes. (It was a green Thom McAn box, if I'm remembering right.) And you see, during most of my 20s and 30s—the span of ages when I wasn't interested in collecting—that original shoebox was in an attic, getting pummeled by humidity in summer months and chilling temperatures in winter months. When I rediscovered my collection all those years later, the thin cardboard walls of that particular box were not exactly sturdy and stable any longer.
So, since that time, I transferred those cards into . . .
. . . another shoebox!
You'd figure I'd want to keep the cards a bit safer, in a standard storage box designed for trading cards. But no. I guess nostalgia won out. It's fine, though. As you can see, each card is safely tucked into a semi-rigid card holder, and the box is now stored in a much more temperature-controlled environment.
Interestingly enough, the favorites box is not just filled with my favorite cards. There's also a space for the small amount of autographed cards in my collection, as well as some rookie cards, general vintage cards, and a few oddball/food issue cards that I really like (7-Eleven coins, Burger Chef discs, menko, etc.). The current total comes to 509 cards—about 50% baseball, 40% hockey, and 10% other, which mirrors my overall collection pretty well.
What all that means, however, is that not every single card in the box is really a candidate for the Favorites Box series on the blog. But most of the cards in the box are, either because they're linked to a fun childhood memory, have great photo content, or whatever other reason. So I'm not going to run out of subject matter any time soon.
Stay tuned for more good selections. And let me know in the comment section if you've ever had a favorites box of your own—crusty old shoebox or otherwise!
No real favorites box. I do recall in my early collecting days, before we discovered pages and binders, storing all of my tiny collection in a shoebox. Wish I remember what kind but I don't. Today 3 shoeboxes house cards for sets I'm not completing.
ReplyDeleteI remember those days too, Night Owl. I'm sure I had my entire little collection in random boxes back then, too. And (gasp) wrapped in rubber bands!
DeleteMine is called the Goody box. Actually there is more than one and I ditched shoeboxes long ago.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good name for it, Crocodile!
DeleteNothing really beats a good box for storing cards and I am glad to see yours. Growing up my "good" cards were housed in a repurposed wooden crate that originally had packets of seeds for my mom's vegetable garden.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories, for sure, CardBoredom. Do you still have that box?
DeleteNo, that box is long gone. In the last couple years I used the memory as inspiration when I turned a few wooden planters into displays/storage for cards.
DeleteClever idea there, CB!
DeleteI did something like this but it was boxes I hasn't gone through in awhile
ReplyDeleteThat a fun idea for a series of posts, Matt. As collectors, sometimes we don't look through the cards in our collection enough.
DeleteJust don't store it in the basement. Long Island basements are even worse than attics, especially for mold. I've seen lots of moldy cards around here. I wouldn't even trust a finished basement.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, my fellow Long Islander! And no worries, as our new home is a raised ranch style -- so it doesn't even have a basement ;-)
DeleteI definitely had a favorite box as a kid. I first stored them in a "cheese" box... and later switched over to some type of Tupperware container. These days... I don't have use a box anymore. My collection is sorted by my different player/team/type collections as well as sets. But I do have a binder of random cool cards... that I guess you could classify as favorites.
ReplyDeleteWould love to see that binder of random cool cards featured on your blog one day, Fuji!
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ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Mark!
DeleteI never kept cards in shoeboxes as a kid, but did keep plenty of my other "treasures" in them. It's funny too, there's one particular shoebox that I've had so long that now the box itself is amongst my most treasured belongings.
ReplyDeleteI think many collectors will understand exactly where you're coming from there, Jon!
DeleteI probably had a favorites box at some point in my childhood, but now I just have a "vault" with my most valuable cards. Your box looks fantastic, particularly with that vintage Canadien facing front.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, Chris! I was thinking of showing a couple of other vintage cards that are inside the box, but decided to give them their own blog posts.
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