Best hobby advice you've received.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Let's put it this way. If anyone ever finds a 1981 Topps George Brett card with the right two letters written in black crayon on the back I will pay almost anything to get it back.

Personal meaning is everything. Collect what means something to you.

[hcv123]

1) Buy the card not the holder

2) You'll regret the cards you didn't buy WAY more than the ones you "paid too much for" at the time.

[buymycards]

A coin dealer friend of my always told me that "you make your money when you buy".

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Quality doesn’t cost, it pays.

[JollyElm]

Leave the gun...take the cards.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by buymycards

A coin dealer friend of my always told me that "you make your money when you buy".

Alan Rosen told me the exact same thing in 1981

[Seven]

From various posters on here:

Collect what you like
The only purchases you regret are the ones you don't make
Buy raw when you can

[sportscardpete]

If a card you want is rare and does not come up for sale often do not worry about finding the right market value. Worry about getting the card (within what you can afford).

Also, yesterdays expensive card is todays bargain.

[obcbobd]

When putting cards in 9 pocket pages, that last card's number in a page should all add up to 9

9 = 9
18 = 1 + 8 = 9
27 = 2 + 7 = 9
etc

I keep an eye on this and often I catch a mistake early which I can rectify without having to switch too many cards.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Alan Rosen told me the exact same thing in 1981

Rich, I recall setting up in about the late 90's at Ft. Washington, PA across the aisle from Alan, who was residing in the Poobah Chair right at the entrance, with, of course, the open briefcase filled with crisp Benjamins and his faithful companion "Zubes" at his side (guarding the cash?). I exchanged a few words with him and he remarked that some guy would come in with some raw '52 Topps, most of them in lousy condition but that there would be a few nice high series cards. And the guy wouldn't know anything about high numbers. Alan rubbed his hands in anticipation while I went off to get one of those foul cheeseburgers. Well, at the end of the show he walked over to my table and laid out, yes, some nice high numbers, including, as I recall, a Reese, Robby and a beat up Mathews
I kinda, sorta miss the old rascal, and wouldn't he be amazed at the state of the current market. He thrived on deals and money.

[Snapolit1]

Don't believe people who tell you the market is insane and about to collapse. Many of them have been a broken record for 20 years.

[brunswickreeves]

1) If you can't afford to buy it twice, it's too expensive and you'll obsess over the price;
2) Pay 15% less than the average trending sale price for the grade/condition, omitting the upper and lower prices outliers, you can always resell at break even or better

[Casey2296]

I found the best pre-war collecting advice while reading Dante's Divine Comedy.

Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here...

In all my hobbies - "Collect what you like." It may be worth nothing tomorrow.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Rich, I recall setting up in about the late 90's at Ft. Washington, PA across the aisle from Alan, who was residing in the Poobah Chair right at the entrance, with, of course, the open briefcase filled with crisp Benjamins and his faithful companion "Zubes" at his side (guarding the cash?). I exchanged a few words with him and he remarked that some guy would come in with some raw '52 Topps, most of them in lousy condition but that there would be a few nice high series cards. And the guy wouldn't know anything about high numbers. Alan rubbed his hands in anticipation while I went off to get one of those foul cheeseburgers. Well, at the end of the show he walked over to my table and laid out, yes, some nice high numbers, including, as I recall, a Reese, Robby and a beat up Mathews
I kinda, sorta miss the old rascal, and wouldn't he be amazed at the state of the current market. He thrived on deals and money.

In this market there would be no one better than Al at a show.

Rich

[polakoff]

Many have already been said but:

Collect what you like
Buy the card, not the holder
If investing: buy the best card you can in the best condition you can

[Gradedcardman]

Never advise fellow collectors of your true collection needs. The prices then sky rocket.

[metroac]

I think the best advice I ever got was from Alan Rosen in the early '80's. He said, "Remember - nothing is scarce. You'll always see it again." He was wrong, of course, but it applied to what I was collecting at the time (mostly Topps and Bowman, but also Red Hearts, Red Man, and the like). And I've retained it as "Be patient, but if you love the card, don't worry about paying a few extra bucks."

[brianp-beme]

I missed all the follow up beat-up card posts after I dropped this pearl of wisdom:

"Make sure to frequently post really beat up cards, because then it will make everyone else feel better about the cards they own."

So here you go...a favorite T216 of Evers of mine. Bet you all are just glowing about how nice your collections are.

Brian