Blowout Cards Forums - View Single Post - Remember when we all collected for fun as little kids? Vs now hunting for $$$ ?

sbfinley · 03-07-2020, 03:45 AM

I think there is a disconnect between our current description of collecting versus dealing/investing or even burning money. There seems to be a connotation that price separates the two rather than intent. Paying $1k for a card because the grade on the flip says "10" when I can get one that says "8" for $30 seems crazy to me, but I also won't knock the guy paying $1k if he's happy doing it.

On your topic: The first set I really remember collecting was 1991 Topps. So many great memories busting those packs with my late father. It's a bland, uninspiring set worth almost nothing (what maybe $20?) - that I've probably put $5k or more into the last decade. I've bought sets. I've bought boxes. I've bought cases. I've bought boxes because they have a sticker from BBCE that say "from a FAFC". I built the set from busting wax after I probably already owned 4-5 sets. I built the set again from vending boxes. I paid $300 for a "glow back" set. (Yup that's a real thing.) I've bought a dozen or so 2,000-10,000 card common lots to search for variations. (There are so many variations! Literally the quality control manager in 1991 was Creed Bratton.) I've paid too much for instant win cards that expired almost 20 years ago. I've bought graded packs OF 1991 TOPPS!!!! I built the Desert Shield set. I started a PSA 10 basic set. I started a PSA 10 desert shield set. (Lord help me if I complete those.) I had to have the mini set, the CJ set, the OPC set, the Tiffany set. I've bought hundreds of buyback cards stamped by Topps. I even started to buy counterfeit DS cards when I come across them. I'm currently working on a signed set. I have an eBay alert for "1991 Topps Rare". Long story short, although I agree with them - I give the "buy the card, not the holder" people a hard time because sometimes spending stupid money on something worthless in relative terms makes some people happy. It's life. If saying you own the 3rd best 1976 Topps set according to PSA makes happy, that's awesome to me. I mean, among other things unnecessary to my existence, I've spent entirely too much time and money on 1991 Topps.

Here's one of my favorite cards. I don't even like Clemens. But I love the period pen. I love the image. I love the wall. I love the uniform. I love remembering busting a pack at 8 years old and my dad saying "Clemens... that's a good one" and he was a Yankees fan. Happy collecting all.

03-07-2020, 03:45 AM	#15
sbfinley Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Nashville, Tn Posts: 1,324	I think there is a disconnect between our current description of collecting versus dealing/investing or even burning money. There seems to be a connotation that price separates the two rather than intent. Paying $1k for a card because the grade on the flip says "10" when I can get one that says "8" for $30 seems crazy to me, but I also won't knock the guy paying $1k if he's happy doing it. On your topic: The first set I really remember collecting was 1991 Topps. So many great memories busting those packs with my late father. It's a bland, uninspiring set worth almost nothing (what maybe $20?) - that I've probably put $5k or more into the last decade. I've bought sets. I've bought boxes. I've bought cases. I've bought boxes because they have a sticker from BBCE that say "from a FAFC". I built the set from busting wax after I probably already owned 4-5 sets. I built the set again from vending boxes. I paid $300 for a "glow back" set. (Yup that's a real thing.) I've bought a dozen or so 2,000-10,000 card common lots to search for variations. (There are so many variations! Literally the quality control manager in 1991 was Creed Bratton.) I've paid too much for instant win cards that expired almost 20 years ago. I've bought graded packs OF 1991 TOPPS!!!! I built the Desert Shield set. I started a PSA 10 basic set. I started a PSA 10 desert shield set. (Lord help me if I complete those.) I had to have the mini set, the CJ set, the OPC set, the Tiffany set. I've bought hundreds of buyback cards stamped by Topps. I even started to buy counterfeit DS cards when I come across them. I'm currently working on a signed set. I have an eBay alert for "1991 Topps Rare". Long story short, although I agree with them - I give the "buy the card, not the holder" people a hard time because sometimes spending stupid money on something worthless in relative terms makes some people happy. It's life. If saying you own the 3rd best 1976 Topps set according to PSA makes happy, that's awesome to me. I mean, among other things unnecessary to my existence, I've spent entirely too much time and money on 1991 Topps. Here's one of my favorite cards. I don't even like Clemens. But I love the period pen. I love the image. I love the wall. I love the uniform. I love remembering busting a pack at 8 years old and my dad saying "Clemens... that's a good one" and he was a Yankees fan. Happy collecting all.