Even before anyone heard the word "Rookie card"

Those days a 54 Aaron with a corner torn off was worth about 30%-40% or a mint condition one.

Now 99% of the cards that come out of the packs are not mint and are worth squat.

I also remember how excited I was to get a 2 cases each of the brand new 1981 Fleer and Dornuss. I decided to open a case of each and make sets so I could get one for me and sell the rest. The distribution that first year was so pathetic that after opening up a full case of the Donruss (20 Boxes x 36 packs) or 12,000 cards I could not make one 660 card set. I remember opening up a pack that had 15 of the same card in it. Somewhere in my files I still have the numbers from that case and there was one card I ended up with.

Another memory was not being able to sleep the night before a National Convention knowing that there would be packs inside to add to my collection.

Fond memories of days gone by.

Doug