Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession by Dave Jamieson (2010, Hardcover)

The author tells some fascinating stories of inviduals shaping the hobby (past and present). Particularly interesting is the great story about Jefferson Burdick. He was among the first card geeks who literally spent his dying years pasting old baseball cards into albums at the Metropolitan Meseum of Art in NY so they can be preserved (have to go one day!). He also was a founder of SCD, Sports Collector's Digest. The author also gives an interesting insider's view into PSA card grading process and how sometimes the pros can be fooled. Being a similar age group as the author, we both recall the 'Billy Ripken FF' card rise and fall, in terms of both price and impact on the hobby.

There were few things I didn't like about the book. While the individual stories are interesting, I do wish there would have been more discussion on the cards themselves (i.e. a description/characteristics of the cards). Notwithstanding the Burdick story, the book sometimes drifts into focusing on individuals a bit too much. I also wish eBay was discussed as it's my opinion this has had as an important impact on the hobby as anything else in the past 25 years.

Overall, the book is a very good look at the history of the hobby and some of it's 'movers and shakers' along with, albeit brief, sneak peak at its future. It's worthwhile reading for any collector. Being a book about baseball cards, I'd grade the book an 8.0 !

It was incredibly interesting. I learned so much about baseball cards and their origins, I have a newfound respect for the hobby!