[mouschi3]

I like to think that on the outside, I present myself as a normal(ish) type of person. People who know me, know I love baseball, baseball cards and collecting. I like to think that there is a bit of ... "charm" for lack of better words, associated with being an adult who enjoys baseball & baseball cards.

The very fact that we are here in our free time on the forums discussing the sport/hobby we love so much shows that we are a bit over the top...fanatics if you will. When this comes out, "outsiders" may tend to ridicule us.

I remember when the switch was flipped for me from collecting cards to focusing exclusively on Canseco cards / memorabilia. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I set out to not be one of those guys who had posters plastered all over his walls. No disrespect at all to you folks who do it like this guy:

National Geographic Hardcore Hobbies : Andy Van Slyke
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/vi...ds-galore/

(Speaking of which ... check out one of his you tube videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8LdkV5Rpw8 - he's a riot! Love it.)

Anyway, slowly but surely, as I began to get more and more cool things, I just had to display them. I'm not to the point yet where it looks like I need to light candles for a shrine or anything, but I have had a few people up in my office, and the looks on their faces showed that they were in total awe and amazement. (More accurately read: They looked horrified.)

As I am slowly but surely able to adapt and better hide the crazy, (why do you have his game used socks draped on your hutch, Mouschi?) I thought it would be fun to hear what off the wall feedback everyone else had for their obsession.

So, what have others told you when they found out about your obsession?

[Hofcollector]

It always goes one of two ways. Either it reignites a desire in a former collector to the point they have a sincere interest in collecting again or people think it's childish, immature or even pathetic... until they figure out there's real money involved. In regards to the latter, it doesn't phase me in the least. I'm always just going to do what I do despite what anyone thinks. The insanity of collecting provides me with sanity and somewhere along the way I met a lot of great people and have a really good group of friends from my sports card dealings. When I was younger I did far less noble things with my time and never cared what anyone thought so I'm not starting now. Haters are going to hate, which is fine. Just dont have your hand out if I ever decide to cash in.

[waynetalger]

It always goes one of two ways. Either it reignites a desire in a former collector to the point they have a sincere interest in collecting again or people think it's childish, immature or even pathetic... until they figure out there's real money involved. In regards to the latter, it doesn't phase me in the least. I'm always just going to do what I do despite what anyone thinks. The insanity of collecting provides me with sanity and somewhere along the way I met a lot of great people and have a really good group of friends from my sports card dealings. When I was younger I did far less noble things with my time and never cared what anyone thought so I'm not starting now. Haters are going to hate, which is fine. Just dont have your hand out if I ever decide to cash in.

I admit back in the 80s I thought it was stupid to collect cards, I had freinds allways talking to me and wanting me to collect. When they got out in High School that was when I Stepped in and started collecting like crazy.

[y2hood]

I'll probably be shot for this story but:

I used to show girls my cards after "hook ups" to kinda bore them into leaving. One girl was actually interested and stayed longer reading stats on the back and asking questions.

I put a ring on it hahahaha. Eight years later she brings me stuff home from Target.


As far as other people go, they'll ask questions, make a few comments about not realizing it was still a thing, and ultimately leads to they have or their spouse has cards from childhood and can I please appraise them?

The Orkin man came by for his semi regular visit and when he came out of my sports room I jokingly said, "did you see my treasure?" He responded, "What? On your little cards?"

HE INSULTED MY TREASURE!

[charleybrown]

I remember talking cards with some friends in high school (circa 2005). I got the, "You still collect cards?!" reaction. I never told anyone I collected after that. I didnt tell my girlfriend (now wife) until maybe 8 or 9 months into dating. She said my hobby was "cute"... but now she tolerates it and occasionally buys me cards for Christmas and Valentines day. She is a baseball fan so I guess it helps. I proposed at Fenway Park so I feel like she will always like baseball to some degree.

[petillo64]

I don't advertise that I collect and go around talking about it to random people like I would when I was in the 2nd-6th grade (It became so "uncool" once 7th grade hit, so I collected on the sly), but if someone is over my house, it's not like I'm going to hide it.

My cousin-in-law, who makes a similar amount of money to me, said something in regards to my "wasting money". I took him to task. He bought a $10,000 boat that he takes out twice a year, depreciates in value, and requires endless funds to keep running. When I was able to take my wife and daughter on a Disney cruise , solely based on the profits of my former Joc Pederson and Addison Russell PC's, his family went along. I got to ask him how much money his boat made him in the past year...

[dimarco73]

"I took him to task. He bought a $10,000 boat that he takes out twice a year, depreciates in value, and requires endless funds to keep running."

You know how some people give you that strange look when the fact that you collect cards comes into the conversation. That's the same look I give when someone tells me they bought a boat.
As pops said when I was younger, our boat is like a bottomless bucket to just keep putting money into.

[jhyde77]

I don't tell anyone I collect. But I don't hide it either. If someone doesn't understand why I collect, I can't really explain it because I don't really know why. It doesn't make sense on the surface. I think you had to grow up with American sports and cards to really get it.

[1969metsfan]

I'm pretty open about my collecting obsession. "Hello, my name is Dave and I'm a '69 Metsaholic". "It's been three days since my last purchase". There, that felt good. 99 times out of 100, I get a favorable response when I share the fact that I have a room with three walls painted Mets blue and one painted Mets orange for my collection. Does my wife accept my obsession? Who do you think painted the room? I was TDY (military for traveling for work) and she surprised me when I got home with the room. My desk at work has several pieces of memorabilia which is what usually gets the conversation going. Several co-workers have even been nice enough to bring me items that they find.

[rob024420]

I don't hide the fact that I collect cards. I think people (non-collectors) don't understand the magnitude or how the card/memorabilia collecting game actually works. I think there is an assumption from them that collecting and cards are exactly how they were when they stopped collecting, or that it's a hobby only for children. Most don't understand the type of money that changes hands online and at big time card shows. I know that my Dad had this thought until he walked in my man cave for the first time and saw the memorabilia pieces on the wall. I showed him autographs and game used pieces of his favorite players when he was kid. Needless to say he was blown away.