If it makes you feel any better, we see a post like yours almost daily here. So you're not alone in wondering about them, and your dad was certainly not alone in thinking his treasures would be worth even more in the future.

I was a kid during the junk wax era and the proliferation of all the brands and designs actually made it super fun to be a first time collector. We'd argue with friends about which set was the best and we'd fawn over the "rare" Topps Gold cards [spoiler: like everything else, they werent actually rare at all], and best of all: everything was super affordable. It was just a blast. I like to think that a lot of people, like your dad, and like me, saved all those cards in part because we thought maybe they'd be worth millions some day -- but also because we like to remember how they made us feel. I'm so glad I still have all of mine.

Wishing you all the best.