I miss collecting cards

As some of you may know that about 3 months ago I lost my job and had to sell my entire collection. Next week I start my new job and it will still be a couple of months before I can get back into collecting again. At first, I almost cried with some of the cards I had to move, then as two months passed, I didn't care what I had to move. Now everything is gone, except for a few scrub autographs and some chrome cards that I would get next to nothing for. I have everything packed away for my eventual move.

So now I am thinking, how exactly do I want to get back into the hobby when I have extra funds available? I have gone through quite a few collecting phases within the past several years: vintage, team collections, player collections, rainbow (chrome) collections, chrome red refractors, superfractors and of course prospecting. I even dabbled in football and basketball a bit. I am wondering what I will do this next time around. I do know that I will never spend $1500 a month on cards as I will need to set myself a limit each month or if I really want something such as a case, I will just have to save up my monthly limit and purchase it.

I know I will get back into a lower form of prospecting again, but I will want a side project. Player collection will be next to impossible for me as I won't be happy with just a few cards of that player and same goes for team collecting as well. I could do vintage again, but being as I didn't start watching baseball until around 1990, anything before that just doesn't excite me too much and not going to waste my time on 1990 Topps or Donruss.

Basically with this little side project I would want is that I wouldn't want to get bored of them and sell the cards down the road. If I was able to have hung onto my Milwaukee Brewers prospect collection or Prince Fielder collection I would have had a great start. It has to be something that isn't prospect based as whatever I do with a prospect, if he gets hot, I will want to sell it. The problem with player collections is that I would only collect guys from my favorite team, but then what happens when he gets traded or signs with another team? I would therefore have no more interest collecting wise from that player.

The only other thing I thought about which I will obviously never complete is only collecting cards of players only pictured as a Milwaukee Brewer. I would like to ask for suggestions on how I should limit myself with this project. I fear that when a new product comes out and I see a cool looking card of a Brewer, I will want it and spend my limit for the month on it opposed to collecting some of the smaller stuff.

An idea that comes to my mind is going back to 1990 and start collecting everything I can from that year that I can find. Once that is done, move on to 1991 and go forth to present day. I have a feeling that it will take quite some time and all the new products that are busted will deter me from going after the "newest" card out there.

Any suggestions on what I should do or how you think I could slow down the process and not want to be tempted by all the new cards?

I guess the good news is that there won't be as many new cards per year as there used to be.
One thing I've tinkered with (coincidentally I'm a Brewer guy) is to get a good looking patch of all the Brewers I like for PC. When a cooler or more intriguing patch comes along, I'd upgrade or switch out. I've avoided logomen, because they're not really all that interesting and usually expensive for what it is. I didn't get any 1/1s yet either because it's weird - some of the cooler patches are #d /50, /25, etc. Of course, this means you'd have to like patches.

If you don't like patches as a PC item, a gem or pristine graded card of a certain key rookie of all the Brewer faves wouldn't be too boring. There's always a chance at upgrading, and a high grade Bob Uecker or Ryan Braun auto would be tough to part with.

Of course, the Brewer system is great for low-end prospecting. Perfect system for it imo.
So there's alway that until you come back full-force.

I still don't have what I'd consider a PC. There's nothing I own that I won't part with. Just haven't found that certain niche yet.

Honestly, I'd caution you from even getting back in. No offense but I am the type of guy that's not going to have a "hobby" and then at the slightest sign of trouble or boredom, turn around and sell it. Its not worth the effort to me. I almost cried when I was getting rid of my comics. Not because they mean the world to me but because all of the effort. The Saturdays and Sundays of spending all day out at local flea markets in the 100 degree heat looking for things I needed or wanted for my collection. The complete collections that took years to amass. The sheer amount of what I had. Seeing all that hard work being broken up like it never meant anything. Even though I traded a good portion of it off for cards I now own....it was still really sad.

And, after seeing many here say that at the slightest sign of financial struggle, their collections would be the first thing to go, even if they were possibly harder to replace than anything else they owned, I'd ask you a question: why even bother? Look at what you wrote...3 months and now you have nothing left? Well almost nothing but mostly nothing right? So all that hard work only gave you 3 months of breathing room? And it almost certainly took a hell of a lot longer than that to put together right? I mean, I understand and all. If I had to sell on the spot, I'd get a lot less for my collection than I would if I piece mealed it out. But its also why, short of a medical emergency, I figure what the hell is the point. What if you had been out of work longer? Then not only did you axe your collection but you're still up s--t creek.

If I were you, I'd probably just stay away. Not trying to sound rude. I am simply trying to put myself in your shoes. And I wouldn't see myself getting back in.

I have a awesome but affordable project... it has to be secret, I dont know if anyone else has done it. would to be too sweet!!!

Collecting every Brewer card from 1990 on will drive you mad, so how about making it easier?
Like collecting every brewer who has been on an insert card?

That will eliminate all the odd ball and regional stuff, plus every made for no reason set of the mid 90's.

Its still a very large challenge, just dont expect to get their Flair Masterpice cards.

Might I suggest building your six-month emergency (liquid) fund a top priority for your own security. Maybe limit yourself to a single card every week or month until you've built up that security. I know everyone is supposed to do this but not too many do, but its smart advice. After building up your security do what you like with cards...personal security > cards.

I think the most important thing to having a successful team collection is to be happy with what YOU have. With the mind-blowing number of new cards that come out every year it's nearly impossible to track down every card you would like to add to your collection. On top of that, numbered parallels, patches, autos, etc complicate the process even further.

If you are going to be bothered by somebody else having a larger collection than you, or having a rare card that you don't, then team collecting might not be right for you. It will quickly drive you crazy if you feel the need to have every single card out there of your team. IMO, the key is setting a budget that is within your financial means and doesn't detract from or or harm your overall financial position, and work within your budget to accumulate a collection that you enjoy, whether that means having 10,000 different base cards and only a few higher end cards, or focusing exclusively on higher end cards and ignoring commons and higher numbered inserts.

Build the complete Topps team set for the Brewers for each year of their existence. Include all multi player cards with a Brewer. Do the update sets too. Get all Brewers cards for the 1982 season. Two projects that will last a while and allow you to moderate your spending. Put yourself on a $100 per month hobby budget.

I'd build some autograph sets. Good variety, easy to resell and look good displayed. Always gonna be some SP's in every set you have to chase.

My first post in the thread aside...I have dabbled in all kinds of little projects. Completing a player collection or completing auto'd sets are quite satisfying. I also like to build sets of every different release I can. But nothing makes me more satisfied than adding a few new Bagwells every week. And the good thing about player collecting, as long as you aren't going for a super expensive guy...it can last years and always remain somewhat affordable. I don't have as much free money to spend now so I just get a few new cards a week. It helps save money and still builds my collection.

prospectorgems said:

The only other thing I thought about which I will obviously never complete is only collecting cards of players only pictured as a Milwaukee Brewer. I would like to ask for suggestions on how I should limit myself with this project. I fear that when a new product comes out and I see a cool looking card of a Brewer, I will want it and spend my limit for the month on it opposed to collecting some of the smaller stuff.

Click to expand...

Perhaps stick to collecting autographs or RC of the Brewers All-Stars over the years (or since 1990)?
http://mlb.mlb.com/mil/history/all_stars.jsp

James52411 said:

Build the complete Topps team set for the Brewers for each year of their existence. Include all multi player cards with a Brewer. Do the update sets too. Get all Brewers cards for the 1982 season. Two projects that will last a while and allow you to moderate your spending. Put yourself on a $100 per month hobby budget.

Click to expand...

This.

Seven years in, i am still working on my Mets version of this, 1962 - Current.

Down to just 5 needed to finish off the complete run:
Seaver RC, Ryan RC, 2010 Topps 2: Seaver, Ike Davis Pie, and Santos

Get all the Brew Crew, put them in sheets/albums and enjoy the hell outta them!

ThoseBackPages said:

James52411 said:

Build the complete Topps team set for the Brewers for each year of their existence. Include all multi player cards with a Brewer. Do the update sets too. Get all Brewers cards for the 1982 season. Two projects that will last a while and allow you to moderate your spending. Put yourself on a $100 per month hobby budget.

Click to expand...

This.

Seven years in, i am still working on my Mets version of this, 1962 - Current.

Down to just 5 needed to finish off the complete run:
Seaver RC, Ryan RC, 2010 Topps 2: Seaver, Ike Davis Pie, and Santos

Get all the Brew Crew, put them in sheets/albums and enjoy the hell outta them!

Click to expand...

Eh...honestly...its not that challenging. Especially if you have a team like the astros. Most expensive card you'll have to buy would be a Joe Morgan rookie. I got one for like $20. Other than that...it would be something I could knock out in maybe a couple of months unless there were some real hard to find commons. As it stands...if you live anywhere near the team you collect, and there are any dealers who have been there for a significant amount of time, you can walk into their shop and knock out maybe 20 years worth right off the bat. No fun. Trust me. I did it with the astros stuff.

Edited to add: by no fun I mean its no fun if you want a long chase. Or maybe Houston is just different from other areas and people seem to have this kind of stuff more so than other places. Me, I'd like the chase to last quite a while. Not too easy but not totally impossible.

I like to prospect and is currently what I am doing. My side project is to get an auto'd baseball of every member of the 2008 World Champion Phillies Game 5 starting line-up (Ended in 5 games). Ive been working on it for a while, although not working hard on it, and I only have 3 balls. It is fun to do, though challenging.