Introduce to GU hobby by GU cards?

[joelsabi]

Just curious how many of you were introduced to Game Used Equipment by Game Used cards sold by card companies.

I was introduced to GU equipment by looking at ads like Coast to Coast in SCD but maybe those new to the GU got the idea of moving to the dark side from GU cards.

[joelsabi]

The first game used baseball cards showed up in boxes on 1997 Upper Deck. It was only a three card set called Upper Deck Game Jersey. The players that were included in the set were Ken Griffey, Jr, Tony Gwynn, and Ray Ordonez. These three cards set a trend that continues to this day. Below I have a picture of what each one looks like:

http://i1.ebayimg.com/04/s/07/21/87/39_2.JPG
Tony Gwynn 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey

http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/s/07/21/7e/b8_2.JPG
Ray Ordonez 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey

http://i23.ebayimg.com/04/s/07/21/a1/b7_2.JPG
Ken Griffey, Jr, 1997 Upper Deck Game Jerse

[frikativ54]

My story is kind of a long one. I had a couple of game-used items in my collection, one of which I got in seventh grade, the other of which I got at an Astros game after I graduated from high school. My Dad bought me a $300 Bagwell game-used cracked bat in Houston in 1998, which we had Bagwell sign before a game. Then I caught a Bagwell game-used baseball a few years later in Arizona.

For a few years, I didn't collect any game-used, but I took to game-used baseball cards and owned several of them. However, I gradually realized how ridiculous it was to have cut-up pieces of a guy's uniform. Why not get the whole thing? I thought to myself, though I didn't know where to turn. Then a guy on eBay pointed me in the right direction, and the rest is history, as they say. Here are a couple of game-used cards that I still own, because I find them aesthetically pleasing:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j16/frikativ54/Baseball%20Cards/BagwellExquisite.jpg

These were once the centerpiece of my collecting. Now they are merely a side-note to all the one-of-a-kind game-used items I have.

[geoff]

It was Sports Collectors Digest for me.Thats how I started Collecting Game Used Items.Then I found this Site and I got hooked in line and Sinker per say.

Thanks
Geoff

[Tedw9]

Back in the early 90's at a local card show (which have now gone the way of the dodo bird) a dealer had game used bats for $5 and I picked up a Dann Bilardello. Actually, I got to post pictures of it because I don't think he used it, but thats a whole different story.

In 1999 I picked up the Tony Gwynn card pictured above through SCD. At the time I paid $250 for it and later sold it for $25 (OUCH!). But I loved the idea of owning a game used item.

Then the bug really bit me when I found a site selling Adam Vinatieri game used items. Once I bought my first "big name" game used item, I was hooked.

I stumbled upon this site while looking for other game used items. I only read for a good year or so before joining. I was just really impressed with the knowledge and how everyone was willing to help others out. This site is my favorite site, not because of the site, but because of the people.

[Fnazxc0114]

back in 2001 i was single and got back into baseball cards. i was amazed that i could get an actual piece of what ever in the cards. this lasted for a year and died out. i then went on to collect 56 topps. well i put the set together over a 3 year period. one night i did a search on google and found this site. i didnt know there was a market where i could buy g/u stuff. i bought my first 2 items on this site. i also learned what that line meant on the bottum of the 125!. thanks to birdbats site i feel comfortable now when i buy bats, and thanks to this site i feel comfortable buying g/u jerseys as well. i dont know why it never crossed my mind when i collected g/u cards that i could just buy the whole bat or jersey for a few dollars more. thanks for the site and thanks to all the guys who have taught me what i needed to know about g/u stuff. as a side note six of the best cards are gone from the 56 topps set so i could buy more g/u stuff. take care josh