When will your collection be complete?

[Georj]

I was just wondering if for financial or other reasons you could not add anything more to your collection, would you still enjoy it the same as you do now. Is there any point in the future where you would consider your collection complete, or will there always be just one more item to acquire? Is collecting all about continuous acquiring, or enjoying what has already been collected? Is collecting a sickness that never has an end? What good is a collection if you have so many thousands of items that you don't even know what you have?

[garymc]

I am a retired cancer surviver, my cards are my serenity !! I'm on a fixed income and don't have the means to purchase much anymore. I have come to enjoy trading some of my more valued cards that I've had for a long time to get some new ones to finish team sets. I think there are many ways to enjoy card collecting, one that I like is just meeting people and talking about my cards.

"The joy is in the journey".......life is good !!!!

[cubman1941]

I don't think my collection (collecting) will end until I pass. I have too much fun enjoying looking at (for) items I don't have. I have everything on a flash drive (or two) so I can see what I have if I forget. Lots of times I remember but the item is a variation I haven't seen so I go for it. To me the fun is the hunt and the enjoyment I get looking at stuff I haven't seen before.

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by garymc

I am a retired cancer surviver, my cards are my serenity !! I'm on a fixed income and don't have the means to purchase much anymore. I have come to enjoy trading some of my more valued cards that I've had for a long time to get some new ones to finish team sets. I think there are many ways to enjoy card collecting, one that I like is just meeting people and talking about my cards.

"The joy is in the journey".......life is good !!!!

I will always find something to buy. I too am a cancer survivor and to echo Gary's thought, cards are my serenity. While I am not spending hundreds, or even a hundred on a card, what I do buy I like and have enjoyment in.

My cards and collecting keep me in a happy place!

Wishing you good health Gary, and to all who may be dealing with or survived cancer. One day at a time everyone.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I have just plunged into collecting the PCL. Those issues will occupy me for a very long time.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Leon]

I don't think collectors quit collecting. It is a mentality. And the journey and people are a lot of the fun. I actually think I like the hunt almost as much as owning the items.

[Eggoman]

Originally Posted by Georj

Is collecting a sickness that never has an end?

THIS!!!

I tried to collect "everything" as a kid, but now I am happy to part with some items that I only have 1 of in order to get other items that I "need"!

I will have NO problem selling MUCH of my personal collection at some point...I think...

But SOME of my personal collection I WILL die with!!! (And NOT necessarily the most valuable stuff either...)

[KMayUSA6060]

Q1: I was just wondering if for financial or other reasons you could not add anything more to your collection, would you still enjoy it the same as you do now?
A1: I would put a pause on collecting if the financial situation is minor/temporary. I don't think that would constitute as not collecting; I think of it as Ross and Rachel on a break. However, if the financial situation is more serious, I would probably sell the collection. It's all about priorities at that point.

Q2: Is there any point in the future where you would consider your collection complete, or will there always be just one more item to acquire?
A2: I don't think a collection can ever be 100% complete. It's like wealth. Nobody hits $1M and says, "Well, that's good. My life is complete."
They work to build more wealth. Collecting takes on those same characteristics where even if certain aspects of a collection are complete, the entire body of work will just grow to include other aspects and focuses. I'm currently working on a Hall of Fame PC, with 1 playing days card of each Hall of Famer possible. When that's complete, I'll probably finish up what's left of The Monster. After that, I'll probably target another Tobacco set, '33 Goudey,
or Cleveland team sets. The list can go on from there.

Q3: Is collecting all about continuous acquiring, or enjoying what has already been collected?
A3: It certainly isn't about continuous acquiring, at least not when an unlimited amount of funds are at your disposal. You absolutely have to enjoy what you've already collected, but the desire for more is what keeps collectors going.

Q4: Is collecting a sickness that never has an end?
A4: Before I answer this, I need to know. Do you or have you ever worked for the government?

Q5: What good is a collection if you have so many thousands of items that you don't even know what you have?
A5: Every collector is different. I do think order and organization is key with any collection, but some people prefer quantity over quality, while others prefer quality over quantity.

[ALR-bishop]

No

[tschock]

As others have noted, it will probably never stop. But it may go through a transmogrification now and then.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by cubman1941

I don't think my collection (collecting) will end until I pass. I have too much fun enjoying looking at (for) items I don't have. I have everything on a flash drive (or two) so I can see what I have if I forget. Lots of times I remember but the item is a variation I haven't seen so I go for it. To me the fun is the hunt and the enjoyment I get looking at stuff I haven't seen before.

+1

[Orioles1954]

I got to that point and sold everything shortly after with no regrets. I still work in the hobby and keep up with it but am very happy where I'm at.

[Section103]

I view my collection in terms of sets. Ive been working on 1 rather tough set for more than a decade. I completed 1 very short set in about a year. I have a list of sets that I will get to as I come close to completing others. Just on the set ideas I have right now, I'll die before I finish the ones I'd like to start someday.

[JollyElm]

It never ends.
It never, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ends.
It never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ends.
And so on...

[SMPEP]

My will be BASEBALL collection "complete" when I get 1923 W572s of Barbare, Duncan, Heilmann, Rapp, Rigney, and Wambsganss. (I will likely still pick stuff up from time to time - but those 6 cards mark baseball collection as complete).

The non-baseball stuff ... I have a LONG way to go on those.

Cheers,
Patrick

[iwantitiwinit]

When I'm 6 feet under.

[bmattioli]

You are either born a collector or burn out..

[nat]

I think I'm going to disagree with everyone here. I've got a project. When it's done* that might just be it for baseball cards.

*Not that I expect to ever finish it, so it might be a moot question anyway.

[glynparson]

Impossible

[T206Collector]

I would need therapy and pharmacological intervention to ever stop.

[ALR-bishop]

Originally Posted by nat

I think I'm going to disagree with everyone here. I've got a project. When it's done* that might just be it for baseball cards.

*Not that I expect to ever finish it, so it might be a moot question anyway.

Nat....the footnote does not make the question moot, it just makes the answer no

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by Leon

I don't think collectors quit collecting. It is a mentality. And the journey and people are a lot of the fun. I actually think I like the hunt almost as much as owning the items.

Absolutely!

Regards,

Larry

[conor912]

When my wife's shoe collection is complete.

[mechanicalman]

I came to a point where I checked almost every pre-war card off my personal want list, so I decided to go another round or two and collect multiples. At some point, might have to check out post-war cards. And then maybe Garbage Pail Kids.

[frohme]

In about 70 cards or so. I'll stop, really I will ... not that they're all known to exist or anything mundane like that...

It is a sickness - I suspect therapy won't help.