I think one of my favorite parts of collecting cards is the community that exists between collectors. I enjoy reading other collector's blogs. Finding out what they collect, finds that were made at shows or hearing about card shops and trades that were made. I try really hard to comment on the blogs that I read. I don't always because sometimes, I don't have anything to say, but I do try to say something on most of them.
I do like learning more about fellow collectors. What they collect, how they collect, where they find their cards, etc... Ever since I found out Johnny's Trading Spot is a Braves collector, Night Owl, the king of the Dodgers collector and Nacho Grande the Barry Larkin guy, just to name a few, when I run across something maybe I pick it up, or wonder if they already have it. Most of the time, I figure they already have it. I do know that if I pull a card and don't need it, but it fits their collection, I have no problem sending it their way.
All of that to say, I like learning about people and their collections. I learned quite a bit in my first 5 questions post. (If you missed that one, check it out and answer the questions!) To continue that, here's round two of 5 questions for collectors.
Question 1: How did you get started collecting cards?
I got started collecting back in 1980. The summer of 1980 I started working at a card shop owned by a family friend and Dr. James Beckett. I had some cards before I started working there, but definitely wouldn't consider myself a collector, just a baseball fan. Working at the card shop really piqued my interest in cards. I really got into collecting in 1981. In 1981 the hot card was the '80 rookie Rickey Henderson and there were a lot of collectors still chasing the '79 Ozzie Smith.
The thing that drew me into collecting though was the release of the new Fleer cards. The Fleer error cards were a big thing at the time. Especially, the "C" Nettles card. I believe chasing the "C" Nettles card is what really got me into card collecting.
Question 2: How do you store and display your cards?
My card collecting space is extremely limited. I have a storage cabinet in the garage that holds all of my non-Topps cards. I have two glass door cabinets that hold the majority of my cards. I have a couple of shelves to display some of my favorites. I do have some plans to build some wall displays for my cards.
My complete sets are in binders...all but those that I haven't moved to binders. My subset collection gets put in a subset binder when they're complete.
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I've got two different types player collections. First, are my main players that I collect. It's dominated by Rangers (of course!), but I've got some other guys I collect too. The main players that I collect are Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Evan Carter, Wyatt Langford, Jacob deGrom, Josh Smith, Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Adrian Beltre and Pudge Rodriguez. I've got a pretty good start on Jack Leiter and several Nathan Eovaldi who might become a main collection too. Most of these in this collection are in top loaders. Carter, Seager, Semien, Langford, Smith and Witt Jr. are in binders.
My other player collection is my Topps playing days cards. These are just some of my all-time favorites and their Topps base cards. These cards are also in binders.
This is a tough question to answer. The best way for me to answer this is on a card by card basis. The older the card the more leeway I give on condition and centering. I still want to see some border on all sides of the card and I don't want the back of the card to be so off-centered that you can't read it. I think the biggest thing I struggle with is paper loss. I'm better at accepting it if it's on the back of the card, but not interested at all if it's on the front. Just not a fan of paper loss.
Question 4: What is your biggest regret when it comes to card collecting?
I have two regrets when it comes to my collection. First, was missing out on a '57 Roberto Clemente. I saw one that I liked at card show that I said I'd come back for and when I did, it was gone.
The second one and probably the biggest is taking all of those years off between collecting. Basically, I took off card collecting from 1998 to 2017. It's been fun, but a little difficult trying to fill in the holes. I still have a long ways to go, but I'm enjoying it. I'm about to start looking for some starter sets for some of those missing years. So, get ready guys I'm about to come calling.
Question 5: When you are thinking about your cards, are you thinking about the ones you have or the ones you are chasing?
This is a really interesting question. I think I spend more time thinking about the chase than I do what I've already got. I'm not sure why. Is it that I enjoy the chase more than the card itself? I really like the cards, so I don't think it's just the chase. That being said, I really don't spend much time looking at my cards that I have either. Maybe asking myself this question will remind me to appreciate what I have already found and spend some time looking thru my collection.
That's it for the 5 questions. Please take a moment and answer the questions! Let's keep growing the community of card collectors!
Peace,
Michael
Isaiah 40:31
1. My uncle gave me my first baseball cards when I was seven years old, and I've always had an interest in them since.
ReplyDelete2. I have binders and boxes that I keep my cards in, and most of them go into drawers in my bedroom or in the closet, places they are safe.
3. I agree with you about giving some leeway if it's older. I would actually be more likely to buy a card off-center, assuming it's price was reasonable.
4. I have two regrets that come to mind, the first being a really bad trade I made a number of years ago that I definitely lost out on, and the other being a pass I made on a really nice Evan Carter card.
5. I probably think of the ones I'm chasing more (looking into some Macklin Celebrini cards at the moment), although there are a number of cards I'm really proud of and pat myself on the back for owning.
This was super fun! I love the idea you have here!
Good stuff! I agree with a lot of what you said there.
ReplyDelete1. My first cards were in 1974, my mom came home from the grocery store with some cello packs for my brother and me. But we threw the cards out at the end of the baseball season. First year I acted like a collector is 1975 and buying '75 Topps with my allowance money -- a great year to collect! Also, that was back when the only hot cards were superstars. We didn't care about rookies or errors in the '70s!
2. Complete sets and Dodgers cards are stored in binders on two separate shelving units in my card room. Just about anything else is stored in boxes.
3. Yeah, condition is important for non-vintage years and I tried to make sure my '70s sets were in at least VG or EX shape. But once I get into the '60s, and especially the '50s and earlier, they can be beat up and I don't care.
4. Try not to have regrets in the hobby. I suppose I regret taking a break from collecting in the mid-1980s and now not being able to afford the 1984 Fleer Update set.
5. Always on the hunt but I think about the cards I own as much as the ones I want. I certainly write about the ones I own a lot more.
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ReplyDeleteMichael: You should read my Bad News post.
ReplyDelete1) I started collecting in the early 70's with Wacky Packages and before the decade was done I was into football and baseball cards.
2) Binders, boxes, and stacks.....lots of stacks everywhere. boxes and binders too for that matter.
3) I prefer NM except for vintage stars there my philosophy is the same as a Braves card I don't have.....I'll take it anyway I can get it. Maybe upgrade maybe not.
4)Biggest regret was getting rid of my Mickey Mantle cards. I had all of his playing day cards except the 52' Topps, and I didn't have any PC's at the time. Those would pretty much secure my retirement right about now, lol. My 2nd regreat was immediately after pulling a pack certified Mantle autograph trading to a bud for a beat up 50.00 card (had it not been beat up) of Phil Niekro. Yeah that hurts too.
5) Neither. Each and every day I look at was "out" and that is a lot and determine what will get my attention today or first. I probably literally have 500 projects running simultaneously, I've got to cut that out, and one day I will.
Lastly, go read that Bad News post.
1. My dad used to buy my brother and I (cheap) packs of cards at the grocery store when we were kids. I think he was getting 5 packs of early 90s Topps/Fleer/Donruss for about a buck.
ReplyDelete2. I'm a big binder guy, almost all of my cards in my collection reside in binders. My trade bait is stored in long 660 ct boxes for the most part.
3. Condition doesn't matter all that much to me. I like to collect original A&G cards from the late 1800s, if I cared about condition on those I'd never own a single specimen!
4. I suppose there have been several cards that I've sold (or traded) away over the years that I'd like to have back, but by and large, I don't really have much in the way of collecting regrets. It kind of stinks that my childhood was smack dab in the "overproduced" era of cards, but I guess that's more of a bummer as opposed to an actual regret.
I did get ripped off pretty heavily on a TCDB trade a year or two ago, that loss still stings (I traded away a few rare Larkin cards, and got absolutely nothing in return).
5. I have been actively trying to focus more on what I have and a lot less on what I don't have. This is true not only for baseball cards, but other things I enjoy as well (board games being a prime example, but also LEGO, etc.).
1. I started collecting in 1970. My friend and I started our club that met in a small shed at his house. We did that for a few years.
ReplyDelete2. They are stored and organized in boxes. I hope to display some of them in the future.
3. Condition isn't a big thing for me. I don't like paper loss and writing on the cards.
4. Losing some of my collection a few times over the years. Selling some of my more valuable cards fairly reasonably priced (cheap) when I needed to get a few dollars for family needs.
5. I think more about what I have. I have been building a 2019 Topps Heritage set for the last few years. I have less than 20 cards to get for the main set. They are all SP's which are tough and cost more than the others. I guess that is my chase.
Great questions and I enjoyed reading everyone else's answers. Enjoy the time all!