Any Inactive Collectors on Board?

[Orioles1954]

Wondering if I'm alone on this. I'm very much interested in baseball history, I love talking and studying pre-war cards but I have not purchased any in well over a year and really have no plans to restart. Once I sold my collection that was the extent of my "gathering" days and the bug just seems to have left. However, I do enjoy reading about other's collections on Net54. Am I alone in this regard?

[almostdone]

I spent almost ten years completing my HOF type collection within my own set guidelines. One I finnally finished (which is how I found Net54) I havn't had any desire to getting any others. I am truely a postwar collector but do love looking and hearing about others collections and stories.
There is just too much out there way out of any possible budget for me to want to get back into it again. Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff but for me, right now in my life, it's just too rich for my blood.
Drew

[drc]

I'm not an active collector at this time, but enjoy seeing and learning about the stuff. I can enjoy items without having to own them.

However, identification and authentication are key interests of mine, so I buy items and materials to look at them in person. Bought some jade recently.

[Leon]

I didn't buy anything today. Does that count?

[abothebear]

I have been inactive since May, too poor and too busy right now to buy anything. I check in here every few days to see what others are up to. I browse ebay every once in a while for fun. Maybe I'll get a little bit of Christmas money to spend in the New Year. But I'll return to active collecting again at some point.

[barrysloate]

I haven't collected in years, and have sold off nearly all of my stuff. But I am interested in the history of baseball, as well as the history of the cards and memorabilia. I enjoy discussing hobby topics on this board, but don't really miss having a collection. I just see it as a different stage of my life.

[ErikV]

Oriole, your not alone. I'n the last 3.5 years I can count on one hand
the items I've purchased relating to card collecting. I did make one
large purchase recently, but that was an anomaly. I keep waiting for
the collecting bug to bite me again, but thus far nothing. I've got
mixed feeling about this. I 've even thought of selling portions of my
collection - something I wouldn't have even considered just a few
years back.

Perhaps Barry is right, maybe it's a new stage of life where things I
held as "untouchable" are not as meaningful to me today, and perhaps
I can foresee a time when I don't need to possess them any longer.

ErikV

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Leon

I didn't buy anything today. Does that count?

Leon, what is your record - 2 days??

Best to you and yours for the Holidays,
Val

[Matthew80]

Nope, definitely not alone. I'm just too gunshy about spending too much money buying cards because I'm paralyzed by the fear of losing money on them. I'm admittedly pessimistic about the future of the hobby from a long term investment perspective, which just doesn't jive well with my Ebeneezer ways.

I love reading about others joys and successes on the board, though, and I still get anxious to get the latest auction catalogue to thumb through everything.

I've found that going through stuff from my childhood (mid-late 80's) stuff is enjoyable, yet it doesn't cost anything.

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . I sold 98% of my vintage cardboard back in 1994/1995 to a fellow OC member. Still have a handful of odds and ends, but not actively collecting. My focus shifted in the 1990's to vintage autographs. But I still very much enjoy viewing the vintage cards, and reading the stories/information/community banter. That's what makes this such a great forum.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by Leon

I didn't buy anything today. Does that count?

Leon, are you feeling OK?!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Leon, are you feeling OK?!

I know....it was an off day but I won't let it happen again soon.

As I read the title to this thread, laying/sitting on the couch with the clicker in my hand, I was thinking.. "inactive collectors?" ....yeah, that's me.

[MooseDog]

I've been "inactive" for awhile, but I enjoy keeping up with things hobby-wise. The stuff I used to collect (vintage autographs) have gone way above my modest means so I choose to live vicariously. Love the "Pickups" threads!

[bbcarddan]

I havent bought any cardboard in well over a year,probably closer to 2 years by now. My new hobby has been restoring a 72 Plymouth Barracuda so that has taken up my extra cash and time. Hopefully when my car is to a point where I am happy with it I will resume my card collecting efforts if I get the itch again!

[Doug]

I still like to check the pickup threads on occasion, but I haven't really had a lot of desire to buy anything since I sold off the last of my '52 Topps HOFers a little over a year ago.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by abothebear

I have been inactive since May, too poor and too busy right now to buy anything. I check in here every few days to see what others are up to. I browse ebay every once in a while for fun. Maybe I'll get a little bit of Christmas money to spend in the New Year. But I'll return to active collecting again at some point.

That's about me, in a nutshell. A large part of my law practice had been focused upon premises liability, which our extreme right-wing, conservative Michigan Supreme Court has effectively abolished, leaving my income at less than half what it had been, and my wife, formerly president/CEO of an optical company, has been out of a job for almost three years. I'm presently trying to refocus my law practice on a more lucrative area, believe it will be successful in generating significant revenues and am thus planning my return to collecting (hopefully in the not too distant future). Just like McArthur, I shall return!!!

Best to all,

Larry

[Bob Lemke]

I haven't been actively collecting for a number of years. Like others who responded, I continue to use the forum to keep up with the hobby and the guys I knew back in the day.

Nowdays about the only sports memorabilia items I buy are photos for use in making my custom cards.

My principal commercial hobby activity is selling off a basement-full of cards and collectibles accumulated during 25+ years with SCD/Standard Catalog.