The difficulties of getting kids to collect

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

I’ve heard many guys say. Oh my wife is gonna kill me or don’t tell me wife, I hope she doesn’t find out etc. I think these are funny.

Anyways here is my question, what percentage of women collect ? Better yet what percentage under 50? At this one small card show in Baltimore, that I sometimes set up at, I’ve only seen 2 women collectors.

From what I gather most women don’t want card hoards in their house, they get pissed off with the space it takes up. The key is to get young girls and women involved in the hobby. I’m sure this statement makes many cringe, I believe it will really help the hobby.

Trust me, I live with that issue about cards in the house every day. At my shows, what I usually do is check to see who is the collector if the significant other comes. To make it easier, I usually let them in for free because to charge the small amount of money to upset someone makes no sense to me. Sometimes they pay the admission anyway which is fine by me.

I use the same policy for kids and half the time let them in anyway. The more people we can expose to the fun in the hobby the better off we are. That's why one should always think long-term. Now, there is a difference at show such as the National where the costs are so huge and so much is going on, yes they do charge for the significant others but all kids 12 and under are let in free for the National. All in favor of that policy for the kids and frankly too difficult at that show to monitor the S/O issue..

Rich

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Trust me, I live with that issue about cards in the house every day. At my shows, what I usually do is check to see who is the collector if the significant other comes. To make it easier, I usually let them in for free because to charge the small amount of money to upset someone makes no sense to me. Sometimes they pay the admission anyway which is fine by me.

I use the same policy for kids and half the time let them in anyway. The more people we can expose to the fun in the hobby the better off we are. That's why one should always think long-term. Now, there is a difference at show such as the National where the costs are so huge and so much is going on, yes they do charge for the significant others but all kids 12 and under are let in free for the National. All in favor of that policy for the kids and frankly too difficult at that show to monitor the S/O issue..

Rich

Agree Rich. Free admission for collectors wives and kids go a long way, that’s classy and old school. love it

[Johnny630]

I’ve heard this one a lot too, predominantly collectors in their late to early 40’s. I have to put my kids through college. I wish I had the money to buy some of your cards. Which leaves what I believe is the median age hard core collector in the hobby, male mid 50’s to 70’s.