Looking to pick the brains of Player Collectors

[MR.M's Cards]

So I collect Bobby Ryan. I just added a card to my PC and it is the first card I have added in 7.5 months. I looked back at the last one I added and at the time it was the first one I added in 7 months. I need 57 cards to have all of his non 1/1's. I know where 4 of these are, 3 are ridiculously priced and the 4th is only available for trade for one particular card in return.

I have had so much fun chasing Ryan cards over the years, but now I am questioning where to go with this PC. Selling it will never recoup even half of what I have spent. It only take a couple minutes a day to do my searches for his cards, but those searches are repeatedly coming back empty. The past 5-10 expos I havent been able to add to my collection, where back in the day I could go to the expo any pick up 10-20 cards no prob.

I have many other PC's, ( everything I have is PC I rarely sell or bust product, just buy the cards I want) so the hobby is still exciting to me. I actually PC 9 different players, and have more gretzky's now then Ryans. So it isnt the hobby that has become stale to me, just the search for Ryan cards.

Im not so much looking for opinions on what to do, as I am related experience from people who may have went through this. There is no magic answer to rejuvenate my passion for this PC, but maybe by reading other members stories I can pick up some helpful info

 

[30ranfordfan]

I'm in a similar boat. Maybe not quite as hard up for new cards as you, but close.

Bill Ranford had some cool stuff in 2020-21 (when those cards were released varies). Included in The Cup, SP Game Used, SP Legends, and Ultimate. I picked up most of what I'm going to get from those sets.

He had a couple of clear cut cards that just came out. They look sharp. I do mean to pick them up eventually, but I just realized they're actually 2021-22 cards!

He had a couple of very SP'd cards in 22-23 (/6 Artifacts ticket, /15 SPGU Supreme). I don't think I've seen a copy of either.

This year? An Artifacts auto that I haven't picked up yet... and Bruins Centennial. I do have a base card from that, might yet get the parallels. I couldn't believe how much the couple of auto'd versions I saw sold for.

There really isn't a lot for me to chase.

I sold a couple of doubles of mine recently (good return for me.... Limited Logos I've had for more than 15 years) and it has me tempted to go through stuff, and start parting ways with some of the cards that just aren't that special to me. I will never have 100% (not even of the non-1/1s). There is little coming out for me to chase. I also don't see Bill Ranford's value going up significantly in the coming years. Some of the cards (like everything) have taken a bump in value since COVID (probably not as much of a bump as there was a year or two ago though). Maybe time to start moving out some of them..... but I've also told myself that a few times in the last 7 or 8 years, and never do it (other than doubles).

My Ranford collection has taken a backseat to my All Time Oilers collection over the last number of years - but not like I'm constantly adding to it either. I'm constantly looking, but I'm not missing much, so the want list is pretty small.

 

[joshpackham]

I feel like I'm probably in a similar boat as you, Horton doesn't get new cards so at this point, it's daily searches on ebay hoping something shows up. I think the fact that adding a card every six months or so just makes it that more exciting when you do get to add a card. Like you I have other PC's (ovechkin), constantly gets new cards so I always have something to search for.
Just continue having fun with it and cherish when you get the chance to add a new card to the Ryan PC!

 

[MR.M's Cards]

I feel like I'm probably in a similar boat as you, Horton doesn't get new cards so at this point, it's daily searches on ebay hoping something shows up. I think the fact that adding a card every six months or so just makes it that more exciting when you do get to add a card. Like you I have other PC's (ovechkin), constantly gets new cards so I always have something to search for.
Just continue having fun with it and cherish when you get the chance to add a new card to the Ryan PC!

thank you good response

 

[MR.M's Cards]

I'm in a similar boat. Maybe not quite as hard up for new cards as you, but close.

Bill Ranford had some cool stuff in 2020-21 (when those cards were released varies). Included in The Cup, SP Game Used, SP Legends, and Ultimate. I picked up most of what I'm going to get from those sets.

He had a couple of clear cut cards that just came out. They look sharp. I do mean to pick them up eventually, but I just realized they're actually 2021-22 cards!

He had a couple of very SP'd cards in 22-23 (/6 Artifacts ticket, /15 SPGU Supreme). I don't think I've seen a copy of either.

This year? An Artifacts auto that I haven't picked up yet... and Bruins Centennial. I do have a base card from that, might yet get the parallels. I couldn't believe how much the couple of auto'd versions I saw sold for.

There really isn't a lot for me to chase.

I sold a couple of doubles of mine recently (good return for me.... Limited Logos I've had for more than 15 years) and it has me tempted to go through stuff, and start parting ways with some of the cards that just aren't that special to me. I will never have 100% (not even of the non-1/1s). There is little coming out for me to chase. I also don't see Bill Ranford's value going up significantly in the coming years. Some of the cards (like everything) have taken a bump in value since COVID (probably not as much of a bump as there was a year or two ago though). Maybe time to start moving out some of them..... but I've also told myself that a few times in the last 7 or 8 years, and never do it (other than doubles).

My Ranford collection has taken a backseat to my All Time Oilers collection over the last number of years - but not like I'm constantly adding to it either. I'm constantly looking, but I'm not missing much, so the want list is pretty small.

thanks for the response, if i was to move in from my Ryan PC I know at some point I would regret it. I used to collect mcfarlanes, had 350 displayed in my garage at one point, sold them all for a very nice profit but still to this day miss the chase for ones I was missing

 

[quincy]

My Sakic wantlist is under 20 cards. I struck one off this year, putting to bed the frakakta Topps Chrome Refractor variations.

I remain...tacitly engaged. It's hard to know what to do.

 

[creasecollector]

In the player collecting world, this is something we all have to face eventually.

When it comes to your Bobby Ryan PC, I would say look for other ways to expand the PC if you can get enjoyment out of that. Jersey swatch variations, Graded cards, oddball stuff, a Ryan card project or print run % you'd really like to hit of a favourite serial numbered card, collecting jersey #'d cards, etc. There are so many ways to build up a "collection within a collection" so to speak. I have done this for my Enroth collection at various points over the past 14 years and it has paid off.

My player hasn't had as many cards produced as some other of the superstars /main-stays out there, so maybe I have had more time to think about this topic more often than other collectors I suppose.

Among the sub-categories listed above, I have also found enjoyment for collecting cameo cards as well. It is a very small and quirky portion of my player collection that is not everyone's cup of tea, but it was something that I was introduced to years ago through another member on these forums and it just goes to show you that aside from the checklist-heavy releases we've all faced over the years, there are still many ways to build out a player collection even after the music has stopped and/or their career is slowly coming to a close.

Best of luck moving forward. There is no wrong answer and you have all the time in the world to expand your collection as you see fit and when - That is part of the luxury of your PC player not getting as many cards, as it allows you to take a much-needed breather, appreciate what you have, and start laying the groundwork for what's to come next in your player collection journey.

Also, make it fun. It is our hobby after all.

:beer:

 

[katoy2j]

I collected a couple of players 15 years ago. It got to the point where I just didn't really find enjoyment in it anymore once I got to what at the time was 75% of the cards of the player. The cards were harder to find and the lower number stuff a lot of it just never even surfaced because chances are whoever pulled it thought it was a nobody. After getting triple digit autos and game used cards it became more of a chore because really why do I need another one? One of the other players was heavily collected and the prices just skyrocketed and it just didn't make sense to me to pay the prices to get some of the low print run cards.

I switched my focus to something I thought was sustainable. I moved to collect a rookie card and auto from every player that played for my favourite team and a graded rookie and auto for as many hall of famers as I could. Both get new additions each year so it's a fun but not overwhelming. I also feel it's a better investment as instead of quantity I can focus on quality of cards and there is a major variety with all the greats of the game.

 

[Shackamaxon]

I collect Braydon Coburn and probably have 99.9% of his cards, and I know where the other .01% is.

Do you collect doubles? I've tried to find joy in finding the best patch or lowest numbered card from whatever he has.

I've also started to collect obscenely large autograph sets.

 

[primetimepawich]

There have been times in recent years where Larry Murphy appearances in new products were few and far between. Then there are times when products like the recent Leaf Metal drop, with their SIXTY solo Murphy autograph variations (not to mention the multiplayer autos that I finally just dropped from my wantlist to protect my sanity and ease my frustration) and yeah, there's no shortage of stuff for me to chase at the moment. But it comes and goes. I'm also picky about the prices I will pay for stuff, which doesn't help.

How do I combat the downtime? A few ways. Maybe I'll focus on a small side project (or start one). Maybe I'll expand the parameters of my Murphy PC to allow for other small, cheap cards that can artificially pad my stats. But the biggest method in the last few years has been isolating which PC holes I'd like to fill (which are also the least likely to be filled by an actual card company) and enlisting guys from this site at the forefront of custom card design like Glenn Conners and Richard Ho to make them a reality. They've allowed my creative juices to flow, helped keep me engaged and excited and bridged those hobby droughts.

So maybe that's an option for you too. Surely Bobby Ryan has aspects of his career that are underrepresented in the hobby - you could give representation to them with a cool custom or 2 you could be proud of that would be more personal and help bridge the gap until your next official Ryan pickup.

Food for thought anyway...

Joe

 

[TADontAsk]

I'm a Scott Stevens collector. Despite the occasional release focusing on former players, he hasn't appeared in a non-Leaf set since 2007-08. While I do like some of Leaf's offerings, they're not exactly kind to player collectors. What this means is that being able to obtain new cards has really slowed down in the past 2-3 years. Not long ago I was able to make a couple of "Top 10" pickup posts for my Stevens PC and have quality cards to choose from. That's not the case now. I mean, that was kind of always the goal, right?

For me, the challenge of finding something new makes it a little more exciting when it does happen. In the meantime I have a lot of other focuses. I collect RCs of current and former Devils. I try and put together the OPC set each year. And there is no shortage of sets over the last 30 years that I have partially complete. I like choosing one at random each month and picking up a few cards for it. That way it doesn't feel stale working on the same exact set.

It sounds like you're in a similar boat with having a few other PCs.

 

[99goals]

I had a pretty massive Wendel Clark collection at one point and massive Sp Game Used Supreme collection.
I had been debating if i wanted to keep it all or did I really enjoy collecting his cards. Pardon my story but you had me go in this direction with your post.


I came to terms with it that as much as I like him as a player, the memory of him far outweighs having something or a card in my possession. I got more joy watching old YT videos than I did collecting his cards.


As a person who is getting older, I have seen folks pass away with loved ones trying to figure out what to do with what has been left behind (clothes, houses, cars, collectibles). To take it one step further, my father had a massive stamp collection. All of it it is still sitting in boxes gathering dust. I fast forward to my family and I don't want to have my kids deal with it.

The other side of the coin is that I am potentially pissing way money that I can use for retirement, or my kids education and activities. Both my boys are doing well in hockey and I am finding it easier to put money towards their development than into cards. Also the thread of retirement weighs heavily on my mind as I see my mom struggle with it.

In the end, I chose to keep my Wendel Clark collection to a minimum. There are only handful of cards that I want AND give me excitement. As for my Supremes, I kept it down to hall of famers with sexy patches. The rest are almost gone.

I am far more content to have more control over the value my money has towards the people in my life that need it. That includes me who will need it when I am old and grey.


I am at peace with it and that is the way I knew I made the right decision.

I hope it helps, if not, carry on lol

 

[sdpdesign]

Not a PC’er, but can definitely see the challenges that one faces. It comes with set collectors to some degree. As the PC player’s career evolves from prospect to player to retiree, the pokemon challenge is always there (gotta catch ‘em all). After a certain point, the chase is more like finding needles in haystacks. The frustration and the rewards are extreme parts of the chase spectrum. Creasecollector stated the chase of gear, variations, and the like to complete the “gap” in the cards. It fills a hole.

Set collectors find the same dissatisfaction in completing sets. Some are extremely hard to complete and some will never be completed due to other collectors (PCers included). The Titanium set that has Ty Conklin’s 1/1 base rc will never be a complete set since the rc’s are based on jersey number. There are other sets that have been 80-90% complete and sold off due to certain cards never being produced or the missing cards are so short printed that they are 2-3x or more than the remainder of the set. Frustrating to say the least…and some could be in unopened boxes!!! Sometimes it is age and difficulty of finding certain cards. Pacific retail parallels come to mind…might be a 4th liner that is missing from the set…still sitting in some dusty commons box in some warehouse storage. Brownbullhead can probably explain his frustrations from his Parkhurst sets.

I am a breaker, no specific collection, like the products and what I can pull. I believe that the reason that I don’t do PC and sets has always been limited funds and limited access. Also, I have 1-2 friends that collect hockey, and that is only in the recent few years that I’ve known them. I have been collecting since 1990, hockey pretty much exclusively since 1995. I joined HI after the Crosby craze coming from the Beckett site. This site has opened my eyes to what is and was out there. I am still in shock some of the great cards, collections, and collectors are out there. Definitely keeps me going.

 

[odjickfan]

I have large Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Gino Odjick collections. I am not searching on a regular basis for Pouliot cards, but if I get offered in a trade something I don’t have, I will listen. I started downsizing my traders, I will probably make some of my Pouliot dupes available at some point. I know I will probably lose money on the resale vs what I paid. I learned from this collection, I am much more picky on what I decide to add to my collection, and I am much more open to selling stuff instead of accumulating more.
I am still actively chasing Odjick cards I don’t have. I might make some dupes available at some point, but there are tons of cards in my boxes that I will make available before.
I don’t think I will start another player collection in the future, my interest moved a lot to 80s rookies lately, it’s a new way to collect for me, and I have a lot of fun with it.

 

[tomcat_sportscards]

Even though I collect Marc-Andre Fleury, I do run into droughts and eventually WILL run into a drought when he retires. My biggest piece of advice is to have variety in your PC. Whether that means finding other players, trying a different player in a different sport, or set collecting...it will keep the hobby exciting!

 

[BigBarracuda]

I’m more of a team collector as opposed to player collector. Part of the reason I got into making custom cards was because I could see the drop off of available cards. So I started to create Whalers cards that should’ve existed but never did. I’ve not only enjoyed that process for my own benefit, but now I’m able to help fellow collectors (many have responded right here). Consider either or both options for yourself. Trust me it can be incredibly rewarding.

Good luck!
Glenn

 

[Tripredacus]

PC will never go away. I don't really pay attention to how long it is between pickups, I have other things to collect to make up for the drought.

 

[SkyFire47]

I completed my goal of all 2005-06 rookie year non 1/1 Lundqvist cards. Almost have all of the 1/1s too. After that, I was focused on only the high end and autos for a while. That got focused down more now to just whatever catches my eye. It saves a lot of money until it doesn't but collecting and hoarding money is also just as fun.

 

[Modojr]

I have two player PCs: Rusty Klesla and Mike Modano. I have a similar situation with my Klesla stuff. Been out of the league a long time, never much of an impact so no new cards being produced. I do multiple ebay searches a day, and COMC. Lately its been very slow in terms of cards I need, so I fill the void with show stamped cards, upgrades and multiples. I keep engaged with it by flipping through my binder and just appreciating my collection and the memories that go with each card. I sold off pieces of my Modano PC years ago when I left the hobby, so I have a little regret with that. I still enjoy going after stuff, even if it takes forever, I guess I stopped competing with other collectors and just trying to get to 100% as my goal as the be all end all.

 

[brian045]

As a Guy Lafleur collector, his presence in products has deff slowed down. He passed away a few years ago, so I know there won’t be any autos in sets . BUT , just from what they have released in the past, UD has to have 50% or more of multiple jerseys sitting around. I think that goes for a lot of older players . It gives me hope he will be featured in sets years to come , and I look forward to those, even if the volume isn’t what it used to be.