Lost the will to collect....
clayshooter22
Posts: 727 ✭✭✭
Maybe some of you have a similar experience but I'm losing interest in my player set collection. At first it was fun, there were always cards to chase and add. The set is a decent one to complete at over 1250 but now that I'm over 80% the cards to add just don't come up for sale. I'm adding at a rate of 5-10 a year, maybe. The thrill and chase is gone. I'm thinking of just selling the whole thing and letting go. I have about $35,000 into the set and many pop 1 cards but I can't imagine the set has broad appeal. IDK, maybe.
I have an easy 20 years into this set, sending tons of cards to PSA, buying all of the place... It's just hard to get excited when I scan ebay and other places days on end and the cards I need just never show up.
Talk me off the ledge or tell me to jump!
Kirby Puckett Master Set
Comments
Take on a new project that will invigorate you. Something completely different and new to you. Still search for your player set needs but now it becomes #2 and won’t be a hindering force anymore.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Just take a break, man.
Andy
I agree with this. Best of luck, whatever you decide.
Oh and I can’t be the only one who’s curious.... who’s the player?
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, Dwight Evans, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
Who is the player? That would help our comments.
Put it away for awhile. Pick up a new interest. Maybe something totally different and not sports related. Don't sell unless you have to. I would hate for you to have seller's regret.
I did this very thing.
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
Have you thought of talking to a Cardiologist?
There are plenty of “Cardiologist’s” here on the forum for you.
I'm going to guess this is for Kirby Puckett master set (it's in his signature). I'm actually piecing together the Kent Hrbek master set and I agree - these cards rarely come up in PSA 10, and when they do, someone is always jacking the price up at the last second, either costing me $20 extra dollars or taking the card. It is frustrating, and I agree - take a break. Go for Tom Brunanski.
Collecting...
1978 Topps Baseball autograph set
1952 Topps Baseball raw
Ha! How did I miss Puckett in his signature?? Great player.
Yaz Master Set
#1 Gino Cappelletti master set
#1 John Hannah master set
Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, Dwight Evans, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
All I can say is that after that long and that much effort, you really need to be sure. If/when I check out of my player collection, I need to be fully prepared to walk away without looking back. I could not sell and then get the bug and try to resume the same collecting goals. Now starting something new could easily entertain and keep you occupied, if there is another subject or goal that you have enough interest in to continue.
Aside from my primary focus, the Steve Garvey collection, I have plenty of other areas I can focus on if things get stale. All i need to do is let myself wander and pretty soon I am buying things I have not thought about for years.
I don't do graded cards, so that adds a level of difficulty that some (many?) of you deal with that I either need to respect you for or call you crazy for, maybe both. I am happy with a presentable card and will upgrade if the opportunity presents itself, but I don't need a specific condition to celebrate the win.
you will hit this dead-phase in any vintage or hard set you decide to take on. the 20% left to complete are the tough ones for a reason. because they're the toughest to track down.
best thing to do is set your ebay search criteria and just step away until you are completely sure. then one glorious day your phone will ding w a match.
also have to keep in mind it isn't a race. there's no deadline to complete.
i can tell you from previous experience that the only thing tougher to deal w other than hitting that dead-phase is regret.
and fyi: things will really move slow once you get to 90% completion. even slower when you get to 95%. that last 1% could take a decade and possibly may never happen.
I agree with Mopar. I actually did get out in 2014 and sold off a ton of great cards. A lot of this was based on a temporary life situation (i.e., divorce, job change, move) but I regretted it within months. I am now back in the game and luckily have a lot of quality raw cards to work with but I don't know if I'll ever get some of beauties I sold off back. Plus, most of my graded cards (including dozens of mid '70s PSA 10s and even more 9s) were self-submitted which made it all the more enjoyable for me. Find a second interest and it might help.
I think this is really spot-on. I need eight more cards to complete my AFL sets and I haven't seen a card for sale from my base want lists in three years. But I've been able to broaden my scope a bit (though still within my general area of interest) so that I could continue to collect other things that are meaningful to me while I am waiting on the others.
If you've got 20 years into the collection and are starting to get tired, I would just sit on it for at least one full year before doing anything to see if your feelings about selling change.
When the browsing addiction gets too exhausting, I take a break for a couple months.
12 years & 250 cards total in my set. There is a good chance I'll never get all of the last 30 needed.
I change up and add to my want list to help me stay interested.
Try dipping your toes into a couple of sets that have always intrigued you and are smaller/completable. Even if those new chases are 80% the rush of the Kirby journey, it's probably still better than most other hobbies in life.
As others have said, just take a break, I took about a 27 year break.
Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I honestly have no other interests. I was a dealer in the 80s and the only things I kept were the Kirbys. Setting up at trade shows was profitable in the 80s but somewhere around 1993 I sold off most of my inventory and display cases, never looked back.
It has been more of a 35 year journey but only the last 20 with grading and the set registry. I still remember when the Puckett master set crossed 400. That seemed like an impossible endeavor. Now I have about 1,015 of the 1258...and I still add a few to the master every year. I have a sub at PSA now that has at least five cards that will be set adds. I'm not really ready to sell and I doubt I would get what I have into the set back, even with the rising prices lately. I don't need the money but I have taken the better part of the last 2 years off. The grind is real.
I have been selling off some cards on ebay over the last six months as prices went so high that I thought some moderate profit taking was required.
Again, thanks for the dialogue.
Mike
Kirby Puckett Master Set
Mike's Kirby Puckett Master Set
One thing that might help with the grind is scanning (front and back) the cards/stuff you already own and creating a digital album. Being able to flip through (albeit virtually) your collection will mean more to you than you might think. Start today (or Friday, there's nothing much going on this Friday).
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
I've got the digit album on my home & work computers.
Brightens up those gloomy days admiring the Masterpieces
Sadly, I think this is true of any PSA player and/or company set registry collector. It's nearly impossible to make gains in a reasonably affordable manner. 10-15 years ago, I was working on 1954 and 1955 Topps sets in PSA 4/5/6 and you could find non stars for under $10 all day long and twice on Sunday, plus there were always "lots" of 10 to even 100 cards to get you going on these sets. I just did a search, there is ONE 1955 Topps baseball card in PSA 4/5/6 that can currently be had for under $10 delivered.
The same was true with PSA 8's and 9's from the mid 70's to early 80's in all sports. 4SC would have you covered. Heck, even players like Barry Sanders and Alan Trammell could be had in PSA 10 for $5 to $10.
Now that it's a minimum of $10 when you include shipping to get a card graded, there's just no incentive for submitters to "help out" the set registry collectors. I had a handful of 1955 Topps commons that were of PSA 6-7 quality. I decided to sell them raw and got $10-$15 each for them, when graded they would have brought $25 - $30 IF they graded what I thought. The difference was barely worth the grading fees, it certainly was not worth it considering the risk of missing something and ending up with a PSA 5.
And unfortunately I think it's a circular issue. People are losing interest in their set registries and are thus not as active. So as a seller, if you're able to hit on some low pop grades, they may sit for sale for a while instead of fetch what they should, because collectors have lost hope and passion, which then causes folks to further resist submitting, because even when they get 10's they're having a hard time selling them.
In summary, at least in my humble opinion, the set registry is a powerful drug no longer . . .
what the !!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
como?
when the drag gets real
i start working on the pictures of the set then i try working on my showcase album and then working on my ebay alert searches in order to find that 5 percent that's missing.. Working on our ebay alerts will help you find those white whales....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
the
last 1 percent will take a decade !!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
you forgot the most important part...."and possibly may never happen". no need to sugar coat it.
and then again, ive learned that the thrill of the hunt far outweighs the few days of glory the completion thing brings.
contentment blues. it's a real thing and a great song, btw.
The end of last year and beginning of this year I lost interest in collecting. I only collected high grade vintage cards. I sold off a good portion of my collection a few months ago. There are a couple sets that I decided to keep and will continue to upgrade those but I have no interest in buying anything else. That may change in the future but I am happy with my decision for now.
happiness is key !!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
This is true for me as well. I get excited when I finally track something down, but it's also a little disappointing because that particular hunt is over.
Hiya Mike - just don't look down!
I've been collecting continuously for 30 yrs and can sure appreciate where you are right now.
I stopped posting last October and aside from new product, have not done much in the hobby other than some interesting memorabilia.
My anecdotal experience is that it's natural to "burn out" after that much time.
What to do?
Unless you need the cash? Just walk away for a bit and start an new project.
When I say new? I mean - perhaps - something "other than" cards? I play guitar and have spent most of my time each and every day taking lessons from youtube - it's been absolutely enjoyable! I've played in bands on and off for years. However, now? I'm a way better guitarist and have even taken up the task of learning music theory.
As it goes for the hobby? Something that will cost you zero but is a fun project? Take the time to learn about the history of our hobby. George Vrechek has spent a lifetime researching and writing on our hobby e.g.
So, besides having a Merry Christmas? I wish you all the best and hope you find "that" fire once again.
Our hobby is a good one.
Good to see you post again Mike! It has been too long my friend. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!
As for the OP, collections and our passions ebb and flow over the years. I really like the advice to simply step away for a bit and try a new direction, even outside of cards. If you don’t need the cash, then let the collection sit for a bit and see where your passion for it is in 6-12 months from now. My experience is that you will once again appreciate the amazing collection you have built and find a renewed spirit for it a little further down the road.
I've been working on a relatively recent set (2001 Prism Atomic football patch variations) - I'm down to a handful of cards I need, most of which I haven't seen in at least a decade.
While Ebay can be a slog, and prices can get crazy, I've actually found that by talking to people here (or emailing new sellers on eBay with nice inventory), you can find a lot of great cards through others who are cashing out.
This year I've bought several cards from amazing collectors who had very highly-ranked PSA sets. One was selling to send his sons to college. One was just tired of the hobby. They were both awesome to deal with, sold off-Ebay for extremely fair prices, and I think they liked to know their collection was going to someone who would appreciate it and not flip it on Ebay for a quick buck.
Try emailing some folks on the Set Registry. They might sell you something now. Or maybe 3 years from now. At the very least, you'll strike up a fun conversation with another collector.
Thanks for the continued dialogue. I have put down and picked up this project about every other year for the last ten years. I don't need the cash so I am inclined to sit on it.
I do have many other hobbies. I have a phone full of fish porn from trips to Florida and Alaska the last few years. I also shoot shotgun competitively. Forgoing modesty, I've been a state, national and world champion and I still attend shoots from time to time.
I have been selling off a few extras over the last six months and I've been surprised at how high the sales have been. Lots of Puckett stuff going 3x a year ago.
Kirby Puckett Master Set
Clay, I’m in the Tampa area and do a lot of inshore fishing. If you’re ever in the area give me a shout.
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
that helps,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
I’ve noticed it helps to broaden what you collect to avoid getting “bored” with it. I was just collecting vintage HOF baseball rookies, but I got tired of it and expanded my collection to include modern rookies as well. I’ve also started collecting HOF rookies for football and basketball. I’ve noticed collecting multiple sports and eras keeps it exciting for me. Also expands the price ranges, there’s plenty of cheaper affordable HOF rookie options for each sport, while still having those big whales to get.
PSA HOF Baseball Postwar Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 80.51% Complete)
PSA Pro Football HOF Rookie Players Set Registry- (Currently 19.80% Complete)
PSA Basketball HOF Players Rookies Set Registry- (Currently 6.02% Complete)
The biggest problem I have, is that I have the #2 set and the people below me don't have many cards I need...and Kory, in front of me, is more of a buyer than seller. He has an incredible 100% collection. Most of what I need are insane cards like mirror blue refractors or aqueous test and such.
My parents winter on Sanibel and so I'm there at least two-three times. I always head there for the tarpon run around July 4.
We catch lots of 200+ and 40 inch snook from the beach and blind pass to Captiva.
Kirby Puckett Master Set
Kirby Puckett Master Set
great snook fishing down there in the tampa/st pete area too! 😉
Welcome to my nightmare! I had the #1 Harmon Killebrew Master set for three years running and there's very little out there I don't already have or can afford.
Since I refuse to shell out huge money for PSA 10's I have been surpassed, and it doesn't look like I will ever complete my set or regain the top spot.
Last year I dabbled in buying some 1987-91 unopened product and it was kind of fun, but had to go through THOUSANDS of worthless cards to find a very few worth submitting. Of course the ones I sent in have been there for 6 months with no grades in sight.
It sure does feel good when I am able to find an affordable upgrade though!
I watched Harmon while I was growing up and met him several times after his playing days. I doubt that I will ever give up collecting his cards. I did have to narrow my collecting to the years 1955-1976 though, just too many new cards to keep up with.
Good luck regaining your enjoyment for the hobby!
Good stuff! What a rush the poons are.
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
Harmon was very personable and took time to talk when ever I met him. We need more like him.
Kirby Puckett Master Set