Lulls in collecting?

joeadcock · #1 05-23-2009, 08:45 AM

My lulls tend to be connected to my financial situation. Recently I bought too much:E107, E99 x 2, high grade E93's, Ruth PC, etc. I am going to force myself to stop for a few months. It is not financially sustainable. I am going to instead grade, to keep myself busy. I will then come back strong for next years REA auction.

I agree with Wesley, need Jim Crandell.

Frank L.

Bicem · #2 05-23-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeadcock

I agree with Wesley, need Jim Crandell.

Frank L.

check Full Count for all your Crandell needs.

joeadcock · #3 05-23-2009, 10:30 AM

Jeff

I dont understand what you mean.
What I meant by my statement was that it would be good to have his opinions as part of the discussion.
I will expand on my comments such as this in future, so that I am not misunderstood.

Frank L.

yanksfan09 · #4 05-23-2009, 10:43 AM

Agree, very good thread.... I always wondered if I was in the minority with having as many lulls and off and on periods. I've collected this way since I first start around 1991/92 when I was a kid. I've always had periods of heavy collecting , light collecting, and no collecting.

I think my first big "no-collecting" period was after the strike-shortened 1994 season. (Looking back, I wish this would have made me all but stop collecting new cards all together and get into vintage but it didn't.) I was still a kid and then Ripkens' streak reinvigorated me in 1995. Then my Yankees went on a tear from 96-2001 ( 2001 we were robbed! One of the great W.S. ever!)

I was off and on through college. Then in 2004, I think, I started really getting into prewar and found this board after inheriting my D381 collection from my great-grandfather.

Since then I've been more focused and enthusiastic about collecting and have had fewer and shorter lulls but I still get them. I think Im just emerging from a rather intensive period of buying (for me). I think a lull is starting for me right now, for how long remains to be seen. Work is really busy on the farm (planting etc...) Also in the short times I do get off there's so much more stuff I'd like to be doing in the summer. Fishing/boating, trying to get to the occasional Yankee game and occasional round of paintball, BBQ'ing/Drinking, sleeping/watching playoff basketball and Yankee baseball etc....(Almost forgot fantasy baseball, which occupies maybe an hour of my day average.)

I have too much stuff to do and not enough time for it all. One thing is for certain and that's I always come back into it. And usually hard!

No one happens to have any of the remaining 8 D381's I need out there huh? Didn't think so.... That would drag me back full force into the hobby again in a heartbeat.....

I'm still monitoring ebay and the B/S/T so we shall see what happens. It's nice to know I'm not alone with lulls.....

Mark · #5 05-23-2009, 12:52 PM

I tend to agree with David's father that it is helpful to have some diversion and relaxation in order to do something that is demanding. In my case, collecting baseball stuff is a main source of diversion and relaxation. At the same time, I find that when my mind is fully focused on my work, I don't think much about collecting baseball stuff. And I don't really mind being absorbed in something that I find important. When I find that I am getting very absorbed in collecting, I tell myself that I better get back to work. So I agree that lulls are to be expected in the average collector's career. At the same time, it sounds to me like some of you are just lollygagging. Go buy a card!

Exhibitman · #6 05-23-2009, 02:22 PM

I am lucky in the sense that I don't really obsess over mainstream issues. If the cards I like to collect show up I buy them. If not, I don't. In the meantime, I work on cards from easy sets that I want to own, but I chase them at very low prices. 1952 Topps is my current diversion. Give me a vg HOFer for under $20 and I'm having fun and getting my gambling fix in the process.

Anthony S. · #7 05-23-2009, 03:33 PM

I have a theory that I cause the lulls by not posting items for sale, because Lord knows whenever I post cards for sale on the BST it's pretty much guaranteed that a half dozen other sellers will post items in the following couple of hours.

CobbSpikedMe · #8 05-23-2009, 06:53 PM

I know I'm in a lull when I start going back to buying 80's rookies that I always wanted as a kid but never could afford. I'll buy a few of them and then when they show up in the mail, I remember how much more I like opening the manilla and pulling out another pre-war card.

AndyH

deadballpaul · #9 05-24-2009, 04:11 PM

I'm in my first serious lull since I started collecting pre war in 1998. Not much is exciting me, but I think a lot of it has to do with the economy/work stress. Sometimes I think I've been collecting the wrong stuff all this time, & then a week later I love my collection again. Thought about selling the bulk of my collection, but was afraid I'd regret it soon after. I realized the smart thing was to do nothing, & go on the collecting DL for a while. I thought about starting this exact thread a couple days before Leon did, but I was feeling a little mental about the whole thing.