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At what point does your collection become an obsession?

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michaelstepper

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
8,211
519
southeast Alaska
Interesting question I thought about stemming from my immortal signatures thread. At what point in your collecting has a mild collecting niche become an all out assault on whatever it is your collecting?
For mine it's I just happened to pick up a few here and there as they popped up for my hof pc and before I knew it I had a bunch of them and the thought of getting more appealed to me. So much so that now I do daily (multiple) searches of eBay and websites in this desperate attempt to find the ones I need. Many cards I want but these if and when available become first priority no matter if I had my eye or money somewhere else. Used to be this way about griffey but that proved to be a never ending and financial disaster.
 

michaelstepper

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
8,211
519
southeast Alaska
Yeah I got in a bit over my head at one point trying to pick up anything and everything auto/gu. Dug myself a nice hole BUT learned from it. my collecting is pretty self sufficient in monthly allowance and sales funding all new pickups.
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
Sometimes I question going after all the new Belle cards because I feel like they're so mass blasted out that an auto of his is like a base card now. Sometimes I feel like I acquire cards so fast that you don't have the time to appreciate. I feel bad for kids collecting modern day cards and stars, it's nothing like it was back in the '90s, miss those days but I'm not the first or the last to say that.


---
Buying Albert Belle cards! PM me!
 

ch2423

New member
Jan 3, 2011
179
0
NE Ohio
My Cruz collection became an obsession right around the time I realized that I could potentially complete it (minus 1/1's of course). Since then I've gone all out nuts compiling a detailed wantlist that features the locations (sites) of the last cards I need. Of the 305 left for me to acquire, I've got leads on 156. Just a matter of getting a few together with one seller to not be killed on shipping and I could see me getting really close to completion by 2020.
 

MOFNY

Active member
Aug 9, 2008
4,789
1
East Greenwich, RI
My Cruz collection became an obsession right around the time I realized that I could potentially complete it (minus 1/1's of course). Since then I've gone all out nuts compiling a detailed wantlist that features the locations (sites) of the last cards I need. Of the 305 left for me to acquire, I've got leads on 156. Just a matter of getting a few together with one seller to not be killed on shipping and I could see me getting really close to completion by 2020.
Dude one of these days I'm going to redo your site for fun. It has a lot of potentially.
 

rickeyfanatic

Member
Aug 15, 2008
917
0
MA
I've had bouts of obsessive/compulsive collecting, followed by years of disinterest. Guess it's a love/hate sometimes.
 

KLARNOLD

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2008
1,409
147
Owensboro, KY
Used to be this way about griffey but that proved to be a never ending and financial disaster.

I use to collect Ken Griffey Jr too until I realized I could never keep up with everything. I finally sold most of the good Griffey stuff and switched my focus to Albert Pujols Minor League, Rookie & oddball items. There is less pressure on you if you narrow down your focus to only specific items instead of collecting everything. When you become overwhelmed with collecting everything, it has become an obsession.
 

CatdaddysCards

Trade Moderator
Mar 12, 2010
6,895
1
Cherryvale, KS
For me, it only happens when I actually visit ebay on my laptop. Other than that, I have a tendency to forget about my collection anymore. Once I see a nice Hosmer patch, I am searching for them all. I have developed an obsession with very low numbered Hosmer stuff. To the point I am considering clearing out a lot of other PC stuff, to focus solely on that. At least, when I think about it.
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
My Cruz collection became an obsession right around the time I realized that I could potentially complete it (minus 1/1's of course). Since then I've gone all out nuts compiling a detailed wantlist that features the locations (sites) of the last cards I need. Of the 305 left for me to acquire, I've got leads on 156. Just a matter of getting a few together with one seller to not be killed on shipping and I could see me getting really close to completion by 2020.
I come and go but feel like this happens to me too... which is why it's clearly an obsession because for me, when you start to just buy up so many things and am more excited about crossing off the card on the list and adding one to your total/%, more than you are actually looking at the physical card before jamming it in your binder or box, that is when it's happened.

By the way, your site is sick. It's my goal this year to build a Belle site and just haven't found the time but thought I'd tell you it's pretty awesome.
 

Hawk8

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2013
8,376
229
Louisiana
When you get a second job and use that money to just add to your collection or when you have over 100,000 cards of your guy.
 

ch2423

New member
Jan 3, 2011
179
0
NE Ohio
Dude one of these days I'm going to redo your site for fun. It has a lot of potentially.

It's still definitely a work in progress. More ideas than time lately but that's what retirement is for, in 30 years or so. :D


I come and go but feel like this happens to me too... which is why it's clearly an obsession because for me, when you start to just buy up so many things and am more excited about crossing off the card on the list and adding one to your total/%, more than you are actually looking at the physical card before jamming it in your binder or box, that is when it's happened.

By the way, your site is sick. It's my goal this year to build a Belle site and just haven't found the time but thought I'd tell you it's pretty awesome.

I have been there in the past month. Added about 100 cards to the collection and that's just how it was. Couldn't wait to see that % go up.

Thank you for the compliment on the site. It's been the most time consuming but fun part of the collection.
 

Hendersonfan

New member
May 2, 2011
4,118
0
Buckeye Country
When you're 11 and your parents buy a new car, receive a 3 day stay at a hotel in US or Toronto and head there to watch a Blue Jays game because Rickey was playing. Planning a trip to Cooperstown years in advance. Or when you closet looks like this.
1397256727566.jpg
 

Hendersonfan

New member
May 2, 2011
4,118
0
Buckeye Country
Yes and no. All authentic but not game used. All correct patches, memorial bands, 2 or 3 color names/numbers and nameplates if used. When I met him, he said he would send me a gamer, but I haven't heard anything yet. I just picked up a Mariners BP jersey the other night. Still about 6-7 I'm looking to add.
 

weight333

New member
May 28, 2013
581
0
Milwaukee, WI
Last week there was a news story about a house fire here in the Milwaukee area and the owner was a hoarder. When I visited my mother she mentioned the story to me. My parents never understood my collection growing up and still don't. They, like most people, only see all the money that can be squeezed out of the collection. Then later on the same evening, I got a facebook PM from an ex and she mentioned the same story to me! I clarified that 'I am a collector, not a hoarder." My collection is large but well organized and pretty much kept to one room. Her response was 'Hoarders think they are collectors.' Touche! haha
 
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DiebytheCubs

Member
Dec 2, 2012
262
0
Chicago suburbs/Ohio
I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with my PC guy although I always do get a rush whenever I'm able to add new cards. Sometimes I worry myself though that I may be obsessed with collecting in general. There are times when I hear about something interesting about a player or a league or whatever and I begin thinking "Maybe I should start a collection of that guy" when in reality I have no connection of any kind to that guy.

It helps that I have a limited collecting budget, but occasionally I will start a collection that I will probably never follow through on. Luckily, it's not all that hard to part with those cards when I come to my senses though.
 
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