Does your spouse know anything about your collection ?

[insidethewrapper]

I was wondering as I bought an item recently if your spouse is as "clueless" as mine is about my collection. She has no idea how much I can spend on a 19th Century or T206 Cobb etc. When it arrives in the mail or by truck, I open it in the basement and add to my collection. I never reveal the price , do you ?

[granite75]

I reveal only the amount of information that is absolutely necessary.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

[iwantitiwinit]

I was wondering as I bought an item recently if your spouse is as "clueless" as mine is about my collection. She has no idea how much I can spend on a 19th Century or T206 Cobb etc. When it arrives in the mail or by truck, I open it in the basement and add to my collection. I never reveal the price , do you ?

I reveal the price to be 25% of what I actually paid.

[kmac32]

My wife is quite familiar with my collection and does have an idea as to it's value. She knows I enjoy it and that I work hard so she does encourage my collecting. Guess it is better than going out to bars or clubs and I habe something of value in the end. She also collects dolls as she enjoys them so we noth understand collecting. No secrets in this marriage.

[Bestdj777]

My wife knows about my collection and a rough estimate of what it cost me, as I would not want something to happen to me and her end up getting ripped off trying to sell it. We've struck a compromise. I know exactly what the jewelry I bought her costs, and as long as she is "winning" she is okay. Now to get some diamond earrings so I can pick up a nice piece....

[CardboardCollector]

I reveal the price to be 25% of what I actually paid.

I take the opposite approach. I reveal a smaller number of what I actually sold a card for.

[Rookiemonster]

She only know a little bit like I like New York and rookies . I don't have a very large budget so it never really comes up

[bigtrain]

My wife knows what my collection is insured for and who to call to liquidate my collection if necessary. Other than that she doesn't have much interest.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Of course! I let her know not to buy any sports memorabilia without me knowing. So she won't get ripped off [emoji6]

She is on board with my collecting 100%. She loves how happy I get getting a want list card and in turn makes her happy seeing me happy. So, it's a nice circle. As well as she's seen some of the ridiculous profits I have made. I'm too blessed with her.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bbcard1]

I only shop out of my bonuses, so my wife probably doesn't really know much about it, but she worked the show circuit with me back in the day and knows who to call in the event of my demise. My son also has a good working order of sports cards and still goes to shows with me every now and then.

[insidethewrapper]

I'd like to know who everyone has been told to go to when they meet their demise.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

I'd like to know who everyone has been told to go to when they meet their demise.


I'm hoping my family will try to continue to fulfill my impossible dream.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

No secrets in our marriage. We decided on a fair monthly card budget that I more or less stick to. We both make a good living, and I could easily spend more than I do on cards. However, we have a mortgage, two kids to raise, and other things she likes as well. So, I keep the collecting in perspective. She has a decent idea concerning value and knows where to go in the event of my demise. All that being said, she's an accountant so that means I am probably screwed if I ever try to get away with anything big. :)

[ALR-bishop]

I have spent a lot on cards over the years but my collection represents a very small % of my estate. Family comes first. I have left instructions with her, my financial guy and executor about how to liquidate it when I am gone, but made sure she and family won't need the funds

I did tell her that if Mr Mint shows up with a handful of crisp $100 bills to call 911

[bbcard1]

I'd like to know who everyone has been told to go to when they meet their demise.

I was that guy once. I had a former business partner (we owned a shop when there were ten in every town...a darn good little shop) who contracted Lymphoma. He fought it bravely and asked it I'd dispose of his cards. I did my best and got a good bit out of his collection, but it was hard work and took more than a year and I have always wondered if I could have done significantly better...I suspect I could have from the lessons I learned...still, it's all a journey, and I would have probably only done 10% better. I feel so privileged to have been asked, but it isn't an easy task for sure.

[EvilKing00]

Lolol she never asks, dosnt care which is a good thing. But is always telling friends when they come over to go look at my stuff

[tab]

My wife has no idea! I asked her to pick out a t206 for me that I didn't have ( have a list) for my birthday this year. She did and then was telling me she didn't know if she got a good deal or not. She wanted to know what cards the value of some of my collection was worth to see if she got a deal or not. I told her I have never really kept track. She said I need to make a list of all of my valuable cards so she would have it incase something would ever happen to me.

Pretty sure she is just trying to figure how much I am spending!

I really ought to keep track of my spending so I don't lose money on cards if I ever sell any, or try not to.

[WillBBC]

Of course! I let her know not to buy any sports memorabilia without me knowing. So she won't get ripped off [emoji6]


This piece is so important!

My wife knows how much I spend and whenever the holidays roll around the only card item she'll ever pick up on her own accord is a pack or hanger box from Target.

She's a bit of a video game collector herself so she understands she'd be buying blind and probably not getting the best deal if she went looking for singles.

[tschock]

Mine does, and encourages me, even to the extent of prompting me to pull the trigger on a high priced item (for me) when I have a hard time justifying it even to myself.

Among other things... She loves looking through what I pickup at the shows, knows the difference between a T205 and T206, what to look for to tell the difference between a '68 Topps and '68 Milton Bradley, rudimentary knowledge in 'grading' a card (and some might say just as good as a TPG at times), where and how I store my collection as well as the inventory of what I have, and could probably reel off a list of about 20 HOFers.

Oh... Did I mention though that she is my 2nd wife. ;)

[ksabet]

My wife knows what my collection is insured for and who to call to liquidate my collection if necessary. Other than that she doesn't have much interest.

Ditto :D

[Mighty Casey]

I'm purposefully vague when it comes to what I spend on cards....and that will generally suffice as she has no interest in my collection.

All too often I do find myself opening packages in the solitude of my basement. Sort of sad...but that is where the Net54 community helps.

[ullmandds]

this is funny!!!! I open mine at work where they arrive and show my coworkers and patients.

"All too often I do find myself opening packages in the solitude of my basement. Sort of sad...but that is where the Net54 community helps."[/QUOTE]

[BleedinBlue]

My wife knows how much I enjoy collecting, knows I would never make a purchase we couldn't afford and knows that the cards have enough value to ensure they are handled professionally after I'm gone.

Other than that I have included a few things in our will that will help her dispose of the collection when I'm gone.

1. an overview of the inventory (updated annually or when a significant purchase or sale occurs.
2. A letter identifying pieces that should remain with the family for sentimental reasons
3. An REA business card. I'm confidant REA will select the items which are appropriate for their next auction and guidance on how to offload the detritus they are not interested in.

[BearBailey]

Not really but she does know it's quite valuable. My sons are starting to get into cards and one of my sons asked for a card that costs several thousand dollars as my wife told him no way we would never spend that kind of money on a card, he asked so why does Dad have one? So she did ask a few questions.

[Jantz]

My girlfriend is just as enthusiastic about my collecting as I am. When I bring the mail in and she spots a bubble envelope/box, she will grab the scissors so that I can open it right then. She even looks at the backs of my T206s. If its a Sweet Caporal or Piedmont back, the next question out of her mouth will be "Doesn't this player have a Polar Bear back?" :eek:

At flea markets, if I start digging around at a table, she will scout ahead and alert me to any baseball items that are on other dealer's tables.

If I'm at work, she will send me pictures on my phone and ask me about baseball or sports related items that she has found.

Yeah, she's a keeper!

[Bieg]

It IS my spouses collection. :)

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=200196&highlight=Antiques+Roadshow

[Howe’s Hunter]

I'd like to know who everyone has been told to go to when they meet their demise.

My son has always known he would get the collection on my demise. I had told him he had two choices:

1: continue the quest, but I knew that would be on a limited basis, as cards are not really his thing, or

2: return two cards to their owner, who has been kind enough to send them to me as part of the collection without ever asking for reimbursement and then
contact the auction house I had left info on in the storage case for the collection and sell them as a collection and use the funds to help with his ever increasing student loan debt.

Well, this summer, he surprised me by saying he knew someday he would get the collection and had already done some checking around and had decided to give the cards to the Alachua County, Florida Historical Society. Said he found there was no Baseball Card Hall of Fame to give them to, and that the Baseball Hall of Fame would probably do nothing with them, as they had too much stuff already, but since Howe was from Alachua County, and looked like he had spent most of his life there, he wanted them to go back to where they came from and stay as one collection as I had reassembled them.

I was pretty impressed that he had researched where Gainesville was located, and had at least discovered there was no Baseball Card HoF, or that the Baseball HoF would do nothing with them. He said he wouldn't feel right about using my funds or work to pay off his school loans, that was up to him, but that he didn't want to see my work go to waste having the collection busted up again.

Have I ever mention how proud I am of my son?

[Sean]

My girlfriend knows little about cards or baseball, but she is interested in my spending. She will support me when I get a high grade Cobb or Johnson, but not a Street/ Piedmont 42 and definitely not a brown/ yellow scrap.

Sometimes I end up passing on cards that I would like to have. Other times I end up getting them secretly (luckily she doesn't read this forum).

And once I actually told her that if it came to it, I would choose a card over her. She gave in that one time. At the time (2006) we had been together less than a year and the card was the Plank. She resented the card for a while, but when she realized how much it has increased in value she acts like it was her idea to get it all along.

[vintagewhitesox]

I tell my wife everything regarding finances, especially cards. No secrets.
Although with a 2 year old and another on the way, money for cards is hard to come by.
I do use the excuse that I am buying these cards for our son now.

She doesn't buy it.

[Leon]

That's freaking awesome. It was her idea all of the time!! All of us guys should remember that.

And as for me, my wife doesn't know much about my collections, past or present, except she gets half their value if we ever divorce.

My girlfriend knows little about cards or baseball, but she is interested in my spending. She will support me when I get a high grade Cobb or Johnson, but not a Street/ Piedmont 42 and definitely not a brown/ yellow scrap.

Sometimes I end up passing on cards that I would like to have. Other times I end up getting them secretly (luckily she doesn't read this forum).

And once I actually told her that if it came to it, I would choose a card over her. She gave in that one time. At the time (2006) we had been together less than a year and the card was the Plank. She resented the card for a while, but when she realized how much it has increased in value she acts like it was her idea to get it all along.

[Joshchisox08]

I tell my wife everything regarding finances, especially cards. No secrets.
Although with a 2 year old and another on the way, money for cards is hard to come by.
I do use the excuse that I am buying these cards for our son now.

She doesn't buy it.

My wife to be doesn't care for it. She is right in regards that we have more important things; "The Wedding, Saving for a House, future children, etc.".

That said I'm buying all I can while I can. I have also used that excuse that I'm buying for my son. She also does not buy it haha.

[Jason]

Very scary thread.

[the-illini]

I tell my wife when I sell something that she will see the money from.

When I buy something, I spare her the details... :-)

[mark evans]

My wife knows everything about my collection that she wishes to know. If she ever asks a question, I answer it honestly. The simple fact is that she has little interest, perhaps because we've never combined our finances so the collection has little impact upon her. We've been married 31 years and this arrangement has served us well.

[Delray Vintage]

My wife thinks buying cards is like her buying a dress. She does not get the concept of one growing in value, the other worth 10% at a consignment store a year later. When I buy something costly, she shakes her head no matter what I tell her about it appreciating in value. And when I tell her something is worth a lot more than I paid, she tells me to sell it.

[h2oya311]

That's freaking awesome. It was her idea all of the time!! All of us guys should remember that.

And as for me, my wife doesn't know much about my collections, past or present, except she gets half their value if we ever divorce.

Leon - How did you explain the ridiculous sum of money coming in from Heritage Auctions??

As for me, I was once pretty secretive about everything, but I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders ever since I "came out of the closet", so to speak. I too used to open packages at work or in the basement (or in a closet). How sad!

It's hard to keep a big secret like this when you are buying a house and so I just came out and told her how much the collection is worth (or at least how much I paid over the years). She knows I love the hobby, so she wouldn't fight me over it. She also knows I've had a few big scores over the past few years, so that helps dampen the blow. She still doesn't consider it part of our total net assets, but to me, it's a long-term investment and a decent liquidity back-stop (aka the "oh $hit" fund). As others have mentioned, this money could have been blown on so many other endeavors.

Great idea for a post, by the way.

[Republicaninmass]

My wife knows everything about my collection that she wishes to know. If she ever asks a question, I answer it honestly. The simple fact is that she has little interest, perhaps because we've never combined our finances so the collection has little impact upon her.

Genius! Mine will get a nice little surprise when I'm gone.

[ejharrington]

I always show my wife my "watch list" before the auctions and have her pick out the items she thinks has "eye appeal". I use her input for validation to either spend lots of money for a baseball card or to pass.

She is supportive of my spending but I think she thinks I'm nuts.

[edjs]

I am still alive, so, no, not really. She sees the cards come in the mail, but doesn't ask a lot about them unless I get too many packages at once.

[nebboy]

My wife knows everything about my collection that she wishes to know. If she ever asks a question, I answer it honestly. The simple fact is that she has little interest, perhaps because we've never combined our finances so the collection has little impact upon her. We've been married 31 years and this arrangement has served us well.

This is also how it work with us. She's supportive but would rather have a remodeled bath with seam sauna than a bunch of cardboard lying around. She does call all of you my "Little freinds that I spend to much time with"

[Rich Klein]

Yes, she knows if something happens to me to call Leon

[wilkiebaby11]

I've got a funny story that shows how involved my wife is with my collecting...

My wife has overheard me talk about players like Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente with my father and father-in-law and she knows that I enjoy collecting these players.

A few weeks ago I was looking over my 56 set and had pulled out the Aaron, Clemente, and Mantle and had them on my desk. She came over, looked at them and goes "hmmmm... I was wrong, I thought Mickey Mantle has black and Hank Aaron was white. At least I knew Roberto Clemente was black." I gave a chuckle and replied "Well, technically Roberto Clemente is Puerto Rican". She shook her head and walked off.

[Stetson_1883]

Haaha, yeah great thread.

Besides knowing I collect, my wife don't know shit. She's European and the thought of a piece of cardboard selling for 10K would be something she would never be able to comprehend.

[Cmount76]

I've actually wondered about this very topic for some time. Not only does she know, support it and encourage it, she often gets me cards from my wish list for birthdays and Christmas (I can see the slabs now under the tree. ;) C'mon red Cobb!?!?!?)

As far as the amount of money - she knows that I never spend what we don't have and that some of that "shit down there cost you tens of thousands of dollars."

So, yeah, I am pretty lucky!!

[packs]

My fiancé doesn't know anything about collecting but she tolerates me spending my money. Though that may change once we're actually married.

[gregr2]

My wife knows all about my collecting. She knows I enjoy it and it keeps me off the streets and out of bars so she has no complaints. I also encourage her habits of jewelry, purses, shoes, etc.

[bnorth]

My wife knows all about my collecting. She knows I enjoy it and it keeps me off the streets and out of bars so she has no complaints. I also encourage her habits of jewelry, purses, shoes, etc.

Same at my house and has worked for close to 20 years.

The only thing I can add is because I am a error and variation collector I hear "Don't you already have that card", Didn't you just buy one like that last week", and my favorite "How many of the same card do you really need". I try to show her the differences sometimes and sometimes she acts like she cares.:)

[tschock]

Same at my house and has worked for close to 20 years.

The only thing I can add is because I am a error and variation collector I hear "Don't you already have that card", Didn't you just buy one like that last week", and my favorite "How many of the same card do you really need". I try to show her the differences sometimes and sometimes she acts like she cares.:)

Yeah, and if you want to get the stink eye (at best), try this. "Don't you already have a brown pair of shoes?" :D

[Sean]

Yeah, and if you want to get the stink eye (at best), try this. "Don't you already have a brown pair of shoes?" :D

SHUT UP :mad:

That's the response that I get when I use that line of reasoning.

[Leon]

Ridiculous sum is a relative term. My wife knew I spent a lot on cards (relative to our other things) and it was part of our assets and a bigger part than it really should have been, as I so often have said. But that is fixed for the moment. :)
She encourages my collecting otherwise and knows I love it. We have even talked of traveling and setting up at shows in the future. I think it could be fun (as long as some shows survive). It even funded a college education and a little more!!

ps...Rich, gotcha covered....



Leon - How did you explain the ridiculous sum of money coming in from Heritage Auctions??

As for me, I was once pretty secretive about everything, but I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders ever since I "came out of the closet", so to speak. I too used to open packages at work or in the basement (or in a closet). How sad!

It's hard to keep a big secret like this when you are buying a house and so I just came out and told her how much the collection is worth (or at least how much I paid over the years). She knows I love the hobby, so she wouldn't fight me over it. She also knows I've had a few big scores over the past few years, so that helps dampen the blow. She still doesn't consider it part of our total net assets, but to me, it's a long-term investment and a decent liquidity back-stop (aka the "oh $hit" fund). As others have mentioned, this money could have been blown on so many other endeavors.

Great idea for a post, by the way.

[jason.1969]

My ex was not a supporter of spending on socks without holes, much less on old cardboard pictures of baseball guys. Rather than rock the boat, I simply spent $0.00 (on cards and on socks!) during the marriage.

These days, I have the freedom to try to finish the collection I tried to build in my 20s. I have a girlfriend who seems genuinely happy for me when I add a new card.

In general, having experienced a very difficult marriage and a fresh and agonizing divorce, I would recommend honesty and openness to any fellow collector. An honest relationship is more valuable and I suspect more gratifying than any card.

Though my ex never supported the idea, I always favored and would still recommend that each spouse get a play money acct...perhaps 5% each of combined gross income (with possible premiums from work bonuses, inheritance, lottery jackpots, etc.).

Such an approach keeps the collecting bug from cutting into financial well being while also allowing for full trust and guilt free spending.

[scottzoe]

My wife actively encourages me with my collecting and is usually the one telling me to "bid more that that, if you want to win it". She can also be quite critical (and accurate) about some as well. A couple of month ago, I picked up at a show, 10 or so 2004 Leaf Sportcaster Yastrzemski's. for less than $1 each I was OK with them, but she gave a huge thumbs down. "Those are stupid" she said, "I don't like them, don't buy any more of those". The next month she is telling me, If I want to win the Ted Williams lot, I need to bid more that $2000 to get it. As usual she was right again. As long as I bring her home a Fred Lynn or Butch Hobson card (or even a Buck Rogers or Luke Skywalker) from a show every now and then, she is quite happy.

Scott

[yankeesman]

My wife knows I spend on cards but she honestly doesn't show any interest in any it so it's kind of a "don't ask don't tell" kind of deal. She does buy me plenty of Yankees clothing and stuff but she won't buy me cards. She gets me to buy a couple things at Christmas time she can wrap up. It's worked for 24 years to this point.

[bn2cardz]

My wife is, in my opinion, too supportive at times. I wish sometimes she would be more of a conscious against buying. I have to hold myself back against the addiction because she doesn't speak up even when the money could be used for diapers (I have 4 children and the oldest just turned 5, so we have had diapers in the house for at least one child for the last 5 years).

She does like looking at the cards sometimes and does buy packs of cards from the store for our 2 year old when he has been behaving.

Last week, though, she asked what card came in the mail. I showed her it was a e92 Dockman's Lobert. She asked if I had a card like it or similar. Playing it cool I asked her "Why? Do you think you have seen this before?" She began to state that she may have been wrong it may just look like a t206 I owned. I asked her to follow me to my hobby room asking which one looked like the one I had just opened. She laughed as she looked at the 12 (including this one I have 2 duplicates) other Loberts I had on display from my back run. She just said "I knew I had seen that before" as she listened to me explain that this was actually a duplicate because I couldn't determine if I liked it better than the one I currently had.

An outdated image of the run (missing the 2 General baking and the new duplicate Dockman I acquired):
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/bn2cardz/bn2cardz/LobertRun_zps923a7777.jpg

[Exhibitman]

Mine demanded full access to all data, which I gave her. She also has access to the safe deposit box. If I can't trust her with it, we probably should not stay together. She also could not be less interested in the Hobby if she tried. She encourages me to go to the National and have fun but her standard take on any Hobby-related event is "go play with the other dipsh**s."

As for purchases, we have a deal: I don't take up other expensive hobbies like golf or season seats for a sports team, and I get to spend my fun money on cards instead. Though for the foreseeable future I am on a 'kill and eat' budget: I have to generate my card purchase money from the proceeds of card sales due to college funding commitments starting in the fall. That's fine with me, BTW: my kid trumps all else.

[steve_a]

Memory Lane was kind enough to send some Christmas cookies today. She might be starting to connect the dots...

[brass_rat]

I had my wife read this thread to see her reaction. She laughed out loud at several of the lines/jokes.

She knows about my collection and encourages me to buy things I'd like, but she's not overly involved in learning about the cards or players. She can tell you that I'm collecting Walter Johnson, knows T206 is a set name, and high fives me when I'm excited about a card that came in the mail. She'd rather sit in the car and wait for me than walk around a card show though. haha.

The only thing that she doesn't understand is why I don't have a Whitney with Dog. :confused:

[David W]

If you have to hide your purchases from your significant other........ You probably shouldn't be buying baseball cards

[kmac32]

If you have to hide your purchases from your significant other........ You probably shouldn't be buying baseball cards

Completely agree. LOL

[JoeDfan]

Or, do what I did...just get a girlfriend who tells you that your baseball room is "too busy" and maybe we should hang some of the signed photos and game used jerseys in the hallway. :)

My ex wouldn't let me spend a nickel on cards, but now, when I agonize whether I should buy something, she is like "Do it!!!!!"

[DHogan]

My wife doesn't know anything about my collection. I let her know when I'm going to buy a card over $100.00. She just gives me that look :rolleyes:. What ever makes you happy honey. I show her the new pickups and she gives me that other look. She used to say "but you don't even follow any sports." I told her I would sell everything if we needed for her medical expenses. She said no. It makes you happy. I have a great wife. :)

[dabigyankeeman]

She is pretty clueless. She knows grand total my collection is worth some bucks, but as individual cards come in I tell her they are cheap, she has no idea of what they really are worth. Dont want a divorce.

[dabigyankeeman]

If you have to hide your purchases from your significant other........ You probably shouldn't be buying baseball cards

If your wife is VERY fiscally conservative and you are not, and if you are not hurting the household with your buys but it would cause major arguments and problems if she knew what you spend, then I say its ok to hide your purchases. Sometimes honesty is not the best policy. :D

[Stetson_1883]

My fiancé doesn't know anything about collecting but she tolerates me spending my money. Though that may change once we're actually married.

Count on it!

[Gary Dunaier]

This, perhaps, is the ultimate horror story of a poor soul whose spouse did not approve of his collecting. It was told by the legendary stamp dealer Herman Herst, Jr., and while it was about stamps, you don't need to know anything about stamp collecting to relate.

The customer was a doctor in Brooklyn. He needed a used single of [a very expensive stamp] and asked me to send him one on approval. Since he was a good buyer over the years, always paying promptly and never complaining, I did not hesitate to submit one.

Back it came, promptly, torn in half, with a brief note from his wife:

“My husband has received strict orders from me. He is not going to buy any more stamps. I hope this teaches you a lesson.”

Fortunately, his original letter had an office telephone number on it, and I was not long in calling him on the phone.

He thought that I was calling for not having sent the stamp. He said:

“My wife said that if she saw any more letters from stamp dealers she would open them and tear any stamps in the letter in half. I did not think she meant it.”

He continued, “It has taught me a lesson. I am going to take a Post Office Box. I will give you the address as soon as I have it.”

He did not stop buying stamps, and was decent enough to pay for the torn stamp. I asked if I might keep it as a souvenir of the stupid act of a wife jealous of her husband’s hobby.

It does not happen often that one spouse denies the other the pleasure of a hobby. But when that couple finally breaks up, her forcing him to seek additions to his collection via a Post Office Box will have been the start of it all. Happily, few of us are that dumb.

[Fred]

My wife is quite familiar with my collection and does have an idea as to it's value. She knows I enjoy it and that I work hard so she does encourage my collecting. Guess it is better than going out to bars or clubs and I habe something of value in the end. She also collects dolls as she enjoys them so we noth understand collecting. No secrets in this marriage.

Ok Ken, so I'm guessing your wife belongs to an internet bulletin board that you don't know about and all the women on the board are answering a similar post about "does your husband know how much you really spend on your dolls?" In that post she says - "my husband collects baseball cards so he understands about a hobby that is about collectibles but I'd never tell him how much I spend on my dolls else he'd crap his pants and go out and buy a PSA4 Cobb with a Uzit back and tell me it cost the same as a PSA2 Lajoie portrait with a Sweet Caporal back". :D

[BicycleSpokes]

My lovely wife is from Turkey, and would not know the difference between Honus and Heinie. I kind of like it that way...

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

[jchcollins]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but this topic struck me as interesting.

We’ve been together since we were teenagers, so she knows I collect - but for me it’s probably a don’t ask, don’t tell thing at best - mainly because she could care less, and I have sometimes in the past even gotten in trouble for “caring too much” about baseball, and baseball-related things. Not that I really do, but sometimes I think this is just a convenient point in an argument if I have been careless about something else important. As for the finances, 9 times out of 10 I’m selling something old from my collection to finance whatever new it is that I’m buying - so it’s usually a wash and because there is little long-term $$ impact anyway - I don’t really feel the need to keep her posted on the day-to-day. At worst, I’m earning her extra bonus points on her credit card. Other purchases are funded sometimes from one-time windfalls, birthday and Christmas money, or bonuses and that kind of thing, and I’m always careful not to do anything outlandish that would have any real impact to our family’s budgeted finances.

All that said - cards for me are still kind of a guilty, solitary pleasure though. Interesting to me to consider why that is. I have 2 daughters and have gotten them into it somewhat, but not nearly to the extent that I am. I guess some of this stems from being an only child and always seeing my collection as a private, personal thing when I was growing up.
The hobby is my “forget about the rest of the world” thing, and has helped me through some tough spots over the decades. I guess that’s what a hobby is supposed to be all about.

[Yoda]

Ridiculous sum is a relative term. My wife knew I spent a lot on cards (relative to our other things) and it was part of our assets and a bigger part than it really should have been, as I so often have said. But that is fixed for the moment. :)
She encourages my collecting otherwise and knows I love it. We have even talked of traveling and setting up at shows in the future. I think it could be fun (as long as some shows survive). It even funded a college education and a little more!!

ps...Rich, gotcha covered....

Leon, the thought of setting up at shows with my ex wife makes me shudder. Your marriage must be rock solid.

[pokerplyr80]

My wife didn't pay much attention at first. But she started to notice when those notes were left on the door saying the package had to be picked up in person. I've heard "how much did that one cost" quite a few times.

She wasn't happy but tolerated my collecting. I tried to explain that I wasn't just throwing money away, that the cards had value and could be sold later if need be. I don't think she really believed me. The first time I sold a card for substantially more than I paid I told her the exact amount and her attitude completely changed.

Now if I decide to sell a card she asks why. I hear things like "are you sure you want to sell that one" and "we don't need cash, our money in the bank isn't doing anything for us."

[mark evans]

My wife couldn't care less about my collection. She has the business card of an auction house with instructions, upon my demise, to walk in with my Tip-Top Dreyfuss and suggest they send a truck to my house.

[whitey19thcentury]

My wife knows everything that I own since 80% if my collection is framed and matted. Photos, supplements, autographs etc.. The rest of my collection is comprised of Forbes Field artifacts and game used jerseys and bats.
As for value of the items, she hasn't the slightest idea. A couple years ago, I bought a cornerstone from the facade of Forbes. She knew it was relatively expensive, but didn't say anything. Both of my parents are big collectors (non sports items), so my wife knows it runs in the family.
What I spend on my collection and for resale comes out of a separate bank account that I have had since i started dealing in sports memorabilia in high school.

[barrysloate]

Take my wife- please! Judy and I have been happily married for 34 years, and anything I buy for any collection I will share with her. Whether it's baseball cards or memorabilia, rare coins, currency, or a Yardbirds album off ebay, she likely knows about it. If she trusts my judgment, she trusts the purchase.

We've even collected things together. Our most expensive purchase is a ca. 1905 signed Tiffany lamp, pictured below:

[joshuanip]

I have a directory of the auction houses, in a folder with my life insurance policy.

[ejharrington]

Not only does my wife support my hobby, she encourages me to go "an extra bid" on the things she knows I really want. Of course, we keep our finances separate so she has no skin in the game!

[OLDBILL]

Hopefully none of the cautious respondents' wives are members of net54. Ha!

[steve B]

My wife knows a lot about my collections, to the point of helping make most of the bigger decisions on purchases.
Since I started trying to get a little focus on my collecting that's usually along the lines of "how does it fit the collection, and if it doesn't fit, why is it cool/important enough to buy.

[C-mack]

Very much so! Shes a huge baseball fan and we go to about 6 to 15 games a year including on our anniversary lol

Once I showed her Ken burns: baseball she fell in love with the prewar like I did! It's really become our hobby which adds to my enjoyment!

She been overcoming the fact she has epilepsy and that drew her to like Grover Alexander, it's been fun watching her discover her own favorites!

[toledo_mudhen]

Mine is oblivious and disinterested - As long as she has cash to buy clothes, shoes, whatever - the subject never comes up. I have left instructions in the lockbox (in case I get hit by a bus or something)

[tonyo]

Very much so! Shes a huge baseball fan and we go to about 6 to 15 games a year including on our anniversary lol

Once I showed her Ken burns: baseball she fell in love with the prewar like I did! It's really become our hobby which adds to my enjoyment!

She been overcoming the fact she has epilepsy and that drew her to like Grover Alexander, it's been fun watching her discover her own favorites!

WOW
Mind if I frame that picture of your wife holding the CJ?😃

Congrats you’re a very lucky guy!

[C-mack]

WOW
Mind if I frame that picture of your wife holding the CJ?😃

Congrats you’re a very lucky guy!

Lol , and thanks! I think I lucked out too

[cubman1941]

My wife is not a sports person. When we got married (second for both) and combined households she knew I had boxes full of baseball "stuff" After 25 years and 3 moves I finally had a room again I could call my own and display some of my baseball and football collection. To this day she knows i am a Cub guy and that is that. I have instructions in our will whom to call to dispose of my collection. She is "proud" to tell people that I have a large "collection" but that is the extend of her knowledge. She never questions any purchase I make and, when we go to flea markets and antique malls, she will even ask if I saw this glove or that bat. The only player she knows and likes is Cal Ripken, Jr because when lived in Baltimore she would to to ball games with me. That was during his streak year so his name was prominent. Every year for Christmas she will buy me a blaster box or two and I say "Thank you", open them and promptly give them all away.

[skil55voy]

My wife knows all about the collection, how it is inventoried, what it might be worth. She goes to shows with me and looks through the "bargain bins" stacking up cards for me to go through AFTER she's been through the bins. She fully knows what I collect and what to look for. It's been a terrific 33 years.

[Al C.risafulli]

True story:

Eight or ten years ago, I was scouring eBay because I was bored, and I found a beautiful Ruppert Beer tin sign - a HUGE one, not the one that we see more frequently that measures two feet across, this one was about 5 feet across.

I won it, and when it came, it was in a giant box that I had to open in the living room. My wife was sitting on the couch, watching me open it - just another package of baseball stuff arriving at the house.

When I pulled it out of the box, I held it up so she could see it. She was quiet for a minute, and then she said "Oh, that's MINE."

Since then, she's been engaged in every purchase I've made. My collecting tastes have even changed because I buy stuff that can be displayed, and it's hung up throughout my house. She knows what the stuff is worth, she appreciates the aesthetics, and since she was a baseball fan to begin with, she understands the history. Once in a while, she'll see something in an auction, and she'll say "We need to win that." WE.

She's fully involved in LOTG as an employee, she's gotten to be friendly with a lot of collectors, and she's got a decent amount of hobby knowledge. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm a pretty lucky guy.

-Al

[mechanicalman]

Al, that's awesome. I love the use of plural possessive pronouns when it comes to collecting. My wife and I have achieved that as well.

One of the things I do to involve my wife is, about once a quarter, we have a Wine and Cards Night where we pick a certain theme (it might be something like: My Top 20 Favorite Cards or Top 10 Lowest Pop, etc.). I lay out the cards in the kitchen and we go through each one together while drinking a bottle (or two) of moderately priced champagne. She is not a huge sports fan, but she has come to appreciate the aesthetics and the history of the cards.

[Bram99]

I was wondering as I bought an item recently if your spouse is as "clueless" as mine is about my collection. She has no idea how much I can spend on a 19th Century or T206 Cobb etc. When it arrives in the mail or by truck, I open it in the basement and add to my collection. I never reveal the price , do you ?

Are you trying to develop a list of Net54 members to blackmail?

[glchen]

I'd like to know who everyone has been told to go to when they meet their demise.

I have a standing account with Heritage auctions, where I have zero seller's fee, so I've told my family to use Heritage when I meet my demise, if they don't want to keep the collection. I like Heritage because they are a large auction house, and can split my collection over several auctions per year. Obviously, there are many other great ones like REA. I'd advise folks to pick someone they are comfortable with, and have the lowest fees possible, at least from the seller's side. I don't want my family to get ripped off where someone charges her 40% seller's commission + 20% the buyer's premium, where my wife doesn't realize that there are better deals out there. Most of my valuable stuff is graded, so that makes it easier for me to tell my family what's worth selling and what's garbage.

[MULLINS5]

She's always been pretty supportive, but I moved all of my collectibles to my office last year. I have a rule not to have anything at home so I can spend as much time with family doing activities that mean are meaningful to them, rather than impose my collecting habits onto them.

[MarcosCards]

My wife is very polite about my enthusiasm for collecting, but I think there might be some behind-my-back eye rolling from time to time. I know she was greatly humored when I recently had to dig through the glovebox in order to come up with enough money for a yard sale cache of 1967 Topps baseball cards.

[Kenny Cole]

My wife knows roughly how much my collection is worth, and also knows who to contact if I meet my demise (assuming she isn't the one who causes that). I am very careful not to totally 'fess up about quite how much I spend, and to also sell things from time to time, so as to not wake up buried in the back yard. That being said, given the current shit-show, I haven't been spending much lately. :mad:

[seanofjapan]

My wife has zero interest in my hobby and I don't discuss how much I spend on it or any other details really.

I do work on an honor system though. We have a dog, which I had zero interest in getting but she really wanted. We spend a fair amount on food, grooming, vet visits, kennel stays when we go out of town, etc on the dog.

A few years ago she did ask me why I spent time and money on cards. I pointed out that it was my hobby, much like having a dog was hers, and pointed out that my cards didn't bark at her or crap on the floor.

She never asked me about it again, but in the interest of parity and fairness I try to keep my card collecting budget at about the same as what we spend on the dog.

Off topic question but just out of curiousity: this thread is all predicated on the assumption that we are all husbands with wives (which seems mostly accurate). Are there any female collectors on here who have the same issue with their husband (ie wife is card collector, husband has no interest)?