The bittersweet feeling of selling your collection

[1st4040]

Well its official now.. I sold and shipped the last of my Canseco player collection which accomplishes the one goal I had set for 2015 when the selloff began. This last lot of cards took extra time because it was mostly the worthless commons that everyone has or can obtain very easily/cheaply. These cards also had some of the most personal meaning as they bring back the happiest memories of being a player collector in the late 80's and early 90's as most were obtained at card shows all over the Northeast. Gotta say its strange that for the first time since 1988 I don't own any cards at all. It was the right decision to start selling off when I did and I do have other hobbies but baseball cards have been a huge part of my life. Have met some great people over the years as a result of the hobby and I find myself lurking these boards just as much as when I was actively collecting(just not posting as much). Card collecting won't ever truly leave me.. now I just find myself looking at other members pickups and I check out the all the nice cards my brother still adds to his personal collection.

 

[RStadlerASU22]

Well I'm not sure if congrats I'd the right term but I'm glad you accomplished the goal. From what I saw/heard you had quite the collection. It's crossed my mind a few times, but can't seem to let go. Hope your enjoying the choice and hope you stick around the hobby in some way.

Ryan

 

[1st4040]

I still have the urge to buy some of those unicorn cards that were on my want list if I ever come across them just to satisfy the need to own them.. so I don't see myself ever fully leaving the hobby. I will still go to a card show every now and then with my brother and my nephew since they are still active collectors.

 

[Austin]

This last lot of cards took extra time because it was mostly the worthless commons that everyone has or can obtain very easily/cheaply. These cards also had some of the most personal meaning as they bring back the happiest memories of being a player collector in the late 80's and early 90's as most were obtained at card shows all over the Northeast.

If those cards had the most personal meaning with the happiest memories, why get rid of them, since they're practically worthless? Why not just keep them in a small box or binder for the memories?

I understand selling off your collection, but it seems like you may regret not having those cheap cards you bought when you started collecting, years from now to reminisce about the fun early times of collecting.

 

[1st4040]

I have scans of everything on a thumb drive I can look at anytime I feel nostalgic and the memories can't be sold so I was ok with moving them as it clears up more space in my closet for other things.

 

[mchenrycards]

In 40+ years of collecting I have sold off my collection maybe three or four times and each time I had the same feeling as you. Recently we ran into a bit of a money issue and I sold the one set I had always wanted to build and was the focus on my collecting for the last year or so. Honestly, it killed me to sell but I really had no choice. My wife and son knew it killed me and they asked me not to sell but there was no other way to raise the funds at the time so off the set went to the highest bidder. It has been four months since the sale and I have had no desire to even purchase any cards. I am afraid that my life long love affair with collecting has come to a sad bitter end.
Good luck in finding something that will fill that collecting hole you had for cards.

 

[NECpilgrims8]

I literally just did the same thing with my Biggio collection. Sitting on 2 more cards to sell, and then it will be officially all gone. While it was very bittersweet to see things go, I find myself missing none of them. The money currently sitting in my savings account also makes it feel like the right decision.

My focus is to grab every bobblehead, SGA figure, and other items I can display. MUCH cheaper, MUCH easier to find, and still just as cool to have. This way I don't have to see $$$ sitting around when I look at them.

Although, I still find myself putting a few cards on my eBay watch list, for old times sake. No thought of buying, but it's still fun to do.

 

[RAZOR-Z]

*Slow clap*

 

[mouschi]

I did the exact same thing you did shortly before a bought a bunch from you. In October 2013, I put my collection up for sale. Then I decided to get back in around when you were selling, and thought you were INSANE for asking such a "ridiculously high price" for everything you had.

Then I saw the light.

Oh, how I wish I could go back and get ALL of your stuff from you at the beginning! I think you stopped at the perfect time, too ... just before it got mega, uber crazy. Sometimes I groan when I hear about another release, but ultimately, I'm very happy so many new things have come out. While it is expensive, it is mega fun to see what is out there.

I think I told you this before, but you were the first Canseco collector I connected with online over at SCF. I had often wondered who had the bigger Canseco collection back in 2007 or so when I first reached out to you. Little did i know, you probably had 5 cards that were each worth more than my entire collection at that point!

Here was my journey of going into selling my collection the first time and starting anew.

http://tanmanbaseballfan.com/2013/10/selling-my-childhood-2.html

http://tanmanbaseballfan.com/2013/11/jose-canseco-pc-20.html

If anything, this is incriminating evidence of me being wishy-washy at best, or a hypocrite at worst!

 

[1st4040]

The good thing is I parted with it on my own terms.. alot of people are forced to for whatever reason but not I. I don't have a son to share in the hobby and my daughters are not really interested in baseball at all so I just decided it was time to move onto other things. All summer long I fish and I've gotten addicted to shooting trap and skeet and I can share these activities with my girls since they show interest so it all works out for the best.

I still enjoy the hobby just in a different way now.. I'll still go to a card show here and there and dig through some boxes come out with a treasure or two from the 90's.