You and I must be close to the same age. Sounds like we did some very similar things.
I'm 55.
Actually, I'm 42.
I got a lot of my cards from an older kid in my neighborhood when I was about 9 years old. The guy wanted $5.00 for about 8 boxes of cards. He wasn't into them anymore and just wanted to get rid of them.
I asked my mother for the money and she gave it to me because I never ever ask for money so she knew I really wanted it. After that I started collecting on my own, buying boxes and boxes of sets as they came out each year.
Eventually I too grew tired of them and put them away. This is the first time I have had them out in years.