I'm Sick And Tired

[Hankphenom]

Glad to hear the OP is staying here. I guess you could say that our hobby of collecting mostly baseball cards and stuff is analogous to what some wag said about the game itself, that it is such a great game that not even the idiots in charge can ruin it completely. Even with its many huge flaws, failures, and focus on the wrong things, this is a fun, even exciting hobby. I don't know why. I'm a smart guy and have always recognized and been amazed at the nuttiness of it all, but I still love it. I'll probably be checking out eBay and Net54 on the day I die.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Glad to hear the OP is staying here. I guess you could say that our hobby of collecting mostly baseball cards and stuff is analogous to what some wag said about the game itself, that it is such a great game that not even the idiots in charge can ruin it completely. Even with its many huge flaws, failures, and focus on the wrong things, this is a fun, even exciting hobby. I don't know why. I'm a smart guy and have always recognized and been amazed at the nuttiness of it all, but I still love it. I'll probably be checking out eBay and Net54 on the day I die.

This entire post resonates with me. Well said, Hank.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

It seems most of us have adjusted our collecting practices of late. I know that I have. My current project is an all ungraded '50 Bowman set that averages in the VG neighborhood. A few years ago, I would have aimed more in the ex/exmt range. However, cardboard costs a bit more these days. It's more than that for me though. I find that I actually prefer low to mid grade ungraded cards. Most of what I do is related to set building. I like wear on my vintage cards. I like them to actually appear vintage. That makes it feel like more of a hobby to me. I always wonder about where all they have been, who has owned them before me, etc. With this '50 Bowman set, I like to imagine the boy in 1950 who first opened them up from their packs. Like him, I'm just a temporary caretaker. Hopefully whoever owns them after me will enjoy them as much as I do.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

It seems most of us have adjusted our collecting practices of late. I know that I have. My current project is an all ungraded '50 Bowman set that averages in the VG neighborhood. A few years ago, I would have aimed more in the ex/exmt range. However, cardboard costs a bit more these days. It's more than that for me though. I find that I actually prefer low to mid grade ungraded cards. Most of what I do is related to set building. I like wear on my vintage cards. I like them to actually appear vintage. That makes it feel like more of a hobby to me. I always wonder about where all they have been, who has owned them before me, etc. With this '50 Bowman set, I like to imagine the boy in 1950 who first opened them up from their packs. Like him, I'm just a temporary caretaker. Hopefully whoever owns them after me will enjoy them as much as I do.

And ^^^ this ^^^ sums it up for me. This says what I couldn't find the words to say, why I don't care about graded cards. I want them to look like what they are, old, with creases, rounded off corners, thumb tack holes, tape, whatever. I want to hold them in my own hands and look at them, not through a plastic slab, from time to time as I did with my cards as a kid. I don't care about card grading. I don't care one iota about the flip and the bar code, if they're trimmed or even worry if they're fake. Could not care any less. That's not why I collect. I am all over beaters, many of which I have "picked up" from folks right here on net54, just look at my signature. I treasure all of them, they are priceless to me, and I love the stories and bios of the players, when it was baseball in it's absolute glory My wife and daughter will be all set when I up and croak. And not from selling off my cards, either.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by jingram058

And ^^^ this ^^^ sums it up for me. This says what I couldn't find the words to say, why I don't care about graded cards. I want them to look like what they are, old, with creases, rounded off corners, thumb tack holes, tape, whatever. I want to hold them in my own hands and look at them, not through a plastic slab, from time to time as I did with my cards as a kid. I don't care about card grading. I don't care one iota about the flip and the bar code, if they're trimmed or even worry if they're fake. Could not care any less. That's not why I collect. I am all over beaters, many of which I have "picked up" from folks right here on net54, just look at my signature. I treasure all of them, they are priceless to me, and I love the stories and bios of the players, when it was baseball in it's absolute glory My wife and daughter will be all set when I up and croak. And not from selling off my cards, either.

If I can adjust and overcome some of the OCD crap I used to worry over, then I know you can. It's your collection, James. Do what you want to do with your collection. If you don't like grading, buy ungraded cards. Buy graded cards and free them if you like. Put them in binders, stack them in toploaders on your desk, do whatever makes your collecting experience work for you. This is just for fun. Net54 is a great site, and there are some solid collectors here with impressive collections. Net54 has helped me figure out what I do and don't like. Don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses. You'll always encounter collectors who have more than you, and you'll always encounter collectors who have less than you do. People (like me...LOL!) will give you advice, but you have to make your collection your own. It sounds like you already know what you like. Go forth and do it, and don't worry about what anyone on this site (me included) or any other site tells you. You do you. Have fun with it.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

It's more than that for me though. I find that I actually prefer low to mid grade ungraded cards. Most of what I do is related to set building. I like wear on my vintage cards. I like them to actually appear vintage. That makes it feel like more of a hobby to me.

Very well said. This is exactly why I have so much fun in low grade land; I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing at all, even though I’m shaving 90% off the price tag for the same card. I don’t see a NM card as really any more desirable to my eyes than a G one. Makes it much easier to collect collector cards rather than investment cards when one doesn’t see them as actually worse.


I’m 1 card away from 1950 Bowman. Should have bought a beater Jackie for $200 a few years ago. Now it’s almost $1K in any condition, and I have a hard time rationalizing that price for a mass produced card. I’m having a blast with the no copyright variations in the last 2 series. I need 14 of the no copyrights (and still don’t have Bob Miller or Sam Jethroe with the copyrights! Never thought a common Bob Miller would be one of the last I needed). Gorgeous little works of art.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by G1911

Very well said. This is exactly why I have so much fun in low grade land; I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing at all, even though I’m shaving 90% off the price tag for the same card. I don’t see a NM card as really any more desirable to my eyes than a G one. Makes it much easier to collect collector cards rather than investment cards when one doesn’t see them as actually worse.


I’m 1 card away from 1950 Bowman. Should have bought a beater Jackie for $200 a few years ago. Now it’s almost $1K in any condition, and I have a hard time rationalizing that price for a mass produced card. I’m having a blast with the no copyright variations in the last 2 series. I need 14 of the no copyrights (and still don’t have Bob Miller or Sam Jethroe with the copyrights! Never thought a common Bob Miller would be one of the last I needed). Gorgeous little works of art.

Greg, you always have great taste! I've had the Jackie for a while. It won't win any beauty contests, but I do have it. It's one of my favorites. I have work to do in the low numbers still yet. I'm also collecting the copyright/no copyright variations. Those are neat. I still have a few of those to go, but it's doable. Like you said, they're little works of art.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Greg, you always have great taste! I've had the Jackie for a while. It won't win any beauty contests, but I do have it. It's one of my favorites. I have work to do in the low numbers still yet. I'm also collecting the copyright/no copyright variations. Those are neat. I still have a few of those to go, but it's doable. Like you said, they're little works of art.

I think the 50 Bowman is hands down Jackie Robinson's best card. Awesome card, sir!

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by jingram058

I think the 50 Bowman is hands down Jackie Robinson's best card. Awesome card, sir!

Thanks, man!

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