I've been writing this blog now for a little over 2 years. When I started I wasn't sure how long it would last. I had hoped to develop some dialogue with other collectors and I have. During the 2 years I have "met" some amazing people who collect cards. People that I've never met face to face, but definitely are my friends. I hope the feeling is mutual.
One of the things that I noticed once I started writing was how much I enjoyed people commenting on my blogs. Made me realize that I need to do that too. I know there are several of you out there that do the same thing and I want you to know that it's greatly appreciated. The thing is, the ones who comment are the ones that the friendships come from too. I'm always looking for people to talk cards with. The more the merrier.
To maybe open some dialogue with more collectors, I thought I'd ask some questions and see if people would respond. For some of you, some of the answers I may already know, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't respond. I may have forgotten, I am getting old!!
Question 1:
How would you describe your collection?
For me, Topps Baseball sets 1972 to present. Texas Rangers. Playing days Topps cards of my favorite players, one or two insert sets from the more recent years, dabbling in Topps Heritage and Stadium Club. Oh yeah, one more...my favorite players that I don't collect.
Question 2:
Graded or ungraded. That is the question!
I am not a fan of graded cards. It just doesn't make sense to me. Especially, being on a tight budget, I can't see spending the money to grade a card. I do have a couple of graded cards, but those were gifted to me. I haven't bought one and I really don't see me doing that any time soon or ever.
Question 3:
Do you have a grail card(s) that you want? If so, what?
Just so that we're all on the same page, a grail card is that one(or two) card(s) that you really want to have for your collection. Now to be realistic, I'm not talking about the Wagner or '52 Mantle...any card that any collector would relish having in their collection. I'm talking about that card that you really want that you don't have.
For me, right now, its a '57 Roberto Clemente and 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout. Had a shot at the Clemente several years ago at a card show. Did the unthinkable and said I'd come back and when I did it was gone.
The Mike Trout is from that time in my collecting career when I was just randomly scavenging for cards and never got it.
Definitely, appreciate comments myself. Kind of like an award.
ReplyDelete1) VAST
2) Ungraded
3) Well, those two BIG cards you mention are certainly there AS FOR OTHERS I still need the Miggy 2000 traded rookie, and the 08' Update Kershaw along with the base 661 (Santana NO NO). I would also include the 2014 DeGrom SSP.
4) I get cards from anywhere I can, shows, shops, and online.
5) I wouldn't go back to a time before I started collecting, but I would go back to 5th grade. Why? because I had all of my original Wacky Packages confiscated at school, and the Principle was going to let me have them back at the end of the school year, but my mom and I moved back to Georgia during Christmas break without any warning it was going to happen. I would have not taken them to school.
Always believe in commenting? How else do you know if somebody read your stuff?
ReplyDelete1. Collection is sets and Dodgers with a few fringe mini collections like night cards. If it gets its own binder, it's consider something I collect.
2. Don't believe in graded cards except in maybe 5% of the cases. If I get one I almost always break it out.
3. I'd love a '52 Jackie Robinson and a '63 Rose for the McMullen on it.
4. It's a mix, Ebay and COMC/sportlots and card shows. Also blog trades and gifts from readers.
5. Probably 1971 or 1972 to collect the Topps sets that year, both very cool. But I got 'em now!
That first question mark in the first sentence should be an exclamation point!
DeleteI don't have a blog, but I really enjoy reading many of them.
ReplyDelete1. 4 major sports, 1970 to present.
2. Ungraded
3. The last 20 SP's for my set build. 2019 Topps Heritage.
4. eBay and TCDb.
5. I would have to go back before 1970. If I could keep all my cards that got thrown away or destroyed, that would be great.
Thanks for your content.
1.Multi-Sport set builder/baseball historian
ReplyDelete2.non graded
3.Topps Gretzky RC, LeBron James UD RC, LeBron James Topps RC,Mario Lemieux OPC RC,Tom Seaver RC,1967 Brooks Robinson #600, & 1967 Ed Spiezio Rubbed out name
4.Trading with fellow collectors on my blog or Sportscardforum.com & going to antique shops & antique malls as well card shops all over from various states.
5. Probably back to 1985 convince myself to start making sets from all 4 sports & tell myself to get those Fleer basketball packs in 1986 sure ya don't know many players at the time but these cards are worth making the sets for.
Michael ya know ya can always email me to get my phone number to chat about cards when I get a free day from work & maybe you can find me a 3XL polo Rangers shirt if you're not able to find anything from my lists.
1. I consider myself a set collector first and player collector second (Barry Larkin). I've decided to NOT chase all of the cards of my favorite team (reds). Instead, I've made a single Reds Frankenset binder and I try to update that occasionally.
ReplyDelete2. Ungraded. Graded cards are a pain to store (I keep my sets in binders).
3. I'd love to complete Barry Larkin's 1998 Topps Tek run of parallels but that won't ever happen.
4. TCDB, blog trades, trading on my Discord channel mostly. I also use eBay/COMC/Sportlots to pick off some low hanging fruit from my want list a.
5. I've collected cards off and on since I was about 5 years old. That said, if I could have some of today's dollars, I'd go back to say 1998 and buy a bunch of boxes of stuff that I can't afford now!
I used to think that the main reason I blogged was to document my collecting history... with reader interaction being a very close second. These days the interaction is just as important... if not more. I'm not able to pump out posts as much as I used to, but I try to read (and comment) others on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteHere are my quick responses to your questions (but I feel like I might end up turning this information into a post of my own... like a blog bat-around):
1. How would you describe your collection? Extensive. I enjoy collecting almost anything and everything. Players. Teams. Sets. Autos. Rookies. Inserts. Oddballs. Base. You name it... I collect it.
2. Graded or ungraded. That is the question! It depends. I have graded cards in my collection, but I don't collect graded cards specifically.
3. Do you have a grail card(s) that you want? If so, what? Hmmm. If we're leaving out obvious choices like a 1952 Topps Mantle... I guess I'd go with something like a 1977 Chong Modesto A's Rickey Henderson. Due to authenticity purposes... this is a perfect example of me being interested in graded cards.
4. What is your main source(s) for adding cards to your collection? Right now it's a close call between COMC and eBay.
5. If you had the chance to revisit a time in your life before you started collecting cards, which year would you choose and why? I'd love to pick 1972 too, but since I'd only be a newborn... I guess I'll choose another year. I'll go with 1977. I'd love to go back and reopen packs of 1977 Topps Star Wars.
1. How would you describe your collection? Set collecting with the occasional pick-up of Charlie Bishop or Jose Canseco cards. The collection is primarily built around four sets, only one of which is complete. If all sets were complete I would have just over 700 cards at the core of my collection.
ReplyDelete2. Graded or ungraded? Graded whenever possible. Seeing sellers make rookie-collector mistakes in assessing the condition of their offerings drives me crazy. With most of my cards acquired via online contacts, slabbed cards provide a nice buffer against this. As my '52 Topps cards often prove, I have no problem picking up cards in poor condition. However, a guy at a card show advertising his creased cardboard as EX, coupled with a NR-MT asking price? That guy and I are enemies for life.
3. Do you have a grail card(s) that you want? Given the focus on '52 Topps, the Mantle is indeed a grail for me. It's among a very limited list of similarly situated cards for which I regularly set aside a recurring amount for a future purchase, probably a decade or more away. A more realistic grail is a mid to high grade 1955 Rodeo Meats Charlie Bishop. It's his best card and unbelievably scarce as the manufacturer pulled it from the presses early in the print run. Condition preferences make it doubly difficult as the card was distributed in packs of hot dogs.
4. What is your main source(s) for adding cards to your collection? COMC has taken the crown in terms of quantity. The big ones have largely come from REA or Heritage Auctions.
5. If you had the chance to revisit a time in your life before you started collecting cards, which year would you choose and why? Nope. Never going back.