Are You Satisfied With Your Collection?
TJMAC
Posts: 864 ✭✭
I know variations of this question have come up in the past, but I though it would be interesting to bring it up again. For the first time since I started collecting in 2000, I am happier looking at what I have then searching for new stuff. It used to be the thrill of the hunt was more exciting, but since my vintage and modern HOF and Star collection has grown there are more cards I have then I want. I keep myself on a pretty good budget and have about $400 or $500 to spend on cards every few months. It used to be I would blow threw that money in a couple of weeks, now it almost takes me the whole 3 month period. I also find myself focusing on higher dollar cards, for me anywhere from $100-$300 now that I have a pretty sizeable graded collection. For example, I just bought a PSA 5 Nolan Ryan rookie. I imagine my budget will eventually all go towards 1 or 2 cards unless I diversify into Football, Basketball and Hockey.
Many of you know what I collect, since you have seen the "Show Your Collection" Thread, but in case you don't I collect primarily 30 of the top PSA graded baseball cards from 1956-1985 and Modern Graded Rookies.
Anyway enough about me, are you more satisfied with what you have or prefer looking at other peoples stuff or more things to acquire?
Many of you know what I collect, since you have seen the "Show Your Collection" Thread, but in case you don't I collect primarily 30 of the top PSA graded baseball cards from 1956-1985 and Modern Graded Rookies.
Anyway enough about me, are you more satisfied with what you have or prefer looking at other peoples stuff or more things to acquire?
0
Comments
As far as my collection goes I got heavy into the Vintage Football about a year ago and the first 8 months I had no direction as I was buying a ton of stuff from different sets that I wanted in my collection. I am now finding that I have roughly 80% of what I need and can start focusing on my favorite set -the 52 Bowman Large, I dont think I will ever be satisfied but more like settled I guess, I can take my time and pick up stuuf here and there without the constant feeling of being on a hunt in so many different directions.
My favorite day of the week is saturday, so I can post some pics on the "Raw Card Saturday" thread. When I scan what I believe to be a group of high quality cards, I find a couple of clunkers. Sharing cards with fellow board members--people knowledgeable about cards and card quality--can be both intimidating and motivating. It keeps me striving to make my collecton better.
Brett, I agree about being able to share your collecting interests with other collectors. My favorite threads are the ones that share collecting stories or show off cards people have. It is really interesting to see all the different things people collect such as Stone's Board Games and player collections such as Brett Butler, Russ Martin and Chris Sabo. Sport cards have been a big part of my life and it is nice to see other people sharing in a passion that few understand.
I agree. I love seeing other people's cards on these threads, especially cards that I don't have! I would also like to second Perkdog's praise of your collection. Not only are they great looking cards, but they are displayed beautifully. All of my cards are either in "shoeboxes" or binders. I have absolutely no creative sense when it comes to card display.
Buying Vintage, all sports.
Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
besides ultra expensive vintage, i just dont see much on ebay i like any more...but the hunt continues...
Currently
1. unopened stuff from the 70's
2. 51 Bowman baseball
3. Buying/Upgrading my favorite Reds players (up to 1979)
4. 56 Topps Baseball
5. Misc. HOFers from 1933 to 1979
6. Raiding WalMart a few times a week for my ripping jones.
High quality cards from the 50's anyway have not been impacted.
I have to say that I am VERY intrigued by the collections that are made up of nice 6's.
"Molon Labe"
I'm a bit over 50% for several of my team sets, just in the last few weeks, and I'm enjoying the feeling that I have fewer to get than I already have for those sets. When I get closer, I'll start working harder on the sets that I have a lower percentage of, and maybe start a few new ones that I only have a few cards from.
I also need to update a few of my player sets that I've let idle for a while, either to get over the 10% threshold or to show some activity in them for the first time in a while.
What I like about the hobby is the sheer variety of things to buy and collect. New things pop up. Old things get stored away (some cards or sets you don't see for years).
Like the BBC Exchange site. I've been looking at their site for years. It's still fun to see what new products come in. Or buy packs I haven't bought in a while.
Without the variety, I would have packed up a long time ago. I don't know if you guys do it, but I seem to keep one eye on cards and the hobby, and another eye on the clock and time. Mid 2008, I'm still sort of suprised I'm into as much as I was. Sports has changed so much since I started collecting. And so many other things pop up. And other collecting focuses, (mainly GI Joe, Transformers from the 80's).
But overall, pretty satisfied. Still fun, that's the point.
I think people enter three stages....1. Wow, collecting PSA cards and raw cards is cool......2. Buying everything they can at a furious
pace......3. Realizing they can't have everything, and then deciding which direction to go in
Stage 4 is where I'm at. That is totally content with what I decided to stick with, and I haven't nor do I intend to ever deviate
from that collecting style. It will probably take me forever to ever complete my collecting goals, because what I collect is very
difficult to obtain.
<< <i>I'm very satisfied now, but I went through a few years of figuring out what I wanted to collect.
I think people enter three stages....1. Wow, collecting PSA cards and raw cards is cool......2. Buying everything they can at a furious
pace......3. Realizing they can't have everything, and then deciding which direction to go in
Stage 4 is where I'm at. That is totally content with what I decided to stick with, and I haven't nor do I intend to ever deviate
from that collecting style. It will probably take me forever to ever complete my collecting goals, because what I collect is very
difficult to obtain. >>
LOL great way to put it. Wish I could depart stage 2
<< <i>I am never satisfied with my collection. Every time I bust out a set to have a casual look, I find more cards that displease me. As I continue to upgrade, others that I once thought were good enough suddenly don't seem so nice. Thus the cycle continues. I don't mind though. The constant "flow" of cards keeps me interested and active. I also get to meet (at least online) lots of other people who share my interest in cards.. >>
Wow, welcome to the club. But luckily I've learned over the years to be realistic about those little flaws (like if you order a NRMT/MT set and it has five commons that are not-so-nice or miscut, for example) here and there and realize I can always upgrade later.
But OTOH, the fact that we are never "satisifed" and continuing to strive to make our collections the best they can be is part of the challenge and part of the fun.
But at least I do have one main area of focus: 1970s Topps sets w/ PSA 7 keys. I will begin work on my 1971 set in a couple of months and will focus on 1972 and 1973 for 2009. I do have a few other projects but most are only one or two sets (or at the very least all cheap sets) short of finishing up.
D's: 50P,49S,45D+S,43D,41S,40D,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 241,435,610,654 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings
<< <i>Satisfied yes, but I'm finding that the "the economy is bad and cards are cheap" argument is baloney.
High quality cards from the 50's anyway have not been impacted.
I have to say that I am VERY intrigued by the collections that are made up of nice 6's. >>
The high quality cards have not seen a major impact since the people buying those are typically downturn/recession proof. I have seen major discounts lately on mid grade vintage (PSA5 thru PSA 7), with many cards going for 50-75% of SMR. SInce I am a mid grade collector, it has been a boon for my vintage collection.
Sidepocket, PSA 6's can be great looking cards, especially from the 1960's and they are very affordable. For 60's Baseball stars/hofers they have maintained their value too. As I stated in another thread I have not seen a significant decrease in prices since the economy has gone down a bit.
I get tempted to upgrade some of my stuff from time to time and occassionally do. However, I try not to be overly fussy since it takes away the fun of the hobby for me. As long as the card presents fairly well and does not have creases, I am satisified.
We've collected so much in the past 40+ years that we've decided to deplete everything except our Mantle Collection.
We're currently in the process of getting the last batch of our raw Mantle cards graded by PSA.
A few major auction houses are desperately competing to outdo the others with all kinds of promises and perks.
Hopefully in a few months to a year, we can be satisfied with our collection.
<< <i>PSA 6's can be great looking cards, especially from the 1960's and they are very affordable. For 60's Baseball stars/hofers they have maintained their value too. As I stated in another thread I have not seen a significant decrease in prices since the economy has gone down a bit. >>
I hope so, because I want to do 1960s sets (in the 2010s; must finish my 1970s sets first) with PSA 6 keys (matching the decade) to keep it affordable. About how much do 6's go for compared to 7's (for 1970s, the Beckett Almanac's prices and what PSA 7's go for on Ebay are about the same)
D's: 50P,49S,45D+S,43D,41S,40D,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 241,435,610,654 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings
I'm now just 2 cards shy of completing a high-grade 55T set (my 3rd and final set attempt at 55T). When I get the last two cards, I should place somewhere in the low teens in the Registry. I also have a pretty good run of Red Sox cards from 1972 to 1980. Got a few holes, but not too difficult to fill. One of my favorite sets is the All-Time Red Sox set. I kinda drew the line at the Leaf card requirements and older. I just can't get too excited about really old stuff, and the cost is prohibitive in decent grade.
I obviously have no clue how you guys "house" your collection, but if you can somehow put them on a wall (NON sun) and enjoy lookiing at them from time to time, it really enhances the enjoyment of the collection. I built a nice wall frame for my 55T collection, it's 5' x 7', 15 cards across each row, and there are 14 rows. I picked up the 4 "missing" 55T cards to fill in very nicely, Whitey Ford, Stan Musial, Bob Feller and Herb Score. Just so happens that 14X15 equals a convenient 210, the number of cards in the set.
I use VCP to alert me when one or more of my "needs" pops up, but I also do some surfing, always looking for a deal, especially in the 55T arena.
Happy collecting!!
Al - mcmlvtopps
Good topic BTW. Eyebone
I can only hope my collection will be a fraction of what I see here on the boards...
leadoff4, I primarily collect the top 30 star/hofers from each Topps set from 1956-1985 and also modern rookies of what I deem to be superstars or future Hofers i.e Maddux, Kent, Ramiriez, McGWIRE, Clemens, Bonds, Glavine etc. The top 30 does not include All stars or group cards, though I do have a few of those. I base the 30 on top level hofers and rotate the lesser guys Niekro, Billy Williams, Sutton etc. In the 1950's I collect PSA 5 and 6 (a few 7's'), 1960 PSA 6 and 7 (a few 5's), 1970's PSA 7 & 8 (some 6's from pre 1973) and the 80's PSA 8 and 9.
First - for some of the newcomers - I wrote a little paper a while back about collecting. - it's a bit long - but I think many will find a little of themself somewhere in my synopsis.
The key - I spoke of the "phases" or steps of collecting and the last one is:
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
If you have the collecting bug or it's in your blood? You'll never be satisfied - there will always be just "one" more thing that you need.
Enjoy collecting - it'll keep ya alive forever!
mike
<< <i>If you have the collecting bug or it's in your blood? You'll never be satisfied - there will always be just "one" more thing that you need.
Enjoy collecting - it'll keep ya alive forever!
mike >>
Mike-
Totally agree...I am pleased with my collection..BUT there is ALWAYS something out there to add to it. I can't ever imagine ever beng "done."
View Vintage Football Cards For Sale
<< <i>I know variations of this question have come up in the past, but I though it would be interesting to bring it up again. For the first time since I started collecting in 2000, I am happier looking at what I have then searching for new stuff. It used to be the thrill of the hunt was more exciting, but since my vintage and modern HOF and Star collection has grown there are more cards I have then I want. I keep myself on a pretty good budget and have about $400 or $500 to spend on cards every few months. It used to be I would blow threw that money in a couple of weeks, now it almost takes me the whole 3 month period. I also find myself focusing on higher dollar cards, for me anywhere from $100-$300 now that I have a pretty sizeable graded collection. For example, I just bought a PSA 5 Nolan Ryan rookie. I imagine my budget will eventually all go towards 1 or 2 cards unless I diversify into Football, Basketball and Hockey.
Many of you know what I collect, since you have seen the "Show Your Collection" Thread, but in case you don't I collect primarily 30 of the top PSA graded baseball cards from 1956-1985 and Modern Graded Rookies.
Anyway enough about me, are you more satisfied with what you have or prefer looking at other peoples stuff or more things to acquire? >>
I collect the top ten football cards in value each year from 1957 to 1989 (including Fleer and Philadelphia). I have 326 of the 420 cards that fall into this category (77%). I am still missing plenty from the 50s and 60s, so those are fun to look for. But I very much relate to the progression and mind-set that you describe in your post. I have a mid-grade Unitas rookie, but so far I have not made a run at Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, or Joe Namath rookies. I'm biding my time on those and wondering what grade I will be happy with.
First Cards ever collected - 1978 Topps Football.
Working on a collection of the Top Ten FB Cards of each year from 1957-1987.
I mostly collect graded HOF and future HOF rookies (both vintage and modern), but I also collect:
Reprint rookie autos (Heritage, Topps Stars, Team Topps, Archives, Fan Favorites)
I have small player collections of Manny, Vladdy, and Andruw.
I also have a few cards in my "fluff collection" like triple autos, sick patches, and any other interesting thing that catches my eye.
I don't think there is a collection that is more diverse than mine.
<< <i>Estil, I am really not up on the guide prices, but the only thing I can tell you to get the top 300 cards from the 60's is going to run about $10,000.-$11,000. >>
I'll most likely only do the ones that book for $25 or more (in the Beckett Almanac) in graded form. Or, I may take it a step further and include all the regular HOFers (not the ones in subsets unless they're at least $25 BV) like I am for 1970-72. Let's say I do, oh, the top 50 or so in PSA 6. And let's say I cheat and leave out the Mantle card and the big rookie for that year for last. Now how much are we looking at?
D's: 50P,49S,45D+S,43D,41S,40D,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 241,435,610,654 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings
<< <i>Are You Satisfied With Your Collection? >>
I am. Would you care to see any scans?
1994 Pro Line Live
TheDallasCowboyBackfieldProject
Yes, both front and back scans please
I suppose satisfied may be a bit of a strong word. However, I think I have crossed a point where I enjoy more what I have then hunting down my next prize. I do not intend to stop by any means, but it seems like I can stop sprinting and start to casually jog, to use a running analogy. Collecting is a long journey that is meant to be enjoyed, but for me I guess I had to hit a certain amount of cards to cross the threshold of coveting what I don't have to enjoying what I do have.
Swank, it is nice to see someone doing the football equivelant of my collection interests. To me, it is a focused, fun way of collecting that allows you to collect different eras and capture all the greats of the game.
Specifically, I have too many incomplete sets that once (if) polished off would leave me pretty satisfied on the vintage football front... but that is a long way off and there are other sets I would like to start after these top ones.
On the other hand, I am pretty happy with how my memorabilia collection displays, although it is always a work in progress that I am looking to add to.
Were I not so far down the vintage football set path, I would probably do the HOF set or the "Top x" sort of sets TJMAC and Swank are doing.
Snorto~
That statement fits me the best.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.