It took over ten years, but I'm at 50%

[dembums]

My name's Ben, and I'm a cardaholic.

(This post is a little bit narcissistic, unnecessarily long-winded, and potentially boring. You've been warned.)

It's amazing the amount of pleasure these small rectangular pieces of cardboard bring - but it's true and hard to deny. So, after ten years of diligently plodding along on my set I've officially reached the 50% mark. The set I've been working on is literally every Brooklyn Dodger card PSA grades from the years 1948-1957, which is duly called, "A Decade of Dodgers."
Interestingly (albeit perhaps only to me), I'm averaging around 5% per year of set completion. One card being about 0.27 of a percentage point, or 1% being about 3.74 cards. As far as card acquisition, I buy around half my cards online and the other half at shows and in some rare cases from card stores. However, my true hobby enjoyment comes from going to shows and talking to the non-socially awkward dealers (thereby avoiding the awkward ones) and looking for dodgers. I find that with the pricing structure of ebay now (and the consistent premium for graded dodgers), I can find equivalent offerings at shows, but you have to look and you have to haggle - plus you never know what you will find. Although it is definitely easier to overpay at a show (usually happens to me around 30 minutes after arrival), it's all about the hunt.

When looking at my set, and reflecting on how and when I acquired particular cards, I found collecting habits and idiosyncrasies I did not notice before. For instance, centering was not nearly as important to me when I first started as it is now - I was much more focused on the corners and the so called "technical grade". And honestly on the holder. If it said a "7" or a "6" it was good enough for me. When I first started I think it was really just to fill holes and work towards completion rate. If there was a deal, I would grab it or if there was a card that I needed (and there were a lot) I would grab it.

Now I think it's more like I'm waiting for the cards to find me. It could just be the countless hours I've spent looking at ebay as well (I know you're nodding your head as you read this). But it's more now about finding the right card. A card that calls to me, or of course, just a damn good deal. I know I'm waxing a bit poetic for sure, but since I average about .001 posts per day you have to cut me some slack. Plus 50% bitch!

The card that got me to fifty: Mr. Podres