Cards as a stress relief

72skywalker

I am sure it is not just me that use their collection as a stress relief. I love checklists. I think sometimes more than the cards themselves because when I finish a checklist and complete a set i never look at that set again but have looked at that checklist all the time while working on that set. My stress relief is that I love to look at the checklist and play the game of if I had $400.00 what would I buy to check off some of the list? I even play the game called for every report/inspection/item I finish at work I get $1,000 each toward my collection what do I buy? Am I the only crazy one who plays these imaginary games? And no...I do not have an imaginary friend...anymore. He moved away when I was a child.

GroceryRackPack

Yes I can agree with you on the mental check list (key word there mental), I have bookmarked in my mind 4 to 5 items that are next on my list to acquire--just a matter of time.
We won’t talk about “Phillip the Squirrel” from when I was little.

AFLfan

Absolutely. In fact, I often think of random collections and do the research to build the customized checklists, only to never buy the first card. Something about the process and thought that goes into it is enjoyable to me.

rexvos

I have to put cards in order to wind down from my day after work. It calms me I think because I can control it.

MantleMarisFordBerra

Absolutely. With all that's gong on in the world, at work, in our personal lives...it totally makes sense to "escape" to the world of cardboard to mentally unwind. Personally I love holding old cards and thinking about the kids that pulled them out of packs. Where they were located, what they thought about the cards, what was going on in that period of history. Even the sometimes rudimentary design is pleasing to me.

Glad I'm not the only one

72skywalker

@rexvos said:
I have to put cards in order to wind down from my day after work. It calms me I think because I can control it.

Ha Ha. I have reorganized my cards more times than I can remember.

Stone193

Great post!

I like "organizing" stuff - tho my weakness is procrastination - so it never goes beyond just research for the most part.

Here's something I wrote many years ago about "collecting:" my apology for length - this was during the era where people wrote more on the hobby as such IMO. This goes way back!

LINK

While visiting Mars and Venus over the past few months - I noticed for sure collectors are 'wired' differently than normal human beings from the planet earth.

So, I did a little reading and came up with a little Psych 101 paper - I never had any psychology in college to speak of - so PLEASE - don't think I'm implying anything - it just may be a little insight into what and why we do what we do.

Collecting

It's a blend of acquisitiveness, intellectual curiosity, a desire to possess and organize tangible objects, the lure of immortality and a “certain amount of showing off.” Why some people stop their childhood collecting while others carry it into adulthood is not fully understood.

Furthermore, some see collecting as a “philosophical project” that seeks to make “sense” of the militplicity and chaos in the world, and perhaps even to find in it a “hidden” meaning or sense of order.

The danger arises when a collector loses complete touch with reality and allows the hobby to dictate all other aspects of one's life. Every dealer can name collectors who would spend the rent money to buy a coveted rarity – who neglects their health, their families and their social responsibilities to satisfy their compulsion. Much like drug addition, alchoholism or gambling, chronically compulsive collecting can be devastating. It's probably a manifestion fo some disguised emotional problem. This – of course – is contrasted by the “healthy collector” who sets goals, establishes a budgets and sticks to a plan.
The key to a 'normal' collector and an obsessed one may be as simple as: “are you controlling the collecting process or is the process controlling you?” Some see a subtle character to collecting – the “act” is some kind of substitute for something that's lacking in one's person? Who knows?

And last and most important to me – when does a collector truly graduate and be classified as a hobbyist? When the “Joy of Learning” overtakes the desire and excitement of acquiring and possessing.

Categories of Collectors – many of us will fall into one or more of these divisions.

1. Passionate collector – they find something they like, get emotionally attached to that type of item and having tangible proof of their attraction is personally satifying. These kind of collectors tend to be more emotional and obsessive - they get a lot of personal satisfaction whey they find a new item.

2. Inquisitive collector – they collect for the purpose of investment – and will part with their items if the price is right. There's no emotional attachment, as such.

3. Hobbyist collector– they collect purely for the enjoyment – they're not emtionally attached to their items but will not part with them either. These people are normally goal-oriented and enjoy searching for uncommon items they can display or receive praise for.

4. Expressive collector – these people collect things as an expression of who they are – these collectors like attention.

One can break down the Process of Collecting into steps:

The decision of “what” to collect – this can be conscious or unconscious. They see something they like and buy it. Then, this may trigger a desire to collect more of the same item. In come cases, a person may get another of the item as a birthday present, e.g., and then, start collecting more – I think this is a 5th category of collector: the “accidental” collector.

The “research” - in this case the new collector starts to gather all the information they can on their item. It can range from catalogues, books, publications, internet, ebay, etc. At this point, the new collector is beginning to take the process more seriously.

The “planning” phase – during this phase, the collector begins to set his or her prices and zero in on certain objects. An emotional attachment to the desired item normally begins here. Possessing the wanted item becomes a very tangible and exciting thought. The serious collector often becomes heavily involved in the collection process during this phase, isolating him or herself from others. Driven by the need to succeed, the collector becomes adamant about obtaining the next and more difficult item. *This is the point where one should establish a BUDGET IMO.

The “Hunt” - This is the part where the tension is at it's height! This is where the collector becomes competitive – will travel hundreds of miles for an item – also the time where obsession creeps in – they become “single-minded” - nothing else counts at this moment. I believe this is where one is so obsessed that even if there's controvery around them, they will “slip” back into thinking about their quest in the middle of being confronted with something job related e.g.

The “Acquisition” phase – this is the point where the item is in the person's hand and they feel a special elation – the tension is released and they feel a special sense of accomplishment – they have a strong feeling of confidence and it's like they can do anything! Endorphins are flowing and the “goal” has been won!

The “Display” phase – the item is home and now the collector is almost compelled to share this with the world – they may clean a special area for it – they will call friends, relatives, “anybody” who'll listen and share in their conquest! The collector can sleep easy now – in fact, they probably feel a special sense of satisfaction that they have this item and it's no longer available to someone else.

The “Return” - this is what I would call the 'diseased' phase of collecting since it involves coming down from the 'high' - down from the mountaintop and needing another “fix.” After the display phase – one may stop collecting totally, or find another thing to collect or just search for more of the same type items.

In conclusion, the motives for collecting are manifold. And, as we can see, some collect for investment, others for the sheer enjoyment, some collect for the socially interactive satisfaction of contacting other collectors, some do it to preserve the past – or connect with their childhood – and still others collect as a life-long quest that never ends. Further motivations may be psychological fulfillment – a feeling of finding order in the chaos of life – within and without. A need to be acknowledged may drive someone to collect and acquire special items that are noteworthy by others.

Moreover, many may see their collection as a means of immortality? Ordering ones collection can give a sense of control that's lacking in the outside world.

Of couse, any one collector may possess any multiple of these motives and be a mixture of collector types.

For the sake of discussion – I've decided we're all normal here and won't get into compulsive hoarding and Freud!

Finally - and again - this is NOT a scholarly write-up - I took one course in psychology in college and that was almost 40 years ago! This was just an inquisitive attempt to put my finger on what we do and why. Some are my own ideas and most of it is plucked right out of internet articles and most is rewritten in my own words.

erikthredd

OP’s idea kind of sounds like the section from the old Beckett price guides where the’d ask readers to create a $100 buy list using their prices and IIRC they’d choose a winner each month who got their list published plus a C-note.

PastaBoy

I haven't been so relaxed in years (decades?) since I quit buying cards as a teen as I have been the last 3 weeks or so going through and organizing my old cards. Even started buying new cards again and loving it all over!

emar

The best is a flea market random box find. You think you just hit gold!
Sunday afternoon just got better. Relaxing. Absolutely!

LarkinCollector

I guess I'm more in the opposite boat. I've accumulated so much and have so much research to do, it's more overwhelming than fun or relaxing at this point. I've sorted, sold, and trashed tens of thousands of cards the past year to help clear out the bulk, but I can't pass up a "good deal" so more keeps accumulating.

Stone193

@LarkinCollector said:
I guess I'm more in the opposite boat. I've accumulated so much and have so much research to do, it's more overwhelming than fun or relaxing at this point. I've sorted, sold, and trashed tens of thousands of cards the past year to help clear out the bulk, but I can't pass up a "good deal" so more keeps accumulating.

Hiya Kyle

Wow!

I sure can relate.

My wife has "one" bucket lister for me.

Get rid of all those "white boxes" in the closet if I'm not planning to do anything with them.

I'm sure that Goodwill is gonna get a whole bunch of 90s cards.

So. You're way ahead of me buddy at this point.

1951WheatiesPremium

@Stone193 said:

@LarkinCollector said:
I guess I'm more in the opposite boat. I've accumulated so much and have so much research to do, it's more overwhelming than fun or relaxing at this point. I've sorted, sold, and trashed tens of thousands of cards the past year to help clear out the bulk, but I can't pass up a "good deal" so more keeps accumulating.

Hiya Kyle

Wow!

I sure can relate.

My wife has "one" bucket lister for me.

Get rid of all those "white boxes" in the closet if I'm not planning to do anything with them.

I'm sure that Goodwill is gonna get a whole bunch of 90s cards.

So. You're way ahead of me buddy at this point.

Mike, you can call me Tim Goodwill!