And to all a Good Night [LONG]....My Farewell to the Hobby
mikeschmidt
Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
I am writing this message to the board, my friends and fellow collectors at large to bid a fond farewell. I am leaving the hobby for the next two years. I am hoping to share some thoughts below to explain this action, as well as a few thoughts on this industry at large:
Purpose of Leaving: I am leaving the hobby for two primary reasons. First, I am taking a leave of absence from my job at Deloitte & Touche to pursue my Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Harvard Business School. Secondly, and more importantly, my wife and I are expecting our first child in December of 2003. These exciting and ambitious opportunities will present us with many new challenges, and open doors of which I can only dream. These endeavours will surely expend all of our energies, not to mention a substantial portion of savings (forgone income will be missed!)
Reflections on what I have accomplished: My primary accomplishments over the past five years relate to three areas: my 1955 Bowman baseball set, my Mike Schmidt Player set, and my assorted Phillies collection. Over time, these priorities have evolved and changed. Nonetheless, I am fairly satisfied with where they stand now, and I certainly have accomplished more than I would have thought possible in this brief timeframe while back in the hobby.
The 1955 Bowman baseball set is a beauty to behold. I believe it to be one of the most fragile and wear-apparent sets from the pre-1960 era. With razor thin centering from top to bottom, combined with wood-grain borders that are merciless in showing the slightest hint of wear, I believe this set is a monumental challenge to build in anything more than Near Mint Condition. Though I am still not at a straight NM/MT level with my personal set, I am but a few cards short of where I want to be, and can at least place examples of each for all but two cards. As soon as this accomplishment is completed, I promise to register and display all of my cards on PSA’s set registry, complete with pictures of each card. Though there are few “big players” putting this set together, I believe that the umpire subset and the great Hall of Fame selection in this set (minus two key rookie cards) make it one of the most attractive sets of the 1950s to collect. I believe that when some of the big players do collect this set in the graded form (thinking: how many pre-1960 sets are left that they do not have graded…?), there may be significant potential for value appreciation. I still collect this set with great fervor, and believe I am probably the hobby’s foremost authority on minutiae items like the dogs of the set, and the elusive (and sadly, frequently cut) promo player panels.
I am most proud of the Mike Schmidt Master Player Set I have put together. Schmidt was my boyhood idol, and re-discovering this fascinating chase since re-entering the hobby has been a dream come true. A passion of mine, I have no illusions that I shall ever recoup my investment in this collection of cards, but the journey has been invaluable and tons of fun for me. I truly believe Schmidt to be the best third baseman of all time, and I am to this day inspired by the relatively quiet grace with which Schmidt performed throughout his career. Though I collect a variety of Schmidt memorabilia outside of baseball cards, let me speak briefly about the Player Set. As of right now, I have approximately three hundred different Mike Schmidt cards professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA. I believe that the Mike Schmidt player set is an example of how the growth of collecting might be in the future. I cannot presently see much long-term potential in any collectors putting together graded sets from many of the later 1980 and 1990 years, but I do believe that there will continue to be a strong market for MINT and GEM MINT examples of Hall of Famers and notable players. The true challenge to a player set collector is that he cannot go to a single source to upgrade his set. He cannot open a wax box, purchase a factory set, or look through vending to upgrade a number of cards from a set. A Player Collector must look through hundreds of sets, from numerous manufacturers, over a long period of time to try and assemble high grade examples from each issue. I can never purchase a 1979 wax case (money permitting) and put together a high-grade Mike Schmidt set. I must go through many sources to find each different example, and then hope from there that I can upgrade. A set collector can avoid those numerous pesky sets that for all intents and purposes were produced inefficiently and in small quantities because of a lack of success. A true player collector must find the 1977 Venezuelan stickers, the 1981 Fleer Star Stickers without wax stains, the seemingly dozens of Fleer boxed set inserts from the late 1980s, the 1985 Topps test mini issue, the minor league Puerto Rican Sticker issue without passion and discrimination. I can put together a high-grade basic player set any day of the week given enough money and a little bit of time. But the master player set is a monster of all its own. Regional sets, product inserts, Tiffany, Glossy and regular issue versions all hamper a master player set collector. The Mike Schmidt Master Player set is a passion without mercy. I have found and put together an amazing run of Schmidt cards over the last few years – a significant minority graded through personal submissions. There will continue to be DOZENS of cards that I will have difficulty upgrading to find MINT or better examples.
Finally, as a Phillies collector in general, I am proud to have put together a significant run of cards from the turn of the century through today. Without prejudice for condition, I have been able to assemble a humble type set featuring Phillies players with rare T206 advertising backs, high-grade pre-war examples, and a decent number of post-war GEM MINT examples. It is a way to keep the history and my love of the Phillies alive. Whether it is a Chas. Ferguson Old Judge or Buchner Gold Coin card, or a 1989 Upper Deck Chris James PSA 10 GEM MINT card – it is a terrific avenue to keep this history alive in my memory – even if PSA is not consistently utilized by me for the rarer type cards of so many decades ago.
Why I picked the 1955 Bowman set: I actually get asked this question somewhat often – so I thought that I would briefly discuss my reasons here. I basically re-entered the hobby as a 21 year old in 1998. The concept of grading was still very new to me (though I had seen examples of seemingly outrageously price graded cards in auction catalogs sent to me). About six months later, I was sure that I wanted to put together a vintage set in high grade condition. In considering what I wanted to pursue, I basically used a combination of my goals along with the SMR to determine what was realistic (yes, I naively thought that I could put together a PSA 9 set for the SMR value!!). But basically, I was looking for a few things: One, a good star selection. 1955 Bowman has this – having the only regular issue 1955 Mickey Mantle card, for example. Yes, it misses on some key rookie cards (Clemente and Koufax), but it does have other key cards – including a very liberal run of Dodgers and Yankees cards vis a vis the Topps counterpart. I did not want a set where one or two cards would represent the bulk value of the set (e.g. a high-price rookie card). This criteria ruled out numerous sets, like 1951 Bowman, 1952 Topps, 1955 Topps, and a variety of other sets. Though there are five or six high-dollar cards in the 1955 Bowman set, none of them are “break the bank” cards. I furthermore knew that I would probably ultimately be obsessed with condition and only want the best. So I wanted something that I thought I could reasonably put together in top grade. I also had a budget in mind, which ruled out a lot of the more popular 1950s sets. Finally, I wanted a set that would be large enough to be representative of baseball as a whole (e.g. no 1948 Bowman or 1951 Topps), while still have some niche that made the set unique and collectible. The two cool things I particularly enjoy with the 1955 Bowman set are the umpire cards, which were the first and last of its kind in regular issue baseball sets (including a number of Hall of Famers and notable umpires), and I also liked the fact that the bulk of the low series were pictured with Shibe Park as a backdrop, a tribute to the Philadelphia teams that I so enjoy.
Why I can’t wait to come back to the hobby in two years: Quite simply, the people. As much as I love the cards and the thrill of the chase, my most vivid memories are those of the dozens of people I have met and interacted with over the past few years. Though I sometimes shy away from shows (because of scheduling conflicts), I have nonetheless formed close relationships with a number of dealers and fellow collectors. This I find invaluable and will invariably draw me back in a short period of time.
My thoughts on the future of graded cards: I think that professionally graded cards will continue to be a growing and important part of the hobby, particularly for vintage cards. With modern cards – I question the cost of grading and its impact on the “values” for graded cards. I really do not see there being much of a market for a majority of modern PSA 8 cards. This is a shame in some respects, because a NM/MT card is often an exceptionally nice card. Nonetheless, there has been a precipitous decline in the value of modern PSA 9 cards – and with a seemingly limitless supply of post-1982 material, I see no reason to suggest anything other than that the increase in supply of PSA 9 material will outstrip that of demand for the medium to long term.
I am unclear on exactly how the grading card companies will play out. I think that there is insufficient long-term market potential for there to be three or four major players. I do not know who will blink first – and what the ramifications will be on the hobby (if any – I think the coin industry has seen a bunch of companies fall by the wayside with little adverse effect). But I think that grading will continue to be important throughout the hobby – with continually expanding services that will perhaps stress the limits of grading/authentication’s use (e.g. do I really need PSA/DNA to authenticate my Biff Pocobora signature?)
Please contact me!: Though I will be away from these boards – I do plan to read through major topics once or twice a month. I will contribute as time permits, if possible. I also plan to continue working on my Mike Schmidt and 1955 Bowman sets. If you do have anything available, I can be reached at mschoenen@mba2005.hbs.edu Additionally, I am always happy to share whatever limited knowledge and experience I have with anyone that has questions or concerns.
Finally: I have made an effort to thank all of those that have been helpful to me along this journey. Though there are certainly many that I have overlooked or missed – I promise it is not because I don’t care or have forgotten you. Rather – there are simply so many that have helped and affected me along the way, I can’t recall them at this time. My thank you thread is located Here
Purpose of Leaving: I am leaving the hobby for two primary reasons. First, I am taking a leave of absence from my job at Deloitte & Touche to pursue my Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Harvard Business School. Secondly, and more importantly, my wife and I are expecting our first child in December of 2003. These exciting and ambitious opportunities will present us with many new challenges, and open doors of which I can only dream. These endeavours will surely expend all of our energies, not to mention a substantial portion of savings (forgone income will be missed!)
Reflections on what I have accomplished: My primary accomplishments over the past five years relate to three areas: my 1955 Bowman baseball set, my Mike Schmidt Player set, and my assorted Phillies collection. Over time, these priorities have evolved and changed. Nonetheless, I am fairly satisfied with where they stand now, and I certainly have accomplished more than I would have thought possible in this brief timeframe while back in the hobby.
The 1955 Bowman baseball set is a beauty to behold. I believe it to be one of the most fragile and wear-apparent sets from the pre-1960 era. With razor thin centering from top to bottom, combined with wood-grain borders that are merciless in showing the slightest hint of wear, I believe this set is a monumental challenge to build in anything more than Near Mint Condition. Though I am still not at a straight NM/MT level with my personal set, I am but a few cards short of where I want to be, and can at least place examples of each for all but two cards. As soon as this accomplishment is completed, I promise to register and display all of my cards on PSA’s set registry, complete with pictures of each card. Though there are few “big players” putting this set together, I believe that the umpire subset and the great Hall of Fame selection in this set (minus two key rookie cards) make it one of the most attractive sets of the 1950s to collect. I believe that when some of the big players do collect this set in the graded form (thinking: how many pre-1960 sets are left that they do not have graded…?), there may be significant potential for value appreciation. I still collect this set with great fervor, and believe I am probably the hobby’s foremost authority on minutiae items like the dogs of the set, and the elusive (and sadly, frequently cut) promo player panels.
I am most proud of the Mike Schmidt Master Player Set I have put together. Schmidt was my boyhood idol, and re-discovering this fascinating chase since re-entering the hobby has been a dream come true. A passion of mine, I have no illusions that I shall ever recoup my investment in this collection of cards, but the journey has been invaluable and tons of fun for me. I truly believe Schmidt to be the best third baseman of all time, and I am to this day inspired by the relatively quiet grace with which Schmidt performed throughout his career. Though I collect a variety of Schmidt memorabilia outside of baseball cards, let me speak briefly about the Player Set. As of right now, I have approximately three hundred different Mike Schmidt cards professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA. I believe that the Mike Schmidt player set is an example of how the growth of collecting might be in the future. I cannot presently see much long-term potential in any collectors putting together graded sets from many of the later 1980 and 1990 years, but I do believe that there will continue to be a strong market for MINT and GEM MINT examples of Hall of Famers and notable players. The true challenge to a player set collector is that he cannot go to a single source to upgrade his set. He cannot open a wax box, purchase a factory set, or look through vending to upgrade a number of cards from a set. A Player Collector must look through hundreds of sets, from numerous manufacturers, over a long period of time to try and assemble high grade examples from each issue. I can never purchase a 1979 wax case (money permitting) and put together a high-grade Mike Schmidt set. I must go through many sources to find each different example, and then hope from there that I can upgrade. A set collector can avoid those numerous pesky sets that for all intents and purposes were produced inefficiently and in small quantities because of a lack of success. A true player collector must find the 1977 Venezuelan stickers, the 1981 Fleer Star Stickers without wax stains, the seemingly dozens of Fleer boxed set inserts from the late 1980s, the 1985 Topps test mini issue, the minor league Puerto Rican Sticker issue without passion and discrimination. I can put together a high-grade basic player set any day of the week given enough money and a little bit of time. But the master player set is a monster of all its own. Regional sets, product inserts, Tiffany, Glossy and regular issue versions all hamper a master player set collector. The Mike Schmidt Master Player set is a passion without mercy. I have found and put together an amazing run of Schmidt cards over the last few years – a significant minority graded through personal submissions. There will continue to be DOZENS of cards that I will have difficulty upgrading to find MINT or better examples.
Finally, as a Phillies collector in general, I am proud to have put together a significant run of cards from the turn of the century through today. Without prejudice for condition, I have been able to assemble a humble type set featuring Phillies players with rare T206 advertising backs, high-grade pre-war examples, and a decent number of post-war GEM MINT examples. It is a way to keep the history and my love of the Phillies alive. Whether it is a Chas. Ferguson Old Judge or Buchner Gold Coin card, or a 1989 Upper Deck Chris James PSA 10 GEM MINT card – it is a terrific avenue to keep this history alive in my memory – even if PSA is not consistently utilized by me for the rarer type cards of so many decades ago.
Why I picked the 1955 Bowman set: I actually get asked this question somewhat often – so I thought that I would briefly discuss my reasons here. I basically re-entered the hobby as a 21 year old in 1998. The concept of grading was still very new to me (though I had seen examples of seemingly outrageously price graded cards in auction catalogs sent to me). About six months later, I was sure that I wanted to put together a vintage set in high grade condition. In considering what I wanted to pursue, I basically used a combination of my goals along with the SMR to determine what was realistic (yes, I naively thought that I could put together a PSA 9 set for the SMR value!!). But basically, I was looking for a few things: One, a good star selection. 1955 Bowman has this – having the only regular issue 1955 Mickey Mantle card, for example. Yes, it misses on some key rookie cards (Clemente and Koufax), but it does have other key cards – including a very liberal run of Dodgers and Yankees cards vis a vis the Topps counterpart. I did not want a set where one or two cards would represent the bulk value of the set (e.g. a high-price rookie card). This criteria ruled out numerous sets, like 1951 Bowman, 1952 Topps, 1955 Topps, and a variety of other sets. Though there are five or six high-dollar cards in the 1955 Bowman set, none of them are “break the bank” cards. I furthermore knew that I would probably ultimately be obsessed with condition and only want the best. So I wanted something that I thought I could reasonably put together in top grade. I also had a budget in mind, which ruled out a lot of the more popular 1950s sets. Finally, I wanted a set that would be large enough to be representative of baseball as a whole (e.g. no 1948 Bowman or 1951 Topps), while still have some niche that made the set unique and collectible. The two cool things I particularly enjoy with the 1955 Bowman set are the umpire cards, which were the first and last of its kind in regular issue baseball sets (including a number of Hall of Famers and notable umpires), and I also liked the fact that the bulk of the low series were pictured with Shibe Park as a backdrop, a tribute to the Philadelphia teams that I so enjoy.
Why I can’t wait to come back to the hobby in two years: Quite simply, the people. As much as I love the cards and the thrill of the chase, my most vivid memories are those of the dozens of people I have met and interacted with over the past few years. Though I sometimes shy away from shows (because of scheduling conflicts), I have nonetheless formed close relationships with a number of dealers and fellow collectors. This I find invaluable and will invariably draw me back in a short period of time.
My thoughts on the future of graded cards: I think that professionally graded cards will continue to be a growing and important part of the hobby, particularly for vintage cards. With modern cards – I question the cost of grading and its impact on the “values” for graded cards. I really do not see there being much of a market for a majority of modern PSA 8 cards. This is a shame in some respects, because a NM/MT card is often an exceptionally nice card. Nonetheless, there has been a precipitous decline in the value of modern PSA 9 cards – and with a seemingly limitless supply of post-1982 material, I see no reason to suggest anything other than that the increase in supply of PSA 9 material will outstrip that of demand for the medium to long term.
I am unclear on exactly how the grading card companies will play out. I think that there is insufficient long-term market potential for there to be three or four major players. I do not know who will blink first – and what the ramifications will be on the hobby (if any – I think the coin industry has seen a bunch of companies fall by the wayside with little adverse effect). But I think that grading will continue to be important throughout the hobby – with continually expanding services that will perhaps stress the limits of grading/authentication’s use (e.g. do I really need PSA/DNA to authenticate my Biff Pocobora signature?)
Please contact me!: Though I will be away from these boards – I do plan to read through major topics once or twice a month. I will contribute as time permits, if possible. I also plan to continue working on my Mike Schmidt and 1955 Bowman sets. If you do have anything available, I can be reached at mschoenen@mba2005.hbs.edu Additionally, I am always happy to share whatever limited knowledge and experience I have with anyone that has questions or concerns.
Finally: I have made an effort to thank all of those that have been helpful to me along this journey. Though there are certainly many that I have overlooked or missed – I promise it is not because I don’t care or have forgotten you. Rather – there are simply so many that have helped and affected me along the way, I can’t recall them at this time. My thank you thread is located Here
I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
0
Comments
Congrats to you and your wife!! I wish you luck with your MBA.
Kurt
While at the GSD for a summer session, I stopped into that great little tobacco and pipe shop just off the square, go check it out, they have a great original panorama collection of many 19th century Harvard teams and some really cool old tobacco "stuff".
Have fun Bro, your gonna love it there, good luck with the baby.
Just think of how much psa 8 Wilson Franks will be upon your return
Now that's Old School
John Grillo
Silver Coins
e-bay ID: grilloj39
e-mail: grilloj39@gmail.com
Congratulations to you and your wife. Best of luck on your future endeavours.
aconte
Good luck to you and your wife.
My only regret is that it will probably be 2 years until we meet again, and this time, I want to really sit down and talk about "passion for this hobby". There is nobody I know that has the ultimate passion like you do.
Good luck at school and I know , with your fortitude, you will be on the Deans' List in no time.
You have an enormous wealth of knowledge, and your young child will be the receipiant of that determination.
...Thank you for being a steward for all of us....
Your friend...
Larry
email....emards4457@msn.com
CHEERS!!
Bruce
You will certainly be missed as you have huge responsibilities ahead of you. Please stay in touch and let us when "Baby Schoenen" has finally arrived.
Take care and God bless,
Dan
Joe
It was very nice to meet you at the National. Best of luck to you and your family.
Forget the cardboard, now you have balance sheets, the four P's and performa statements to look forward too - fun, fun, fun!!! But, Harvard, c'mon - why not University of Phoenix - I loved the MBA program there - it's the best!
Take care of yourself,
Mark
Denver, CO.
RustyWilly's HOF Portrait Collection
and
Cards for Sale
Seriously, I would like to thank you for all you have contributed to the board over the past few years and for your loyalty to the hobby. You will be sorely missed by all.
What can I say other than to wish you the very best at HBS, where I am sure that you will be be successful, and to wish much happiness on you, your wife, and the future Bowman expert.
I'm sure that you will pop in once in a while. There is no escape from this place
If you need anything, give me a shout.
Best
Paul
Best of Luck to you and your wife with your first child later this year. In regards to you MBA initiative....what else can I say but...IMPRESSIVE.
All my best,
John Basilone
Sept 1 is around the corner............. is this just his way of dodging the "new and improved" membership fee?
Schooling at Harvard, a new addition to the family????...........merely a smokescreen to save $99
This is Good Will Hunting all backwards.
Congrats on the bread in the oven too!
You are a great guy to converse with about the hobby and I've enjoyed your posts,admired your accomplishments and words of wisdom everytime I read up on you.This will be missed around here but it's great to know it's for the better for you.
Best wishes,Robert
My Auctions
Website: http://www.qualitycards.com
As an HBS Class of 2000 graduate I wish you a hearty congratulations on your accomplishment...if you ever want to chat about cards or school, shoot me an email at eolander@yahoo.com. One of my buddies from HBS is a guy named Marc Spooner who also works at Deloitte...do you know him?
You'll always have the fond memories of forcing me to pay up for that 75 Schmidt 9 lol...
Eric
2005 Origins Old Judge Brown #/20 and Black 1/1s, 2000 Ultimate Victory Gold #/25
2004 UD Legends Bake McBride autos & parallels, and 1974 Topps #601 PSA 9
Rare Grady Sizemore parallels, printing plates, autographs
Nothing on ebay
It had to happen
Vintage Baseball Cards
Sales and Ebay Consignment Service
email
Lloyd_Taylor_Vintage_Cards -- on Ebay
Congratulations! Just like your baseball idol, Schmitty himself, you are taking a classy exit (sabbatical).
My MBA is from Michigan and is over two decades old. I remember the process of picking my B-school for graduate work. I steered clear of Haaa-vaaad, for two reasons: (1) the language barrier of Kentucky Hillbilly to Boston twang, (2) Harvard was 100% case study, even in the accounting department. I just couldn't stomach a case study approach to a P & L statement.
The MBA is something that will make you quite proud and will open doors for you for years to come. But always remember us peons back here in the trenches.
GOSH, that last line sounds like something I'd write in your high school annual. Time to go.
Just kidding of course
Best of luck in the program. It's not easy to go back once your pulling down those big $$$. The cards will always be here calling your name.
Congrats, fatherhood is wonderful! Thanks for all your help with my 55 bowman set. Stay in touch.
best wishes
bill, christy, and noah
Hope to talk to you again before then ....
Congratulations on making the right decision! Opportunities will emerge through this transition. More importantly, you'll be their with your wife facing challenges together. The hobby will always be here regardless when you decide to return.
Sincerely,
Ron
What a grrrrrreat Christmas present! School will be very gratifying and successful for you, but fatherhood will be by far, the most enjoyable, rewarding experence of all... So your coming up here to the Bahston area. Lookout for the crazy drivers.
Best of luck and success!
John/mx'er
_______________________
1961 topps 100%
51-present MVP's 100%
______________
1961 topps 100%
Good luck with everything!
Harvard and a new child...Life's not going to get any more exciting than that. The next couple of years will fly by and I hope you will share some experiences when you return to the boards in a few years.
Regards,
Alan
Congrats and best of luck! You advice will be missed since you are baseball card wise beyond your years! And after you have the new sheepskin we expect to see you hit the boards again WITH A VENGEANCE!!!! Be well!
Frank
Sets - 1970, 1971 and 1972
Always looking for 1972 O-PEE-CHEE Baseball in PSA 9 or 10!
lynnfrank@earthlink.net
outerbankyank on eBay!
Congratulations and good luck. You will definitely be missed. Thanks again for all of your help with my Schmidt collection.
Scott
Although I only joined this board last night, I have been reading your posts for a year and have learned insights into the hobby from you. I'm sorry to see you go, but I wish you the best with your school and new baby.
David
1974 Topps Baseball PSA 8+
Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens
Best,
Satan
edited to add more Ovaltine