What keeps you collecting?

[Leon]

Every now and then there is some ebb and flow with my enthusiasm for collecting. I suspect almost everyone goes through this at some point. For me, seeking the next really nice card for my collection, or the reallly good "buy" to be able to resell, keeps me going. That, coupled with mingling with my hobby friends, keeps me going. How about you?

[calvindog]

Two things: a deep, troubling addiction (seriously, no joke, I've got it bad, so bad). And the present ability to pay for that deep, troubling addiction.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Two things: a deep, troubling addiction (seriously, no joke, I've got it bad, so bad). And the present ability to pay for that deep, troubling addiction.

I am just sitting here laughing my arse off......I have a feeling there are so many of us with this same freaking issue

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Two things: a deep, troubling addiction (seriously, no joke, I've got it bad, so bad). And the present ability to pay for that deep, troubling addiction.

I can feel your pain on the former point, but not really the latter. My pocketbook/wife only allows a shallow, worrying addiction.

[D. Broughman]

I blame NET 54 because I see al the great items here and I HAVE TO HAVE THEM

[M's_Fan]

I sometimes ask myself the same question, "why do I do this?" Especially when I often think the value of these collectibles will go down in the long, long, term, as the collecting generation gets older and older every year.

But then I read a good baseball book (most recently, "59 in '84") and I am reminded of my love for the game and American history. When I pick up an old baseball card, I feel an unexplainable connection to that history, it is the closest thing to a time machine.

[kkkkandp]

Writing those tuition checks out to Johns Hopkins allows me to claim a Jones like Jeff and a pocketbook like Darryl.

But every time I acquire just one new Old Judge....AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[jbsports33]

History of the game, and I enjoy helping others

Jimmy

[David W]

1 - Enjoy baseball history
2 - Enjoy collecting my favorite team (St. Louis Cardinals)
3 - Ebay makes it easy
4 - Deluding myself into thinking it's an investment
5 - It's slowly turning into a Cardinal type collection
6 - I've got a lot of inexpensive stuff displayed all over my
office, makes a great conversation piece

[mantleman]

The feel and the smell of holding a 100 year old card and the history behind where it has been the last 100 years.

[Anthony S.]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

As someone that has made the terrible mistake (at least for me) of selling out twice. I can tell you the pull to come back both times was very strong.

I have tried to figure out what has brought me back both times and I think is actually many factors.

1. Love of the game
2. Baseball has so many great collectibles
3. It often takes me back to my childhood when for most of us worries were few and baseball meant being outside among friends.
4. I also have great memories of talking baseball with my Dad (still do at age 92 everyday) and my grandfather and great uncle who both watched and met many of the greats each spring here in Hot Springs.
5. At a certain point in life you are more settled and your wallet allows you to play more too!

With those thoughts I can't forsee me ever giving it up again. By the way neither time did I stay more than a few months.

[Howe’s Hunter]

Originally Posted by Anthony S.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

That would be Compulsive Disorder Obsessive, for those of us who really have it. Gotta keep things in order.

[T206Collector]

Simply put -- the chase.

[thekingofclout]

No wife to spend all my money.

[timzcardz]

In a word . . .

PATRIOTISM!



I'm doing my part to stimulate the economy.


Well that and I'm terrified at even the thought of withdrawal.

[Exhibitman]

What Jeff said...plus the friends I've made.

Besides, what else would I do with my free time and disposable income:

--Play golf? Run around with a bunch of middle-aged white men, chasing a little white ball in a park while dressed like a pimp...I'd rather have my teeth cleaned by a blind hygienist with a tremor.

--Work more? Uh, no thanks. It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.

--Buy more crap for the house? So I can not enjoy the new stuff while I am at work, just like I don't get to use everything I own now.

--Travel? The National has ruined that for me. After you've been to Baltimore and Cleveland in August, it's all a let-down from there.

--Work charitably for the betterment of my fellow man? Get real. I don't even like most people I know.

--Run for office? Hey, even a cynical, nasty, amoral, godless heathen like me has more self-respect than that.

Nope, I am a hopeless card addict without the means or inclination to break the cycle of collect and want more, collect and want more.

[quinnsryche]

The "Thrill of the Hunt". I just love rooting out stuff and then setting the sights on it. After that, hopefully I can afford it!

[alanu]

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending how you look at it, golf is my other hobby, I'm not very good, but still am addicted to that in addition to the card hobby. Come to think of it, I'm not all that good at the card hobby either.

[ethicsprof]

once i surrounded myself with three office walls full of framed favorites, THEY
reminded me each day of how much i love the history,the aesthetics, the game, and the colleagues.
now i just keep looking for more walls.
best,
barry

[Anthony S.]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

That would be Compulsive Disorder Obsessive, for those of us who really have it. Gotta keep things in order.

Hmm. Come to think of it I always wondered why my shrink only charged $4 and a sandwich per session and insisted on meeting on a park bench. I just thought he was outdoorsy.

[mayx2]

The hunt for new and exciting things to add to my collection! Lou

[Rickyy]

Originally Posted by Leon

Every now and then there is some ebb and flow with my enthusiasm for collecting. I suspect almost everyone goes through this at some point. For me, seeking the next really nice card for my collection, or the reallly good "buy" to be able to resell, keeps me going. That, coupled with mingling with my hobby friends, keeps me going. How about you?

I think several times a year..I sort of take a break from the cards..but once the baseball season rolls around...my interest perks up again...now that I go the "type card collection" route..it's more fun then ever.

[Jewish-collector]

Seeing Leon each year at the National !!!

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

--Work more? Uh, no thanks. It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.

What if - and believe me this is hypothetical - but what if you were offered some kind of a stock option equity sharing program. Would that do anything for you?

[oldjudge]

Work charitably for the betterment of my fellow man? Get real. I don't even like most people I know.

Line of the week---thanks Adam!

[Northviewcats]

For me this is a timely topic. I don't really have an answer. I use to think that I would someday complete the monster, but when I started to care about a card's condition it has really slowed me up. I've only added a dozen or so T206s to my collection this year. At that rate it will take me twenty more years to complete the set, and I'm already getting pretty close to sixty. I have started buying other Prewar cards hoping that something would light a fire, but I haven't found a project that excites me. I also have played around with collecting Cuban cards (especial of those who played in the negro leagues), but there doesn't seem to be many of them available.

I have the most fun trying to find deals on eBay. I've been fairly successful at flipping cards to build a collection, but lately I've found that I would rather see my Paypal balance keep rising than spend the money on more cards.

I guess I've hit the card collecting doldrums. How do you get through this?


Best regards,

Joe

[Oldtix]

To paraphrase the immortal Freewheelin' Franklin, "Collectibles will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no collectibles."

[Zach Wheat]

I think there are many reason...can commiserate with all of the above. I also like hearing and reading about stories on their lives....particularly when you hear Hans Lobert (Glory of Their Times CD Original Interview Version) - penniless in his hotel room, without even a TV to watch "base ball" - telling about the time he got his first pair of cleats; and how he didn't play for the money (he was broke and this was before the days MLB had a pension) and that he played for the love of the game.

Zach Wheat

[HRBAKER]

A combination of the love of history and baseball. And I am addicted to the Cardboard Crack as well.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

What if - and believe me this is hypothetical - but what if you were offered some kind of a stock option equity sharing program. Would that do anything for you?

It's not just about me and my dream of doing nothing. It's about all of us. We don't have a lot of time on this earth! We weren't meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.

We have been collecting for 30+ years.

Each year our learnings, our love for baseball and our passion for building a world class collection of rare cards and memorabilia grows stronger.

The hobby is our most important source of enjoyment. In fact, with the exception of the health of our family and the continued growth of our consulting business, there is nothing as important in the world than this hobby.

The thrill of uncovering something new, the fierce competition for the impossible card, the chance to interact with a select group of brilliant executives who share our passion, and our unquenchable thirst for knowledge about baseball history are just some of the reasons, why we love this hobby.


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com

Record prices paid for the select group of extraordinary items that we seek!

[Kawika]

Chicks dig vintage baseball card collectors.

[Bicem]

eh, what else would I do with my time and money?

[Jason Carota]

The chase and a rabid interest in the history of the game.

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

It's not just about me and my dream of doing nothing. It's about all of us. We don't have a lot of time on this earth! We weren't meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.

sounds like SOMEBODY has a case of the mondays!

[WWGjohn]

I collect for several reasons:

1) I started when I was a kid in the 50's and knew I had the collecting gene.

2) The chase to finish a difficult set on a limited budget.

3) The search for the unusual, especially old hand made bats.

4) The comraderie I found in OBC with a group of guys and gals who understand the true meaning of the hobby.

John

[GoldenAge50s]

I told my wife several yrs ago (when I retired) that it was time to start reducing my collection to augment my now limited income & at the same time free up space in my downstairs back room that is full from wall to wall w/ cards.

I have failed miserably at both promises!

Note to Adam:

I played 18 today in strong wind & cold up here in RI w/ an 84 yr old white man as my partner & we beat 2 middle-aged white men (who outdrove us both on every hole) out of $6.00!
PS--It was way too cold to dress like pimps, but after taking their money I felt like one! WHEEEE!

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

It's not just about me and my dream of doing nothing. It's about all of us. We don't have a lot of time on this earth! We weren't meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.

So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.

[danc]

I like getting mail.

I have found renewed interest of late after several months without a purchase. I have my collecting goals and I'm proud of myself when I purchase something for less than I had aimed at and I am able to scratch it off my list. I'm also proud of myself when I don't stray outside my collecting goals. For me, it's about focus.

Side note. Friend of mine (dirty old man) said that he never remembered girls looking like they did back when he was a teenager. He says this as our nineteen year old waitress hands us Vietnamese Pho bowls. Looking at that photograph, I may tend to agree. If I had my choice...hmmmm....top row, right, maybe?

DanC

[thekingofclout]

Originally Posted by Oldtix

To paraphrase the immortal Freewheelin' Franklin, "Collectibles will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no collectibles."

+1

[iggyman]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

We weren't meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.

Amazing.......how the heck do you know what I do for a living??? Anyways, back to the subject at hand. I collect baseball cards for a simple reason. It keeps the kid inside of me alive. Just the other day, after getting home from a long & frustrating day of staring at a computer screen, a puffy envelope is waiting for me on the kitchen table. While trying to stay cool, calm, and collected in front of my wife, I anxiously wait until she heads for the bedroom. At which point, I tear into the envelope like Hugh Hefner on Viagra. Inside, is a recently purchased lot of 1936 Wide and Fine Pens.

Well, I'm going through them, mumbling........got it, got it, need it, got it; when all of a sudden, I notice some cards with a little writing on the back side. You know what, those eight cards put a big old smile on my face. As was mentioned once in a prior thread, sometimes the cards talk to me.........do they talk to you???

Here are two pics of the back side of the cards....
Picture 046.jpg

Picture 050.jpg

Thanks for the cards Raymond! I'm glad they helped you make it through the five grade. I'm sure you will be happy to know, that with your assistance, they helped me get through a frustrating day. Thanks again!

Lovely Day...

[PWeso81]

To forget about life for a while.
Not to say life is terrible...but stress can play a role in my life.
When I get too worked up over something...I self medicate with my hobby (and maybe a few beers). It is sort of like therapy, only cheaper.
I am the only person out of family/friends/work that collects.
I love that! It is mine.

[joeadcock]

I look forward to what I thought I would never have as a child.

Frank

[cardswin53]

Nothing more satisfying than finding a vintage card I need and can afford and marking it off my checklist (wantlist)

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

sounds like SOMEBODY has a case of the mondays!

Peter Gibbons: When you come in on Monday and you're not feeling real well, does anyone ever say to you, "Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?"
Lawrence: No. No, man. S***, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man.

[vintagechris]

Originally Posted by Northviewcats

For me this is a timely topic. I don't really have an answer. I use to think that I would someday complete the monster, but when I started to care about a card's condition it has really slowed me up. I've only added a dozen or so T206s to my collection this year. At that rate it will take me twenty more years to complete the set, and I'm already getting pretty close to sixty. I have started buying other Prewar cards hoping that something would light a fire, but I haven't found a project that excites me. I also have played around with collecting Cuban cards (especial of those who played in the negro leagues), but there doesn't seem to be many of them available.

I have the most fun trying to find deals on eBay. I've been fairly successful at flipping cards to build a collection, but lately I've found that I would rather see my Paypal balance keep rising than spend the money on more cards.

I guess I've hit the card collecting doldrums. How do you get through this?


Best regards,

Joe

Joe,
I'm guessing we all go through this. I know I do. I think it is best when this happens to just not force any buys. It's ok to take a little break. In the past I made the mistake of starting a project, getting tired of it, then selling what I had to start something else.

Now when I lose interest in something, I just take a little break and go back when I feel the juices flowing again.

I had always wanted a 1955 Topps All American footbal set, not a very expensive set to put together or even buy at one time(but what's the fun in that?). So I started one awhile back and got bored with it. I was about 40% through with some of the big ones. Well a month or so ago I started reading the backs of them and then just researching some of the players online and I got the itch again.

One thing that I think gets people bored is this: When I first started collecting in 1980, there was a whole other world of cards out there. Cards I had never seen. The first $6 I spent on old cards was for a 1959 Yogi Berra. Then $8 for a 1965 Topps Hank Aaron. I was so pumped about those purchases, because up until then I had never seen those cards before.

Now we have seen them all. I remember the first time I saw a 1933 Goudey Ruth. It was pretty much the Holy Grail to me. Now I couldn't tell you how many I have seen and now own some.

So, I think it is important to research the history of the players to learn more about them and get the juices flowing again. Of course, even that seems to get old after awhile.

[vintagechris]

Originally Posted by GoldenAge50s

I told my wife several yrs ago (when I retired) that it was time to start reducing my collection to augment my now limited income & at the same time free up space in my downstairs back room that is full from wall to wall w/ cards.

I have failed miserably at both promises!

Note to Adam:

I played 18 today in strong wind & cold up here in RI w/ an 84 yr old white man as my partner & we beat 2 middle-aged white men (who outdrove us both on every hole) out of $6.00!
PS--It was way too cold to dress like pimps, but after taking their money I felt like one! WHEEEE!

Hee hee. This is a running joke in our house. I keep telling my wife I am going to sell it all. I have been saying this for about 5 years now and she always says" if you are selling it all, why does the house seem to keep getting smaller and smaller?

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Anthony S.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

BINGO!

I'm just lucky that the object of my obsession is not nearly as expensive as some of y'all.

[Northviewcats]

Your comments and suggestions really do help. Two of your observations really ring true for me, if I understand you correctly. Avoid "forced buys." This happens all the time to me when I buy a card, just to buy a card. I can't find what I'm looking for so I feel forced to buy something, just because it is a good buy. Later I find myself flipping it, or just hanging on to the card because it wasn't as good a buy as I thought it was. In addition, when bigger money is involved the need to find value becomes more important. Recently, I sent a large lot (over eighty cards) of my T-206s to SGC for grading. These were the "jewels" that I bought ungraded off eBay and at shows in my first couple of years collecting. Although, I have no beefs about the grades they received it did humble me a bit that not one of the cards made it to an EX. I've since become skeptical about buying any ungraded cards on eBay because I don't have the skill to determine value from a picture. This has also made me, perhaps too concerned with the economics of collecting cards. If I buy this card for my collection will I ever get my money out of it. Always thinking about the value of a purchase kind of ruins it. One of the cards that I sent in was a very sharp Polar Bear, Dark-cap Matty. I paid a little over $300.00 on eBay and I was hoping to get between a 40-60 from SGC. I started a thread on it here on Net 54 and while everyone who posted said I should get it graded, several members said that it looked trimmed on the bottom. They were right and it came back authentic. Now, even though it looks better in the holder than another SGC 50 Matty that I own, I find myself hanging on to the card, because I don't want to lose money on it. I realize this silly, but I have a whole shoebox full of silliness in my closet that I probably should sell.

I also think that you are right on the mark when you say that "we've seen them all." This reminds me of something Brian Dwyer told me when I asked him what he collected. His response was when "you've held two Wagners in your hand at the same time nothing else seems very interesting." (I'm paraphrasing Brian here, but the gist of the idea is correct.) Now, I never have held a Wagner in my hand, but most of the cards that I could afford, I have purchased and they no longer awe me. I find myself asking, do I have to spend $1,000 on a Cobb to get the excitement back? If so, how much will the next fix cost?

As depressing as this sounds I really do feel better knowing that other collectors have the same concerns and have made the same mistakes. I'm sure that I will regain the excitement if I can focus in on the aspects that make me happy. If this means for the time being flipping cards and building up a huge war chest for later purchases, when I know what I want to collect than so much the better.

Thanks again Chris for your help.

Best regards,

Joe