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This week's Collector's Corner is about Pete, aka [MENTION=8688]U L Washington Rookie[/MENTION]. He has a brother on this forum too ! I wanna thank Pete for taking the time to answer these questions !
I’m Pete, mid 30s. Aside from baseball cards, I randomly pick up and use old safety razors as a sort of ‘collection’.
I enjoy playing sports – basketball, football, softball, etc – much more than collecting cards.
1) When did you start collecting _______ and why do you collect ______ ?
2) What was the turning point in your collecting ____ ? What put you over the edge and made you completely focus on ______ ?
4) What deal did you have slip through the cracks, that you regret ? Why didn't it work out ?
5) What's your favorite piece / card in your collection ? Why ?
6) What's your wife / significant other / family think of your obsession (or collecting) for ______ ?
I’m Pete, mid 30s. Aside from baseball cards, I randomly pick up and use old safety razors as a sort of ‘collection’.
I enjoy playing sports – basketball, football, softball, etc – much more than collecting cards.
1) When did you start collecting _______ and why do you collect ______ ?
I started collecting Greg Maddux cards in the early-to-mid 90’s because he anchored my very first fantasy baseball team; for Mo Vaughn, I don’t know how that happened. I collect a few Tigers players – mostly Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell and Cecil Fielder – because that’s my favorite team. And I collect a few sets, say Stars N Steel and 1995 Finest, because I just like the cards.
2) What was the turning point in your collecting ____ ? What put you over the edge and made you completely focus on ______ ?
In the last couple years I’ve really narrowed my focus to a small number of players and sets. There are just so many cool cards out there that I’d go broke if I didn’t focus. Narrowing focus also makes it more enjoyable when I run across a ‘most wanted’ card, as otherwise I’d have no trouble finding great cards to add to my collection.
3) What has been the high point in collecting ______ ? The low point ?
My high point has probably been participating in the Morning Thread Secret Santa: learning about a whole lot of cards I’d never focus on otherwise while researching what items to send; the appreciation my victim showed; the sweet, sweet mail day bestowed upon me; the epic show-your-gifts thread; everything about it was great.
No low points stick out. I guess looking at completed auctions an occasionally seeing great opportunities I missed can be disappointing.
No low points stick out. I guess looking at completed auctions an occasionally seeing great opportunities I missed can be disappointing.
4) What deal did you have slip through the cracks, that you regret ? Why didn't it work out ?
I’m not sure I ever had any deal fall through that hurt. But I did once trade away a Mantle refractor from 1996 Topps I was lucky enough to pull for a Maddux insert of the same year that now turns out to be terribly lop-sided in the Mantle’s favor – that would have been a really cool card to have kept, regardless of value.
5) What's your favorite piece / card in your collection ? Why ?
That’s a tough question to answer. There are so many great cards I’m lucky enough to own. I’ll say that two 1997 Finest Gold Embossed Refractors – Cecil Fielder and Mo Vaughn – would be right up there. That’s easily my favorite insert set from the 90’s. Both I picked up via the thoughtfulness of [MENTION=2418]George_Calfas[/MENTION]. Also a 1999 Tek Gold Maddux that came out of what I think was the first Morning Thread box break on FCB I participated in.
6) What's your wife / significant other / family think of your obsession (or collecting) for ______ ?
My wife would be happy if I got rid of all my cards immediately. She knows that’s not happening, so she puts up with my hobby.
7) What's your white whale or just a card you can't seemingly track down or acquire ?
8) Have you met the player you collect and what was the experience like ? (For set collectors, it'd be asking about meeting other set collector's of said set and having discussions with them).
9) What is your biggest pet peeve about collecting ______ ?
10) How have forums / eBay / COMC helped your collecting of _____ ? How have they hurt ?
11) How much competition do you face in your collecting of _____ ? How often do you check forums / auction sites for your player ?
12) Any thoughts of ever giving up the collection ?
13) How has the generosity of FCB'ers or other forum / site members helped your collection ? Elaborate.
And then just a general wrap up, like an acceptance speech.
7) What's your white whale or just a card you can't seemingly track down or acquire ?
My most wanted card is the 1997 Finest Gold Embossed Refractor Maddux. That’s one pricey card! I’ll eventually pony up the cash for one, assuming I can track it down. But for now, there are so many other options that I’m happy enough picking up.
8) Have you met the player you collect and what was the experience like ? (For set collectors, it'd be asking about meeting other set collector's of said set and having discussions with them).
I’ve never knowingly met any of the collectors who compete with me on various sets or guys I collect. Either could probably be a pretty odd experience.
9) What is your biggest pet peeve about collecting ______ ?
Crooks.
10) How have forums / eBay / COMC helped your collecting of _____ ? How have they hurt ?
FCB has helped in tons of ways. The wealth of information and goodwill collectors share on the site is incredible. Participating on FCB also helps keep my interest in the hobby up. Card-selling sites open up the whole world for tracking down cards that I’d have little opportunity to see otherwise – it’s not like the shows in my area (even when the National was in Chicago) bring out too many of the valuable cards in the era I collect, let alone the low-dollar cards that aren’t worth taking to a show.
I don’t see negatives to those sites, other than making it so easy to spend my money.
I don’t see negatives to those sites, other than making it so easy to spend my money.
11) How much competition do you face in your collecting of _____ ? How often do you check forums / auction sites for your player ?
I think much of what I collect brings only small amount off competition – other than Maddux and some 90’s insert sets. Now that Maddux is going into the HoF, competition for his cards has increased.
I check ebay about once a day and comc once a week or so. I’ve had some very good luck on Sportlots recently, too.
I check ebay about once a day and comc once a week or so. I’ve had some very good luck on Sportlots recently, too.
12) Any thoughts of ever giving up the collection ?
Nope.
13) How has the generosity of FCB'ers or other forum / site members helped your collection ? Elaborate.
I’m not all that good of a gift receiver, and the good folks here have helped me improve with that; [MENTION=4937]alexs64[/MENTION] being the first, I believe. I’ve also been able to make some good deals for my PC through FCB that I doubt I could find elsewhere – and I hope the people I dealt with feel the same.
And then just a general wrap up, like an acceptance speech.
The only sports card forum I’m a member of is FCB. I’ve found this community to be filled with mostly good people who really care about this hobby. All the knowledge and advice shared here is a huge asset to card collecting. I know I’m now the only one who appreciates this group.
