Do you ever feel ashamed of your hobby?

I don't see how

collecting cards could be embarrasing. I usually find that once you explain to people how much sports cards and memorbilia could potentially be worth, they tend to see why people get into it.

You want to talk embarrasing? I'm in my mid to late 20's and I've got two friends who are 25 and 34 respectively who collect Star Wars toys. Every other month, they get together with other guys from the area who also collect. Those guys are in their 40's and 50's. One of the guys had a wife who left him because of his collecting.

Personally, I don't think it's odd in and of itself. I understand why they are into it. However, the thought of being 35+ years of age and trolling toy asiles is something I couldn't do.
 
That used to be me a few years ago when the Star Wars Prequels came out and I was also into the Transformers action figures when they were popular a few years ago especially with the Alternators and Binaltech series. Right now I pretty much stopped collecting them since new one's haven't come out in awhile, but I will most likely get back into if Hasbro and Takura decide to continue making them...
 
I'm not ashamed, most people understand it. I think I'd be better off in Canada (I'm in SAN DIEGO for god's sake!) though. My friend still doesn't really get it, but he's better than he once was! I'm only 14 though, so I don't have to deal with people thinking of me as a 12 year old :rolleyes:
 
newfiecomicguy1 said:
I don't care what other people think so NO I don't ever feel ashamed of doing something I love.
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Life would be so much better if more people shared this simple outlook on life, and chose to define themselves instead of allowing other people to do it for them.

tiger tiger said:
However, I haven't found a good card community who help each other out with their collections. I find that I'm not one of those high end collectors looking for limited #, multi colored, jersey GU, autograph cards. So sometimes I find myself on the outside looking in. I just like to complete sets that I've started, get some autograph cards of players I like, and pick up anything I find interesting. Because of that, I don't have any ultra rare or super desired cards.
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The hobby has turned for collectors like us in that regard. I've had the same feeling for at least 5 years. It does however, make it that much more awesome when you find a "treasure trove" these days I think. I walk past the glass covered cases to dig through the $1 boxes at shows most of the time myself.

newfiecomicguy1 said:
I collect comics as well and when you go to comic stores you can understand why a lot of comic collectors are called geeks, card collectors are nowhere near the same.
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You mean such statements as "OK I gotta let you go, I'm in my church now" made by a person talking on a cell phone walking into a comic store might be geeky?

jmatchett said:
Ditto. Girlfriend likes to break boxes with me.
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I'm coming to your guys' house for Christmas. I like gingerbread with my packs.:dance:


I guess I've never really had any negative comments about the hobby in my life, other than the occasional "did you spend all day looking for card deals on the computer?" from my wife...yes, but there are all sorts of other things I could have been doing there too :rolleyes:

Friends who don't collect anything don't really ask about the cards, but I've got two large card displays in my office and there are usually cards lying around, and I've not gotten derogatory responses. That might be because there is all manner of hockey items, sticks, pucks, beer, autographs, books, not just cards, and I guess it's sorta like a sports bar in that respect, the cards are just like the pictures that hang in sports places, and my friends know I'm a big hockey fan...and visitors have always remarked at least in some respect on the variety in the show if not necessarily in awe.

I think it comes down more to an overall attitude of "collectors" vs "non-collectors". Anyone who collects something already usually gets it, the others just don't know what they collect yet.
 
I'm not sure how or why one would feel ashamed of this hobby - I mean it certainly isn't the most macho of activities but its far from life derailing as many hobbys tend to be.

For me, its a collection of people with similar interests and cards are a way to get people together that like to talk sports, barter some cardboard and maybe have a beer here and there. You should come see my adult rec hockey team - now that's embarassing.

I have found that instead of hiding it all away - I try and share my hobby. Talk about it at work, with friends and family - and for those that I buy Christmas cards or birthday presents and such for - if I know they are a hockey fan and would enjoy a piece of what I am doing - I pick up something for them. It has truely been suprising to see the reaction when throwing in a $5 auto of a guy to a noncollector - my dad loves my Christmas presents, not because of what I actually get him, but because I throw in some old tenders autos or memoribilia cards - he loves looking through them.

So for those of you that are ashamed (I would guess you are younger than I am) - share what you are doing to those close to you - I think they will find some common ground.
 
My live in girlfriend thinks I am a "12 year old nerd" for collecting cards.

I try to explain that I dont collect cards, but rather cards that have autographs on them. This does not help my case much.
 
Try being into playing board games...people usually think you mean games like Monopoly and Scrabble. They don't understand why someone would pay $50 or more for a game.
 
To answer the OP- Not really ashamed but I feel it's inapropriate to show my boys my "adult errors" collection. So I would be embarrased if they discovered it. Aside from that, I'm quite the opposite. I'm proud of my collection. Very proud.
 
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Ashamed...No, but I do take the dont ask dont tell approach (saves the headaches of trying to explain the hobby).

This hobby has given me a lot and has kept me out of trouble at times. Long story short my friends wanted me to go out with them one night, I went to a local trade night....they ended up behind bars.

The hobby also gives me a piece of mind and even relaxes me. I am currently in law school full time and work as well (for those who have gone to law school know this is not an easy task, especially as a 1L), so when I come home from a long day I like to sit down, relax, and look at some of my prized possessions and it puts a smile on my face; or Ill finish putting together sets from products recently busted. Its a great way for a mental break for me and found that when I am active with my hobby I am actually a better person (happier).
 
jab16399 said:
???? Not sure I follow ya, but a link would be helpful... :giggity:
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I cannot post links yet. (Need 15 replies)

Basically cards that contain things either intentionally or accidentally that should (IMO) not be on a card.

If you go to billripken.com, you'll see the Adult card section. C3PO error, Nettles, FF and others. There's a few more to add. Some I cannot due to the explicit nature of it. e.g. Nascar poster.
 
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TheMessiah11 said:
Try being into playing board games...people usually think you mean games like Monopoly and Scrabble. They don't understand why someone would pay $50 or more for a game.
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This literally made me laugh out loud. My wife's cousin and I have been friends for over 30 years. He was a big comic collector as a teen and has morphed into a "board game aficionado". I have been to his place to play the newest board games. It is quite a sight, 4-5 men and 2 women sitting around a table, each with a bag of games, deciding what to play next. Meanwhile, one is "transforming" his latest pick up from the toy aisle, while a few of them discuss the merits of the latest "super-hero" movie as it relates to the original series.

As for the OP's question. In my 20's I think I was in the "Don't ask, don't tell" crowd. Now, I don't give a crap what anyone thinks. I am quite proud of my "room" and all its "trappings".
 
im not embarassed about it, i usually ask girls that i meet, "so do you collect anything" and a surprising amount say that they collect something like rocks... and i mean if your collecting rocks, what can you really say about collecting hockey cards. lol i also tell people i collect comics. i usually try to bring it up at some point in a given conversation, especially if the person likes hockey :D most people that know me know that i am obsessed with hockey, and they are usually interested in my card collection especially since most of them used to collect when they were younger. I can think if thousands of things about me that would make people awkward, this is one of the lesser things for sure :D lol
 
Nice thread! I've been collecting for about 40 years and there were times when I was a bit embarrassed (especially in high school and college). But now, I see my hobby as a means to learn more about the players and its also better than spending my money on alcohol, drugs or smokes (none of which I do). I would think the sports collecting hobby would be more interesting to your average neighbor/co-worker than coin or stamp collecting. At least you know many of your neighbors/co-workers spend more time watching/talking sports.
 
Ive been doing this for 40 years. I know guys who have collecting for 60+ years.

I have never been embarrased ever!
 
I don't see being embarrassed of something that I enjoy. I have been collecting 20yrs. To each thier own. I try to educate people about my hobby. And hopefully get them intersted in it too. Some day I will show my son and if he wants to he can.
 

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