[zeprock]

I collect Hall of Famers. Not just a few of them. All of them. If I see a card of a Hall of Famer, that I don't have, I want to add it to my collection. It doesn't matter if it's Babe Ruth or Happy Chandler. I have more than 1000 unique cards of 28 different players and autographed cards of more than 100 different HOFers but I don't consider myself a "super collector" although at more than 250,000 different cards, I might be considered to have a "super collection".

[swear8431]

Would you call owning over 3200 Cal Ripken Cards a Super Collector, i hope so I have been collecting Ripken cards since 1986 when i got back from Boot Camp. I Also have about 15 signed balls, bats, pictures and cards outside the one you get from packs. So if you ever come across any ripken stuff hit me up. Thanks for the post!

[kerryandbeth]

Yes, you would qualify in my book! Another expensive choice, I imagine.

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I collect Hall of Famers. Not just a few of them. All of them. If I see a card of a Hall of Famer, that I don't have, I want to add it to my collection. It doesn't matter if it's Babe Ruth or Happy Chandler. I have more than 1000 unique cards of 28 different players and autographed cards of more than 100 different HOFers but I don't consider myself a "super collector" although at more than 250,000 different cards, I might be considered to have a "super collection".

I agree with your terminology.

[jtulliakat0628]

Sorry if I am taking over the Boards lately, but I need distractions here at my job that do not include numbers!

I have about a dozen PC players that I own at least 100 original cards of each, with 5 at least 200 original cards. This is obviously not considered a super collection, but in today's market I wonder how many of you can qualify or even keep it up.

Recently, the Canseco supercollector retired, and I have seen others with Mattingly, Trout (talk about expensive) and Votto.

I would never be a super collector because of the cost and time involved. Even if you pick a player like Alex Gordon, he may be affordable but searching for every card out there would be quite the deal.

Anyway, thanks for the read and let me know what you think.

You pose a really interesting question for sure.

First off, since this is such a subjective topic no matter what objective article in a magazine comes out I do believe "supercollecting" means something completely different to collectors of all types out there.

Second, a dozen players of atleast 100 original cards is impressive in itself and while that may not be a super collection certainly off to a good start right?!

Third, people have time for what they make time for. I am not a big fan of the whole "I don't have time" mindset. It is completely flawed. If a person is truly honest with themself they have time for what they make. Like TV, reading, family, collecting etc. so I am sure if somebody wanted to invest true time and money to find, I am sure they could do a decent job for a lot of players.

It would be hard to track down every card though right?! You just never know if that one card is in somebodies shoe box in an attic or is an integral part of their collection that they never want to let go of.

Such a good question to pose though.

[mgruber2]

Well I am a collector and my wife tells me I'm super. Does that count?

Seriously though....

I collect a little of everything (baseball) but my main focus is and always will be my Tigers! I have several signed bats, many more signed balls, signed jersey (Kaline), signed photos, a pair of seats from old Tiger Stadium, numerous historical odds and ends and of course many thousands of cards

[pjrussell529]

I have many different ways I collect but as far as someone I really collect it would be Nomah. I have 591 different cards of his out of 7,000 plus so not really a super collector. And there is not too many more I want or need to pick up.
I don't just pick up a Nomar card just because I don't have it. There are a lot of crappy looking cards out there and a lot that have the same photo. I only have 4 autos and will only pick up another if it looks good to me. I only have 4 mem cards because you can only have so many generic grey jersey pieces or bat pieces but if it looks cool I will get it.

[kerryandbeth]

I have many different ways I collect but as far as someone I really collect it would be Nomah. I have 591 different cards of his out of 7,000 plus so not really a super collector. And there is not too many more I want or need to pick up.
I don't just pick up a Nomar card just because I don't have it. There are a lot of crappy looking cards out there and a lot that have the same photo. I only have 4 autos and will only pick up another if it looks good to me. I only have 4 mem cards because you can only have so many generic grey jersey pieces or bat pieces but if it looks cool I will get it.

Wow, someone besides me collects cards based on how they look! LOL.
Seriously, I only have about 70 Nomars because I am picky about the style, surface, and photo, and overall visual quality.

One of my favorites is only a $4 card...2002 Fleer Triple Crown Diamond Immortality.

[rjcj2017]

Yes, I sort of used to be a Mike Trout supercollector, but I swear, I quit chasing all the cards with photos of him running the bases.

Like, the 2013 "trophy cup" Trout was sort of cool, the horizontal one that showed him sliding into third, but I swear like every base card of him for the next five years showed him running.

It's like, OK, Topps, we get it, the kid hustles, LOL

[rob024420]

I tried for a while with Ryne Sandberg. There is just too much stuff out there. Often times the shipping cost outweighs the value of the actual card specifically with base inserts etc. I still have everything from when I started it but doubt I will ever pick it back up again. Now I just stick with 3 guys (Sandberg, Banks, Pence) and I PC autos, patches, high end rookies or graded stuff (things I like) of them. I try not to get too overly invested in someone unless it's one of those guys. I have learned some hard and expensive lessons trying to collect too many players at once.

P.S. - I still have a ton of Josh Hamilton Autos and Patches if anyone is interested (eye roll)

[jack pfiester]

I collect Hall of Famers. Not just a few of them. All of them. If I see a card of a Hall of Famer, that I don't have, I want to add it to my collection. It doesn't matter if it's Babe Ruth or Happy Chandler. I have more than 1000 unique cards of 28 different players and autographed cards of more than 100 different HOFers but I don't consider myself a "super collector" although at more than 250,000 different cards, I might be considered to have a "super collection".

That's exactly what I collect! In fact my "Cooperstown" collection started because of the election of guys like Gary Carter, Sutter, Gossage, Rice, Dawson, Blyleven, etc. Now that they are HOFers I wanted to save their cards and decided just to put all HOFers together regardless of status.

You're Babe Ruth to Happy Chandler example is perfect!

Often times I will open a box and when I don't get all the HOFers from a set, my collection feels incomplete...