Hobby Opinions and Stories!!

[jdthakid36]

I'm 23, almost 24..., and sometimes I get the impression that collecting sports cards and memorabilia is "childish". Well I'm the kind of person that doesn't care what people say or think, and I love this hobby more and more each day. I know there's a bunch of traders my age, younger, and older. It makes me happy, and motivates me when I see threads posted, and make trades with people here. No offense, but when I trade with a female, I always tell my wife, because I wish I could get her more involved....I know there are plenty of you who have the same thoughts and are the same as me, when it comes to age and opinions. I know there are traders older and younger than me, which I love also. In the newest Beckett they were saying how the hobby was advertising and promoting more to younger people, which I agree with! I just want to know what other traders think about this hobby, and how it's changed over the years...Also, since i'm 23, and I know there's people younger and older, I would love to read when and why some of you started collecting! Please share! Here is my story:

I was 7, I don't know exactly why I started collecting...My three cousins collected cards, one of which was 11 days younger than me...However, it was '89 Topps and Fleer I remember, and we used to lay them out on the hard wood floor and slide on them...it was fun, even though the Griffey RC's going to be worth a little! I started collecting in the hobby "low times"...Oh well, it was still fun, trading with my three cousins. Then when I was a few years older, I took care of them. I collected Nolan Ryan, and my G-ma looked at me as a "Nolan Ryan". I have looked up to him since I was a little kid, and I have now dedicated my collection to him...That's how it started, and it's grown for different reasons, and has gotten more fun to collect and trade over the years!!!

I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who have similar stories, experiences, and for some of you older collectors that "my mom threw my cards out"...lol. Honestly, I had some friends of my family say that their "mom's" threw their cards away!!! And they said they would've given them to me!!! I look forward to your comments and stories on this thread!! Thanks for reading, JOSH

[Lexis]

Hey....I'm "48" and a Mom who collects and has a husband who thinks "paint" drying on the walls is more fun to watch than baseball.
I was considered a "oddball" or "Tomgirl" in the 1960's. A girl just didn't collect baseball cards or have a baseball mitt on her pink bike, but I did! My dad use to bring me "Mickey Mantle" cards from the sports club where he was member at the time, cause the guys though it was cool his daughter liked cards. I had a nice collection of them. I left card collecting in my pre-teens years (discovered boys : got back into the hobby in the mid-80's and asked dad where my cards where. Mom didn't burn them ... DAD did .... at least that is what he told me and I found out, brother-in-law took them ... well, I wasn't going to start a war but was very tempted, cards weren't in the best condition, but neverless I still had them tucked away till then. Found one he didn't get his hands on .... and that one is going nowhere.
Mickey Mantle was my "guy" when I was a kid and still is. Even when I left the hobby and came back to it. I now have my spare bedroom as my card room and my husband thinks there is something wrong with me.

I just wish there was still "nickel packs" .....lol.

[jdthakid36]

Hey lexis, thanks for the reply. My wife, although she isn't into it and gives me a hard time sometimes, has actually bought me a lot of my Ryan memorabilia that I have, including a 1968 Topps RC!! I enjoyed your story, and I think it's cool that a "mom" collects. I wish someone in my family had collected cards when they were younger...my parents or grandparents...lol. I'm a big fan of Mantle too, but not a collector of him. I love talking to my grandpa about the older days in baseball, among other sports, and I always tell him that if it wasn't for Mickey being hurt so often, he would've been the greatest ever. I think he is the greatest all-around ever, but that's just my opinion...Thanks again for the reply!! JOSH

[Collector]

Well, don't mind to hear my story, do ya? ;D I've been collecting for 8-10 years, and I love it! ;D I started collecting about 8-10 years ago when I bought this outrageous box of over 20,000 various sports cards for $20. It had vintage from the late 70's to the early 90's, and I must say, there was quite a bit of good cards in the box. I searched through most of the box and found many great players. I soon got hooked and my dad and I soon started buying packs of baseball cards once a week. We would buy around 4 packs a piece. It was more of a challenge to see who could pull the nicest inserts. It was really fun and I was nearly 100% sure I wouldn't give up on the hobby. Later, though, I soon started losing interest and stopped collecting for several years. I just thought it was a waste of time, especially since I couldn't pull anything really good. Then, one day when I was cleaning out my closet, I came across 6-7 different, various sports card albums, all of which ranged from various years. These were the cards I had collected throughout the years, and those I had picked out from that huge box, for the fact that I had to sell the box due to the room it took up. I started looking up cards and found that I did indeed have some valued inserts around $10-20. After re-visiting my collection, it just gave me this huge urge to start back, and before I knew it.....Bam! I soon find myself into the hobby again. ;D My dad no longer buys packs of cards, but as long as I have the money, I'll do it anyday. Oh, and I've never looked at collecting as being childish. I do, however, know there is some people out there who thinks it's "childish." I know the main question I always ask myself is, "What are my friends to think about my card collection?" I have told very few friends about my collection, but those I've told have totally respected it. Personally, though, I don't care what others think of me or my hobbies. The only thing that matters is that I love to do it. ;D

Thanks, Collector

[cubs4life]

Collector, how old are you?
I myself am 23, about to turn 24. My fiancee is always yelling at me because baseball cards are childish, and I'm immature for collecting them. I am also like Josh, in that I don't care what anyone else says or thinks.
I started collecting when I was young, lost interest for a while, then just before this past xmas, got back into it

[Collector]

I'm 19 going on 20. It's no surprise to see wife's telling you it's childish. Who is to say collecting is "childish?" What makes it so "childish" to others? I think it's the fact that people compare sports cards to cards like Poke'mon and Yu-gi-oh cards. Therefore, they think collecting sports cards is "childish." I know that's stupid of people, but it does make sense.

Thanks, Collector

[jdthakid36]

Collector, I agree. I think people think it's childish because of the fact that it was popular when most people were younger, and many grew out of it. I've heard radio DJ's poke fun at it, but they don't understand the hobby. There are thousands, maybe 100's of thousands of people who sell cards to make a living, or to make extra money. Then there are people like us who collect for the fun and enjoyment of pulling a card of your favorite player, or getting those last few commons to complete a set, or the excitement and challenge of finding specific cards on eBay or on the boards. What my parents are starting to realize, and my wife, is that it's a "hobby" and it doesn't matter how old someone is. It's just like people who like to hunt or fish...it's a "hobby" and it's enjoyable. I don't know of anyone who lives around me that collects cards, but i'm sure there are a few. I think there are many people who feel embarrassed, which I think is silly, but it's understandable. But I think there's no need to be embarrassed...it's fun, and believe it or not, it can be educating...that's why I'm so smart...lol.

I'm enjoying the stories and opinions on the hobby, and I hope more people reply...

[Collector]

Hate to bug in with another reply, but I must say, there's gotta be some collector's around where I live. I mean, I can't possibly be the only one around here who collects. I think you're right, Josh, I think many others who collect are ashamed of the hobby and are afraid to come out and say, "Hey, I'm a card collector." It's just the fact that they're scared of what others may think or say about them.

Thanks, Collector

[jonnyweb]

I started buying cards in the late 80's, football mainly. I had complete Topps sets from 85-88, but never really cared about the condition of them or anything like that, it was just the idea of having them and trading w/ friends to get complete sets.
I started REALLY collecting cards in 1989. My dad told me about the newest Mariners Draft Pick (THE KID) who was going to be a can't miss player.
I went to the card shop to ask about his cards and they were telling me that his was the most expensive cards in the sets and I decided then and there i was going to buy packs and get as many Juniors as I possibly could.
I ended up with around 30 after that year was all said and done. (sadly only 2 UD) It pretty much blossomed from there and I branched off into football and also into trading of cards for other cards.
I remember when Stadium Club came out and they were pretty expensive (for back in the day), so my friend and I went together and made a complete hand collected set. (which i still have) I also put together a Fleer Ultra baseball and Football set in their debut years. (1991 i do believe)

I fell of the collecting wagon once Junior went to Cincy, and then when the Seahawks signed Shaun Alexander and the Mariners signed Ichiro i was back on the wagon and have been going strong ever since.

If you need to know, im 31..
yes, people do make fun sometimes at my expense for my hobby, i give them a big.. KISS it and continue on.
Last year I found out a roommate of one of my best friends deals in cards and has for quite some time. His friend just bought a local card shop, and the 2 of them have card shows every other weekend here in town.
Needless to say I enjoy the hobby very much..
It's also been fun to read about everyone else.
Thanks 4 starting this thread.

[cubs4life]

I just recently got back into the hobby, after probably about a 10 year break. I almost have a complete base set of 06 Topps baseball cards (series 1). Having fun putting that one together, and only recently started getting cards for that set off ebay

[metsfan44]

well iam younger......14......and i have been collecting since my dad gave me my first cards when i was 4-5 years old......yea my friends also believe its childish....i totaaly diagree..its so much fun...

[cubs4life]

Welcome aboard metsfan. Good to see a younger face here

[Site Admin]

Those are great stories.. Here is mine..

I started collecting card in 1979.. 9 years old and my first pack of cards, my dad bought me a few packs at the local convince store. 78-79 O-Pee-Chee Hockey. Pulled my first Wayne Gretzky RC I couldn't wait to get home to put it on my spokes of my Bike. As the years went by more and more packs of cards by the time I was 18 I had around 750 Thousands or so cards.. By 20 I had well over a million and decide to start my Own Local Card Shop in my town. 6 Years l8r as a store owner of Collecting, Selling, buying & Trading, I had close to 4 Million single cards in all three Major Sports - Hockey- Baseball - Basketball. Never really got in to Football, no NFL team in Canada and CFL I really couldn't get into too much. In 1995 I met my future wife and got married. I closed my store down in Oct 1996. And started selling threw catalog's. In January 2000 I started selling on the INTERNET Hence "eliteonline2000". The Id use on Quite a few Online Auction House.

From 9 years old to 36 Now, my 27 years collecting cards has never been so much fun as it going to be now, and I will tell you why.

I have 3 kids now.. a 7 year old son, 5 year old son, and a 17 month old daughter... yes that right you heard that right 17 months "daddy little girl"

My 7 year old son and I are just going to start collecting cards together.. Like my dad did to me I am going to do for him and Buy him his first Packs of cards...and I can't wait to see the look on his face and what cards he will pull from the packs... But know this for sure ...I won't let him put his cards in the spokes of his bike.

Its Funny that some people think Collecting Cards and Memorabilia is childish. Let them! We have the best Hobby
on the Planet! Fun and Exciting.. with pack busting, sorting and trading.

The Interaction threw people and this Hobby is what makes the Hobby so much fun... Thats just my oppion thou.. But Like I always say!

Keep The Hobby Fun, and you will have fun with the hobby.

Thanks
Nick
Site Admin

[cubs4life]

Lately, I've been thinking of keeping all my dupes that I can't trade off, and saving them for my 20 mo old son, to start his collection. I have MANY 2006 Topps cards, and even cards dating back into the early(ish) 80s that would make a great start for him

[deorc]

Start to mention values and they soon stop thinking it's childish LOL strange what $/£ signs do to folks I have to admit that I have a very understanding better half LOL not only does she not complain but she encourages me to collect LOL (Well Hockey) as long as she gets the wings I pull. She is also into Non Sport and only needs one card to compleate her master set for Stargate Atlantis & I think 2 for her Spike set ;D She also collects coins(Just Tzarist Russian) so dont mind me doing that even LOL.
Hardest thing for me is getting the cards as we dont have many shops or outlets for Baseball & Hockey here in the UK.

De Orc

Ps I am 49 ;D