Klein's Korner: Taking Pride in Your Work With The HobbyKlein’s Korner: Taking Pride In Your Work With The Hobby – Recently, one of the most important and founding members of Adat Chaverim (where I run my non-profit card show for the Brotherhood) passed away. Larry Goldman was 79 and had not been in good health for the past several years. But when the news came to us during services my thoughts were about how proud he was of what he helped create and where we are currently located. The reason I say currently located is we are in the midst of a drive to build a new home where we can serve the congregants better. Larry had done just about everything but I most recall his days as “head of house” so to speak. By the way, any help for the new home is very appreciated.

The house committee ensured the building was clean, all repairs were properly handled along with general upkeep. He was so proud of what he was running he insisted on being the person to handle all the building tours for any prospective new members. He wanted to be the one to show the great work and to be a good host.

This is a fairly recent photo of Larry

To me, this is very related to our business. We’re all proud of what he do in different ways. When we started running shows at the Southfork Hotel, the event staff, most of whom had been there for more than 20 years, took pride in not only setting up the tables correctly but even making sure all the tablecloths were perfectly arranged. We were a small event for them but they wanted to show how good they were in getting the room ready for the day.

At the Comfort Inn where I now run my shows, the event staff and my current sales manager do whatever they can to work with me. I explain our dealers are going to move tables based on how the show is set up so the tables can be set up the same way each time. We then move our tables around as needed and they understand the dealer table moving is fine.

I don’t have showcases, and I know I should, but I ensure my cards in the shoeboxes are always in new penny sleeves and new toploaders when I prep them for sale. Many dealers use recycled material but I want the cards to be in the best possible protection item. Other show dealers will have their cards in meticulous order with everything marked in perfect handwriting. Others will have showcases intricately arranged.

In our own ways, all of us are taking pride in what we present for sale.

And of course, every store is different but most stores will have showcases with cards displayed and wax available either behind the counter or on the showcases or in a table near the front.

As long as things are neat and priced, how one displays their sale items is totally up to them.

In addition, I recently had the honor of visiting one of the best baseball card collections you will ever see. The owner had everything perfectly arranged in his hobby room and his desk was filled of new additions for his collecting pursuits. He was just as happy to show me the non-graded material I had never previously seen. We took that as a challenge. He came through splendidly with his first PSA Registry set. His first attempt is the #1 set on the registry. With that success he may even send in more cards to PSA.

Did he have expensive cards? Yes. But he also had some amazing regionals which to me are the type of cards collectors such as him go to the National to find. I usually see him on the flight from DFW to the National. It was funny when I was talking to my wife the next day about my visit her eyes rolled when I mentioned some (to me) of the really cool obscure baseball material he showed me. But it was the Wagner got her eyes to light up and ask me more questions. See, even in visiting collections every one has different interests of what they want to see and even be interested in short and long-term.

In conclusion, I’m proud of how I display my cards, I’m proud of what I did for the Beckett Almanac of Baseball Cards and Collectibles and I’m proud of the work I’m doing for COMC on a daily basis. Isn’t being proud of what you do, one of the best feelings of all?

For more from Rich Klein, follow him on Twitter @sabrgeek.

Klein’s Korner: Taking Pride In Your Work With The Hobby
Rich Klein

Related Posts