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Thrill of the Hunt’ becoming serious retirement investment

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Michael Osacky was like many baseball-loving kids. He’d hop on his bicycle and ride to the drug store down the street. There, he would root through boxes of baseball cards, hoping to find a good pack. Then he would meet up with some friends to engage in what could be America’s “second” national pastime: trading baseball cards. He did this for quite a while, just like any ordinary kid. However, a special gift from a special person changed Michael from an everyday fan to a serious collector.

For his 13th birthday, Michael’s grandfather presented him with several older baseball cards. “I was fascinated by these. They were much different looking than the cards I got at the pharmacy. Furthermore, they were rare,” Michael reminisces. “Every week I would trade similar cards with my friends, but they were from the same year. The cards that my Grandpa got me were 20, 30 or 40 years old, and I knew of nobody who had these cards.”

Bitten by the “collecting bug,” Michael was determined to find fellow enthusiasts of vintage cards. He started going to collectors’ trade shows, sometimes traveling many hours. “I remember the first time I walked into a baseball card show. Everybody was older than me, and there were hundreds of dealers with thousands of cards ... I was speechless.”

Now, 28 and still living in the Chicago area, Michael has amassed thousands of pre-1975 baseball cards, storing them securely in safety deposit boxes. He also collects other items of baseball memorabilia: autographs, bats, photographs, vintage advertising, jerseys... “The list is really unlimited. If it’s baseball, I collect it,” he says.

While collecting baseball cards might be a traditional American hobby, Michael has taken a modern approach to adding to his collection. In 2007, he launched a website, www.baseballintheattic.com

Although he claims he’s not computer savvy, Michael designed the site by himself, and it’s very accessible. Through the site, people interested in selling cards and other memorabilia can request a call from Michael, leaving phone numbers and addresses. Within 24 hours of receiving information, Michael contacts them to talk about their collectibles. He’s extremely professional, and dedicated to his ‘clients’ satisfaction: “I strongly believe in customer service ... When I talk to you over the phone or meet you in person, you aren’t just a number.”

That commitment to customer service shines through.
Michael enjoys hearing the stories behind the collections that he purchases, and he treats the collectibles like heirlooms.
“Sometimes the autographs come directly from the seller, and sometimes the collection was inherited from previous generations,” he says. “Whatever the case may be, the seller is comfortable knowing that I will carry on the memories of that family.”
Michael has also earned a good reputation from other websites, collectors’ publications and news stories. That word of mouth has brought in a good bit of business, as well.

Thanks to years of serious collecting, Michael has achieved VIP backstage access at collectors’ shows across the country. This allows him to offer a special benefit to his sellers.

Those who sell at least $2,500 of cards and memorabilia have a chance to meet a favorite sports athlete. “I have the opportunity to be around some of the best sports athletes in the world,” Michael says.

“Because the economy is currently in a recession, I feel like I need to do something special for people. This offer is something I came up with that, hopefully, will put some smiles on faces in this tough economic time.”

The economics of collecting aren’t lost on Michael, either. In fact, he considers his collection a serious investment – in fact, it’s his retirement. This long-term outlook allows him to pay more for collectibles than other, more casual collectors.

He safely locks the cards away in the hope that in 30 years they will be worth considerably more, not for instant profit.

You’d think Michael’s collecting had become “all business” — no longer the hobby of a suburban kid on his bike. However, Michael often feels the same “thrill of the hunt” that he felt when he was 13 and pedaling to the pharmacy. “I get so excited every time my phone rings,” he says. “I think it is that ever-elusive baseball card I have been trying to get my hands on for such a long time.” However, now, instead of rooting through the baseball card box on the counter of the drug store, he digs through huge boxes in attics, looking for treasure.

5/27/2009