[phillies816]

I know it's a couple years old but anyone else watch this? Just watched it while having my coffee. Between this, the ESPN report a year or so ago about the hobby dying, the people leaving here, and the story of a big dealer from another site who spoke with Topps on how they are losing money every day( mostly because of redemptions per the story) , is the writing on the wall for the hobby? Ironically I am taking a break after I wrap up my last trade I have open right now and will be thinking about whether to come back. The hobby has its moments but they are few and far between. It's just not as fun anymore IMO. I was just going to sell everything but I will wait and see what I really want to do. Hopefully the break I will be taking reignites my interest in the hobby.

http://www.ethanedelson.com/gallery/The_...Hobby.html

[ricelynnevans75]

I was in the process myself of dumping the collection before getting a little spark back and doing a few trades here. I find that I just don't really enjoy the hobby anymore. When it feels like more work than enjoyment, it's time to get rid of it and move on. I'm going to be going through the rest of my collection, pulling anything remotely decent and sending it off to COMC and the rest will just go to Goodwill. I thought I would regret selling off some of the vintage that I did get rid of but find that it's no big deal at all and I don't miss any of it. Hell, it just sat in a box anyway that I pulled out once in awhile to look at for a few minutes anyway.

With that said, I'll probably still work on my Manny Machado PC and my son's David Ortiz collection.

[phillies816]

When it feels like more work than enjoyment, it's time to get rid of it and move on.

That is where I am at right now. This and any other hobby is supposed to distract us from the aggravation in our lives not add to it. I knew it was time for a break when I smacked a stack of Cole Hamels cards across the room because I was aggravated I couldn't find a card that was in a trade. Soon as this last trade is wrapped up the cards go back into storage for awhile.

[chevy man 22]

I think it's coming to a close as far as an investment and way to supplement one's income. Seems like it happens with every hobby or fad at some point or another. People want immediate return they don't want to wait for the kids from this generation to reach their age and be interested in the stuff their parents are now.

If you don't worry about the newest flavor of the month or having the rarest autograph then the hobby will still be fun. It's all about collecting not how much you can make. If you aren't in it to try and put a complete hand collated set together be it base or insert then you're probably not in the hobby for the right reason and are one of those who rely on the investment part of it to get their fix.

[ricelynnevans75]

Myself, I've never been in it for investing or flipping. I used to enjoy collecting whether it be a player/set/some other thing. I guess I just hit a point where it doesn't matter to me anymore.

[phillies816]

If you aren't in it to try and put a complete hand collated set together be it base or insert then you're probably not in the hobby for the right reason and are one of those who rely on the investment part of it to get their fix.

Appreciate the opinion but couldn't disagree more. MANY people don't do sets anymore. I for one loved busting packs. I enjoyed the player collecting not the set collecting and I think player collectors far outnumber set collectors.

[rippinwax]

So in a nutshell, I used to spend 8-10k a month, yes thats right amonth on wax. Pretty much a sports nut with a gambling problem, lol. I single handedly have been keeping my LCS afloat for the last 2 years. I stopped buying in April and have not missed it one iota. I would just pop in for 5 minutes, drop a k, walk out with $60 worth of cards if I sorted, protected and begged at the next show on return. Finally I woke up and said wow, I am an idiot. I have 60 redemptions sitting at Panini right now plus countless others at the other 2 companies that I have basically given up on. A lot of those are higher end players that are worth a few bucks, but I am so tired of chasing, beetching and talking till I am blue in the face, that I am just done. Newest hockey product just came out at $260 a box and its absolute garbage. Rookie crop was horrible and think I am done for sure. Have a basement full of really good cards and right now, they are all covered in sheets, spending my money on my 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T right now. At least it gives back, lol. Cheers all.......

[rollx8]

It may help, if you can figure out where to drawn the line between collecting & having an obsessive compulsive disorder....Why does any one need EVERY single card produced of JUST 1 player or every single set to collate...It cracks me up when some collectors do this with a player who just all around sucks!

"rippinwax" made a good point which I live & collect by: Why buy a box of $200 - $300 dollars worth of garbage when you can spend the same amount of money on a really nice card of your favorite player & having a collection worth keeping & enjoying...

All the commons people get from busting boxes / cases just to put in a box & put a sheet over to collect dust...Hobbyist "chasing" a rare card or buying up so much Bowman (that's so deep into the drafts) waste all that money & 9 times out of 10 have nothing to show for it...

Trying to be a card flipper is like having a 2nd job....some people do ok at it & others invest more money into it then what they are truly aware of & only have a bunch of cheesy $20 - $50 cards that only have value because they came from a premium set release...

My advice guys is slow down your buying & stop ripping...ALL of your commons: donate them , TRY to ebay them (revolving costs), or burn them....Buy only good cards that will make your collection worth having & enjoying to look at by finding a way to display them so you can appreciate them all day every day!

[Phillies_Joe]

I've also never been in it for investing, and have found that over-time, set-collecting, though fun while you are doing it, just leads to a bunch of boxes / binders shoved away, never to be seen again (or very rarely). I have never gotten the whole auto / relic thing unless in person, but that's just me, nothing wrong with it. The hobby became a real drag at one point, so I stepped back and asked myself why was I in it? The answer was / is that I love baseball and that cards are an intregal part of my relationship to the game. Reading stats, where guys are from, how old they are, really cool pics. ect. adds to my understanding and enjoyment of a game I truely loved playing and watching. Here is my recipe:
1. Don't waste money buying everthing you can get your hands on. I do limit my buying to a couple of boxes per product I like and never spend money buying high-end boxes. I save it for specific cards.
2. Really, truly set your collecting paramaters and stick to them. Collect what YOU like and not try to keep up with the Jones. Example....I think Bryce Harper is an awesome player and enjoy watching him, but you would have to pay me to take one of his auto'd cards because it would truely be placed in a box that I would rarely if ever open. I don't care how he sign's his name or how it looks.
3. Display your cards (like rollx8 - awesome idea!) so that you and others can see them, enjoy them
and converse about them. We don't keep our Crystal in its boxes...it's in a cabinet to be admired. Do the same with your cards.
4. (most important) You need real live people contact and interaction. (it's just like when you were a kid and you showed your pick-ups to your buds) Folks here and the internet are great, but I need the in-person, face to face contact with other collectors. Trade nights, shows and flea market scrounging all lead to further enjoyment. Sorry, but the passion and excitement just does not translate onto a screen.

Enjoy all...whatever and however you collect.