Blog post by: Steve Fleming
While museums around the world showcase some of the most famous paintings ever created by artists like Picasso or Van Gogh, they cannot take credit for the most beautiful work ever created. 1950s hockey cards! Twelve beautiful sets produced by Parkhurst and Topps have some of the most sought after rookies of iconic superstars the game of hockey has ever seen.
Each set resembles a work of art with its uniqueness and colourful designs. Collecting these cards can become one of the best hobbies you can experience. The joy of mail day or the hunt of finding one you need at a card show can feel like Christmas morning. It's a slow and steady process with a reward of pride when you can complete a set. I've wondered how many of these beautiful sets actually exist, cards were not considered valuable and taken care of in the 50s so finding them in a suitable condition can be hard to do. Yet once you start, try and stop. You won’t. It can become a part of you. So embrace the craziness of card collecting and enjoy the ride.
There is such an amazing community in the card collecting world, you will meet so many great people with stories to tell and cards to sell. Eventually becoming more of a family within with the same passion, to collect these amazing works of art. Feel blessed that you understand it’s not just a piece of cardboard, it’s our game, it’s history. To make things even more exciting the industry has grown and evolved into a multimillion dollar business. Besides the happiness of holding a 1951 Gordie Howe rookie card in your hand, having it in your personal collection adds an excellent investment opportunity for you or your family down the road. A rewarding hobby to say the least.
A benefit of collecting these days is having the services of companies such as KSA. You can get your cards graded and protected. It’s something I personally recommend. If the card is valuable, protect it properly. It’s important to know the grade to have an idea of approximate value. Also it’s just so much damn fun to see your cards actual grade. I take pride in my collection, you should too. As a passion I look to continue with my soon to be first born son, my advice would be to always keep it fun. Let the art of collecting continue...
