Are y'all alone in your collecting like me?

frankhardy

Does anybody have a close friend or family member that you can share your collection with, or that shares your passion and collects theirself?

My wife is the best. She supports me in my collecting because I have been able to make some very good money as well. Before that, she didn't understand at all. Now, she knows I can turn it all into cash very easilly. BUT, she doesn't collect herself. She knows quit a bit about cards though. Other than her, none of my friends or family collect cards. I do have a real good friend that dabbles in it, but nobody really on my level.

Anybody else this way? I guess that's why I spend time on these boards!

jmbkb4

<< <i>Does anybody have a close friend or family member that you can share your collection with, or that shares your passion and collects theirself?

My wife is the best. She supports me in my collecting because I have been able to make some very good money as well. Before that, she didn't understand at all. Now, she knows I can turn it all into cash very easilly. BUT, she doesn't collect herself. She knows quit a bit about cards though. Other than her, none of my friends or family collect cards. I do have a real good friend that dabbles in it, but nobody really on my level.

Anybody else this way? I guess that's why I spend time on these boards! >>


Your story sounds eerily similar to my own. My wife is cool about it, but doesn't get involved like I do. Best to you and Thank God for these forums!

Caricon

Yep, the same here. It's been just over 2 years now that I have really have droped in buying cards.
I just collect baseball. I used to have a nice web site with lots of pics, all my extras to help people
fill there sets. But after the IRC channel died off, the ones of you that read this from that long ago
will remember, I just kinda stopped. It was the people there that kept me going in my cards
collecting. Lyrch - Brave - DrJones - Co1lector - Sosa21 - and many others. Then the fall of the
two local card shops gave me nothing to go out around here for. I know I can get everything off
the net, but it's fun to see the cards in the shops, and check out everything there. I still have
everything, and I do buy some baseball cards now and then, it's just not the same. Oh well.........

williplett

Me and my brother were both into it when we were younger. I got away from it for about 20 years and have since started back into it. Showing my brother my new cards and talking about the hobby has sparked his interest back up again too.

It's nice since we can share the experience. My dad collected when he was young and he appreciates looking at the cards, although collecting them isn't his bag. He is one of the guys whose 52 Mantle went into the trash when he joined the service.

MuckyMutt

Wow, we must be a rare breed. Same here. In almost 50 years of collecting off and on, I haven't met another that shares my passion. It would just be so cool to share the excitement of new aquisitions and maybe do some trading. On Christmas day this year I got a few cards and it was so disappointing that there was no one around to share my excitement. My wife tolerates my collecting, and does well at pretending to listen when I talk about cards - but absolutely no interest whatsoever. I stop at a local card shop once or twice a month hoping to strike up a conversation about vintage cards, but everyone I've seen there only talks about current issues.

I'm trying right now to bargain with the LOML for some space to diplay some of my collection - but right now the only progress I've made is a corner in the spare bedroom. Even if that's all I get, I'm going to build the darndest shrine to baseball you ever saw!

I am so glad this board is here. You guys are great!

eyebone

LOL.....virtually the same story here as well. My wife is very tolerant of my spending and my time spent on the hobby, but she does not understand why on earth I do it. I think she just humours me if you know what I mean. None of my friends collect either, although I have made a couple of good friends from the hobby. I really wish I had stumbled onto this board earlier, as I enjoy the banter and have learned a ton from some very knowledgable people.

Hope everybody has a happy and healthy new year. Eyebone

DaddyRich

I am sensing a pattern here, too bad we all live so far away from one another. Meeting up at the Anaheim show sounds like a better and better proposition. My oldest son (who is 8) enjoys seeing them but doesn't have the bug the way I did at that age.

gregm13

What would most of us do without the PSA boards?? My wife is tolerant also - she tells me the cards I get in the mail and buys a box for me occasionally from Target or Wal-Mart - but that is as far as her interest takes her. My two brothers collected cards when we were kids but haven't in over 10 years. They're both younger (I'm 31 and they're 25 and 26) and can't afford cards right now. I have two childhood friends who I go with to all the major Chicago shows but they collect only modern baseball/baseball autographs - and my passion is vintage football, Dan Marino and HOF football autographs and dabble in some modern football and HOF baseball autographs.

It's hard to find others who have the same passion I do, and there are several people I have met from the boards who not only share my passions but are great people.

Regards,

Greg M.

phreakydancin

I have only one collector friend, but he is strictly into modern - and the only graded cards he owns are the ones I gave him for his birthday this year

Hub

My wife's so cool about it, I named our e-Bay business half after her. In other words, when we lose money (most of the time), it's MY hobby. When we make a little, I share the credit with her!

She's the BEST!

Stone193

My wife is ambivalently tolerant.

I have no friends that collect.

If it weren't for the internet, I would be sharing my stuff with my two cats...Tiger and Tabatha!

So, life is good.
Happy New Year
mike

Goodsport40

Hi, everyone. Looks like I'm in the same boat as the majority of posters. My wife is very understanding of my purchases. I tried to get my middle son into the hobby(he's 14), but girls and IPods have taken over. I have followed this board for some time and I truly enjoy reading it as much as I can. So, at least we have each other.

Comet

<< <i>Hi, everyone. Looks like I'm in the same boat as the majority of posters. My wife is very understanding of my purchases. I tried to get my middle son into the hobby(he's 14), but girls and IPods have taken over. I have followed this board for some time and I truly enjoy reading it as much as I can. So, at least we have each other. >>



I can relate to Goodsport40. Lately, my son (age 15) has politely declined to go to card shows with me. However, I still enjoy collecting. I just miss his youthful excitement in our searches.

detroitfan2

Pretty much the same story for me. My dad is into the hobby big-time (he has a SWEET card room). He lives about an hour away. My wife is understanding as well.

My 6 year old son has just started showing interest. Of course his favorite cards are 1952 Topps Wings (non-sport), but it's a start! Once he buys his first one (PSA graded of course) and adds it to his registry, he'll have the #4 all-time set! He also likes any "shiny" (code word for chrome) card in the world and any "signed" card, even if he never heard of the guy. We just started HIS (wink-wink) collection of autographed Detroit athletes. Here are his first 2 (won this past week):

MuckyMutt

hey detroitfan - those are a couple NICE cards! Will you adopt me and buy me cards too?

detroitfan2

Mucky, no problem as long as you decide to collect what "dad" likes too! And there's a $5 per card limit unless the guys a HOF'er, then the limit is $10.

Believe me, we have a lot of Kris Drapers and Tom Veryzers on our list too.

Thanks for the kind words!

-Tom

Pharber

None of my friends collect, but that doesn't matter. I only collect Topps Heritage and it consumes me from about the time the Super Bowl ends until the beginning of baseball season. I just picked up my third case (not bad, $450, shipping included) on EBay and I'm counting down the days until they arrive in early March. It's a blast ripping all the packs the first couple of days. I just about have it down to a science, diverting the cards into boxes depending whether they are 1-50, 51-100, 101-150, etc so that putting sets together is pretty easy. I put together a set for myself and trade with others on the boards to finish off a couple of full sets and a bunch of base sets as well as a parallel set or two. Those I sell on EBay. The proceeds stay in my PayPal account until the next year and it helps defray the cost of splurging on a couple of cases the following year. Of course you don't recoup all your money, but that's all right. When you live in New England and you've been buried in snow for three months, ripping packs of baseball cards shortens the dreary days of winter.

Stone193

Key common experience for those who have children:

A lot of people got back into the hobby because they had children wanting to buy packs of cards.

mike

lostdart58

I have been thinking for a long time to put an add in my local paper to find other collectors in my area..................but I just haven't done it.

...I will one day

eyebone

Jami:

That is a neat idea. Might be problematic for you though wouldn't it? I mean couldn't a neighbour be somebody on a nearby island? Or maybe somebody passing through on a cruise ship....LOL.

Do you think there are other collectors in St. Thomas? Your collection is remarkable when considering the limits you face (ie. no live shows, no card shops, momentarily no other collectors, etc).

Wish I had been able to have a look at your collection. Maybe next time.....


Eyebone

lostdart58

<< <i>Jami:

That is a neat idea. Might be problematic for you though wouldn't it? I mean couldn't a neighbour be somebody on a nearby island? Or maybe somebody passing through on a cruise ship....LOL.

Do you think there are other collectors in St. Thomas? Your collection is remarkable when considering the limits you face (ie. no live shows, no card shops, momentarily no other collectors, etc).

Wish I had been able to have a look at your collection. Maybe next time.....


Eyebone >>



Hey....... I offered you the island tour.............

eyebone

and a nice gesture it was, too.

Eyebone

studentT206

I shared a similiar experience as most here except about two years ago I ran into my very best friend from Junior High in my home town at a card shop. I hadn't seen him in about 10 years but we picked up right where we had left off. I am amazed that we were both still so heavily addicted to cards. I also have met many people setting up at shows that share our passion. Finally, I have also made a really great friend through deals over the internet. This hobby comes with some great commrodarie at times! Go to shows, or set up, send e-mails to sellers you win auctions from, contact people on this board or 54forum board, its amazing how approachable other junkies are!

Damian

Stingray

I would have to say if it was not for these forums, I probably would still be going to those Gilbraltar Shows, and buying a few packs here and there. I have three daughters, none who have an interest in collecting and the wife stays out if it, just would like me to clean out the basement of all my late 80s and 90s junk.


Stingray

70chip

You guys are lucky that the wife tolerates and even supports our hobby. Mine hates the fact that I enjoy collecting and despises the fact that I spend money on it. It is a nice getaway to open a box of cards or buy something that adds to my collection. Funny, though, it was cool when we were dating, hmmmm how things change when you say I do!! Oh well, maybe I need to screen my next wife a bit better. End of my angry guy rant!!! LOL. Love the fourms and the opinions that are shared here, it is priceless. Happy New Year All!!!