Collecting Guidelines

I have written before about how I have a scatter brain syndrome.  This has led to peaks and valleys in my hobbies.  Video games, VHS/DVD collecting, pro/college football taping, and yes, card collecting.

So as not to overwhelm myself with trying to collect everything, I have come across other blogs and suggestions and I have decided to stay in this for a longer period of time to set some clear guidelines.

1) Collect Alan Trammell

This should be easy.  All-Time favorite player, almost 100 individual cards in collection, how much more can be accomplished?  Well, accroding to Trading Card Database , I have about 8% of all of Alan Trammell's cards.  A small feat, challenge accepted.

See Google search of Alan Trammell baseball card images:

2) Collect Detroit Tigers Team Sets

A bit more financially daunting.  I have almost 1,600 Tigers with most of them coming in the boom years of 1983-1995 years of all sets, sizes, flavors (you get it).  So in order to collect these it may come at a slower pace and at a steeper price.  I am going to work at both ends of the candle from 1982 and work up from 1995. We'll see.  As another collector found, the fun is in the chase.

3) Collect sets of interest greater than an 8 out of 10

This is what has led to the burn out.  Collect everything that is a baseball card.  I found myself diving in this summer.  1990 Topps boxes for $3, why not get 10? After 5 box breaks later I have the full set, another 3,200 count box full and five fresh wax boxes for trade (read: trade Tigers to me please!), and shelf space taken up.  Am I glad I have the 1990 Topps set, yes.  Am I proud I hand collated it together and made sure I had NM/MT cards, yes.  Can I keep up the momentum after doing the same arduous task with 1990 Donruss, 2000 Topps Series 1, 1986 Topps, nope.

Can I withstand doing this for every set I wish to collect and meet goals 1 & 2?

Probably not.

So, to borrow a How I Met Your Mother rule.  I am only going to collect sets that give me a WOW! or importance factor of 8 or higher. 2012 Topps Archives & 2011 Topps Hertiage gave me that.  2012 Topps Heritage, maybe not so much...or even regular old Topps for that matter.



Every successful enterprise needs goals to be re-evaluated from time to time, so I will give myself ultimate authority to amend the rules, however, like the Constitution, there is going to have to be a legit, two-thirds approved, reason for me to open them up.

Keep it hot on the corner!