[wavytiger1975]

The problem is no one can ignore the fact there are 1/1's. They make em cause you want em. My opinion (even if the bully says i'm just flapping my gums) is it became absurd when they lowered anything with less than 100 copies. I point and laugh at 1/1's. Ignore anything and everything with a super low print run and you will stress less. As others have said, if you obtain it then it's a bonus card.

[bakerman8419]

Interesting posts everyone. I enjoyed hearing what you all had to say and this thread has really caused me to put some serious thought into how I collect and what I should collect.

As most of you know I collect JT, ZT and Marino which are all retired players so collecting especially supercollecting new guys is somewhat new for me. I really didnt appreciate how hard it would be and to throw "supercollecting" around so loosely shows my true ignorance lol. I had a fairly long conversation with my gf tonight (she was actually supportive talking about cardboard lol) and we decided I should collect what I like and not worry about getting every card I can of one or two players. If I spend all my time and money on Tannehill and Lamar Miller then I miss out on Marino, ZT and TONS of other players. I had the realization that even if I did everything in my power to collect Tannehill I would come up WAY short of having all his cards so my "supercollecting" days for Tannehill and Lamar Miller are now over lol. And by what alot of your posted it seems like I made a good decision lol.

On a side note: Has anyone put this much thought into how you collect or am I unique?

[melcmd]

On a side note: Has anyone put this much thought into how you collect or am I unique?

I went thru this at the end of the 2007. Most of my collection centered on Adrian Peterson. It was expensive, I didmt even touch his major cards (SPA, Exquisite, NT or Contenders).

2008 had such a great rookie class, i felt like I'd miss out on a lot of good players. The Vikings big name was John David Booty. You can see why I didn't want to just collect him. There were a lot of nice sets as well. Doing sets put the odds in my favor of having some great cards and players.

I started doing sets and subsets and haven't looked back since.

[brentboudreaux1]

I agree with most that it is ridiculous...it has become all about money and really makes it NOT fun to chase them. lol i dont even bother unless one pops up on the bay. i would like to own at least ONE 1/1, but so far they have eluded me

[sensei322]

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a minute and say that it is good for the hobby. It gives more collectors a chance to have a "piece" of the player they really like. There are enough autos and jerseys to go around and enough products priced for all collectors.


The player collector part of me says it's freakin' ridiculous. There's no way you can be what I consider a true player collector these days unless you have a money tree in the backyard. With that said, I think those of us that collect players need to find a "different" way to do it. I can still collect my guy if I stick to just autos, or just patches, or just inserts (or whatever my budget can afford). We have to remember this hobby isn't a contest, and in the end you'll go to your dirt nap surrounded by piles of cardboard or surrounded by happiness. Hopefully you find a way to go with both.

What a fantastic post.

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Just wait until Triple Threads comes out...I remember a couple of years ago RW34 did the calculations for Donald Brown and he had 55 1/1s and only 120 autos total, or something like that. Kinda ridiculous when 50% of a player's autographs are considered 1/1s. Kinda defeats the purpose IMO...but then again, I would still flip the crap out if I pulled a white whale, so maybe Topps knows me better than I do.

[dmasci]

I think it's bad for the hobby but good for the card manufacturers. The real problem though is that we as consumers are willing to pay crazy amounts for these 1/1 cards...especially if they are players that may not even make it in the NFL. A 1/1 for Peyton Manning is one thing, but some rookie that has yet to take the field is another story altogether.

[hellsbells]

The "Hobby" is the sole form of revenue for the card companies, so anything they do - it is because they think it is good for the hobby.

That being said, I hate that there are so many 1/1's out there (kind of makes them NOT 1/1's) I think printing plates are a cool item for people to get, but I wouldn't try to collect them all.

My #1 player collection is Carl Edwards (NASCAR) and I will not chase after the 1/1's - and will still consider myself a supercollector. If one becomes available at a price I can afford, I will get it, or trade for it, but will not consider my collection incomplete without it.

I will consider my collection incomplete without all of the cards/parallels/inserts #'d to 25 or more (not sure about /5, /10, /15, etc.)

The amount of Autos and GU cards hasn't killed the hobby, just made it easier for people to get a piece of their favorite player. It has killed the value of the cards though - I pulled a jersey card of John Elway - 2 color - and the BV is only $20 - probably 10-15 SV. While I would rather get more for it, it is nice that Elway collectors can get a HOF Jersey for so cheap.

Another note on 1/1's - for my Carl Edwards collection, Press Pass made 1/1's for a bunch of card shops a few years ago, so there are about 25-30 1/1's out there that never even made it into product for me to get, but are listed in ORG - that is why I won't consider 1/1's necessary for my collection.

Bottom line, collect what you want, what makes you happy and don't let others define what makes your collection complete!

[dmasci]

Another consideration for some of you collectors who haven't been doing this for very long. Imagine the amount of money that you put into it.....now imagine 20 years from now, what will the hobby be like and how may your interests change? I say this from experience, I started getting really into cards around 1989, 23 years ago...I have sold most of what I used to collect other than Jim Brown cards and sold them for pennies on the dollar. Now, I would say 95% of the cards I buy today are HOFers and most from back when you had a single RC. As far as autographs....you can get an autographed helmet from a HOFer for less than most 1/1 cards of a player that may never make the NFL let alone the HOF. Just a thought....try to look into the future...especially if you are pretty young...your life will change and so will your interests.

[chibearsboy]

sorry Bakerman,i was hoping i could say this on someone else's thread cuz i like you...
i dont usually rant on a friends thread.....about a subject anyway..lol

i HATE to be the prick Devil guy...i have been buying packs of cards since 1975 so i have been around this awhile too....ya.

But common sense tells me this.....
.
1 - you CANNOT be considered a supercollector if you dont have the balls to pick up at least true 1/1 and LIKE it...its a simple fact
.
2 - if you call yourself a supercollector,... you are not one..that is the collecting world's call to make...its like me saying i'm the best concrete guy in the west...with a strait face that is...
.
3 - 1/1s were the next step in this hobby at the time... for card makers and player collectors alike......we pay un-godly prices for a reason..we LIKE them and WANT them..... count them with the other cards for pete's sake people.they were printed right?.....(plates i am indifferent about really but count them in total)
.
4 - supercollectors (if you are one) go after EVERY player,set,team card they NEED their wallet and wifie/husband will allow...not just the "EASY" ones the can pick up at a moments notice.....
THAT,.. is the point OF supercollecting......RIGHT?

[bakerman8419]

sorry Bakerman,i was hoping i could say this on someone else's thread cuz i like you...
i dont usually rant on a friends thread.....about a subject anyway..lol

i HATE to be the prick Devil guy...i have been buying packs of cards since 1975 so i have been around this awhile too....ya.

But common sense tells me this.....
.
1 - you CANNOT be considered a supercollector if you dont have the balls to pick up at least true 1/1 and LIKE it...its a simple fact
.
2 - if you call yourself a supercollector,... you are not one..that is the collecting world's call to make...its like me saying i'm the best concrete guy in the west...with a strait face that is...
.
3 - 1/1s were the next step in this hobby at the time... for card makers and player collectors alike......we pay un-godly prices for a reason..we LIKE them and WANT them..... count them with the other cards for pete's sake people.they were printed right?.....(plates i am indifferent about really but count them in total)
.
4 - supercollectors (if you are one) go after EVERY player,set,team card they NEED their wallet and wifie/husband will allow...not just the "EASY" ones the can pick up at a moments notice.....
THAT,.. is the point OF supercollecting......RIGHT?

I agree with everything you said lol. A few posts above I publicly announced my ignorance to the difficulty of "supercollecting". I was ashamed of loosely throwing out the "supercollecting" title and now you just kicked me while I was down. lol.

I dont want collecting to be easy but I still think its gotten way out of hand. Too many low #'d cards. Too many autos. Too many 1/1s. Too many parallels. Just too darn much. Even if you had a stock pile of cash and the time to go after these popular young players I still doubt anyone can ever become a "supercollector" and thats the problem. This is America right? Never settle and never lose your dream. Card companies are taking that dream away from anyone who wants to be a "supercollector". Ive came across people with 3000 different Marinos and sadly thats only half way to having them all. Card companies are making it too hard for collectors (who are religiously obsessed) in this hobby to keep up. When every year a particular player has 1000+ cards made how can anyone keep up?

You also mentioned set collecting, team collecting and player collecting. Here is the difference in my eyes. Sets have a final total. Even if the total is 1000 there is a finish line and rarely would 33% of the set would be 1/1s. Team collecting is just grab anything you can but there is no chance that you will ever get all of them. Player collecting is unique. Its a collector to player connection. Set collectors just buy whats on the checklist even if they dont care about the player on the card. Team collectors just focus in on the jersey. Player collectors are about the player. IMO thats the most passionate form of collecting because you have an attachment to the player. I hate the Jets and I hate Tom Brady even more but when JT played for the Jets Panini made 4 cards of JT that featured him in a Jets uni (which was tough enough to swallow) but they put Brady on the card with him as well. That said I have all four of them and wouldnt move them for anything because JT is my dude. lol. When card companies over produce cards (to make a profit nonetheless) all it does is take away from those that are passionate about the favorite player(s). To set collectors and team collectors player cards just fills a set need or adds to the stats of their PC. Player collecting is just more special in my eyes and when card companies make it completely impossible for a person to attain most of the cards produced I feel that is bad for the hobby.

In the end you are right. It is what it is and card companies felt 1/1s were the way to go but I wish it didnt get to this extreme.

One exception to this is jaderock. I have no clue how he got to where he is with his Brunell PC. I admire him for that. However if Brunell was drafted this year I doubt he wouldve been able to keep up.

Brunell has 3300 cards

ONLY 130 autos!!!

Not sure on 1/1s but my point still stands. If Brunell was drafted this year he would have A LOT more autos than 130 and would probably have 1000 cards just made this year. No chance Jaderock could keep up with those numbers. The overproduction of cards prevents the next Jaderock even if someone is equally as passionate for a player that Jaderick is for Mark Brunell. Thats the problem.

Sorry so long but I felt like sharing lol.

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The amount of Autos and GU cards hasn't killed the hobby, just made it easier for people to get a piece of their favorite player. It has killed the value of the cards though

Bottom line, collect what you want, what makes you happy and don't let others define what makes your collection complete!

Two statements that I agree with completely.

Just to clarify I never stated the number or autos and 1/1s have "killed" the hobby. I said I think the increase is bad for the hobby. Just want to be as clear as I can lol.