Is this a pointless hobby?

newfiecomicguy1

newfiecomicguy1

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I was having a conversation with a long time collector the other day and he brought up that card collecting is a pointless hobby. His reasoning was that he buys cards receives then places them in a box and hardly ever looks at them again. It is only card board (or plexi glass haha) with a picture on it and maybe an auto or GU piece, what is the purpose behind it. He went on to talk about how much money he has tied up in these cards that are of no real use to him, he now thinks its a big waste of money. As you can guess he is in the process of getting rid of all of his cards.

The more I thought about it the more I started to agree. I kept asking myself why do I collect? What is the purpose of buying all of these cards. How many auto's or GU pieces of the same player do I really need (or want not need). I guess the answer for me is that I have been collecting cards for 30+ years, I collect more from habit then anything. I am not sure that I even enjoy the card as much as I do the chase of the card.


I also buy cards recieves it, opens the bubble envelope has one look at it and throws it in a count box for months or years before looking at it again. Anyone else feel this way?

Looks like this guy is going to start selling of his collection aon ebay. He has mostly vintage cards or newer cards featuring vintage guys. His collection is 99% Habs so keep an eye out as there will be some really sweet Habs cards soon FS. I will try and find out when he is going to list them on ebay, most likely when the need listing sale happens.
 
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Most hobbies are pointless. The purpose of the excercise is enjoyment - no more, no less. Occasionally, there are more tangible/measurable benefits that come from a hobby.
 
I also buy cards recieves it, opens the bubble envelope has one look at it and throws it in a count box for months or years before looking at it again. Anyone else feel this way?
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Haha, so true, so true. My cards are locked away never to be seen as are most peoples, its nice every once in awhile to take them out but for the most part they go unnoticed.

It really is about the chase.
 
Isn't this the same attitute you could have to most hobby's - all have some redeaming qualities but most of them are a complete waste of time if you want to look at it through a negative light.

For example - I am an avid crappy golfer. Meaning that I spend a great deal of time and money golfing. I can tell you that I have over $1000 tied up in clubs, balls, shoes, equipment and the like and I spend a ton more than that every year to golf - and I am a 12 handicap. So that means I drop a ton of money every year to chase a ball around a pasture, get upset, and then shoot an 85. Is there any benefit to doing this, am I ever going to make any money? Sure, I get a little excercise in the meantime but that is all the actual golfing gives me.

The other side of that are the intangibles of any and all hobbies. How much do you enjoy the chase, the collection, the feeling of the big break or the day that mailer comes in that you were really excited about.

Sure, it costs too much money, we all know that but the chase is half the fun - and I will continue to throw money down the rabbits hole for that reason.
 
I wouldn't say hobbies are pointless. They are just something to keep you occupied so you aren't sitting in a chair all day staring at a blank wall.
 
for the collector, the hobby (pretty much any hobby) is financially pointless. the simple fact of the matter is we collect because we enjoy it. you can put this right up there with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or gambling. all consist of throwing money away for enjoyment purposes and are essentially pointless but at least cardboard isn't adverse to my health (unless the soon-to-be wifee finds out how much i spend). :)
 
I guess if he is not enjoying it anymore , then it is pointless. But a hobby is something that is done for personal enjoyment, not for financial gain.

Collecting hockey cards is no different then stamp collecting, model building, or wood working. ( How many stamps or birdhouses does one person need ?) It is a way to get away from the stress of everyday life and to do something that makes you happy.

Paul
 
Instead we sit in a chair and stare at a monitor:D Its funny how this hobby has changed from a very social thing (trading, card show, card shops) to most of it being down online from our houses.


neo1370 said:
I wouldn't say hobbies are pointless. They are just something to keep you occupied so you aren't sitting in a chair all day staring at a blank wall.
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ive also thought about this alot but in reality almost all hobbies are pointless haha ;)

like playing xbox waste of money and time but fun
pottery (i dont do this so dont make fun of me lol) waste of time and money
woodwork waste of time and money
computer games waste of time and money...

u get the point i could go on for hours lol
If ur starting to think this is pointless try to collect less like i only collect phaneuf rookie cards instead of every ne of his cards like ohther do

jus my 2cents

spencer
:flames:
 
newfiecomicguy1 said:
Instead we sit in a chair and stare at a monitor:D Its funny how this hobby has changed from a very social thing (trading, card show, card shops) to most of it being down online from our houses.
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Doesn't that kind of make it more social in a sense? Instead of being restricted to the groups of people in your town that collect, you can now talk and trade with people half way around the world.

I come from a small town. My friend and I are the only ones that I know of that collect cards. There is a small shop 30 minutes away that sells cards, but usually we are the only two that buys hockey cards. Every now and then there will be 3 or 4 packs missing that we didn't buy but its a very small amount. Without the internet (mainly this site), I have been able to easily increase my collections 10 fold.
 
What about self-satisfaction in hobbies too?

Isn't there some extent of satisfaction when you beat a video game? Or make a bookshelf?
 
For me its the thrill of collecting your favorite player...and then the thrill of finding his new patch or auto, finding unique upgrades, finding the last two copies made of the eight that you already own, etc.

I collect for those above reasons, and of course because I find it enjoyable.
 
I don't consider collecting to be pointless. I mean, there is a reason for doing it. Like any hobby you get out of it whatever you want. Its supposed to be fun and if you start questioning that aspect of it then maybe it is time for something new. For me, the fun is all in the chase, the whole idea of changing your collecting habits and going in a different direction. This keeps it fresh and enjoyable. I put cards away when I receive them just like everyone, but I can't wait until the next oppurtunity presents itself.

Thanks.
Dan.
 
neo1370 said:
I wouldn't say hobbies are pointless. They are just something to keep you occupied so you aren't sitting in a chair all day staring at a blank wall.
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Couldn´t agree more. Counting all the friends and contacts worldwide made through this "meaningless" and "expensive" hobby...
Also as a "foreigner" all the improvement it has done to my ability of speak and write English, it really feels like meaningless hobby????
All the joy of "hunting" down a missing card from my PC, barganing 1-2 USD for 2 hours like a real gypsy from a flea market in Cairo! After succeeding, feeling like on top of the world!
Recieving stupid envelopes with the dull pieces of cardboard and immediately putting them away so that nobody even by mistake sees them again.
Is this a hobby that I love, Yes it is!

In my opinion there is a way to see always something negative about everything in life!

Who is to blame if this feels boring and meaningless? The guy in the mirror gives the answer!

I use this same topic to say Thank You for choosing this hobby, otherwise I have not met all of You here in HobbyInsider!

Marko, Finland
 
GET OUT OF MY HEAD

You summed up my feelings exactly... are you sure you weren't talking to me about it? Honestly?

Word for word, thats how I feel (felt) so I decided to save my money and end things. I cashed out if you will. Since the last expo I've slowly been weeding out my stuff.

I will still buy the odd piece (looking more at cut autos and stuff like that) but maybe pick up 2-5 cards all year now. I really enjoy that aspect of the hobby as it:

a) Holds a place in hockey history
b) Is very, very limited
c) because of a and b should retain value
d) Very few people own autos of these guys
e) You can show a casual hockey fan (non collector) an auto of King Clancy and they will certainly appreciate it. Show them a bunch of Vinny cards and they go, "ya, thats cool... so anyways...."

Just how I feel. I also feel money can be spent elsewhere that, at the end of the day, gives you MUCH more enjoyment. I'd rather golf and enjoy myself than buy a few high end cards and put em away never to be seen from again.
 
Pointless? I guess no more than other hobbies, as many have stated, and in my case, much cheaper. I spend less than $100 a month on cards, mostly Kurri off of ebay. I enjoy the cards, my collection, and the interaction with the many people I have dealt with. I don't drink, smoke, hunt, play golf, or even eat lunch out, so I figure whatever money I spend in minimal in comparison to what it could be with other endeavours. Heck, pointless would describe an awful lot of things we do if we got right down to it. I say just enjoy whatever it is you like to do, life is more than work.
 
I agree with you, I try to keep changing it up all the time to keep it interesting. I find it so different them collecting comics. With comics I am buying books to read and reread cards are very different. However I also am starting to feel the same way that ernie has talked about in his post.

I have been trying buy more rare items or at least vintage autographs and GU. I am starting to be a strong beliver in Quality over Quantity.




27Leafs27 said:
For me, the fun is all in the chase, the whole idea of changing your collecting habits and going in a different direction. This keeps it fresh and enjoyable.

Thanks.
Dan.
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I was going through a similar situation a while back. I decided to refocus my habits a little bit to keep me interested. I'm no longer trying to get one of every single Gaborik card produced. As was stated before...How many jerseys and autos of the same guy do I really need? UD has severely over saturated the GU/auto market for most players. Now I just pick up pieces that are rare, and that catch my eye.

As for buying cards just to put them in a box, I agree that seems a little pointless. I just found a very nice display case, and I plan on putting my very favorite pieces in it. I think I'll change it out every once in a while between my player collection, and the sets I've put together. I'm rearranging my office in my free time, so I have a space for it. I figure I'll enjoy my purchases much more that way. I'll have to click a few pictures once I get it all lined up.

If the hobby seems pointless to a collector, then it's probably time that they get out. I would guess now is a great time for your friend to sell, as Habs stuff seems to be very hot right now. Keep us posted on his sale. He probably has a couple that I could use.
 

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