? for long term collectors that will never not collect

Adamsince1981 · Mar 4, 2010

Over the last few years this hobby has seen a ton of changes.

Between the RC changes of '06, all the license changes (Monopoly), lawsuits, and overall performance of the companies involved; what is your current attitude towards the hobby?

* you can select 2

ChasHawk · Mar 4, 2010

I selected in the crapper.

I still collect all the time, but there are very few cards I buy that were made after 2005.

studioclint · Mar 4, 2010

I agree. The MLB keeps limiting the number of companies. I don't see how that helps. I collected DLP Absolute and other products. When they quit making them I didn't switch to another companies brand. They just lost my future money. The same thing is going to happen this year with Sweet Spot. I guess the MLB thinks that when they take away a company we will blindly switch to the existing company. My problem is the existing company doesn't have the products I buy. So I will keep collecting, but I feel the hobby is sliding into the crapper.

chashawk said:
I selected in the crapper.

I still collect all the time, but there are very few cards I buy that were made after 2005.

Adamsince1981 · Mar 4, 2010

chashawk said:
I selected in the crapper.

I still collect all the time, but there are very few cards I buy that were made after 2005.

I selected in the Crapper as well. Also, I'm buying less.

I'm selling off a huge chunk of my collection on Sunday and will be buying very little for the foreseeable future.

I'll always collect, but I'm not going to send any money Topps' way and I'm not thrilled about the idea of buying unlicensed, no logo-showing cards from UD.

Really, after I buy every 2010 UD Tulo that shows the logo's; my collecting habits will be down to looking for Tulo parallels out of 07 and 08 UD Masterpieces. Sad, considering my past involvement in the hobby.

subpop77 · Mar 4, 2010

Being a player collector I will try to get any card with my players on them. This will also let me collect more back catalouge Thomas that I need.

BluesBroSJ · Mar 4, 2010

I selected that i will still collect but the hobby is in the crapper. I have a list of 15 cards that I want to obtain by the end of the year only 4 are from 2009. One is from DLP and the other 3 are UD, and only one of those is baseball, the other 2 ud's are from hockey. Gives me a chance to fill in the holes in my collection I suppose. Just finished the 2001 UD HOF auto jersey set this past week

Adamsince1981 · Mar 4, 2010

"In the Crapper" is in the lead. Pretty much what I expected.

If I could get 2 of my prospect stashes to pop, I'd probably just buy an 01 BC Pujols auto and call it a year or 2.

TNP777 · Mar 4, 2010

Definitely spending less, no question. The dearth of interesting products is somewhat to blame, and for some reason I haven't been able to muster the energy to focus on a broad range of collecting goals. Truthfully, I'm also considering dumping a large percentage of my collection, as I just don't really care If I track down the few remaining cards that have been eluding me for years.

I'll always collect, regardless of the crappyness of the hobby as it exists today and regardless of the hobby "news" that circulates. Every year at the minimum I do a Topps and Upper Deck Dodgers set; now I'll just do a Topps set - less now to have to spend. I made the decision to not do a complete Heritage set, so no dumb ass "super" short prints to overspend on, no chromes, no GU. It just doesn't pencil out for me financially any more, regardless of whether my income goes up or down. I'll continue to hunt for the rare Butlers that have eluded me - it'd take a catastrophe to throw me off that hunt. The PSA registry will continue. I've already started to refocus on vintage, and slow but sure has been the name of the game on that - vintage cards really are the coolest, y'know?

wolfmanalfredo · Mar 4, 2010

chashawk said:
I selected in the crapper.

I still collect all the time, but there are very few cards I buy that were made after 2005.

This is along the lines of what I was going to say. The Hobby has been going downhill since the boom of the GU craze in 01-03. After that mass production and lack of ingenuity has hampered growth and brought us down further every year. Taking away licensing rights for companies also doesn't help.

smapdi · Mar 4, 2010

If MLB was to keep only 1 company and limit it to 1 set per year, that would be fine with me. People complain about the lack of choices, but things were definitely not better circa 2000-2005 when there were 5-7 companies producing 20+ sets per year each. Does anyone really miss Fleer Genuine, UD X, Topps Reserve, Donruss Studio, Playoff Prestige, Pacific Paramount, Score Select, Pinnacle Zenith, or Sportflics that much? Some may define that as "competition" but I define it as "waste."

My collection is fairly broad but limited to a few things: a few vintage sets, a current set or two per year, some limited print sets, and a couple hardcore player collections. My prospecting has fallen way off, but I don't consider that aspect of the hobby as part of my collection. The only effect any of those changes have made is to have fewer cards overall for my player collections. Any new sets I might've wanted to collect, you can't miss what you never had. I don't think I've collected a Fleer or Donruss set since the 90s, so their disappearance was barely a blip on my radar. If UD never produces another baseball card, that's fine, too. As long as there's someone out there making major league cards, I'll be fine. And even if there wasn't (I can imagine a Toppsless future, too), it's not like there would be nothing else to collect.

braden · Mar 4, 2010

I just can't get worked up over any of this. If they make it, I might buy it. If they don't, I won't lose any sleep.

ChasHawk · Mar 4, 2010

smapdi said:
If MLB was to keep only 1 company and limit it to 1 set per year, that would be fine with me. People complain about the lack of choices, but things were definitely not better circa 2000-2005 when there were 5-7 companies producing 20+ sets per year each. Does anyone really miss Fleer Genuine, UD X, Topps Reserve, Donruss Studio, Playoff Prestige, Pacific Paramount, Score Select, Pinnacle Zenith, or Sportflics that much? Some may define that as "competition" but I define it as "waste."

In a word, yes.

Playoff Prestige
Diamond Kings
Playoff Absolute Memorabilia
Leaf Certified Cuts
Leaf Certified Materials
Leaf Limited
Leaf Century Collection
Donruss Signature Edition
Donruss Champions
UD Ultimate Signature Edition
Timeless Treasures
Leather & Lumber
Throwback Threads
Playoff Honors
Donruss World Series
Donruss Timelines
Playoff Prime Cuts
Donruss Classics
Donruss Elite
Team Colors
Fleer Showcase

You can keep your 1 set.

uniquebaseballcards · Mar 4, 2010

I agree that more card choices is not necessarily a good thing, I personally think it bad.

But what's suffered these last years is the communal aspect of the hobby, something I think that came from outside influences (mainly money, greed and instant gratification) and how complicated things have become with too many different choices. Hard to think of cards with a sense of nostalgia under these circumstances.

smapdi said:
If MLB was to keep only 1 company and limit it to 1 set per year, that would be fine with me. People complain about the lack of choices, but things were definitely not better circa 2000-2005 when there were 5-7 companies producing 20+ sets per year each. Does anyone really miss Fleer Genuine, UD X, Topps Reserve, Donruss Studio, Playoff Prestige, Pacific Paramount, Score Select, Pinnacle Zenith, or Sportflics that much? Some may define that as "competition" but I define it as "waste."

My collection is fairly broad but limited to a few things: a few vintage sets, a current set or two per year, some limited print sets, and a couple hardcore player collections. My prospecting has fallen way off, but I don't consider that aspect of the hobby as part of my collection. The only effect any of those changes have made is to have fewer cards overall for my player collections. Any new sets I might've wanted to collect, you can't miss what you never had. I don't think I've collected a Fleer or Donruss set since the 90s, so their disappearance was barely a blip on my radar. If UD never produces another baseball card, that's fine, too. As long as there's someone out there making major league cards, I'll be fine. And even if there wasn't (I can imagine a Toppsless future, too), it's not like there would be nothing else to collect.

ChasHawk · Mar 4, 2010

Does everything now have to appeal to the lowest common denominator?

How effing confusing is it to just buy the cards/sets/packs/boxes you want?

Should we cut down to 1 car manufacturer?

How about clothing?

Soap?

Pizza?

Beer?

Pop?

uniquebaseballcards · Mar 4, 2010

Are you the "compulsive" collector type who believes quantity matters most and will buy anything of their player no matter what? I'm just curious about your POV.

chashawk said:
Does everything now have to appeal to the lowest common denominator?

How effing confusing is it to just buy the cards/sets/packs/boxes you want?

Should we cut down to 1 car manufacturer?

How about clothing?

Soap?

Pizza?

Beer?

Pop?

ChasHawk · Mar 4, 2010

uniquebaseballcards said:
Are you the "compulsive" collector type who believes quantity matters most and will buy anything of their player no matter what? I'm just curious about your POV.

Nope. I am far from having everything of Dawson, and only collect certain g/u and autos of Billy Williams.

I have passed on many cards that do not appeal to me.

Feel free to click on the links in my sig.

uniquebaseballcards · Mar 4, 2010

I know you to have a most impressive collection that I enjoy seeing, that's why I asked. Some people just mindlessly buy and buy which kind of scares me, but I don't know you enough to know if you were that kind of collector.

chashawk said:
uniquebaseballcards said:

Are you the "compulsive" collector type who believes quantity matters most and will buy anything of their player no matter what? I'm just curious about your POV.

Click to expand...

Nope. I am far from having everything of Dawson, and only collect certain g/u and autos of Billy Williams.

I have passed on many cards that do not appeal to me.

Feel free to click on the links in my sig.

ChasHawk · Mar 4, 2010

I only buy what I like, and I feel like there isn't gonna be much with Topps as the only game in town.

uniquebaseballcards said:
I know you to have a most impressive collection that I enjoy seeing, that's why I asked. Some people just mindlessly buy and buy which kind of scares me, but I don't know you enough to know if you were that kind of collector.

chashawk said:

uniquebaseballcards said:

Are you the "compulsive" collector type who believes quantity matters most and will buy anything of their player no matter what? I'm just curious about your POV.

Click to expand...

Nope. I am far from having everything of Dawson, and only collect certain g/u and autos of Billy Williams.

I have passed on many cards that do not appeal to me.

Feel free to click on the links in my sig.

Click to expand...

uniquebaseballcards · Mar 4, 2010

DLP and Topps would be in my perfect world - but with half the releases, and with one high-end UD HOF release.

chashawk said:
I only buy what I like, and I feel like there isn't gonna be much with Topps as the only game in town.

Adamsince1981 · Mar 4, 2010

uniquebaseballcards said:
DLP and Topps would be in my perfect world - but with half the releases, and with one high-end UD HOF release.

chashawk said:

I only buy what I like, and I feel like there isn't gonna be much with Topps as the only game in town.

Click to expand...

See, I don't know if it is because I love this hobby so much or if it is just my never ending business mind; but I don't think in terms of what would be perfect for me, I think about what would make the perfect hobby.

In a perfect hobby world:

Topps, UD, & Panini would all have the MLB license, the MLBPA license, and the ability to make a RC as soon as a draftee/free agent signs with a MLB club.

The companies are on an even playing field as far as the ability to produce cards. They would have to deliever on quality, innovation, consistency, etc. to earn the collectors dollar.

Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

? for long term collectors that will never not collect

How have the changes in the hobby effected you?

No Change

Change - Buying More

Change - Buying Less

I'll always collect and hobby is doing great

I'll always collect but the hobby is in the crapper

I'll always collect and don't pay attention to the hobby news

I'm done collecting baseball cards for now

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Active member

Well-known member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Similar threads

Log in