The Future Of Collecting
prthd
Posts: 1,323
Over the past 20 or so years we have seen the "card market" go up and down and change dramatically. From 1/1 masterpieces selling for THOUSANDS when they first emerged in 1998 Flair Showcase, games used cards, low numbered rookies ect. I remember a dealer friend of mine selling a 1989 Donruss Griffey PSA 10 for $1,200.00 . Boy have times changes.
Looking back over my childhood collecting years, we were all wanting the rookies, and hoping for that big payday down the road. Im 36 years old and can tell you many stories about cards that are irrelevant now to all of us, but brings back some of the greatest childhood memories. I remember playing a game of pool with my brother in our basement, the prize was a 1988 Topps Mike Greenwell Rc card We both put one on the table and winner took both. Trading with other kids at school, looking for 1996 SP football rookies (mostly Terry Glenn), the list goes on and on. This brings me to my point. I think when Finest, Topps, Sp started putting the rookies together and making the card design a little different, it set the stage for the hobbies future.
I think your going to see alot of collectors in my age range, building "rookie sets" from all the issues from their childhood in high PSA grades. I can go on ebay buy a 1996 sp football set for prob 30.00 and throw it in a closet, but it tells no story. OR I can build the "rookie set in PSA 9 or PSA 10 and display it in my man-cave and all my friends will have fun remembering these guys and laughing at each other for wasting money on these guys back in the day.
For me its already started. I am currently working on several sets. One of my favorites is the 1999 Topps Chrome football rookie refractor PSA 10 set. The hardest cards to finde are the common rcs, not alot of graded copies in any of the issues im working on. The 96-97 Finest Basketball rookie refractor set... The card Gods will need to help me with this set as 90% of the rookies are off center. The 1999 SP football captured the collecting world by storm. The rookies in the set will go down as one of the greatest rookie sets of all time. The players, the design, the numbering of the cards. Everything was amazing and I cant wait to finish this set.
OK I have rambled on long enough. I just felt like sharing my thoughts on the hobby and collecting.
GO BROWNS
Looking back over my childhood collecting years, we were all wanting the rookies, and hoping for that big payday down the road. Im 36 years old and can tell you many stories about cards that are irrelevant now to all of us, but brings back some of the greatest childhood memories. I remember playing a game of pool with my brother in our basement, the prize was a 1988 Topps Mike Greenwell Rc card We both put one on the table and winner took both. Trading with other kids at school, looking for 1996 SP football rookies (mostly Terry Glenn), the list goes on and on. This brings me to my point. I think when Finest, Topps, Sp started putting the rookies together and making the card design a little different, it set the stage for the hobbies future.
I think your going to see alot of collectors in my age range, building "rookie sets" from all the issues from their childhood in high PSA grades. I can go on ebay buy a 1996 sp football set for prob 30.00 and throw it in a closet, but it tells no story. OR I can build the "rookie set in PSA 9 or PSA 10 and display it in my man-cave and all my friends will have fun remembering these guys and laughing at each other for wasting money on these guys back in the day.
For me its already started. I am currently working on several sets. One of my favorites is the 1999 Topps Chrome football rookie refractor PSA 10 set. The hardest cards to finde are the common rcs, not alot of graded copies in any of the issues im working on. The 96-97 Finest Basketball rookie refractor set... The card Gods will need to help me with this set as 90% of the rookies are off center. The 1999 SP football captured the collecting world by storm. The rookies in the set will go down as one of the greatest rookie sets of all time. The players, the design, the numbering of the cards. Everything was amazing and I cant wait to finish this set.
OK I have rambled on long enough. I just felt like sharing my thoughts on the hobby and collecting.
GO BROWNS
Looking for 1950 Bowman football PSA 7's
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Comments
I also agree with you on the 99 SP football set. Great Rc selection. I'm currently working on the whole set on the Registry. You can check it out here: Fabfranks 99 SP Authentic football set
Stuff (Cards, Starting Lineups, Beanie Babies, Frankin Mint crap, etc.) made in the "Price Guide Era" had/have a preconceived value even before the packs/items are opened/obtained. Its like Topps etc were printing money. Before this Era pre1978 or so, card collecting was mostly a kids hobby and mainly for fun and enjoyment of the sport, players and collecting in general. We stored out cards rubber banded in boxes, and could care less about a minor crease, OC, or corner wear..... Now in last 30+ years the so called hobby has changed drastically, 3rd party grading along with adults/pseudoinvestors now dominate the hobby to a fault, have ruined the fun for many.... and Kids no longer can afford a single pack let alone try to build a set, do they even made sets anymore??? (some of these lame modern cards cant be complete in set form, because of the pseudo rare hyped 1/1's and multi color variation shinny foil piece of sock in card BS crap....)
These modern pseudo-cards arent even "true collector cards". As Jefferson Burdick once said, a "true collector card" is ALWAYS issued FREE with a product or service of some kind...... how many cards made in the last 25 years fit this fact, a very small %%%
Most modern cards are the "product" and often originally purchased in unopened complete set form (WTF is fun about that?)
my rant
I'm 49, so it sounds like we might have grown up in the same era. I love the card sets from my childhood collecting years (70-78), but I'm equally excited about the variety and choice of new material.
Also, to answer your question, the card companies do make some complete sets. It's still more fun to build my own.
Also, for kids there are many price points to buy product. Ironically, ask most dealers and they'll tell you that kids are more apt to buy $5-$10 packs as opposed to a $1-$2 pack. Also, most kids tend to collect single players. They aren't interested in making sets. I find that the biggest difference from how kids collect today as opposed to how we collected.
Anyway, I adhere to the policy "Collect what you like, and you'll never be disappointed"
The greed that took over the hobby (starting in the 80's) pretty much ruined everything. I got back into the hobby a few years back and stick to vintage only (pre 1980). Modern cards are mass produced gimmicky garbage. Now having said that I still think people should collect whatever makes them happy.
when we run out of curious people, we shall run out of reasons to provide them with pictures and numbers and memories.
i doubt that will ever happen.
So for all the "doomed" 96-97 Finest basketball refractor rcs you find, ill give you 1.00 - I know its not much but it will buy you a double cheeseburger at McDonalds, hell even thats better than a "doomed" modern card.
If one is having fun, it doesn't matter what the "future" is for that collectible - since - IMO - it's about collecting.
The "true" value of our items is in the enjoyment of collecting and learning anything and everything about them.
Collecting
It's a blend of acquisitiveness, intellectual curiosity, a desire to possess and organize tangible objects, the lure of immortality and a “certain amount of showing off.” Why some people stop their childhood collecting while others carry it into adulthood is not fully understood.
Furthermore, some see collecting as a “philosophical project” that seeks to make “sense” of the militplicity and chaos in the world, and perhaps even to find in it a “hidden” meaning or sense of order.
The danger arises when a collector loses complete touch with reality and allows the hobby to dictate all other aspects of one's life. Every dealer can name collectors who would spend the rent money to buy a coveted rarity – who neglects their health, their families and their social responsibilities to satisfy their compulsion. Much like drug addition, alchoholism or gambling, chronically compulsive collecting can be devastating. It's probably a manifestion fo some disguised emotional problem. This – of course – is contrasted by the “healthy collector” who sets goals, establishes a budgets and sticks to a plan.
The key to a 'normal' collector and an obsessed one may be as simple as: “are you controlling the collecting process or is the process controlling you?” Some see a subtle character to collecting – the “act” is some kind of substitute for something that's lacking in one's person? Who knows?
And last and most important to me – when does a collector truly graduate and be classified as a hobbyist? When the “Joy of Learning” overtakes the desire and excitement of acquiring and possessing.
Categories of Collectors – many of us will fall into one or more of these divisions.
1. Passionate collector – they find something they like, get emotionally attached to that type of item and having tangible proof of their attraction is personally satifying. These kind of collectors tend to be more emotional and obsessive - they get a lot of personal satisfaction whey they find a new item.
2. Inquisitive collector – they collect for the purpose of investment – and will part with their items if the price is right. There's no emotional attachment, as such.
3. Hobbyist collector – they collect purely for the enjoyment – they're not emtionally attached to their items but will not part with them either. These people are normally goal-oriented and enjoy searching for uncommon items they can display or receive praise for.
4. Expressive collector – these people collect things as an expression of who they are – these collectors like attention.
One can break down the Process of collecting into steps:
The decision of “what” to collect – this can be conscious or unconscious. They see something they like and buy it. Then, this may trigger a desire to collect more of the same item. In come cases, a person may get another of the item as a birthday present, e.g., and then, start collecting more – I think this is a 5th category of collector: the “accidental” collector.
The “research” - in this case the new collector starts to gather all the information they can on their item. It can range from catalogues, books, publications, internet, ebay, etc. At this point, the new collector is beginning to take the process more seriously.
The “planning” phase – during this phase, the collector begins to set his or her prices and zero in on certain objects. An emotional attachment to the desired item normally begins here. Possessing the wanted item becomes a very tangible and exciting thought. The serious collector often becomes heavily involved in the collection process during this phase, isolating him or herself from others. Driven by the need to succeed, the collector becomes adamant about obtaining the next and more difficult item. *This is the point where one should establish a BUDGET IMO.
The “Hunt” - This is the part where the tension is at it's height! This is where the collector becomes competitive – will travel hundreds of miles for an item – also the time where obsession creeps in – they become “single-minded” - nothing else counts at this moment. I believe this is where one is so obsessed that even if there's controvery around them, they will “slip” back into thinking about their quest in the middle of being confronted with something job related e.g.
The “Acquisition” phase – this is the point where the item is in the person's hand and they feel a special elation – the tension is released and they feel a special sense of accomplishment – they have a strong feeling of confidence and it's like they can do anything! Endorphins are flowing and the “goal” has been won!
The “Display” phase – the item is home and now the collector is almost compelled to share this with the world – they may clean a special area for it – they will call friends, relatives, “anybody” who'll listen and share in their conquest! The collector can sleep easy now – in fact, they probably feel a special sense of satisfaction that they have this item and it's no longer available to someone else.
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.
In conclusion, the motives for collecting are manifold. And, as we can see, some collect for investment, others for the sheer enjoyment, some collect for the socially interactive satisfaction of contacting other collectors, some do it to preserve the past – or connect with their childhood – and still others collect as a life-long quest that never ends. Further motivations may be psychological fulfillment – a feeling of finding order in the chaos of life – within and without. A need to be acknowledged may drive someone to collect and acquire special items that are noteworthy by others.
Moreover, many may see their collection as a means of immortality? Ordering ones collection can give a sense of control that's lacking in the outside world.
Of couse, any one collector may possess any multiple of these motives and be a mixture of collector types.
For the sake of discussion – I've decided we're all normal here and won't get into compulsive hoarding and Freud!
Finally - and again - this is NOT a scholarly write-up - I took one course in psychology in college and that was almost 40 years ago! This was just an inquisitive attempt to put my finger on what we do and why. Some are my own ideas and most of it is plucked right out of internet articles and most is rewritten in my own words.
Happy collecting!