Question about advanced collectors

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Knowledge + Experience + Work = Advanced Collector

Knowledge: anyone can pick up a Standard Catalog or log into Old Cardboard and ID a card, but knowing enough about the issues to differentiate a fake from the real deal, or to spot a rare variation, that's the trick.

Experience: there is a school of thought that real expertise in a field requires about 10,000 hours of work in it. I'd say that goes for collecting too. You gotta handle a lot of cards in person. I'd not be surprised if many 'advanced collectors' have looked at millions of cards over their collecting lives.

Work: I learn new stuff about what I collect nearly every day. Heck, the guys who wrote the books still learn new stuff. Look at the Lemke blog, for example.

Adam

Well stated.


TED Z
.

[chipperhank44]

It's always better for others to say you as something than to declare yourself to be something.

Test:

Do others say you're an advanced collector? You probably are.

Do others see you as less than advanced? You probably are.


Also....

Do others say you're advanced but you still think you have a lot to learn?
You're probably super advanced.

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by chipperhank44

It's always better for others to say you as something than to declare yourself to be something.

Test:

Do others say you're an advanced collector? You probably are.

Do others see you as less than advanced? You probably are.


Also....

Do others say you're advanced but you still think you have a lot to learn?
You're probably super advanced.

Excellent!

[4815162342]

I pulled cards like these directly out of Kraft singles packages when I was a kid. So I guess you can say, I'm kind of a big deal.

[wonkaticket]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

I pulled cards like these directly out of Kraft singles packages when I was a kid. So I guess you can say, I'm kind of a big deal.

Show off!

[tedzan]

If you collected these 1947 Bond Bread cards from their bread packages when you were a young dude, then I guess you may qualify as an "advanced collector"

Perhaps because you learned a lot in the process of completing 19th and 20th Century sets for 45 years of collecting. In between (1953-1976), I took a 23-year
break in collecting to be in the Air Force, College, early years of employment, and marriage.

Anyhow, these cards were my first BB cards....and, I still have my original set of 44 - Bond Bread BB cards.




TED Z
.

[Exhibitman]

Maybe it is like pornography: I can't define it but I know it when I see it.

[frankbmd]

[familytoad]

Frank, I don't think it counts when the "chicks" are only showing off their photos of their old boyfriends

I do hope she will refrain from any further foolish following of David (cycleback)'s advice about licking the cards. The more I think about it, he may have only been joking.

As for real advanced collecting definitions, I really like the post about when "others" consider you an expert. I have 45 years into this hobby, but I don't really count them as as expert years.

Thinking back to when us neighborhood kids gathered cards from the old candy store down the block and toted them around in shoeboxes or bicycle spokes is cool, but not expert level collecting. It's not as if we were dealing with preWWI Hall of Famers at that point.

At some point, I think money does have something to do with it. Maybe if you consider it this way...making a conscious decision to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on old carboard even when you are responsible for family, house , car, pets and life...
At that point you may have moved past casual collector and at least into early advanced stage. (Knowing what you are doing at that stage is an advantage, but not a requirement)

I'm a collector who is advanced when compared to the guy at the garage sale hoping to sell his fleet of 89 Pro Set FB and Donruss Diamond Kings, but pretty far down the totem pole on this board!!