Pure seller or pure collector?

[tommyfro21]

I haven't started a thread in ages it seems, but I thought I would toss this out to the community...

I was curious where people fall on this board: pure seller or pure collector? I know many will say they do both. I no longer collect, but I actually did both and found it hard to do both well. I began thinking today about whether or not I would get back into cards in the future.

I believe if I did, I would purely sell. I tried doing both and struggled to keep up with the hobby with my Matt Kemp PC. I got to the point that collecting just wasn't fun or making me happy. It just cost too much to do it.

Now that I am still slowly selling off all my stuff, I seem to enjoy it more. Making money is nice, but the challenge of researching prospects was a blast for me. If I ever do mess with cards again, I will only sell and have a more focused portfolio.

Just curious where others fall in this question...

 

[NYCrulesU]

Pure collector. The purest.

 

[shepsspot]

Pure collector. The purest.

Unlike the guy you collect

Shep

 

[NYCrulesU]

Pure collector. The purest.

Unlike the guy you collect

Shep

Hearsay! It's all g**damn hearsay!


:lol:

 

[Mighty Bombjack]

I only buy to collect, but my niche is very different than most here

 

[AmishDave]

I don't think I'd ever give up a Josh for anything, unless it was a Josh I didn't have. I won't sell. Ever. Call me stupid, but I don't collect cards to make money.

 

[MacK]

I love selling cards. I love making money. Just me.

I also love collecting though, too. I can't justify spending large amounts of money on single cards though. I feel bad once it arrives, and I often pose the question, "$40 or this card in my hand?" I often choose the $40. I still love the low-end refractors, #'d, and inserts though. I don't really have a niche. But for Wainwright or Terrence Long, I can justify almost anything.

 

[bozemanbreaker]

like to try and flip some easy stuff once and awhile, helps fuel my personal collection additions.

 

[predatorkj]

I collect. I normally will not sell anything unless I have an abundance of it and don't really care to own extra copies. People have asked me and continue to ask me every day how much my latest autograph or card is worth that I get and I tell them all the same thing: I have no idea. I do keep up with value on some things but it seems almost like checking in with reality. For some reason, I can't be totally satisfied unless I feel what I paid money for is worth at least something. But I also never want to sell all or any of my cards. Chances are if I go out an obtain an autograph or I go on ebay and buy a card, I did so because I wanted it. I don't really buy anything to sell. The only times I have thought of doing it is when there was something in the deal I wanted and I needed to shuck the rest. Other than that, unless I knew I'd make a killing on the item, and could get it semi cheap, and I didn't want it...I won't buy anything just to turn around and sell.

 

[madbull34]

Only collect. There's only a limited number of Japanese players, so I can still keep up.

 

[Zithy]

I've collected various things since bottle caps (long since discarded) about 30 years ago. Been through the set making, the 90s card market crash and made a mistake of buying some packs a few years ago. I used to love going to card shops to see what old cards they had - a pity I cared about what I could afford, not condition.

Now it's pretty much a selling game. To me, it's fun to do research on some prospects, buy them, get them slabbed and watch the value rise until you sell it and have more for the next project. Ripping boxes/cases is a blast too, gotta admit. I enjoy taking $50 and seeing how fast I can turn it into $100.

I'd love to put a set together of some year, all PSA 10s of a modern set or a 60's or 70's set in PSA 8, but then I get thinking about the cost of it all and know I'd complete it at some point and have a set that would never be worth the amount I was into it for. And I'd just worry about it getting stolen or destroyed or something. Or worse, it'd be dead money.

So, collecting? Been there, done that for a while. But now I'm a seller, and I'll be the first to admit it I'm just not a big time seller. Least, not yet

 

[plainwhitejerseys]

Seller. I used to collect until I started selling big time. Now, the stuff that used to be so rare and mystical to me is just common. I've got an 800ct box of various 1/1s, waiting to be sold. Some may remember when I scanned my 07 Bowman Chrome/Draft Gold Refractors...again, another 800ct box just waiting for those players to make a splash.

I have a PC of a basketball player I knew in college, but that's about it. When his rare stuff hits eBay, I'm usually the only bidder. He has an auto RC #ed/100 that I am trying to see how many I can acquire.

 

[f2tornado]

Collect a little, sell a lot. A good chunk of my limited discretionary spending comes from card sale profit. Once I'm more comfortable with the budget then my collecting and selling will be more balanced.

 

[bear0555]

I used to collect and I liked everything except for sticker autos. I'm now constantly having to be very strict as to what I pick up so my collection does not explode in size. If I'm spending money on something, I want to know I can enjoy it and at least break even when I sell or that it is something I will be happy I purchased a couple years after I buy it.

 

[prospectorgems]

I used to collect, but then found it pointless as I had really no one that was interested in seeing my collection. So I am a pure seller now. Not in need of money so I will wait until my players make a splash and I will sell.

 

[phillyfan0417]

I'm in the middle, I prospect to buy PC. My PC generally stays that unless I upgrade...

 

[ChasHawk]

Collector.

You should add a poll at the top.

 

[tommyfro21]

Poll now added...

 

[Fandruw25]

Collector.

 

[cmixer]

Collector - JayMix came to my house & yelled at me that I held onto "hot" cards that have now cooled off - but I'm too lazy to sell ...