Does Anyone Still Just Collect Cards?

[Mike D.]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Wouldn’t it be cool to just pull out an old cigar box with a stack of vintage topps cards rubber banded together and just hold them and smell that old card smell?

If you said yes, you’re a true collector. If you said no then you’re an investor! Am I right?

Well, I guess a few of us could just be "mold spore enthusiasts", too.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Wouldn’t it be cool to just pull out an old cigar box with a stack of vintage topps cards rubber banded together and just hold them and smell that old card smell?



If you said yes, you’re a true collector. If you said no then you’re an investor! Am I right?

I suspect that 90% of us are collectors that are happy our card values are going up, so that we can tell our wives we are investors.

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[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Wouldn’t it be cool to just pull out an old cigar box with a stack of vintage topps cards rubber banded together and just hold them and smell that old card smell?

If you said yes, you’re a true collector. If you said no then you’re an investor! Am I right?

You couldn't be more wrong. You, me, James Ingram or anyone else doesn't get to define what a "true collector" is. And though James seems to get joy from putting himself on a pedestal because he fits the definition of "collector" that he himself created, it's a hollow victory.

Actually, if elevating himself because he doesn't like graded cards and supposedly doesn't care about the value of his collection gives him joy -- and it clearly does because he posts about his perceived superiority quite often -- then good for him. He's enjoying the hobby in his own way: self-congratulation.

It is, however, a slap in the face to the countless number of collectors -- yes, collectors -- who don't fit his narrow definition.

[Luke]

I don't really get the point of trying to define what a collector is or should be. We all have different life circumstances and budgets so the things we accumulate are going to be different. If you always dreamed of owning a '52 Mantle, and now you can afford it and justify it, you have to consider the value and leave it in a graded holder.

I'm not going to make this argument because I don't think any of us are more true collectors than anyone else, but the argument could be made that the guy who owns a bunch of high value slabbed cards is "more of a collector" than the guy who has a shoebox full of $5 cards. You could argue the guy with all the big time cards actually loves cards more because he's willing to take the risk involved with spending a larger % of his money than the shoebox guy on cards because he loves them that much.

Now, I think what I just wrote is asinine, but so is inferring that the shoebox guy is more of a collector than the slabbed guy. It would be great to focus on what unites us rather than our differences.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Luke

I don't really get the point of trying to define what a collector is or should be. We all have different life circumstances and budgets so the things we accumulate are going to be different. If you always dreamed of owning a '52 Mantle, and now you can afford it and justify it, you have to consider the value and leave it in a graded holder.



I'm not going to make this argument because I don't think any of us are more true collectors than anyone else, but the argument could be made that the guy who owns a bunch of high value slabbed cards is "more of a collector" than the guy who has a shoebox full of $5 cards. You could argue the guy with all the big time cards actually loves cards more because he's willing to take the risk involved with spending a larger % of his money than the shoebox guy on cards because he loves them that much.



Now, I think what I just wrote is asinine, but so is inferring that the shoebox guy is more of a collector than the slabbed guy. It would be great to focus on what unites us rather than our differences.

Luke, I agree with everything you said.

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[homerunhitter]

Originally Posted by Luke

I don't really get the point of trying to define what a collector is or should be. We all have different life circumstances and budgets so the things we accumulate are going to be different. If you always dreamed of owning a '52 Mantle, and now you can afford it and justify it, you have to consider the value and leave it in a graded holder.

I'm not going to make this argument because I don't think any of us are more true collectors than anyone else, but the argument could be made that the guy who owns a bunch of high value slabbed cards is "more of a collector" than the guy who has a shoebox full of $5 cards. You could argue the guy with all the big time cards actually loves cards more because he's willing to take the risk involved with spending a larger % of his money than the shoebox guy on cards because he loves them that much.

Now, I think what I just wrote is asinine, but so is inferring that the shoebox guy is more of a collector than the slabbed guy. It would be great to focus on what unites us rather than our differences.

very, very excellent and eye opening points. After reading your posts a couple times over and over. I agree with you 110% my friend. Very Well said! Thank you!

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Like a lot of people on the board, I’ve busted my ass my whole life, working like a dog, nights, weekends, etc, and now I am at the point where this hobby brings me a lot of joy and it’s about me doing something for me, not for family, not for friends, etc. and it feels good to “indulge” and do something for me. Do I like collecting rare things in nice condition, yep. I like beautiful preserved cards over a bunch or dog eared cards in a rubber band. I like nice photos better than one’s that are ripped. I like holding stuff in my hands that are one of a kind and I’ve never seen another. I like sometimes having the nicest graded copy of something. I don’t need to touch an old card to enjoy owning it.

No one type of a collector is more of a collector
Or a better collector than anyone else. People need to move on from the idea there is some pure true collector.

Make yourself happy. Stop worrying what others are doing. Hobby has a big tent.

[theshowandme]

I must be doing things wrong

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Like a lot of people on the board, I’ve busted my ass my whole life, working like a dog, nights, weekends, etc, and now I am at the point where this hobby brings me a lot of joy and it’s about me doing something for me, not for family, not for friends, etc. and it feels good to “indulge” and do something for me. Do I like collecting rare things in nice condition, yep. I like beautiful preserved cards over a bunch or dog eared cards in a rubber band. I like nice photos better than one’s that are ripped. I like holding stuff in my hands that are one of a kind and I’ve never seen another. I like sometimes having the nicest graded copy of something. I don’t need to touch an old card to enjoy owning it.

No one type of a collector is more of a collector
Or a better collector than anyone else. People need to move on from the idea there is some pure true collector.

Make yourself happy. Stop worrying what others are doing. Hobby has a big tent.

Well said! I'm in the same camp as you but everyone should just collect what makes them happy.

[G1911]

Here's my Woody, which I got back when I was a kid at a local show as my first '34 Goudey. I remember General Alvin Crowder (a pretty darn good stat line for a totally forgotten player) was my first Goudey card from the 1933 set. He's seen some rough days, and unfortunately this one has a normally printed back instead of a blank reverse.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by G1911

Here's my Woody, which I got back when I was a kid at a local show as my first '34 Goudey. I remember General Alvin Crowder (a pretty darn good stat line for a totally forgotten player) was my first Goudey card from the 1933 set. He's seen some rough days, and unfortunately this one has a normally printed back instead of a blank reverse.

That is an awesome Woody English, sir. With the backstory, I would rather have it than one in pristine condition, because the story is truly priceless.

[BioCRN]

When it comes to graded, my wheelhouse is "Looks nice for a low grade."

My lane is a bit wider than others because surface is more important to me than centering. While some are out there willing to pay a bit more than the number for great centering, I'm out there trying to pay less than the number because I'll sacrifice on centering for a sharp looking card.

I'm not concerned about resell. While I do make occasional upgrades I'm mostly out there looking for a card I don't mind having for the next 20-30-50-whatever years.

[StraightRaceCards]

Love the English cards. There is a great story about his pranks in his SABR bio:

But he also had an impish side: English “was like ‘Peck’s bad boy’ in the grade-school books of the day. He looked innocent but wasn’t. English’s favorite prank was to crawl across the floor of a hotel lobby and sneak up on an unsuspecting businessman reading the newspaper. English would light the bottom of the paper and slip away as the newspaper caught fire.”

[brianp-beme]

Looks like English is the hobby language spoken on this thread. But if you want to broaden your linguistic horizons, I suggest going after this Woody in the 1934
World Wide Gum set to add a dash of French to your English.

Brian (oui oui messieurs)

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Mike D.

It is fun when it still happens. Not pre-war, but my brother, who's in his 40's, recently bought some lots of the "less than big name" players he was a fan of as a kid off eBay. 140+ card lots of Julio Franco cards with lots of oddballs, for example. I think it cost him less than $10 delivered, which is pretty good for a bit of fun considering you can't buy a fast food lunch for that anymore.



I wrote an article a while back on the different types of collectors.

Mike, that was an enjoyable read. You nailed a bunch of types. I think you missed a bunch, though, too.

How about the guy that goes back to collect all the cards from when he was a kid, to maybe relive his joy when he first discovered baseball.

What about the collectors who like cards from the turn of the 20th century and before, in order to appreciate what baseball, and our country, was like back then.

Or those who find obscure and under-appreciated corners of the hobby and focus on them, in order to make them better known for the rest of us.

There are collectors who focus on their favorite player, or their favorite team. Some goofy guys even focus on error cards.

There's a lot of us out there, and the great thing about it is there is a card for every collector.

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[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Gorditadogg

There's a lot of us out there, and the great thing about it is there is a card for every collector.

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goudey33ruthbabe 001 (337x400).jpg

My two piece bikini Babe agrees with everything you mentioned, but he especially understands that he found the right collector.


Brian