Is this a pointless hobby?

True, most, if not all hobbies are somewhat pointless. I collect sports cards, comics, rocks & minerals, and sometimes keychains from where I have traveled. It is said the money, time, and effort put into a hobby can almost always be put to a better use or so called "necessities" of life. The idea of hobby is for people with the free time AND money to facilitate an interest outside of normal working/schooling schedules. If the hobby you are in does not thrive off an interest/favorite thing, then it would be pointless and probably would not be something you would be doing in the first place. Whether it is sports, video games, comics, cars, or anything that drives your interest, typically a hobby that involves your extra time and money and effort should dabble in that realm. My cards and comics do get put away fast, but typically for preservation and goodkeeping in case of organization and emergency toting. I would love one day to display my collection, so they don't hide in dark boxes, but time will tell. Ask yourself what you do like and then hopefully your answer will drive your hobby selection.
 
i've thought about this before... which caused me to refocus my PC's.. and just aim for sweet patches, SSP stuff and unique stuff.

Its the thrill of the hunt that drives me to continue on with the hobby.... not to mention the thrill of opening sports cards. I know everytime I open up a bubble envelope I too just throw the card in a box somewhere.. but there is still that thrill of wondering what it is you got and seeing the card in person before you throw it in a box.
 
Lets break this down fundamentally.

We are grown men and women collecting little pieces of cardboard with ink on both sides, sometimes they have stickers, some times they have extra ink and sometimes imbedded pieces of clothing! These pieces of cardboard depict sport heroes, entertainment or historical figures or joe nobodies!

They have intrinsic value based on the person depicted, whether or not there is handwritten ink, a more colorful piece of clothing or gold leaf sequential numbering.

All I know is I have some great bonfire material or house building should I ever need to stay warm in my olden days! :)
 
But seriously..;)

What is a hobby?

To me a hobby is a form a LEISURE. My calgon moment to take me away from the stress and strife of daily life. It is a place I can go where no one can bother me unless I want to share it with them. I enjoy looking at them , cataloging them, sorting them, assembling sets, etc!

Its a hobby, It is not WORK! Im not in it for any ROI! (i seldom sell anything). I dont question my passion , I feed it! As long as Im still passionate about the Cubs, Blues, Steelers and movies I cant see not collecting!

As I grow older I start to think about what who why where.. I have two daughters that have absolutely no interest in the sport side of the hobby nor the hobby in general! What will happen to this monstrosity Ive created when Im gone. Well thats a toughie I havent quite resolved but certainly have formulated multiple plans. Before I get too far gone I may sell off the bulk and keep the special things as a heirloom..OR I may just leave it to them to do with what they want. Tough to say!

Needless to say this hobby as bought me hours of enjoyment since 1968 , it made me hone my organizational skills, taught me statistics at a young age, taught me to take care of things and in general I feel it made me a more intelligent well rounded human being!
 
I collect for because the players I chase are players I genuinely like and enjoy watching. I enjoy the chase and the thrill of seeing those bubble mailers in the mail pile. I can't overstate how great it's been to chat with so many great people on this site and hope to some day put some faces to these names. And lastly, I hope that one day, when I'm old and beaten by life, my kid can pick me up by gaining some interest in the hobby I love.
 
The hobby is pointless because it is manipulated. People put too much faith into an inaccurate price guide. Notice only newer stuff decrease or increase in value. The reason is, the price guide companies don't have the resources to keep up with older cards, so they only focus on new cards. Since a lot of people invest in cards, it kills the interest of older cards and people tend to focus on new stuff. That's why you have a rookie to have a RC that books the same as a HOFer. It's all in marketing.
 
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?

That still sometimes happens when I have a lot going on. But, after I cleared a spot on my desk, I now make sure that new cards get the chance to sit there for a few days/weeks. I also built a display that sits in the office so that I can move cards over there after the desk gets a bit too thick (or if its gaming night and there's a chance the beer might get knocked over in the excitement). That way any new stuff gets a good look before it gets traded out for something fresh, or for something that had been in a box. This "process" alone has really changed my enjoyment over the last year.

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.

Hey, until you've collected a fair number of blank walls don't knock that super cheap hobby option. :D

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.

Since I know few collectors in my town, I'd say it's had the opposite effect for me. I don't have to go to the local show just for myself anymore. Now I've got my other favorite traders wants to keep an eye out for.

]
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!

This has to be one of the most relevant quotes to my collecting style. Nothing like trading some government paper for a piece of cardboard and feeling like Gollum clutching the One Ring. ;)

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...

Wow, now that's taking things to the extreme in my book. :eek: But if it works for ya, excellent.

For me, I enjoy it greatly. I like getting autographs and game-used cards and rookies and parallels and inserts. My pick-ups get looked at on a regular basis, and not just the ones in my display case. I leaf through the Price & Gorges collections at least once a week. Like many Canadiens fans I have a very strong and personal affinity for my team.

Excellent. I feel that is one of the things that has really gone missing from this hobby in recent years...the team fans, and team collectors.

That is exactly what we are trying to change - to bring the social aspect back into the hobby (locally of course) through trade nights and encouraging people to trade with each other.

Of course, calling my cards for trade and collection crap in person is likely to illicit a different result for the speaker than over the Internet. LOL.

I think the main reason why i collect cards is that i can go to my mailbox and open it without beeing afraid that there are only bills inside. :D

That statement gets today's vote for best reason to be in this hobby.


Collectors and hobbies change, if that means an exit for some, then that's a good move for them. Especially when they loose those exciting collections back into the hobby market. ;)
 
So far this thread has been fantastic.

That is one of the things I love about this hobby and this site, great opinons from fellow collectors ahmmmm..addicts:)
 
You're pretty much right, once you get addicted you stop to think why you do it, just "gotta have! gotta have!". Just look at me, most of you playercollector knows how many cards you have and what you need etc, I on the other hand don't know and don't care but I really enjoy chasing. And do I sit there for hours looking at my cards? Almost never..
 
When I was in some cash flow, I would goto the card store at the end of every month and blow up my pay cheque. Was a major addiction back then, but was it pointless? According to my wallet and bank account no lol..
 
I have to say the only time i felt that it was worthless when the market correction for my Pat Falloon rookie took a dive for the worst. Now I am more responsible on what I buy..
 
I have to say the only time i felt that it was worthless when the market correction for my Pat Falloon rookie took a dive for the worst. Now I am more responsible on what I buy..

I spent good money on a Pat Falloon jersey when the sharks were an expansion team. Still have it and use it as pjs lol...

I think everyone has a story about being jipped on a card. The one and only time I felt that I wanted to quit the hobby was b/c of this dealer here in Toronto. I am pretty sure everyone in the city is aware of Steve from Fastball Sportscards. Let's just say it's good that he's out of the hobby once and for all
 
he isnt out of the hobby. he runs an online store that sells sportscards..
 
he isnt out of the hobby. he runs an online store that sells sportscards..

he needs to get out man. let me tell you a quick story. i went to his store a couple of years ago looking for bosh rookies. i found a couple and a lebron rookie and some other hockey cards that were in his discount bin. well needless to say his lebron was some ultra rc from some toy or something and the bosh was the pristine rc. he priced his cards more than double guide!!! i didn't realize this and went back to the store asking for my money back or more cards in return. he let me replace the bosh i believe but this guy is just a scam artist. he's all about making money and nothing else and doesn't care who he screws. sad b/c i was one of his more regular customers once upon a time..
 
Well to be honest, and I am not trying to be negative but you should always be careful before you buy something.. I always check to make sure its the real deal or I stay away. Mind you I have missed out on some great deals because of me being overtly careful...
 
Well to be honest, and I am not trying to be negative but you should always be careful before you buy something.. I always check to make sure its the real deal or I stay away. Mind you I have missed out on some great deals because of me being overtly careful...

I know that now and that's why I usually don't buy singles and just wax where I goto 1 or 2 dealers and that's it. I have been burned enough times with cards being damaged and what not and it's just not worth it for me. Plus there's no fun in buying a card. I'd rather bust a box of something and try my luck..
 
There are some great dealers and stores out there too you know! not all dealers are bad lol..
 
*looks around with a puzzled look on his face* i have no idea what you're talking about lol...steve is the only bad dealer in toronto that i have met in 20 years of dealing with the hobby, so yes most of them are very friendly and legit and honest people..
 
It's not pointless if you are a collector of cards. It is what it is though, and for a vast majority it is not a hobby, it in a gambling addiction. For some it's sports cards, others it's scratch or lottery tickets, others it's sitting in front of a slot machine or in a card room throwing money away to the house, others it's alcohol, bottom line it's that adrenaline or thrill junky who wants to feel that rush. We will never know obviously, but I would bet a larger then expected percentage of people in sports cards are OCD, ADD, ADHD, or just plain addicted to gambling.
 

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