But I don't collect them....or do I?
Take a look at my collection stats:
Most of the cards in baseball and football came to me blindly- the largest majority of the baseball came from one of Gavin's dupe dumps, and the football mostly came from my friend Ricky who sent me several thousand cards in 2015, but they have come from other sources as well...some of which I've rescued from being thrown out.
But, just because I have them...does it mean I collect them? I don't know. I don't actively shop for them, with the exception of the non-sports items in Allen & Ginter every year.
But...I do track and document them just like I do with the sports I do actively collect. I scan them just the same, and I track my collections in Excel just as I do with the sports I actively collect. I will occasionally add one when it appears in my local dealer's "junk box", which is mostly cards that are too damaged to sell as collectible. I pulled this card out of there in the past:
Since I only enter cards into Excel after they've been scanned, I don't have much to show yet for either sport. But I will, in time, as my ultimate goal is to scan everything in my collection. I can scan on average 2300 cards a month if I work really hard at it, but I usually don't work that hard at it...now that I have everything up on the Database I'm taking it much slower, and not devoting all my time to it, but I am still scanning as much as I can.
Does that mean I'm collecting the sports? Or does it just mean I have too much time on my hands? I need to find something to do when my health is not letting me do things I really want to do, which is a lot of the time. It's either mess around on Excel or stare at the TV all day, and that's just not me.
Then, there is another factor. I still dream about the museum I talked about in my Projects Bat-A-Round. To do that, I will need the cards from the sports I don't actively collect/follow, which is part of the reason I track and document the baseball and football (and soccer, tennis, etc) just as much as I do the sports I truly love. I know the odds of that actually happening are slim. I know it probably won't happen...but I can't give up on the idea. My health has forced me to give up pretty much every other dream I've had...I can't bear the thought of giving up another. It's also why I keep a copy of every card I get, no matter if it's a sport I love or a sport I find mind-numbing (sorry, boxing fans). If I can achieve the museum dream, I'll need them all then. Like I say, I don't know if it will happen. IF it does, a big if, it's not going to be anytime soon. But I'll need those cards then.
Also, they play a role in my "Names Project"- getting as many different people in my collection as possible. It started with NBA, NASCAR and Non-Sports and has branched out from there, clearing 10,000 different people in 2016. Of course, that project is really laying the groundwork for the museum project, if it ever happens.
If not, well, at least I'll have a well-rounded collection, and it gives me something to do rather than focus on watching the paint on my walls or the TV. '
But I still can't determine if it means I collect the sports or not.
Have you ever thought of trying to write a book? You're a good writer, and one doesn't need to be mobile to write a book, so...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I started to write a book about military history, then went to a book sale and found it already existed, and with more info than I had, so it was better than mine would have been. Nothing else I know that much about except cards, and I give that away for free here at least three times a week, lol.
DeleteGetting all the sumo cards checklisted on The Trading Card Database is still on my to-do-list. Don't give up on your museum idea. I personally think there needs to be one too.
ReplyDeleteI have scans ready to go when you do!
DeleteI say go for it!
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting question - I think in your case "collecting" and "saving" are two different things. Like, you're not actively looking to acquire more, but you're not discarding any you receive. In some of my posts I've claimed to have stopped collecting football cards around 2005. But I've bought a couple boxes from D&A less than a year ago. I've bought single football cards on COMC. And I've traded for Packers/Favre cards. So how can that be true?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the word we're looking for is "active". You actively collect basketball/hockey/Nascar.. but you "passively" collect other sports. Does that make sense?
Also..that museum idea sounds awesome. I do hope you're able to see that through.
Passive...yes, that is apt! I think that describes it perfectly. It sounds to me like you still collect football, just very low priority.
DeleteI think it's awesome that cards are such a positive part of your life. I'm always blown away by your record keeping. If you decide to do the museum thing... I wish you the best of luck. It's a shame that you're not my neighbor. Between the flea market and Goodwill, I've dumped over 100k over the past 5 to 7 years. I would have gladly donated them to your museum.
ReplyDeleteI wish my record keeping was as good as I make it seem...I find mistakes every time I open my files. It would be so cool to be neighbors with a collector! I don't have anybody who collects that I see in person.
DeleteIf I was only a 1/10 of 1% as diligent as you are at cataloging my cards. You are by far and way the best at it. Great post and I'm happy this is such a good thing in your life. Cards should be fun and a positive. That's what its all about.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's a lot of work and not nearly as successful as I make it seem, but it's very important to me to maintain it.
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