General Forum

Update: I had to pull the trigger quickly before I lost my nerve. And I also just couldn't fully go through with it, because, I swear, card prices have surged even in the last month. If only I were an investor....But I digress.

You know about the Ryan rookie. I also sought a 1954 or 1955 ungraded Jackie Robinson to fill out my display of First Black Players on Every Team, since my only Robinson, a 1956, is in the Last Topps Card of Every Hall of Famer With a Topps Card display. But I digress. The 1954 Robinsons were much more expensive than I thought, so I altered my goal to accept a 1955, which I found in excellent condition, but with a pinhole. Sold! The Banks rookie I already knew was prohibitive. I just couldn't do it. But I did buy another Fred Merkle (No! Don't get Vytas started on Merkle!), one of the few with him on the Cubs. I need one more Merkle to create what I suspect will be my last display.

But I am finished my indulgent spending of what I'm willing to spend from the sale of my father's coins, leaving more than 80% for useful things for my family. Now I go back to my strict baseball card budget, which I'm a little under for the year, so I could buy some more cards....

Be well. 

v3

Great story.  I've never thought about race as a way to collect.  It's cool.  I have a bunch of 60s cards.  Look me up.

Fritts. 

Great story, thank you for sharing.  Was worth the read for sure 

I think what you have done is awesome and you should not feel guilty one damn bit about it.  You honored your father and step mother by investing in something meaningful to you that you probably wouldn't have otherwise done.  I encourage you to get thge '54 Robinson and Banks cards!

I think many of us collectors suffer similarly that we don't chase our white whales and instead chase the plentiful cod instead because its easy to catch and easier to rationalize that it's ok to buy the cheap fish.  I look at my storage closet of complete sets I've built over the years and would gladly trade all of them for a really nice Musial rookie.  I spend more time looking at the cards I really treasure and hardly any time at the cards I've accumulated.

I like building sets because it's a reasonable way to occupy my time.  But at the end of the day, I don't really treasure those investments like I would those few cards I'd really like to have.

All wise words. I do try to make a point of looking at my complete sets every five years or so. It's been longer than that now for many of them. But the special cards are out on display. I take a moment or two virtually every day to look at them and I really cherish them as much as one can cherish a mere object. That said, it's still just tough to spend so much on a single card. I'm very happy with my three purchases (none of which are here yet, damn it, but I think two should arrive tomorrow) and slight compromises. Besides, if I just bought all the major white whales, what would I hunt? The Banks rookie can wait. 

But I'll see how much the stamp collection gets me....

v3

Hey bclough69, still waiting on a response from you. You've never sent the cards from our trade from 7 weeks ago, you won't reply to messages, and you won't reply to my comments on these threads. I know you're on the site all the time. I've even left negative feedback and that didn't even get your attention. I guess you're a scammer huh?