What do you enjoy most about our great hobby?

Goodsport40

Is it the thrill of the hunt?

Perhaps finding your white whale?

Is it having the hottest card of the moment?

Maybe it is finding that low pop card for your set or player collection?

Or, is it any number of other things?

For me, it is the thrill of the hunt. I like to find the card I want at as close to my price as possible. Then, I move on to another target.

How about the rest of you?




Robert

MeteoriteGuy

Finding that rare Steve Young card and winning it for a $1-2 (plus shipping) which is pretty often.

Flintboy

Levi Bleam

CDsNuts

I get a kick out of buying crap that I wanted but couldn't afford as a kid.

Goodsport40

I get a kick out of buying crap that I wanted but couldn't afford as a kid.

Me too!



Robert

hofautos

Reseaching stats
Searching and buying...i hate selling...

storm888

I like to look at other folks' stuff.

ymarea

For me the hunt provides the biggest thrill. Chasing down and finally acquiring that elusive card is tons of fun. Once I have it, the thrill subsides and it's on to the next one.

Zixx

The thrill of pack ripping. Never know when you'll get that 1K card

VitoCo1972

Buying cards that I know my dad probably had as kid. He was born in 52 so when I did my 61 Basketball set, i could only wonder how many Chamberlain's he had. I'd really like to do 64 Baseball at some point because I figure that'd be right in his collecting prime.

bman90278

To me it's enjoyable and relaxing and reminds me of my childhood and how lucky we all were as kids. I also find myself thinking of my father buying cards back in the 40's and 50's and how many awesome cards he must have had. I'm actually just into my first year back into cards collecting, but I'm trying to do a collection of the players me and my late father loved as we were growing up. I think that's important, because my father died back in '89 and I really don't have anything from him that I can pass along to my kids. But I will have something for my kids. I'm also looking forward to seeing my boy get excited about a card one day when he is older.





<< <i> I get a kick out of buying crap that I wanted but couldn't afford as a kid. >>

Me too!!!!!!!

recbball

I get a kick out of buying crap that I wanted but couldn't afford as a kid.

Also completing sets is very satisfying.

zep33

I love ripping packs as much as I did as a kid.

Guess it brings me back to a simpler time

cohocorp

for me its the thrill of the hunt. also, it reminds me of my brother who passed away while flying for the u.s. air force. i ended up with his collection which got me started in cards.

larryallen73

It quenches my mild OCD which allows me to get rid of most everything else in the house.

2dueces

The interaction with other collectors. If this was a solitary hobby,
there would be alot less collectors.

Tvac897

I most enjoy getting on these forums and sharing the stories of our newest finds with everyone.

HighChopper

Probably the 20- to 30-year old gum.

11235813

For me it's two things:

1) The challenge of completing tough sets (1977 Topps Mexican, 1971 Kelloggs,etc.)
2) The enjoyment I get from looking at beautiful cards, which to me are like works of art

itzagoner

the memories it invokes.....the Mile Markers of sports help me to retrace my past, nothing else comes close to that

Allen

Praying to the solid gold idol of Albert Pujols in my room.

jdmi32

It's all about the memories and the respite it gives from the daily grind. And like Lee said, being able to now buy cards I could only dream about as a kid is pretty cool.

perkdog

Just like it is for Women with me its the same thing with cards- the thrill of the hunt and landing a GEM!

nam812

<< <i>Just like it is for Women with me its the same thing with cards- the thrill of the hunt and landing a GEM! >>



Dont you mean playing footsies under the message board table with BigDaddy?

perkdog

<< <i>

<< <i>Just like it is for Women with me its the same thing with cards- the thrill of the hunt and landing a GEM! >>



Dont you mean playing footsies under the message board table with BigDaddy? >>




Only in my Vintage Football thread

larryallen73

Praying to the solid gold idol of Albert Pujols in my room.

I actually have an entire wing of my house dedicated to Prince Albert.

zep33

<< <i>Praying to the solid gold idol of Albert Pujols in my room.

I actually have an entire wing of my house dedicated to Prince Albert. >>



hope you don't have him in a can

CDsNuts

I have twelve children, all named Albert Pujols. The girls get made fun of in school but they'll understand when they're older.

otwcards

<< <i>Just like it is for Women with me its the same thing with cards- the thrill of the hunt and landing a GEM! >>



Not sure I'd want a GEM, it's probably altered. Heck, I wouldn't want a PRO, either!

I don't want my woman/women encased in plastic. A little Saran Wrap Teddy or Lycra halter though and we can talk...

elsnorto

There are quite a few things around this hobby that I enjoy... seeing other peoples collections / interests, discovering items I never knew existed, and the sense of accomplishment with completing a set. But, most of all, I enjoy the hobby as a look back into the history of the game (in my case the football) and the men who pioneered it.

This really is a great hobby with all sort of people collecting all sorts of different things for all sorts of reasons... and there is more than enough room in the hobby for all of them.

Snorto~

Ladder7

Seeing the look of amazement on non-collectors when I show them a HOF prewar card. "Is this real?"

swankdaddy7

<< <i>I get a kick out of buying crap that I wanted but couldn't afford as a kid. >>



I agree. I like buying Unitas, Brown, Namath and stuff like that that I couldn't dream of as a kid. I also love opening wax packs (late 70s, early 80s), the unknown is just so appealing. I love coming across a card that I don't have in a grade that I want and being able to get it.

Estil

Being able to get all those Fleer inserts, Finest sets, and hopefully even the Ultra Gold Medallion sets from the 1990s for peanuts.

Goodsport40

Great stuff. Let's keep it going and remember the FUN part of our hobby for a change! Thanks everyone.



Robert

TJMAC

The best part for me is enjoying the stuff I have and the memories they invoke.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Getting the card I always wanted as a kid....and then his 12+ variations.

Opening packs. Borderline addicted. Watching my boys opening packs.

Building a Dodger collection that hopefully my boys will keep.

I enjoy hearing what my boys like on the cards. Funny names, poses etc..

Helping others when I can with what I know.

Putting cards in pages with my boys. I hate doing it solo. But with them...it's fun.

I like selling cards. Rarely make a profit and dont buy to flip (very rarely), but I enjoy selling.

I like focusing on a player that has many variations made, and try to get them all. I like the way they look together.
ie- Russ Martin 2005 BDP-30 different cards
Clayton Kershaw- 2007 Tristar Elegance 20 different patch cards.

JackWESQ

There are a lot of things that I enjoy about the hobby, but I have to admit that the one thing I find most interesting are final "hammer" prices. Of course, I can never TRULY KNOW if a buyer actually goes through and sends payment for Card X. That said, it will never cease to amaze me the dollars that people spend on pieces of cardboard.

In the world of collectibles, e.g., artwork, paintings, toys, cars (yeah some people collect cars), etc., I think the argument can be made that sports cards have the LEAST inherent/intrinsic value. Notwithstanding, people still pay $1,000.00, $10,000.00, $100,000.00 and even $1,000,000.00 for a card and that, can be beyond comprehension.

/s/ JackWESQ

P.S. Quick question. There are SEC rules against Bill Gates waking up one day and deciding to sell every single share he owns in Microsoft. That said, what effect, if any, do you think there would be in the hobby if Charles Merkel, Donald Spence or Marshall Fogel woke up one day and decided to sell everything that they had, deciding to "get out of it." I have no idea, but would it be unreasonable to believe that their respective collections are worth $5,000,000.00? $10,000,000.00? $20,000,000.00? More?

recbball

Seeing a bubble mailer in the mail box.

nearmint

Getting raw cards in the mail that are as nice as advertised.

Estil

<< <i>There are a lot of things that I enjoy about the hobby, but I have to admit that the one thing I find most interesting are final "hammer" prices. Of course, I can never TRULY KNOW if a buyer actually goes through and sends payment for Card X. That said, it will never cease to amaze me the dollars that people spend on pieces of cardboard. >>



It never ceases to amaze me that our currency is nothing more than pieces of paper. And the only reason it has any value at all is simply because the gov't says so. That is, it's not backed by or contain any gold (since 1933) or silver (since 1965) or even shells and beads. But yet we use it buy/sell stuff and never give it any second thought.

JPws6

<< <i>I love ripping packs as much as I did as a kid.

Guess it brings me back to a simpler time >>



Same here. Couple years ago I found a card shop down the street from where I work and have been hooked just like when I was a kid. The owner is great and the prices are fair. It is also a great place to go hang out on lunch at work, talk sports and bust some packs.

fattymacs

The chase for cards in the sets I'm doing, ripping anything(mostly the late 70's stuff), reading the threads here(esp. Mail Call, Raw Card Sat. and the Trade to a 52' Mantle), listening to my son try to trade his cousin for Cincy Reds cards, I really liked the Topps Heritage set this year.

Reese3333

For me it's all about the hunt. There is nothing like finding that one you've been looking for!

Goot

How it helps me pick up all the girls.

But seriously, I love collecting the guys I idolize and have grown up watching (Chipper, Kaz and Crawford). There's just something about owning that piece of carboard with their picture, autograph, jersey, etc. on it that makes me feel as though I'm connected to them in some way. I've tried to explain it to my parents or friends, but I just can't find the words that describe it at all. I know you guys understand though and that's why I sign onto this website almost everyday.

It also gives me a break from reality in a way. Just like surfing does for me, browsing ebay or just looking through the cards that I already have can be extremely relaxing and take your mind off of some stresses.

TheCARDKid

For me, it's mostly just reminiscing about being a kid.

Those days were magical. If you collected from '85 to '92/93, it's sort of amazing how everything came together around that time.

-The sports leagues were strong and getting stronger

-Great visability with the players, the games were on WGN or ABC. If the games were on a private channel, or some sort of league pass, it wouldn't have been the same.

-The hobby took shape and developed.

-The players were great role models. Everyone looked up to them.

-And everyone you knew collected.

And all the card shops, the availability of it. I went to tons of shops all throughout California, I wish I had taken pictures of them. Card shops in San Diego, Carmel (at the barnyard, I haven't been there in 20 years), Solvang, malls, etc.