Do your collecting pursuits have an end?

67standup

For many, the thrill of this hobby is the chase, the quest, and not necessarily the end result. On that note, do you have a quantifiable end to your collecting pursuits?

For example, I used to collect Yaz, but finally realized that there was no finish line. Not only did many one-of-kind items exist, but also the number of non-catalogued items kept increasing. And after 1986, it became extremely cumbersome with the production of all the new issues. There are a few issues that I keep buying in order to have multiple copies, e.g., 1964 Yaz Stand-ups. But what's the point, do I really need seven copies of my favorite card?

The Set Registry provides structure, that’s one reason it’s so innovative. The competition for #1 set is in itself a goal.

Just curious if any of you have ever asked yourselves (like I have), "just what the heck is my collecting goal"? There's no right answer here.

onegaucho

I've started and stopped several times in the past few years. I've collected the small subset of 1959 Topps Thrills cards over and over again... first in 7 then in 8, and then in 9, and now I have some solid, well centered 7s and 8s. I decided to start buying the card and not the holder about 2 years ago and it's worked out well for me. I've stopped re-collecting that subset since I now have exactly what I want - a nice, well-centered group of them (regardless of the number of the grade on the holder - some of the 9s I used to have weren't as nice as the 8s in my collection now).

And aside from my Gwynn collection (which I recently posted on the registry!) I think I'm done with my 1950 Bowman set (my only other major PSA set pursuit the past few years). After all the negativity the past few months, I decided I would be happy with my raw set. Anyways, I went ahead and posted my partial PSA set on the registry and it came in around 13th!

PS. I just got the latest SC+ auction catalog... thankfully nothing 'fit' my collecting pursuits so my wallet and bank accounts are safe for the time being!

iamthegreatcornholio

Mine is till I'm broke. Then I look through my stuff and sell some and start it over again. It's a merry-go-round of madness.

Brian

67standup

<< <i>It's a merry-go-round of madness >>



Nicely stated. I'm debating a vacation to Europe, but have no problem clicking the "Bid Again" button on a $2000+ item.

Wabittwax

Until I win the next 200 million dollar powerball drawing, then no. It never ends. Actually it probably still wouldn't end after I dropped 20 million on cards. I'd find someway to keep cards entertaining to me.

Fuzz

My collections will be complete one to three weeks after my death, depending on shipping time.

WinPitcher

mine has an end..............no end

AlanAllen

Nope, no end. By the time I complete a goal, I already have a few new projects in mind. Even if I owned every copy of every card ever printed, I would start my own card company and print up more .

Joe

Mantlefan

I will quit when I get the 1957 Topps Baseball set in PSA 10!!

koby

I am thinking about ending my pursuit of Kobe Bryant cards. There are just way too many cards to have a complete colleciton. Most of the cards are not even worth the $6 to slab. Between the proliferation of cards and the whole rape thing, I am just really down on collecting his cards right now.

Vargha

Death

goodriddance189

yes, my collecting pursuits have an end. once i get every hockey rookie produced, from 1910-present, in PSA 8 or higher, i'll leave the hobby.

that might take 100 years and a 100 million bucks though

fsjeter

My pursuits end with modern cards. I'll probably pick up a few modern cards but I won't collect it like I do the vintage stuff. There's just not enough value anymore unless your lucky enough to pull the big one. I like the registry because I like putting together sets. Inserts and sp's have taken the fun out of that for the modern sets. There's more than enough graded vintage cards to keep me busy for the rest of my natural life. Happy Collecting to all!!!

MorrellMan

to paraphrase: "So many cards - so little time."

perkdog

Great thread, I have had the hardest time in deciding which set Not to collect from let alone being in a situation where I am "finished with all my collecting needs". My income allows me to spend anywhere from 250-300 dollars a month on cards. I recently got back into the hobby after buying several hof cards from various 50's issues. I settled in and decided on the 56 baseball set..my favorite????..The fact that I cant ever afford every card I want actually keeps me in it with the constant desire for more cards. Crazy as this sounds I actually think I am better off than a Marshall Fogal type guy who has pretty much everthing. I would have to say more people than not are in the same position as myself and will always keep plugging along and be thankful in some way that they could never get every card that they want and find an end to purchasing cards.

murcerfan

no.

happy hunting.

ctsoxfan

Indeed a good thread. I often wonder the same thing - but my collection keeps growing. When I finish a registry set, what will I do with it? Sell it, and start another...or keep it, and start another? I also have plenty of modern rookies for speculation purposes, and a lot of classic graded rookies, just because. I don't look at collecting as having an end I am trying to reach, but rather as a challenge I will keep modifying to stay interested.

highend

no, too many cards, too much money and not nearly enough time.

Scumbi

"Collecting" means to amass. It has an active connotation. You cannot stop collecting. Life is collecting memories, anecdotes, knowledge, baseball cards, etc... For me, it's a one way street. If you truly love the cards, how can you limit yourself to one set. It's not definitive. Do you pick a pre-war set and miss out on Mickey Mantle and Wilie Mays or vice-versa and miss out on Ruth and Gehrig? Of course, money plays a role, but we've all found out selling isn't the worst thing as we attempt to hone and distinguish our collections.

Obviously, you can choose to stop, but I don't think the pursuit can ever be completed. That's part of the appeal.

S.

Fabfrank

Ironically, every time a package arrives my wife asks "When will this end?"
I finally got annoyed enough and said "It'll end when I say it ends!"

1954

This is a great topic 67Standup. I was thinking about my 1934 Batter up set and at what point do I put the set "to rest". I came to two conclusions: 1. Stop at a GPA of 6.25 or 2. Stop when I have every card in a PSA 5 or better. Many of these cards only have 5 total in pop and the highest grade is a PSA 6. It may be five years before we see a higher copy. I am starting to become bored with it since I can't find a card on Ebay that I need. None of the dealers have them in their inventory except for 707 and I have gone through his list already.
As far as my 1971 Topps Greatest Moments set, I just found that someone graded out 1000+ cards this past week. I can not believe my eyes. If anyone knows who this person is there are many of us wanting to know.

Regards,
Shane

67standup

<< <i>Ironically, every time a package arrives my wife asks "When will this end?"
I finally got annoyed enough and said "It'll end when I say it ends!" >>



And if she asks, "where are you going to be?", you can reply, "I'll be where I'm at!"


...wonderful responses everyone. Again, it's probably the activity, the road taken, the pursuit, etc. that drives many of us.

On that note, anyone have a darn 1968 OPC Carew (any condition) so I can finish that set?

sjeanblanc

With all the Nolan Ryan cards that I found when I did my checklist, and the ones that are being found by Con40, I think there will be a never ending collection pursuit for Ryan cards.

Realistically though I believe available funds will dictate the end of collecting pursuits for me at least and maybe some others. I have trouble pacing myself, I tend to want everything "right now" and that can make things expensive.

Scott Jeanblanc
jeanblanc@iconnect.net
Ebay UserId : sjeanblanc
---------------------------------------------
Collecting Nolan Ryan cards (68-94) and after staring at my graded 1971 Topps cards for two days, I decided to start a 1971 Topps set.

Scumbi

God, I hate the mailbox guilt Fabfrank is referring too. I hate sneaking out for phony dog walks after the damn dog has already crapp-ed the house to intercept incoming baseball cards. I hate stuffing bubble envelopes down my pants and getting constant paper cuts on my Randy Johnson.

However, we all have to admit we're a bunch of psycho-fish that belong in a rubber roomed pagoda at the bottom of the tank. Personally, I work hours and hours to purchase rotting pieces of old cardboard. When I'm not doing that, I hit a rubber ball with a metal stick in between trees. I might have tried to be someone if all the great things hadn't already been invented like alcohol, Elizabeth Hurley, the remote control, the Mach 3 and Japanese shiatsu massage halls.

Thus, I'll just live out the string.

s.

helionaut

I know there's an end to certain parts of my collection, and it's funny because I have been thinking about this since Cerebus (a 27-year, 300-issue comic book series) ended a couple months ago. I'm committed to having my 75 set up to an 8.05 GPA, and having my 71TGM set to be at least all 7s, and I want to finish all the modern sets I have where I'm down to needing a handful of cards.

Beyond that, I'm not settled on any real goals, and maybe it'll be time to take a break. I want to build a pre-war baseball set of some kind in some grade. I want to build either 52 Bowman, 56 Topps or 57 Topps in 7+. I want to build a vintage football set, either 51 or 55 Bowman, or 62 or 69 Topps. I'd like to build one hockey set and one basketball set. And I think I will stop actively collecting Frank Thomas at some point. But I'm sure sometime between now and when I accomplish these goals, I will find several others. Maybe find a new hobby that involves assembling a collection, maybe have a kid, which seems to be quite an engrossing hobby in itself. But it's tough to imagine never being involved even a little with these little pieces of cardboard.

Fabfrank

Scumbi- One of my co-workers sees me on Ebay every day and knows about my wife's "feelings" about my obsession. He put it best when he said "With all the packages you get, for you, every day must be Christmas"

SUPERPUNK813

As soon as i can finish my T205 set in straight PSA 10's i'll stop collecting.

toppsgun

He put it best when he said "With all the packages you get, for you, every day must be Christmas"

That what I tell the post office clerks when I sign for the insured packages. I'm in there so much, they must think, "Is this all this guy does for a living?"

FB

Nope - no end in sight.

Build - trade - buy - complete - upgrade - upgrade - upgrade - add another set or 2 - build - trade - buy - complete - upgrade. Oh yeah - what a vicious cycle...