[jaykayzee]

Think of it this way, am I a SuperCollector because:

I have almost every single card of a player who only has 8 distinctly different cards

or am I a SuperCollector because

I have enough cards to fill a 6 foot wide closet floor to ceiling with 5000 ct. boxes??

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Personally, I think collecting is about the fun and enjoyment of not only your own collection, but everyone's. If you are doing it for competition, or recognition, you are in it for the wrong reasons. No offense, but " I think there are too many collections that get praised that shouldnt" is actually a REALLY sad statement.

I don't agree with this 100%.

I agree doing something for little other reason than to "get in the magazine" is a really bad way to go. But on the other side of that arguement, if someone DOES put together a collection that is truly one-of-a-kind, and they did it out of love for the player, or the love of the chase, then they deserve a nod from the rest of the community.

As for competition, that is.... a necessary evil.... I guess I would call it. I have a very specific player I try to "SuperCollect". He only has a very small amount of cards.

I do have to fight and scheme to collect them all, because I'm sparring against :

- Set Collectors
- Jersey Collectors
- Patch Collectors
- Autograph Collectors
- Other Player Collectors.

Make no mistake, my fun IS the hunt. My enjoyment IS having something in MY collection that is different and unique from anything else anybody else has.


Another angle on this. I know a collector who had one of the absolutely most complete collections of Thomas Vanek you would EVER see. There were only maybe 1-2 other Vanek collectors anywhere near his collection. They all knew each other by name, and often emailed each other about cards they found. That infused SO MUCH passion in them, they DROVE each other to be the best. Competition brought out the best in them!

Unfortunatly for my friend here, he ended up in a pretty bad car crash, and ended up selling the collection to finance a new car. Because of the connections he made as a "SuperCollector", he was able to sell the best pieces for good prices, and to people who would keep them in thier own collections, not sell for the highest bidder.

I'm proud of my collection, and someday when I have it complete, i'll admit it into "the magazine" for consideration. But, that will be because of the pride I have, not in searching for acknowledgement.....