Hobby Musings: New or Returning to the Hobby? Now What? – As the popularity of trading cards has exploded over the past few years, the number of people buying them has increased significantly. New and/or returning collectors are finding themselves overwhelmed at the complexities of the hobby world. Though they don’t cover everything, below are some general pieces of advice that I’ve found have helped me and others along the way.
Focus Your Collection
Trading cards have existed for well over 100 years and have comprised everything from baseball cards to beanie baby cards. To put it mildly, the sheer amount of what is out there to collect is overwhelming and growing daily. As such, the first thing you want to do from a collecting standpoint is to decide exactly what you want to chase. You can collect things other than your core items, but having a focus will help your hobby peace of mind and your budget in the long run.
Research
I cannot stress this enough. Once you’ve decided what you want to chase, learning all you can and being properly informed can be daunting. Thankfully, there are many resources available to you. Whether it’s online shows (shameless plug for Go GTS Live here), blogs or other hobby media, there are several entities who can provide answers to your questions. A local card shop or show can also be a great resource in terms of collecting and providing an in-person sense of community.
Budget
Once you’ve decided what to collect, you should decide how much you’re willing to spend. The hobby’s boom in popularity has also brought a general boom in prices across the board. As such, the amount you can spend on cards may be sky high in the blink of a moment. Try setting a weekly or monthly budget to help keep yourself accountable. If you find something you want that exceeds your budget, consider saving up until you have enough to get what you want. Better to be patient to get the big item you desire than settle for a consolation prize.
Pace Yourself
Collecting is a marathon, not a sprint. I’ve been collecting for over 20 years. As cliché as it may sound, it really has been a journey. Part of what I’ve found is patience is a virtue when it comes to adding to a collection. It is tempting and often frustrating to not get everything you want right away. However, there is a certain amount of satisfaction when you can catch your chase. Also, understand that the things you collect today may not be what you collect five years from now. Collecting tastes and preferences change over time for a variety of reasons. Whatever they may be, embrace them and enjoy the race. As long as you still enjoy what you have down the road and smile at the memory of getting it, chances are you’re doing it right.
Don’t Let Mistakes Get You Down
Be it paying too much for something, letting something go too early, making a bad trade….you are going to make a hobby move that you will inevitably regret. I don’t care how experienced or savvy you are, it will happen. Take the good with the bad, and don’t get too caught up in one or the other. Chances are that your bad move today will be balanced out by a good move down the road.
If It’s Not Fun, Step Back and Breathe
At the end of the day, this is a hobby. Even with the all the money and high stakes involved, it’s supposed to be fun. As much as I’ve enjoyed the couple of decades I’ve been collecting, there have been times it’s gotten me down. There have been points where I’ve thought of giving it up entirely. Every now and then, I’ve needed a little break from hobby matters to reset. Each time, I’ve found it’s helped. This is supposed to be a source of enjoyment, not stress. If you need it, take a break, then come back for the joy of it.
Hobby Musings: New or Returning to the Hobby? Now What?
Kelsey’s ability to bring hobby coverage to the mainstream sports fan has been a true asset. GTS is happy to feature his thoughts on collecting in Hobby Musings. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of GTS Distribution.
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