How did you start collecting?

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob

1977 - I was a flipper, not a collector

1992 - my friend Joe introduced (seduced?) me into the world of hot rookie cards that were worth tens of dollars; I start with football since I didn't know about horseracing cards at the time

1993 - collected football and basketball; insertmania arrives; went to a National in Westchester, saw a lot of cards, bought Japanese baseball packs, and saw some beautiful tobacco cards that were white, borderless, and looked like a miniature painting... "Ooooo, rookie cards at the next table" - so much for that miniature painting

1994 - I actually believed rare insert cards were going to outperform RCs in the long run; "Who collects vintage? It's crap."

1998 - I give in and collect baseball, rookies, inserts, and all; prospecting to make a big hit; traded "$200 worth of Dan Marino inserts plus $50 cash for an ungraded EX-MT 1962 Topps #1 Roger Maris" because I saw that card in an episode of ST:TNG

1999 - become disgusted with the high price of RCs and last year's RC's becoming yesterday's news; I stop collecting cold turkey

2005 - January.... looked at my collection for the first time in a long time; it was fun, but was it worth it?; what would I do if I started all over again?; "collect to keep, not for financial gain"; Hmmmm.... fine homes display fine art, and fine art is mostly composed of old masterpieces; the Metropolitan Museum of Art displays baseball cards; would my collection be worthy of that?; old cards.... vintage.... tobacco...; a 1977 Ron Guidry card I hold in my hand - one of two cards that I hacthed with my own hands from a pack back in 1977; if not Sotheby's, at least a museum, or something that has great significance to me; a mention of this board from the Beckett board led me to here; since I was going to purchase tobacco cards, I got a T206 Willetts as my comparison card should I buy a raw card; I came upon and got that miniature painting I saw back in 1993 - the N28 King Kelly; came upon a couple of T206 Kid Elberfeld Washington portraits; and back to my first love combined with my new love - thoroughbreds on tobacco issues

I am one with the universe since I now collect out of pure love and enjoyment

Bottom line: I learned the hard way, but I learned