At what point do you say "this card is vintage"?

[jywilli69]

So if it is as old and Jim and Randy, it is Vintage right?

I would most def include 1979 and before into the vintage category. There is some magical cutoff at 25 years old. Works in cars and antiques. But that puts1986 and 87 in the vintage category. So that won't work. the "floodgates" really didn't get cranked wide open until around 1982-1984. Not all years are equal. Even tho interest in base cards has waned due to the "Hit" generation, there are some years that should be given a second look. Fleer until 1989 was never produced in quantities even close to topps. 1984 donruss was way scarce. So these may deserve a special category all their own.

[The Cardboard Fan]

Well Beckett has their pricing vs. condition broke down as such

Pre-War Vintage = before WW2 grades out as a 6 for the non-adjusted BV
Post-War Vintage = after WW2 through 1980 grades out as a 7 for the non-adjusted BV
Early Modern (they don't really have a title for this but it is laid out for these years) = 1981 - 1989 grades out as a 8 for the non-adjusted BV
Modern = 1990 to current grades out as a 9 for the non-adjusted BV

Now with the OPG they have recently jacked with the modern conditional pricing but there you go that's Beckett for ya...