Opinions: Dealer Personal Collections
 

Interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on what percentage of dealers are still collectors and to what degree. Just curious...

I will give an answer from a card dealer and auctioneer. I had to think a second but it seems like it's 50% or more. (MAYBE quite a bit more)

very hard to keep much of anything these days, but still a collector 25% of the time and having fun

Jimmy

I really wish I could be a pure dealer, but all of my inventory is stuff I collect, so I guess i'm screwed.

99% of Dealers collect 25% of the time. :rolleyes:

I know of very few who don't collect something. Maybe not what they sell, but something. You really can't stay in a business like this if you aren't a collector at heart. It is just one of those things you have to love to make it worthwhile and to connect with your customers. I've always thought that collectors are born, not made. I was collecting when I was five and dealing cards when I was in 4th grade. I had some older kids who supplied me with cards from their collection that I would flip for cards or cash to kids at school. I envy the guys who manage to take the Hobby and make it a full time business. It undoubtedly has its down side, but my worst day at a card show is still better than my best day at the office.

Sorta like a guy who owns a fishing tackle store who goes out to fish at least part time. He knows whats biting and knows the good spots and can relate on a level to the customer that I guy who only plays shuffleboard cant. Same with card dealers who collect. They are just more like us.

Thanks for everyone's opinions and insight. Hope to see more!

If you are interested in getting other feedback, and want to post this on the front page of the forum, it will surely elicit more responses. It's a good question....

Thanks, Leon. I will do so!

as a dealer i still collect a little, but its hard to find stuff that impresses me to the point i want to keep it. I end up going and pulling stuff out of the personal about every 2 years, gets smaller everytime.