General Forum

Is there a way to add specific notes to a card when you add it to your collection?

Yes, you can enter it with a Detailed Add where it has fields for Condition and a comments box where you can add condition issue such as creases. The Condition grade is what will show up for other members to see in a trade proposal so that they are alerted to it.

  Hello!

   I'm sure with all of the comments you probably have plenty of ideas but just in case_  [ I honestly just deleted two paragraphs to save everyone reading a long "origin" story leading up to this "solution". Basically I am still waiting to be allowed to work and have increased volunteering both as a tutor and as a caretaker for dementia patients. I used to take a new box and open with my "friends " because it became the highlight of our visits. Once it became mpossible to affordably obtain inewer cards here in Wilmington, NC- I nervously took the repackaged Fairfield boxes and since those can't be found I started making my own boxes and despite the packaging all reactions are positive ! It is the intrigue / excitement or opening a package for the kids who haven't seen these cards and they don't care about the condition while the elderly use it as a tool to regain memories.. (Luckily I can open the same packs/boxes for my dementia patients several times and the reaction is always awesome ;) but the kids tend to remember if even 2 cards are the same)!

I apologize to ramble but hopefully if tossing them is your best or easiest bet, maybe you could find a way to donate them or find someone who could do it for you!  I am always willing to help facilitate these things and don't mind making calls to another area in order to find someone to pick them up and take them to a trusted source.

   Okay so it was still long and I am sorry about it but it feels better to suggest this to others when I can't always do it myself.

   Cheers! Becky Elizabeth     Besimmons1981@gmail.com       Wilmington,NC28411

I would say the cards that have some wear you can donate to Commons 4 Kids. They donate cards to children's hospitals, little leagues, Big Brothers and similar charities. The cards that are dupes from the 1980s, and in good condition, I would suggest going to Signatures for Soldiers. They take the cards that have been donated and set up autograph sessions with the athletes and either send them to deployed soldiers or sell them and donate the money to disabled veterans groups as well as pay for housing for unemployeed/homeless veterans.

I have donated to both and they make it so easy. Just contact them, I talked them both on Twitter, and ask them how they want the cards shipped (flat rate box usually) and then ship and you are done.

C4Kids: https://commons4kids.org/

Sigs for Soldiers Twitter: https://twitter.com/sigs4soldiers?lang=en

Sigs for Soldiers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Signaturesforsoldiers/

You can donate to a local thrift shop. I skip Goodwill because of issues with how much money has gone to the CEO/board members instead of the people in need, so I go to a thrift shop we have one in town that is connected to a battered women's organization so anything they sell goes to keeping the organization running and supplies for families in need.

That's very nice of you. Has it helped with memory?

These stories warm my heart.  Becky feel free to share as many long winded stories like that as you want.  And Corky, thank you for pointing me to that group.  I'd never heard of it before.  I'm an author and have considered doing something like that only with books, getting them to kids in hospitals who are stuck in bed for long periods.

Just remember...each of those kids has a mom who may resent you for sending a bunch of beat-up Paul Kilgus cards home with her kid.  Just presenting the other side of the argument here.

 Analogkid-  Thank you so much for asking- not to make it a "mushy" thread but these people are most often left alone or "forgotten" so when anyone asks something about the men and women I see it makes me happy.

   But the truthful answer is both yes and no with regard to the cards helping with memory. It depends on the medical end ( duration, depth of illness etc...) and another thing is that this cohort didn't follow specific players from the late 80's and 90's as much as 20-30 years earlier. But the actual physical pack rip (often with help) is what floods the senses more than anything. Also with COVID I do not have full access to all facilities (only where I volunteered as a medical prior) meaning things are done through barriers. 

   *** I wanted to say thanks for this two listing for getting cards signed for soldiers and children***

   But I would not donate any cards to Goodwill, Restore etc right now because I have firsthand knowledge of employee's not only going through items and taking them (some of that seems fair) but not to resell at a higher margin without having to disclose to the people donating them. 

   Thank you gentlemen for reading and allowing me to comment- I guess being off here for several months came out in two long winded posts! Cheers! Becks

I'm just going to add that I've shipped about 1,000 cards in the last 12 days for 5 trades here and the majority of the cards were from the mid-80's to mid-90's. People do want them and a bunch of them are on this site. I still have 5 pending trades to get to next.

I try to avoid the bin as much as possible.  I periodically throw commons is zip lock baggies and drop them in little free libraries around Madison.  They're always gone when I make my next round!