Self control

Juggs

I have none.

How do you guys do it? About 5 years ago I made a list of all the cards I wanted to collect. Basically a RC card list from the 70's-90's with a few of the newer guys sprinkled in for all sports. What have I done since completing this list? Spent a fortune at BBCE and ripped all the packs hoping for some random cards that don't show up on the list.

How do you guys stay true to your collecting goals and not stray? I'm finding I have a ton of stuff that I could sell to get the things on the list, but I get ill thinking of parting with most of it.

Anyone have this problem?

cpamike

CPA's have great self control.

Seriously, I've stuck to my main focus of collecting unopened '70's and early to mid-80's baseball which is a very narrow niche which I think helps me from straying. The way prices are going though, I may change my focus soon, but I don't be parting with much of what I have unless it is duplicates. Just keep reminding yourself of your collecting goals and ignore anything else if your budget won't allow it. Good luck as self control is tough especially when checking out boards like this.

mrmint23

CPA-Control Professionally Applied

Mapleleaf

Yes, It's a disease. I used to worry about it but now accept that I must collect something. I do try to limit myself to what I like and not speculate by collecting things I don't like just because they may increase in value. When I tire of collecting something, instead of selling it, it goes into storage for a while until the fever hits again. I put my cards away for nearly 20 years and am glad that I didn't sell them.

DCanfield

Self control. If I had it I'd be 40 lbs. lighter and my bank account would be heavier!

RyanAdmirer

Self control? OMG I wish! At least I know I'm not alone.....

cpamike

<< <i>Self control? OMG I wish! At least I know I'm not alone..... >>



You are in the majority.

ChiefsFan1st

Ive got 2 areas I collect, so when I get burned out on 1, I switch to the other. But, I also
have a random impulse and by stuff that dont fit in my collection, its a sickness really

halosfan

What have you been busting?

mattinglymint23

My focus: I'm a butterfly in the wind...
The wind is this board's BST, my ending soon search on eBay Street, and whatever is due to release that has sharpie scribbles and needs to be excavated from packs.

Dodgerfanjohn

Cheapo stuff that's nice.

I started off around September with a goal of mid grade 50's and 60's HOF's and Dodger HOF and stars. My goal shifted towards building a 1960 baseball set. As I've passed the halfway mark on that, things slowed.

So there's the group rips and also ill focus temporarily on very inexpensive items that ran a few years. For example:

-Topps baseball super 5x7 1980-81, and then 1984-86
-Topps coins 1987-1990
-Topps glossy all stars(inserts in racks) 1984-1991
-Topps glossy mail in all stars(1983-1990)
-Topps glossy rookies 1987-1991
-Topps mini league leaders 1987-1990

The sets are mostly under $10 a set with several possible at under $5 including shipping.

Unopened boxes of the coins, minis, and the supers are generally around $10 or so.

All are nice looking sets with tons of stars and HOF's. A few sets such as the 1986 Super and 1991 glossy all stars are a bit tough to find. Ultra pro has a page that perfectly fits two of the supers, the coins fit in stuff normal coins would go on, and the glossys look nice in sheets. The only ones that have issues being displayed are the minis so hopefully a page is developed that holds those.

Juggs

<< <i>What have you been busting? >>

All of it. All. Of. It.

wrestlingcardking

Self control by sport, but not within it!

ThoseBackPages

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

it really is all about Focus.

back in 2005 i made a list of HOF RCs that i would like to own in graded form. im still working on the list.

mygotta

What is self control?

I have focused mostly on unopened stuff from the 80's but find myself trailing from time to time getting a box or two of the new stuff. Which I wish I could get more of. I would say its a slow process of eventually refining and refining until you see your collection amount to something. Then it becomes easier and more satisfying to add to your collection.

BostonAmericans

<< <i>FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

it really is all about Focus.

back in 2005 i made a list of HOF RCs that i would like to own in graded form. im still working on the list. >>



I have my generic list (see sig), and have started putting together the specifics (i.e. what cards for what year) but do not have that finished. I need a plan for how to do it and quick - I cannot believe what I spent on the last rip. The stuff wasn't against my collection per se, but I probably could have used a teeeeny bit more restraint.

I think once I get my specifics down, and set a plan for what to zone in on, the control will be a little easier.



At least until the next rip............................

Exodus

I gladly do not share that disease.

I'm happier when my collection is smaller (compared to bigger).

I actually feel better when I can look at my collection and say what can I subtract from it this month ?

My advice ? Find a core group of cards that you are EXTREMELY happy with.

Once you've done that, you may find out that the other things you add just don't match up to that core group.

TmbrWolf22

<< <i>Self control by sport, but not within it! >>



I totally agree with this. I'm a one sport guy.

thehallmark

Start tracking every penny spent and earned. Then, take a big long look at what you have to show for it at the end of the day. If the end results of your time/cash investments aren't making you very happy, you need to rethink every aspect of your strategy. It's okay though...many people never even get to the point where they admit something is wrong.

Once you get a better plan, you'll organize better. Then, in those moments of boredom and spare cash, you'll remember the big picture and make different decisions than you have in past similar situations.

ReggieCleveland

Being a collector is an evolutionary process.

Estil

I seem to go through cycles every few years. That is, I go a few years focusing on cards, then a few years on (mostly) NES/SNES games, then a few years on cards, and so on.

See the PSA cards on my wishlist below? I have been needing those the past few years to finish my 1976-79 sets (and my 1977 needs about 50 or so raw commons upgraded) but my focus is now on early to mid 90s inserts. I guess I figure I can pick up the below graded cards anytime (there's plenty of each in those grades to go around, right?) but with many parallel insert sets (like my 1996-2000 Ultra Gold Medallion sets) or sets that include all or at least several insert sets (1993 Leaf BB, 1992 and now 1994 Ultra FB, 1992-93 and 1993-94 Ultra BK to name my most recent pickups), those you are lucky if one even shows up for sale at all. So take a guess which area I feel I must give priority to?

emar

<< <i>FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

it really is all about Focus.

back in 2005 i made a list of HOF RCs that i would like to own in graded form. im still working on the list. >>



Made my post-war & future HOF RC list in 2009. Every....single....item.....will NEED to be filled to my satisfaction.
Still working on it as well.
Deviating from the list is too expensive.

It's an addiction.

vladguerrero

I'm glad this was about cards. From the title I was worried it may be another form of 'self' control...

emar

<< <i>I'm glad this was about cards. From the title I was worried it may be another form of 'self' control... >>



"But are you still Master of your domain?"

MintMoondog

As stated in the vastly under-rated movie Margin Call, you spend what you have. That is my only goal...spend what I have, enjoy it, and spend no more (uhh...but CC limit is now officially on the "what I have" side of the ledger )

MithrilMan

Hank Aaron Master graded set is all I collect, so that keeps me focused. Up to 95 cards. Sold my 1973 set in PSA 9, all of my graded HOF rookie cards through PWCC (very happy), now selling my raw sets (a few through PWCC.)

Estil

<< <i>

<< <i>I'm glad this was about cards. From the title I was worried it may be another form of 'self' control... >>



"But are you still Master of your domain?" >>



Indeed I thought maybe it was this kind of Self Control

PS: This is the first song I remember watching (it was on Solid Gold and she wore a shiny gold jacket; I apparently really liked that Oh, oh, oh...oh oh oh guy ). BTW, isn't that Phantom of the Opera guy in that music video creepy?

ludedude

I have 221 sets started. Collecting mostly hockey HOF's. Very little self control!!!!!