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+--- Thread: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? (/thread-1618248.html)
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Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - kerryandbeth - 08-11-2020
2 years ago my PC reached the $50,000 mark per Beckett. This did not include all the 'n/a' cards for various reasons, so perhaps it was closer to a total value of $55K. Anyway, I started trading in others' favor and giving away cards (many posts in the forum about this) while still purchasing a couple of products each of those two years.
My collection value stayed the same. Then I threw away over 3,000 base cards, sold some at huge discounts, and started doing online breaks of Elite Extra Edition.
My collection value stayed the same. Last week I donated nearly 5,000 cards, sold some at discounted prices on COMC, and used some of the funds to buy singles for my PC, stopped buying hobby boxes and no online breaks since February.
My collection value is still the same after some value increases this week. So, it is tough to not get caught up in the value of the collection and to stay focused on my PC as a hobby. I have to keep reminding myself that an increase in any particular card is nice but not the goal or reason to change it.
There are 6 boxes of 2020 Bowman Sterling on its way that I purchased at $200/box back in February. They sell for over $300/box now and may contain some really nice autos. It will be difficult to keep those cards as a hobby and not get caught up in the hype if I get a numbered auto of Wander Franco or Jared Kelenic or Jasson Dominguez or Luis Robert or Fernando Tatis Jr., or many other prospects and rookies in this product.
Therefore, after countless efforts to be generous with my collection, is my value still the same as a reward, or is it a dirty trick to keep me working hard to maintain a hobby I love?
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - DrMitchJ - 08-12-2020
It’s all about perspective, I guess. Everyone enjoys different aspects of collecting sports cards. Generally speaking, it’s still a hobby if it makes you smile and you’re having fun.
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - y2hood - 08-12-2020
Went total hobby in 2014. Got tired of the auction site selling BS. Anything that wasn't Frank Thomas, New Orleans Saints, '59 Fleer Three Stooges, a small # of base/foot/basketball stars from childhood, or Garbage Pail Kids went to the school for special citizens. The sheer relief of decluttering and not having to justify 500 cards per team per sport of teams I adamantly root against was a weight off my shoulders. There was no need to actively try and list them on the auction site, beckett, comc, etc... They just went away.
Now with that said, because I narrowed my PC so much, I've now resorted to a binder of just Brees, a binder of just Thomas, a binder of just receivers, a binder of just defensive backs, etc... Each series from the 1980s GPK has its own binder. Whereas in 2014 I cleared off a 5 shelf case down to a single shelf, in 2020 3/5 of it is card binders, my closet has two large plastic storage containers for my graded singles, and shelves 4 and 5 either have supplies or other random trinkets I've been gifted. I also have a 3 row container for my "to be graded" cards.
I still come across lots but I've quit buying boxes. When I wind up with a surplus, I have a few families with small children that I send cards. Little 100 card care packages about twice a year. Recently a nice collector in one of the social media groups hooked me up with 1600 Saints cards that I was able to split between my binders, and two families with children. Collectors in a local Saints group directly sent some care packages. It's cool hearing about these little ones getting serial #'d cards, actual excitement for jersey cards and the autos.
I don't really have to work at it, though. I might have my spells where I don't pursue anything, but with my daily emails from ebay on a certain search I've had for 13 years that leads me to buying similar singles a lot, but card collecting hobby is pretty much my identity next to video games.
(As a small aside, I still will occasionally list the odd thing or two on the auction site, but generally that's with the expressed intent to use the gained funds right back into the hobby, generally grading fees.)
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - fred bear - 08-12-2020
DrMitchJ Wrote:It’s all about perspective, I guess. Everyone enjoys different aspects of collecting sports cards. Generally speaking, it’s still a hobby if it makes you smile and you’re having fun.
I tend to agree with this.
I don't feel like I have to work to keep it fun. I collect what I enjoy. I very seldom look at the 'value' calculations on my collection.
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - zeprock - 08-12-2020
DrMitchJ Wrote:It’s all about perspective, I guess. Everyone enjoys different aspects of collecting sports cards. Generally speaking, it’s still a hobby if it makes you smile and you’re having fun.I agree with this too. I can't even calculate the value of my collection. I get the "pinwheel of death" that spins forever and an error message that tells me to please try again.
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - kerryandbeth - 08-12-2020
Thanks for the comments. I am working hard at trying to reduce my collection number of cards and value but both keep increasing anyway!
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - mistral38 - 08-12-2020
Nice thread Terry. Sometimes it is hard to keep it fun or a hobby. Times like we are currently experiencing a bit of a bubble in terms of pricing and demand are a mixed bag. It is nice to see some renewed interest in the hobby but at the same time as a collector it stings the pocketbook more then we are accustomed to. I would like to say I am still in it for the fun but at times I wonder why I am still in it another mixed bag that undoubtedly will change as fast as the hobby
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - mmahoney - 08-13-2020
Pandemic has given me the opportunity to reevaluate my collecting habits. With retail outlets pretty much wiped out I have purchased very few blasters this year which is good. And the ridiculous prices for hobby boxes fueled by the chase for rookies has eliminated that desire. I have spent a majority of my time the past few months selling my extra Michael Jordan cards on Ebay which has gone very well although slowing down now. Still have about 1100 to try and move. Have also come to the realization that the time is now to start reducing my collection. Approaching retirement age in a few more years and no one to pass it down to. Work at keeping it a hobby? Not as hard today.
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - rjcj2017 - 08-14-2020
It has felt like a job for a few months now.
My enjoyment is almost zero these days.
RE: Do you have to work at keeping this a hobby? - crazyforkinsler5 - 08-15-2020
I don't really feel I have to work to keep it a hobby. I've tried to open a store, had it open about 8 months then closed it. Sold off most all of my stuff then. Then I started buying stuff once again (I like to buy medium or large flat rates, put sets together, pull and sort inserts, refractors, etc then trade off extras for whatever I need, whether PC or set related).
I rarely buy boxes anymore. From time to time, I'll bust a few packs/blaster boxes at Target/Walmart. But decent stuff is harder and harder to find there because there's so many collectors that will stand and wait for distributors to be able to wipe it out for stuff to open. I have also moved a lot more toward vintage. I really love vintage stuff, and obviously you can't get that from boxes. So I've tried to start trading modern for more and more vintage.
That said, it seems it's getting harder and harder to make this a hobby. It seems there's few places to trade. Here they charge you $11/month or whatever, and nobody wants to pay to trade. Also, people here trade by BV, and nobody uses that to determine a card's value anymore.
Also, users on BO only sell/buy it seems and no one trades. And I don't trust Facebook to trade on there because I'm afraid I'll get taken. So places to trade have really disappeared. Finally, it seems no one will trade vintage for modern. Not sure what that's about. But people will only trade modern for modern, vintage for vintage, GUd for GUd, auto for auto, etc.