Is anyone else alone in collecting cards?

[rainier2004]

Geno - Nice idea...

Im lucky enough the have my Father. He collected as a kid and started up again when I was a kid. We had muliple talks about cards playing golf yesterday...we both picked up a n28 for our seperate collections, REA, @sshole sellers, etc....it was a nice afternoon. I thought this was far more common, but now Im guessing not. I dragged him into vintage as his only original interest was cobb. My wife tolerates it and some other friends will ask questions, but no one ever wants to see a card...

[Danny Smith]

Ive got two coworkers who collect both vintage and modern cards. We have some good discussions about pick ups, auctions, etc. i also have a buddy out of work who is a big collector. I guess im in the minority that has friends outside of the show circuit who are big collectors.

Danny

[71buc]

There are a couple of people I know in my area who collect. One collects new football cards and the other collects autographs. Although our tastes are very different at least they both can relate to my enthusiasm and passion. However, there really aren't any collectors of baseball in my immediate social circle. My own children could care less and my wife indulges me. We have been together for 32 years. I knew she was a keeper when she bought me an autographed Pete Rose 8x10 for my 16th birthday. I turned 49 last month and my kids bought me a Duke Snider Hartland and my wife gave me the Ted Williams hartland. My friends all gave me eBay gift cards so I could "Buy more toys". Although I am essentially alone in my collecting my friends and family regularly contribute to my insanity.

[Buythatcard]

Well, it looks like most of us are alone when it comes to collecting cards.

It makes us an unique group that stands out by itself. We should be proud.

The next Net54 shirt should have the slogan. "I love Baseball Cards and I am Proud of It"

How about bumper stickers that say "My Dad collects Baseball cards, and I am Proud of him"

Happy Mothers Day To All!

[HercDriver]

Goggle has something called "Member Map" that you can use to put "pins" on the map and profiles. I don't know anything about it, I just pulled it up in a search. Anybody have experience with any others?

Take Care,
Geno

[SushiX37]

There aren't a whole lot of card collectors here in Omaha, that's why I was stoked to find this forum! Been collecting the T206 set for four years now. It's slow going, but I love it!

Rich

[tbob]

I have one good friend who sporadically collects pre-war cards and one acquaintance who used to but I am not sure if does now or not. A 54er in Hot Springs collects but unfortunately we've just met one time to talk cards. That's it. There's also not a single card shop with anything earlier than shiney cards in a 600 mile area north, south, east or west. Card oasis
I, too, have to be sure and add "but I only collect cards from 1900-1919" whenever anyone asks me if I collect baseball cards. That usually impresses them believe it or not.

[majordanby]

just think about how the hobby has changed with the advent of the internet - a lot fewer local shows, a lot fewer local hobby shops. with the internet, we can purchase cards through ebay and other auctions without any personal connection - bid, win auction, pay through paypal. there's less of a personal medium. however, for those seeking some kind of connection to the broader collecting community, the internet has broadened our virtual networks - we can share our ideas through places like net54.

I'm actually enrolled in a local card collecting support group. we meet every Wed at a local church. i remember walking in on the first meeting - i was very embarrassed and sat in the back. once i summoned enough courage, i stood in front of the group and announced that i too am a card collector.

once i get through their 12 step program, i'll be a free man.

[zljones]

Originally Posted by majordanby

just think about how the hobby has changed with the advent of the internet - a lot fewer local shows, a lot fewer local hobby shops. with the internet, we can purchase cards through ebay and other auctions without any personal connection - bid, win auction, pay through paypal. there's less of a personal medium. however, for those seeking some kind of connection to the broader collecting community, the internet has broadened our virtual networks - we can share our ideas through places like net54.

I'm actually enrolled in a local card collecting support group. we meet every Wed at a local church. i remember walking in on the first meeting - i was very embarrassed and sat in the back. once i summoned enough courage, i stood in front of the group and announced that i too am a card collector.

once i get through their 12 step program, i'll be a free man.

Are you joking?

[ethicsprof]

I understand your luck with the 1900-19 assertion.
In a similar vein, I will say proudly that I collect 1900-1939 and they get a bit interested. Then by the time I do some name dropping and say 4 ty cobbs,
4 babe ruths, a couple of wagners and a couple of dimaggios, at least a few really want to chat about them a bit. Granted, I probably have that desperate look, as i'm doing it.
all the best,
barry

[campyfan39]

I miss my Dad who died too young, he was my collecting partner.
My uncle is the only local person I know who collects and he literally thinks spending 20 bucks for a single card is steep.

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by majordanby

I'm actually enrolled in a local card collecting support group. we meet every Wed at a local church. i remember walking in on the first meeting - i was very embarrassed and sat in the back. once i summoned enough courage, i stood in front of the group and announced that i too am a card collector.

once i get through their 12 step program, i'll be a free man.

C.A. is for quitters.

[Deertick]

I have no one. The only interest shown is when I mention I sell stuff through the interwebs. My wife does enjoy going to auctions though.

Back in the day, had a major bromance going with a fellow Schmidty collector. All the time helping each other out, actually carrying each others wantlists to shows the other couldn't make. As our checklists got more filled, the competition caused a straining.

The breaking point was when I told him about a mint 1972 PR rookie I had located at a great price (he already had a lower grade). I asked him if he wanted to come with me, I could pick him up since he was on the way. Nah, he was busy. Turns out he beat me to the store by an hour. Then he offered to sell me his lower grade for about the same price. Never spoke to him again.

[WillBBC]

I don't have any friends or relatives that collect cards. I have a close friend that collects autographs so I've got somebody to go to shows with which is great.

I have another friend who likes to go to shows just to break some wax. He doesn't even collect but has the most ridiculous luck I've ever seen. He can't open 100 bucks worth of packs without flipping it for 400-500. It's insane. His luck must be transferred this way!

[dabigyankeeman]

I have 1 single friend who has moved away from here and now lives in the middle of the country while i am on the coast. Nobody else in my personal life has any interest in the least in my collection, its really frustrating at times. I suppose this is why i love so much showing off my collection on the net, its the only way i can get intelligent comments from people who can enjoy what i am showing.

All i get are idiots asking me if all my cards are MINT. Geez, when you collect old cards if all my cards were MINT i would have to be a billionaire, and when you try to explain to these people why my cards are not all mint, they look at you with this blank stare. I could tell every person i know that i just got a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, and they wouldnt give a crap. Frustrating as hell sometimes.

I have a ton of friends on the computer obviously who are into collecting, and i treasure my computer friends so much, but damn i wish i had someone in my private life with my interest in collecting!!

[tbob]

Thank God for the internet. I now have tons of friends, mostly 54ers, a lot of whom I have never met but whom I have conversations with through emails. The best reason to go to Nationals is to actually meet your card collecting compadres

[joetinkerfan]

I too am in the same situation as most of you. I have one person at work that I will sometimes talk cards with and I also have my Dad. They both think my collection is nice and are amazed how old they are, but that's about it. I always try to "Seek" out people to see if they collect, but feel that I must be careful, because of how most people react. Most of the time the people I run into "can't understand how I could spend that type of money on a piece of cardboard!" As with most of you, I feel that this madness that I call collecting is something that only us collectors can fully understand. For me it's not at all about the money I spend on a card, but more about the history that I have obtained. Only a few people can understand that!

[Chris D.]

I only have one friend that collects cards and he lives in England. It would be great if he could visit so we could go to a card show while there are still a few around.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by ethicsprof

I understand your luck with the 1900-19 assertion.
In a similar vein, I will say proudly that I collect 1900-1939 and they get a bit interested. Then by the time I do some name dropping and say 4 ty cobbs,
4 babe ruths, a couple of wagners and a couple of dimaggios, at least a few really want to chat about them a bit. Granted, I probably have that desperate look, as i'm doing it.
all the best,
barry

Barry, in a similar vein, I tell folks that I collect bb cards that are 100 to 125 years old. This usually gets their attention for a few minutes, as they are surprised to learn that bb cards were in existence so long ago. But, it doesn't take very long before they look to change the conversation to something that interests them. I assume that stamp collectors, coin collectors, etc. have the same sort of experiences.
Val

[tbob]

The big difference is that prewar card collectors are cool and coin and stamp collectors are nerds, we all know that.

[ethicsprof]

val,
when they do shift their interest back to themselves, I look for any opportunity to see if there's any possible congruence between what they're talking about and these fabulous cards. Kinda like doing scratch offs.

bob m,
my university students tell me that the word 'cool' ---when I use it---ages me. Being cool may not be much better than being a nerd nowadays.
I'm guessing that you and I are about the same age---vintage.
all the best,
barry

[tonyo]

Pre-war card collectors are "beast"

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Is this board pager-friendly?

I too have made all of my collector-friends through hobby boards and card shows. No one else in my family or circle of friends/acquaintances collects.

Is that a reference to The Hangover movie

I had one friend in KC (hey chris). Met many times for lunch and always had a show and tell. Loved it. Moved to Iowa and notta. Now in MN and haven't meet anyone here that collects. I know Peter and several others are here but work kinda makes it hard to meet up. Anyone in the twin cities area want to get together and BS cards I am always here. I do talk to Turner quite often and it's great to have a friend like him especially since he is a 205 guy.

[marktheshark83]

in the past few weeks i was showing my dad some of the t206 cards that i have and he thought they were pretty cool. So now he has got a few now, so its nice to have something in common with my dad again.

even better my dad and i both invested 50/50 on a red back cobb i just sent in to sgc that gets to stay in my collection lol

[ls7plus]

I have just one friend who collects--some vintage baseball, but he focuses primarily on older pro and college football.

Look at the benefits of the fact that collectors "seem" to be spread so thinly:

If everyone and their neighbor collected basically the same stuff as we do, values would rise through the roof, and few of us would be able to afford the objects of our personal desire!

Good thread,

Larry

[thekingofclout]

First off. I must say that I've been blessed with more true friends then any one man should ever be entitled to. And for that, I'm eternally grateful.

That said, most of my friends collect, and for the few that don't collect, they still are Baseball fans and love looking over my collection. It's also my friends, that I've made many of my biggest trades with as well.

And since we're all Boomers, my Beatles collection, is just as popular or maybe even a bit more so than my Baseball photos! I've recently discovered how much fun it can be to have an old High School friend over. I started playing one of my Beatles playlist from my itunes, while I brought out ALL of my Fab Four collection, and we spent a couple of terrific hours bringing our childhood back to life!

Downside was, we ran out of time before we had a chance to visit Babe, Lou, Joe, and Mick. Well, next time, I'm sure.