[pbean]

excellent read folks

why we collect ..... hmmm, the love of the game, the love of the chase is probably the biggest driving factor behind what we love to do

the friends we've made ..... priceless ..... the experiences we've had ..... life changing

I started collecting when most here weren't even a thought, but we (myself and jr) started collecting around 2008, taking jr to the LCS buying a pack or two, building teams, loving pulling an auto or mem card soon blossomed into a multisport collection that has taken the last few years to build.

the "mancave" has now left the basement and now starts to fill jr's bedroom as well.

we've branched away from "team" collecting and now concentrate on graded vintage, HOF autos, and some current stars.

we've also been lucky to make some great friends in the industry, working trade shows has been a blast, meeting players and our "heroes" has really inspired us to continue what we love

[jywilli69]

A friend of mine got me hooked on baseball cards back in 1995. I saw Ken griffey Jr playing on tv. So I thought what the heck, I will collect his cards. I only got cards when I had the money to buy packs here and there and hoped I pulled a Griffey. Well in 2005 while deployed to Iraq, I found a Ken Griffey Jr Collection for sale on Ebay. I aksed the wife if she would bid on the huge collection, which I paid $625 for it. Well I lost interest in Baseball after Ken Griffey Jr retired and I didn't do much since. I finally decided back start collecting some football during the season, but wasn't really sure what I wanted to collect. I started collecting Quinton Patton because his cards are fairly cheap. I enjoy collecting because it gives me something to do since I am Medically Retired from the Army. Collecting has helped me keep sane and trading gives me something to look forward to, especially the mail days.Meeting new people on here and SCF has been awsome. I will probably collect till I die. So if you get any Quinton Patton's, I am the Residential Hoarder. If someone ever decides to collect his cards, hit me up and I will see what I can do to help.

---

Man, your a baby, lol.

excellent read folks

why we collect ..... hmmm, the love of the game, the love of the chase is probably the biggest driving factor behind what we love to do

the friends we've made ..... priceless ..... the experiences we've had ..... life changing

I started collecting when most here weren't even a thought, but we (myself and jr) started collecting around 2008, taking jr to the LCS buying a pack or two, building teams, loving pulling an auto or mem card soon blossomed into a multisport collection that has taken the last few years to build.

the "mancave" has now left the basement and now starts to fill jr's bedroom as well.

we've branched away from "team" collecting and now concentrate on graded vintage, HOF autos, and some current stars.

we've also been lucky to make some great friends in the industry, working trade shows has been a blast, meeting players and our "heroes" has really inspired us to continue what we love

[ugameck]

Didn't collect until I moved back in with my folks when attending law school.

I grabbed a pack or two for fun in 2001 and pulled a Vick RC. Grabbed a Beckett and saw the BV. As I told my brother: "heck, this is better than the lottery. You at least get something of value when you do t hit anything." (Even if it's 10 cents in commons). Then - I saw presspass and their collegiate stuff. That was like the needle hitting the arm. Had to collect as much UGA uniformed stuff as possible!

Then....my Bednarik PC. Hey, who doesn't PC a guy who's childhood doesn't mimic your grandparent's past!?! . It's the PC I'm most proud of and Brane actually helped me acquire my White Whale.

I've appreciated this forum so much and the people here.

[jdetter23]

Great topic Mel. Why do i collect?

I cant even remember the first time I got a pack of cards when I was a kid but everytime I'd earn some money doing chores and what not I would go to the LCS and pick out a pack or two. It was all about trying to pull a card of my favorite player, Michael Jordan. As I got into middle school I stopped for whatever reason, it might have even been the fact MJ had retired. I didnt buy another pack of cards until after I had graduated college.

Upper Deck released the 2010-11 North Carolina Basketball boxes. I was on a UNC message board and everybody was talking about how cheap these boxes were with their guaranteed UNC autos and a CHANCE at a MJ auto. I just had to try one. The rest was history, here we are 3 years later lol and I still am having fun. Its a challenge to spend some when I can yet pick up some cards I really want for my collection. Proud to say I've met some awesome people along the way on here.

[Midwestconnection]

Collecting is an all around blast. For me, it started in 1988-1989 when I was a five year old. My mother drove to Albertson's and bought us 1989 Donruss factory sets with the Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie. i did not become an avid Ken Griffey Jr. fan until 1991 when my family moved to Wichita Kansas. Christmas Day 1993 'Santa' came and delivered a spanking new 1989 UD Ken Griffey Jr. (probably my favorite card to this day). Over time my interest moved to football in 1998 when Moss & Peyton entered the NFL and my dad bought sunday ticket for us. Since then I have bought high end football cards of players and been burned badly on some and done well on others.

I enjoy boxes as well just because it brings me back. I like to look at the designs and player stats. I think people are too caught up in the Hits and loose sight of what this hobby is supposed to be about. Lately, I have often wanted to put some rookie auto patch sets together in hockey or football. We will see

[dunnere]

Great topic, and great reads, all...

Growing up, I had some football cards. It was the 70's, the Steelers were winning Super Bowl after Super Bowl, and I must have been the only Cleveland Browns fan in all of Youngstown, Ohio...at least that's how it felt. Classic story of pulling out all of the Browns cards in a stack by themselves (I still remember the Ray Guy card that I was obsessed with, with his leg straight up in the air...unreal action shot, of a punter...LOL why that sticks in my mind, I don't know). But I was much more into books and Dungeons and Dragons, and while I liked cards and comic books, I never really was allowed to buy them.

Fast forward to 2005, my son turned three, and I needed a hobby to get some alone time at home. So I started collecting cards. I was crazy for 2005 Donruss Champions baseball (the retail boxes had nice hits) and Zenith Baseball. I loved jersey cards, and these things had a lot of hits. I snuck in a few boxes of Prime Patches, my first "High End" product, without my then wife knowing. I would buy a lot of retail back then, and singles off of eBay. I really didn't know what I was doing, or what my goal was, but I loved ripping packs open...

Well, eventually I figured it out...my son loved LaDanian Tomlinson, so we started a LT collection. I thought Victor Martinez was a great catcher and had an awesome autograph, so I collected him. Bob Feller was a safe guy to collect, because he would always be an Indian. I was new to hockey, really, but as a Red Wings fan, I had to collect Steve Yzerman. I hate the Yankess, but if there is anything I know it's that Derek Jeter is immortal, and I have a decent Jeter collection. I knew Tony Stewart from a radio show I listened to (BTLS), so I became a racing fan collecting Smoke. Certain sets intrigue me, so I set build those, like Masterpieces (Football, Baseball, and Hockey).

Anyway, nine years later, I have an overblown, disorganized mess, but I really enjoy it. I went crazy in 2012 and 2013 breaking boxes (my divorce was finally over and I was looking for somethng to occupy my time, and it was probably a but passive aggressive, too...she always hated that I spent money on cards). But I also got a girlfriend in 2013, and my time for organizing, selling and trading became less and less because spending time with her is more important to me than cards are...so I stopped breaking boxes, and I am in the process of slowly but surely organizing my collection for a big sell off of a ton of stuff...

I still come here every day to troll the box breaks...I love seeing these awesome cards that everyone pulls, and I always empathize with the not so great breaks, too...I am most active on the Racing forum, but I always check out the Hockey and Football boards. Funny how Baseball is really my favorite sport, but I do not break any baseball at all anymore...baseball boxes have the least value to me...it's probably because my old player collections are of Scott Kazmir, Mark Prior, Barry Bonds, ARod...not very good, considering...LOL

[jonathani]

In brief, I collect to feel some connection to my favorite players of today and all the way back to before I was born. It does not need to be a triple-swatch-auto-one-of-one for me to get the feeling. Even simple base cards (maybe because of all the stats and interesting information) get my blood pumping when it comes to the men and women on my Want List.

[mickey871]

I collect high end Jeremy Kerley because I coached him in HS. He is a hero to my two sons, and he even came down during FB season his senior year at TCU to meet my oldest for his birthday. My son had breakfast with his sports hero for his 12th birthday. Who else can claim that?
Either my sons or his will get the coolest collection of JK cards in the world some day, and that makes me happy enough.
Mickey

[tdwright13]

Earl Bennett? I believe he's the epitome of a Bear. He's talented, humble, and a great citizen of humanity.

[melcmd]

I've enjoyed reading all of the different stories. It helps to remind me why I still like this hobby. It's also good to know that some of our great members here are still checking in.

Let's keep up the great "testimonials"!