Trimming Down My Collection: Need Help

JTMcCool

JTMcCool

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Hello all, I'm in the midst of trimming down my collection, but I'm having some trouble making the deep cuts. I know that there are a lot of members here who have successfully refocused their collections down to a more manageable level, so this post is a request to those members for a little encouragement and hopefully a little advice. Even if you just want to share your story it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
I've been debating trimming down a little myself. What I planned to do was cut down on Gary Roberts cards limiting the collection to only leafs & flames pictured cards, I may not bother though since he has very few pens cards & his canes/lightning stuff can be had for dirt :) hopefully someone who has successfully trimmed down can offer more advice other than being team specific.
 
When I cut down my Lindros collection I asked myself which cards I really get excited about going after and obtaining. Was it the base, inserts, game used, autos? For me it was the game used and autos and I have never looked back. It also cut down on the number of cards I was looking for as well. I think at one point in the early 2000's I had about a 1,000 card wantlist and had almost 700 cards or something like that.

My advice, find what elements of your collection really get you excited and collect just those things.
 
I did this with my Forsberg collection. Instead of going for everything, I go for whatever really catches my eye. A lot fewer pickups, a lot less spent and I'm a lot happier.
 
Take it slow! Best advice I can give. I moved the stuff I really didn't like much and in doing that it became easier to know what I really wanted to keep and take more time on what I wasn't sure about.
 
Just focus on those "wow" cards. Not sure if you were/are a completionist when it comes/came to collecting that player or team that you collect -- but just focus on those "must have" cards. For me -- I've narrowed my Sharks wantlist down to a fraction of what it was before. From here on out, I'm going to focus on Sharks rookie year game used and autos, and the "wow" cards of their star players like Thornton, Marleau and Nabokov, etc.
 
Thanks guys, this is just what I was looking for. The difficult thing is that I don't really have a focused collection anymore. I used to collect Alex Steen, but now I'm slowly selling of that collection. I've been attempting to build different sets, but I usually run into a few expensive cards and have to abandon the set.
Aside from a few side projects, I've just picking up cool cards I come across, which has lead to a big collection. I just need a little push to start the trimming. Thanks for the help guys!
 
I parted most of my Brodeurs last fall. From 1400 cards down to 20 cards.

I really enjoy the slabbed ones (BAP/ITG UM) and made a decision to focus only on those. Now I'm happier than ever. :dance: Quality over quantity....

Matias
 
Sometimes taking a look at what elements of your collecting that you enjoy can help you focus your collecting. I used to be a set collector, but found that the satisfaction of completing a set didn't do it for me. I found player collecting to be a fantastic move as I really only had one favorite player. The searching for his cards was (and is) always exciting - everytime I went to a show or looked online for cards. Even finding a .25 cent common hat I needed was more rewarding than finding a big name card for a set back in the day.

I also decided to get creative with my collecting. Right now I am in the midst of a collection that I find challenging and rewarding - with a light at the end of the tunnel. It's kind of like a challenge for me to finish this set. I think it is unique but most importantly, it is possible for me to finish.

Having expectations on a collection that is out of the realm of possibility (be it price or volume of cards or rarity) makes collecting seem razzled and out of focus.

Maybe step back and take a bigger look at what you enjoy about the hobby and go from there.

Good luck.
 
Very good advice guys. Taking a step back seems like the best course of action. I definitely don't want to stop collecting, but a refocus seems necessary. Thanks guys!
 
I'm down to about 5% of the total amount of cards I had in my PC. As I went through everything to sell, I thought to myself, is there anything in here that ISN'T replaceable? Truth is, except for the 5% I held onto, EVERYTHING was replaceable. Meaning, if I really wanted the card back bad enough, I could go back out there and get one with little to no issue.

That got me thinking further, if this is the case, then why am I hoarding these? good question. Answer? I have no ****ing idea. So, I started selling. Sell, sell, sell. The cash came in and bills were being paid and room was becoming available. Now I have a handful of SUPER High end stuff and really, I'm content with my collection and I hardly miss the stuff that is gone.

What YOU have to figure out is simple: what's going to be the focus of YOUR 5%?

Good luck...it's difficult at first, but once you get motoring, it becomes easy and the cash you get back makes it justifiable.
 
Without knowing who you collect, if your guy is relatively popular hobby-wise and debuted after 03-04, focus on the early releases. You can get a 5th year auto or GU easily enough, and those parallels just don't seem to have the same kick as maybe they once did. Try to track down the "firsts" as best as possible - what was his first certified auto/GU? I came in late to collecting Carey Price, and I find myself now going after a lot of his early ITG stuff. One of my favourite cards is his 05-06 H&P auto, his very first one, which has a beautiful signature that is exponentially better than the current scribble. The junior team jerseys/emblems/patches also tend to be really sweet since ITG did them and that usually means many colours and breaks.
 
My only advice is to be sure what your selling you wont miss later on. I sold my Terry O'Reilly PC to fund my wedding a few years back. I have steadily rebuilt most of it, but there are 2 or 3 I let get away that still haunt me! The good thing is now I have a full appreciation of my one and only PC, so Ill keep it unless of a dire emergency.
 
Once again thanks for all the advice guys. I have to admit, I like the 5% idea. I'm definitely concerned that I'd regret it, but I think it's a risk I'll take. Thanks!
 

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