You ever consider that collecting might be a bad idea?

[CooperstownExpert]

Don't get me wrong. I've collected something baseball related for over 40 years now since I was quite young. Cards became too common so I turned my attention to Hall of Fame autographs in 1984 and picked up a Ty Cobb autographed check for $40.

Now 30+ years later the size and scope of the autograph collection sometimes makes me wonder if this is such a good idea. I recently picked up the USA Passport from 1970 of my favorite player, Bill Buckner. Sweet item to go along with his first pro contract, signed as a teenager, his final MLB payroll check, and some good stuff in between. But it's also made me wonder...is all this a bad idea.

I'd be really interested to hear from seasoned collectors about their thoughts on collecting in general and what collectors get out of amassing things.

If baseball autographs are your collecting focus, please check out the site called CooperstownExpert.com. It has autographs of all but three MLB HoFers who debuted since 1900, along with 200 other non-Hall of Famers. It took my 30+ years to collect all the pieces, and another 5 years of talking about it before finally creating the site. Take a look and let me know what you think.

We've all had thoughts that collecting might not be a great decision. Lately these thoughts are coming up too often. I'm eager to hear from others on the topic.

[alifaxwa2]

I have thousands of great memories of collecting with my dad when I was a kid.

My son is 6. I hope desperately, he doesn't get sucked in.

[CooperstownExpert]

Originally Posted by alifaxwa2

I have thousands of great memories of collecting with my dad when I was a kid.

My son is 6. I hope desperately, he doesn't get sucked in.

My two guys both play ball, one in college, one still in high school. They emerged from childhood without getting sucked in as you say. Older guy getting interested but I think at 20 years old he might be safe...just starting his life.

With a 6-year old how do you get him interested but not too far gone?

[btcarfagno]

I wonder if it is a bad idea every time I click to raise a bid that is already four increments beyond what I had thought would be my max bid.

I also wonder if it is a bad idea when I contemplate just how often this has happened.

Tom C

[CooperstownExpert]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

I wonder if it is a bad idea every time I click to raise a bid that is already four increments beyond what I had thought would be my max bid.

I also wonder if it is a bad idea when I contemplate just how often this has happened.

Tom C

I know the darn feeling. I'm trying not to buy anything too common anymore. I think of "junk" that I keep buying that's so plentiful out there. Really want to have that self control to only get the really outstanding pieces from here on out. Not having perfect luck!

[tazdmb]

It brings me great joy, although I have come close to selling my collections several times. My son is 9 and I take him to all autograph experiences with me that I can. He loves meeting his idols and the thrill of the chase. I also tell him about the players so he has an understanding of the players so he can have an appreciation.

[CooperstownExpert]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

It brings me great joy, although I have come close to selling my collections several times. My son is 9 and I take him to all autograph experiences with me that I can. He loves meeting his idols and the thrill of the chase. I also tell him about the players so he has an understanding of the players so he can have an appreciation.

\

That all sounds good! Seems like you're teaching him the game.

[mighty bombjack]

What we do is pretty irrational, no doubt. You have to hold on to that whimsy, that adulation for a game and the players who play(ed) it, for if you stop, if you cut of the feelings in order to plainly THINK, you see very clearly how crazy it is to spend the kind of money that we do on cardboard squares and scribbled-on pieces of paper.

I think that's why I continue to do it. I haven't bought much recently, but I've held off on selling because of the tingle I get, my collection a regular reminder that life isn't all cold and rational, that childlike wonder remains.

[Runscott]

I love collecting anything historical. I get a kick out of having items laying around that were used in games, held by players or even had some other historical significance that wasn't sports-related (Civil War letters, etc).

Like you, I started with cards, but at some point I had handled to excess examples of almost every type, and the allure wore off. Unless signed, they were never touched or seen by players, so they didn't have the same historical magic for me as other items. The really old ones are still interesting as they have had long lives of their own and I'm sure some interesting adventures - can you imagine what the world was like for an Old Judge card, and how it changed over the years (stored in different drawers, handled by different people) until it ended up in its final plastic PSA case?

I am not into amassing items. I much prefer to have a few (or less) fantastic examples of each area I am interested in;e.g - one great Conlon photo, one great Burke, one great Bain, etc. The closest I might come to collecting within a specific area would be to have handwritten letters of the initial HOF class. When I lose interest in something, I sell and sometimes regret it. But the days of having doubts about collecting and getting rid of almost everything, are over.

[CooperstownExpert]

Originally Posted by Runscott

I love collecting anything historical. I get a kick out of having items laying around that were used in games, held by players or even had some other historical significance that wasn't sports-related (Civil War letters, etc).

Like you, I started with cards, but at some point I had handled to excess examples of almost every type, and the allure wore off. Unless signed, they were never touched or seen by players, so they didn't have the same historical magic for me as other items. The really old ones are still interesting as they have had long lives of their own and I'm sure some interesting adventures - can you imagine what the world was like for an Old Judge card, and how it changed over the years (stored in different drawers, handled by different people) until it ended up in its final plastic PSA case?

I am not into amassing items. I much prefer to have a few (or less) fantastic examples of each area I am interested in;e.g - one great Conlon photo, one great Burke, one great Bain, etc. The closest I might come to collecting within a specific area would be to have handwritten letters of the initial HOF class. When I lose interest in something, I sell and sometimes regret it. But the days of having doubts about collecting and getting rid of almost everything, are over.

Since you collect handwritten letters of the initial HoF class I thought you might enjoy these.