1518 - Gervise Ford, My First Hobby Friend, Part 3

Longtime (but now retired) card dealer Gervise Ford reflects on the 1970s hobby before price guides, when most transactions were trades and even complete 1961 Topps high-number sets could be had for $20. He recalls selling off unwanted sets, trading 1953 Topps cards for fabricated custom card boxes, and a painful hindsight example of selling 1953 Bowman's for a dime a card that would be worth far more today. Gervise describes how he eventually sold his shop and most of his collection through First Base/Wayne, with John Esch buying much of the better material, and shares the timing of a $50,000 shop sale alongside a major health diagnosis. They discuss investment misconceptions, memorable collections and how the hobby has changed. 00:00 Trading Before Price Guides 02:22 Selling Shop and Collection 03:54 Health Scare and Timing 04:47 Landmark Cracker Jack Card 05:30 Regrets and Hobby Lessons 06:53 Attic Find Reality Check 10:24 Life After the Hobby 11:29 Giving Back in Retirement