[zeprock]

Never came back because I never left the hobby. Started collecting in 1970 and never stopped.

[nolan5000]

I never left either. I've been collecting since the Summer of 1990. Minus the time that I spent in the hospital in 2001 with brain cancer.

[Merovius]

My mom passed away so I went back to NY from Minneapolis to be with my family. We started going through the house to make preparations for the wake, old pictures and the like. Then I, along with my brother and sister, began boxing our old belongings and I rediscovered the old collection. My dad and all his brothers old vintage 50's cards, my brothers 60's card, my sisters 70's card and my 80's cards. Along with other miscellaneous sports memorabilia from years past, World Series and Super Bowl stuff. I had everything put on freight back to Minneapolis, started filtering out the junk and rebuilding sets by trading off doubles.

Ive made some really good progress and have used a spreadsheet to keep me focused and keep from spending my kids college fund.

Its been good to be back and trade with some great fans of the game!

[JRMdawg311]

I've always been a fan of Baseball and loved collecting as a kid. But come 1994, the baseball strike along with the explosion of clutter within card products I fell out of collecting. As I grew up, joined the Marines etc I didn't have the time or ability to keep up with my favorite teams, let alone collecting. After a 12 year hiatus from collecting, all it took was a curious check at my newly found local card shop. The shop owner was super knowledgeable but very old school. He immediately began convincing me that sets were the way to go. So I bought a few packs, then a few more, then a few more, then a lot more, got a few hits and so began my relapse into collecting. Now I make sets and focus on a few teams. I feel spoiled having such a great local (surviving) shop to feed my addiction. It's been great fun!

[98holiday]

I got out of collecting in '83.I started working on cars.As I got older all my money went into drag racing.I built a shop at home,worked all day
on cars,and came home and did it most of the night.After about 20 years
I got so burned out,I didn't want to look at a car again.A buddy of mine I worked with used to collect.We would talk about the cards we had.One day after work we went to a local card show,I have been hooked ever since.

[showstopper2]

my brother showing me some sick Rickey Henderson's he'd been buying pushed me to search Ebay and buy a bunch of nice cards of my guy for relatively cheap money. this was back in 2007 and I've really put a dent in my wantlist since adding about 1000 cards in that time most of which have been low numbered or rare inserts, GU'ed and Auto's.

[crazy4cardz]

I left in the late 80's and didn't return hard core until 2008. Missed a lot of stuff. But here are a few of the reasons:

1. More disposable income
2. More time (not really though until I retire in 25 years...)
3. A renewed interest in the game and in collecting

Silly stuff, but hey, I am back, and that's what counts! Kudos to those who never left!

[cptnemo66]

Never came back because I never left the hobby. Started collecting in 1970 and never stopped.

+1 but for me it was 1979.

[oneofakindcards]

A couple retail packs sitting on the counter at a CVS about 15 years ago. I had gotten out for several years prior, but a pack of 1996 Topps Chrome, and later a pack of 1997 Stadium Club seemed so intriguing.

I pulled a Kenny Lofton refractor (I thought it was some kind of error because I hadn't seen a refractor before...or chrome for that matter either LOL) and a Greg Maddux die-cut insert made of leather.

[nolan5000]

A couple retail packs sitting on the counter at a CVS about 15 years ago. I had gotten out for several years prior, but a pack of 1996 Topps Chrome, and later a pack of 1997 Stadium Club seemed so intriguing.

I pulled a Kenny Lofton refractor (I thought it was some kind of error because I hadn't seen a refractor before...or chrome for that matter either LOL) and a Greg Maddux die-cut insert made of leather.

Wow!! Impressive pulls!!