General Forum

Sometimes as collectors, we lose sight of why we collect. I have recently fallen into the trap of trying to collect the next hot trend like many others. 

Today, I was reminded of how satisfying small, yet personal, purchases can be. I stopped by my LCS, and picked through a box of 15 cent mid 90s- early 2000s cards. I found a rookie card of my old pitching coach, Wayne Gomes, some rookie cards of some Japanese players to help with my Japanese MLB rookies list/collection, I snagged two beautiful 2002 Bowman Heritage cards of Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell, and even an Eric Bruntlett rookie card to help towards my 2008 WS team rookie card list/collection. On top of that, I scooped another Chris Sale 2011 Topps rookie and a 2011 Bowman's Best Refractor all for a grand total of $8.75.

This was by far the most satisfying card purchase I have made recently, and it served as a reminder to me why I collect in the first place -- I'm not collecting trends, I'm collecting what I want to collect, even if it's obscure and not what the majority collect, because they mean something. 

Every odd thing I collect have stories behind them. No one really pays much attention to Japanese baseball (outside of Ichiro) and I happen to really respect the culture. Why not try to collect rookie cards of all Japanese players that made the show? I was scolded as a child for disobeying my parents orders to not buy cards at a baseball game, and was punished by not being allowed to buy cards for 6 months. The cards I bought were 2010 Topps Attax. So, why not collect every Topps Attax card produced that year as a reminder of the lesson I learned as a child? Wayne Gomes is a rather obscure relief pitcher who many people won't remember, but he was my pitching coach for years (and a damn good one too). Thats a pretty cool connection. Why not collect his cards? 

My collection is a reflection of who I am and my journey to get there. That is what is beautiful about this hobby. In a weird way, its an expression of one's self. The moment you make it about anything but that, it ceases to be a hobby. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with buying cards as investments or stuff like that, but people who are in it for the money are, in my opinion, missing the point. How can I be more happy with an $8 purchase than the several hundred dollar ones I make once or twice per year and look so forward to? Simple, money doesn't buy you happiness. 

Just something to think about.

Nice. 

I'll dive in just to share things I've shared before. Over the last few years, I've done a number of things that have really helped my enjoyment of the hobby. Examples: 

For a long time, I had a few cards on display on a bookshelf. They were all hall of famers, because...they're supposed to be. But then I labelled them all with my own information -- "My favorite player," "Has my best friend's name," -- and put many of the HOFers in their binders, replacing them with odd tobacco cards of obscure players connected with weird trivia. "Gave up Babe Ruth's last HR." And other things. I started and finished my Merkle's Boner collection, of all the players on the field during that incident. I collected all the T207 Cubs I could, ignoring the two ridiculously priced shortprints (I define a complete set for myself). Before any of that, I started, and eventually finished my Last topps Base Card of Every Hall of Famer with a Topps Card collection. Any graded card I wind up buying gets its own label, created by me, put over the grading label. I try to look through my entire collection, one card at a time, every five years or so. I bought stupid 80s and even some 90s Traded sets, which I swore off at the time, but now provide hours of nostalgic enjoyment for very little cost. I started trying to get cards from as many years, or decades, as possible. (I've got the decades of 1880, and 1900 through 2020 covered. Need an 1890s card....)

And I hang out here and read other people's stories and motivations. 

In short, I've spent the last few years creating my own hot new thing. And then I follow that.

And, not that I needed that much incentive, but all of that helps keep the hobby fresh and fun. 

v3

Good attitude to have.  I collect cards because I like cards. I dont "need" any card.  I wouldn't even know what these new trends are that you speak of.  When I reached the point where I found myself arguing with TCDB members more than trading with them, I banished myself from the site for just shy of a year.  My infrequent trip to the LCS usually ends with a couple packs of 1991 Bowman football because they're cheap, a few cards of players I never heard of, a handful of cheap Cardinals and Buccaneers that I may or may not already have, some cards from the 50s that are fifty cents because some kid my Dad's age wrote on the back, and maybe one nice card of Myles Turner.  By nice I mean $10 - $15.  Just enough to class the collection up a little.  If Christmas is coming, i get my brother a nice box of something current.  But my collection is pretty cheap, and very satisfying. 

Similar sentiments that all three of you have said, the main one I collect because I like cards.  Though I know the value of some cards compared to others, I do not collect for what they are worth.  I don't need (or chase) the latest trend.  I collect all baseball cards but much rather have vintage vs the new cards as I think the cards from the 50s to the late 70s are just so much more interesting and are about the sport they picture, not about the latest technology and what they can do with a picture.

I never buy packs or blaster boxes or whatever they call the latest packaging as I think they are not worth the money no matter what is inside.  I rather buy a box of cards from the want ads like I did this past weekend.  $35 for a large box of cards from the 1990s.  Half was baseball and the other half was hockey with just a few from other sports and non-sports.  I am almost done sorting but I found about 500 cards that will go in my collections including 3 cards autographed by Blue Jays players from teh early 90s and a few inserts that I did not have any of from the particular set so that was neat. The rest will go up for trade.

I watch the craze in the hobby every year as a new "can't miss" prospect has a RC issued. The prices people pay for that card (of which there are way too many produced to make it that valuable) are ridiculous but are not driven by true collectors.  I simply have to think back of the names of Judge and Ohtani.  Don't hear much about those cards now.  Don't even know what the cards are selling for today. Don't care enough to even look it up. I rather have my Jimmy Key autographed card that I got this weekend or the Greg Zaun minor league card that I had him autograph at a baseball game because I know where these autographs came from.

I have siad it before, enjoy the hobby for what it is, a hobby.

Yup I collect what I like.  Recently whilst searching through the singles box at my LCS I happened upon a Gianluigi Buffon card that I did not have.  I smiled and snapped it up immediately.  I usually just buy packs of stuff I like mostly hockey and soccer.  My friend at the LCS usually throws in any singles I pick out fer free.

One thing that I do take some twisted pride in is that I never open any product in the store.  I have made some big purchases and other customers sometimes ask me if I am going to "crack it now" a phrase I do not like.  Crack it implies that I am breaking or destroying something.  No, I usually reply I am going home to cook a nice dinner enjoy a few brewskies and OPEN my packs privately thank you very much.

I do not follow the trends. Often I don't like the trend from the very start. I have never liked crowds or folllowing the crowd.

One of the main reasons I've been less active on here lately.  Forum regulars have been making the hobby less fun.  

If I'm one of those, I'm sorry, UER.  I try to keep calm on here but it's a struggle at times.