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DAVE’s VINTAGE BASEBALL CARDS

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Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards is a small business located in a strip mall in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin that specializes in collecting, grading, selling, and trading vintage baseball cards from the late 19th century to the 1980s. The shop was opened in 2005 by Dave Johnson, a lifelong baseball fan and collector who wanted to share his passion for the history captured in these old cards with other enthusiasts.

While baseball cards have been around since the late 1800s, it was not until the late 1970s and 1980s that collecting them really took off. During this time, production and distribution expanded exponentially which resulted in many valuable older cards becoming more scarce. This surge in popularity coincided with Dave’s own childhood experiences collecting and sparked the idea to one day open a dedicated store. After working for years in information technology, Dave decided in his early 40s to take the leap and pursue his dream full-time.

He started small, operating out of a small rented space with just his personal inventory and collection to sell and trade. Word of mouth and Dave’s expertise and friendliness helped attract a growing customer base. Today, the store has expanded to 1,500 square feet and stocks over 100,000 individual vintage cards along with related supplies like sleeves, holders, and display books. While the focus remains on the pre-1990 era, Dave works hard to have representatives from every year, team, and player available to browse.

A key aspect of the business is grading cards. This process involves thoroughly inspecting each card for factors like centering, corners, edges and surface quality before assigning a numerical grade on the widely used 1-10 point scale. Higher grades command significantly higher values. Dave spent years learning the intricate grading standards of the two major third-party authorities, PSA and BGS, and is now a certified authenticator for both. Offering this service has proven very popular with collectors and helped increase traffic and sales.

Beyond buying and selling, Dave’s also caters to the social and research aspects of the hobby. A large community room in the back regularly hosts card shows and meetups that bring collectors from across the state together. Older enthusiasts especially enjoy reminiscing about their favorite childhood players and trades. Dave also maintains a vast digital library and database of card stats, prices, and checklists that patrons can access.

Among the most prized items currently in Dave’s personal collection are a 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner, graded PSA 2.5; a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8; and an unopened 1984 Fleer box. The real treasures are the stories behind each card that get shared every day in the shop. Whether it’s a customer finding a card from their youth or two collectors bonding over an obscure player, Dave takes pride in fostering the rich history and community surrounding the hobby.

While the sports card market experienced ups and downs over the decades, vintage baseball has proven remarkably resilient. Even with the rise of digital platforms, collectors still place high value on the tangible pieces of history held in their hands. And as more baby boomers who grew up with the cards reach retirement, many are reconnecting with their collections which bodes well for the future of the industry. For Dave, who has seen the shop flourish since opening fifteen years ago, his passion shows no signs of fading. He looks forward to many more years of helping collectors old and new appreciate the nostalgia and charm of these vintage cardboard treasures.

DAVE’s VINTAGE BASEBALL CARDS REVIEWS

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Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards: Your One-Stop Shop for Collectible Cards

Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards is an online retailer and auction house that has been serving collectors for over 20 years. Whether you’re looking to build your collection, sell cards from your childhood collection, or do a bit of both, Dave’s has you covered with their extensive inventory, competitive prices, and buyer/seller friendly policies. In this in-depth review, we’ll take a closer look at Dave’s selection, services, reputation, and what real customers are saying.

Huge Selection of Individual Cards and Complete Sets

One of the things that sets Dave’s apart from other vintage card sellers is the sheer breadth and depth of their inventory. Browsing their website, you’ll find tens of thousands of individually listed baseball cards spanning the entire history of the hobby, from the earliest tobacco cards from the late 1800s all the way up to the modern era. Every major brand and player is represented at every level of rarity and condition.

In addition to individual cards, Dave’s also stocks a wide variety of complete, intact sets from the past century of baseball card production. Whether you’re looking to add flagship sets like Topps, Fleer, or Donruss to your collection in higher grades, or discover more obscure regional and specialty issues, Dave’s has you covered. They also regularly offer team and league sets broken out by franchise.

The extensive search and filtering tools on their site make it easy to zero in on exactly what you’re looking for too. Advanced collectors especially appreciate being able to search by specific card number, year, brand, player, and of course price range. With so much inventory in stock at any given time, finding that unique grail card to add to your PC has never been easier.

Competitive Prices and Negotiable Offers

When it comes to pricing, Dave’s aims to strike a fair balance between sellers hoping to maximize profits and collectors working within budgets. For in-demand, high-grade vintage cards, their prices will be competitive with the leading auction houses. They also price more reasonably on common cards and are open to negotiation, especially on larger combined purchases.

Many customers report being able to work out deals, combine shipping on multiple purchases, or get discounted pricing for buying entire incomplete sets. The staff is also said to be knowledgeable about market trends and willing to suggest substitutes that meet collectors’ needs at better price points when exact high-dollar cards are not in stock.

Excellent Reputation for Accuracy and Customer Service

Having been in business for decades with thousands of transactions under their belt, Dave’s has built an excellent reputation among collectors as an honest and reliable partner. Independent collector forums consistently rate them highly for accurate grading and descriptions that match the conditions of cards received.

They also get high marks for fast, safe shipping and packaging practices that arrive without damage. Issues are rarely reported and customer service is said to quickly and fairly resolve the very few problems that do occur.

The staff is praised as knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help collectors at every level, from beginners to experts, find what they need. Many repeat customers specifically note appreciating the personalized service over the years.

Convenient Buying and Selling Options

In addition to their extensive “For Sale” listings, Dave’s also provides collectors multiple convenient ways to both buy and sell cards. Their online auction site allows users to browse and bid on individual cards and group lots with start prices and no reserve. This provides opportunities to potentially get great deals.

They also accept wants lists from collectors and will keep an eye out to find matches from new inventory additions and consignments. For sellers, they offer competitive consignment options to liquidate larger collections and make a commission on the sales. Dave’s handles all the photography, description, promotion and transaction work.

The site is also PayPal-friendly, accepts credit cards, and offers invoice and check payment options for buyers’ added security and convenience when spending larger amounts. Overall their integrated buying and selling systems aim to provide easy, safe transactions for all users.

What Customers are Saying

Browsing independent reviews on sites like eBay, it’s clear Dave’s has built a loyal customer base that keeps coming back. Comments consistently praise their extensive selection that allows finding even hard-to-locate cards, the accuracy and condition of what is received, fast shipping, and willingness to work with buyers on multiple purchases.

Negative reviews are quite rare. The only minor criticism seems to be occasional complaints about prices on the hottest modern rookie cards being on the higher side of fair market value during peak hype periods. Even those customers acknowledge Dave’s reputation for quality otherwise.

Senior collectors especially appreciate the personalized service and ability to turn to Dave’s as a trusted source for decades worth of collecting needs. It’s clear the company values its relationships and has earned stellar word-of-mouth within the hobby as a top vendor.

In Summary

Whether you’re a casual fan looking to start a collection, a seasoned collector, or a dealer yourself, Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards can be your reliable one-stop-shop. Few if any other online sources can match their massive selection, buyer/seller-friendly policies, and sterling reputation earned over many years of satisfied customers.

Browse their extensive inventory, take advantage of add-on deals, and see why collectors keep going back to Dave’s as a preferred partner in their hobby. With such a positive reputation and wide-ranging services, they’ve certainly earned their place as a true pillar of the vintage sports card community.

DAVE’s VINTAGE BASEBALL CARDS LOS ANGELES CA

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Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards: A Los Angeles Institution for Collectors

Tucked away in a nondescript strip mall in East Los Angeles sits an unassuming storefront that few people passing by would notice. But for decades, Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards has been a mecca for collectors from around the world seeking some of the most rare and valuable baseball cards ever printed.

Stepping into Dave’s is like traveling back to a bygone era. The walls are lined floor to ceiling with cardboard boxes stuffed with thousands upon thousands of cards in pristine condition. Behind the counter, owner Dave Martinez presides over his domain with a smile, ready to pull out card after card to show customers his vast inventory.

Dave first opened his shop in 1979 after amassing a huge personal collection. “I’ve loved baseball cards since I was a kid in the 1950s,” he recalls. “I started collecting seriously in the 1960s and just never stopped. After awhile I had so many duplicates and extra cards that I decided to open a store and share my passion with other collectors.”

In those early days, the hobby of collecting vintage baseball cards was still in its infancy. Most people simply threw cards away after the baseball season ended. But Dave recognized they had lasting value, both monetary and historical. He began scouring flea markets, estate sales, and old attics for forgotten collections he could add to his stock.

Word quickly spread in the small but growing collector community about Dave’s treasure trove of cards. People would travel from all over Southern California just to browse his selection in person. Soon collectors from further afield were contacting him by mail to inquire about rare cards. Dave meticulously filled orders from all 50 states and several countries.

As the decades passed, Dave’s collection and reputation only grew. He became renowned for having some of the most pristine early 20th century T206 and E90 sets in existence, including legendary cards like the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner, the premier holy grail of the hobby. While the Wagner is not currently for sale, Dave takes it out to show customers in protective sleeves. He can discuss the card’s history and significance at length.

Beyond his encyclopedic knowledge, Dave’s personal touch is what keeps customers coming back. “I love helping people find that card they’ve been searching for, sometimes for decades,” he says. “When someone finally gets to add their childhood hero to their collection, it’s really rewarding.” While large online retailers now dominate the market, Dave prides himself on providing that lost art of personalized service.

The store has also become a meeting place and local hub for the Los Angeles collecting community. On Saturdays during baseball season, collectors can often be found conversing over their latest finds or trades. Kids also stop by with their parents to look through Dave’s inexpensive commons boxes and pick up their first cards.

At 79 years old now, Dave has no plans to retire. He puts in 10+ hour days, 6 days a week to maintain his collection and ensure every customer leaves satisfied. His son occasionally helps out as well. While the internet poses a challenge, Dave sees his physical storefront as an asset, allowing for the browsing and bonding experience that online retailers can’t replicate.

Through changing trends, Dave’s Vintage Baseball Cards has endured as a mainstay. It serves not just as a business but a time capsule transporting visitors back to baseball’s early decades. For loyal customers young and old, it remains a special place to kickstart or fuel their passion for the hobby’s history. As long as Dave’s around, his little shop on the outskirts of LA will continue introducing new generations to the magic of vintage baseball cards.