Has collecting cardboard gotten out of control? Are we to addicted to the hobby?
- Thread starter jacobsmith01
- Start date
A_Iverson_I
OzCardTrader
jacobsmith01
Damian Lillard
Its good to hear that alot of people realize the habits that lead to the horrible addiction part of collecting. I agree that you must put in rules for yourself so you dont get out of control. Thats exactly what ive done over the last few months. I've kept my most prized cards and sold everything else on here on ebay............I guess I pawned my random cards on to some other addict and took his money 
Now I only strictly collect a few players and to narrow it down even further I only collect that certain players patches or RC autos not just everything of that player etc. And I never let it get in the way of paying bills or rent etc. Once that happens then your in a bad way and it can be just as bad as the pokies and other forms of gambling.
I guess the difference with buying single cards to gambling though (case breaks aside) is its kinda like an investment because later down the track when you are desperate for money or sick of collecting you can sell them all and regain most of what you spent. This theory doesnt really work however if you buy only planning to sell straight away to make money.
Now I only strictly collect a few players and to narrow it down even further I only collect that certain players patches or RC autos not just everything of that player etc. And I never let it get in the way of paying bills or rent etc. Once that happens then your in a bad way and it can be just as bad as the pokies and other forms of gambling.
I guess the difference with buying single cards to gambling though (case breaks aside) is its kinda like an investment because later down the track when you are desperate for money or sick of collecting you can sell them all and regain most of what you spent. This theory doesnt really work however if you buy only planning to sell straight away to make money.
Southern Son
OzCardTrader
Mrs Southern Son chuckles when I buy cards, thinks its a funny, a grown man collecting cards. But then I have the rationale that she spends over $100 per fort on ciggies, I'll spend $$$ on cards but, if I get bored I can sell mine and hopefully get some of that money back. Plus I don't know of any forums where you can chat and trade cigarettes!!!!
To me its harmless fun, interesting, time consuming, chasing those elusive cards, great hobby, am I addicted possibly, am I worried...no
To me its harmless fun, interesting, time consuming, chasing those elusive cards, great hobby, am I addicted possibly, am I worried...no
ozballer23
#1 J.R. Smith Collector
Great thread and fully agree! Used to love any base card with MJ or any hornets players (zo, mugsy, gill, grandmama), rc cards, they were awesome to pull! An insert was a massive pull and a bonus! Now collectors have a sook if they pull a jersey card!
Personally I think I have my collecting "under control". I have my JR pc and non JR pc. Both are exactly where I want them. On the odd occassion I pick up a card for either, and rarely overspend. No stress and it allows me to enjoy the hobby and watch prices drop and pickup. I'm loving it at the moment!
Personally I think I have my collecting "under control". I have my JR pc and non JR pc. Both are exactly where I want them. On the odd occassion I pick up a card for either, and rarely overspend. No stress and it allows me to enjoy the hobby and watch prices drop and pickup. I'm loving it at the moment!
jacobsmith01
Damian Lillard
I remember after having a break from the hobby for several years I decided to get back into it in 03-04...........I had no idea who this Lebron was everyone was talking about
I grabbed a few packs of 03-04 MVP from the news agent and pulled a Chris Webber GU. I couldnt believe my eyes and thought it must be so rare to pull a jersey of an NBA player.........later I realized it was not rare at all. Nowadays they are sooooo common infact that pulling a GU of Duncan or Shaq etc doesnt even raise a smile and they are almost worthless. Emagine pulling a Shaq GU back in the day WOW how excited I would have been!
AyiosYiorgos
Card Addict
Fantastic thread, i think everybody HAS or WILL go a bit crazy in collecting, its just how it is BUT you need to step back occassionally take a break, ive been collecting seriously on and off for 20 odd years i only collected Rugby League cards and memorabilia (signed jersey, keyrings, caps, frames etc) but there have been periods where i wouldn't collect for a year or two then the internet came along more specifically eBay which ramped up my addiction again wanting to win that damn auction, then i found this site just under 2 years ago which introduced me to non-sport cards and even basketball cards which has been great, an an eye-opener, especially in the quality of design of cards, so remember take a break every so oftern evaluate your goals and stick to a budget, that card your looking for will come around if you miss out on it , not the end of the world....
A_Iverson_I
OzCardTrader
Im from the old school collecting, and the 90's was my favourite era of NBA. I buy maybe 1-2 boxes a month, and usually they are 90's products, or cheap recent products. I dont go for the big hits at all. I know its unrealistic to hope to pull something awesome like a Kobe auto for whatever from a $30-40 box of 08-09 Upperdeck or Fleer. My main goal when busting a box is to complete the set of base cards. Thats always been what my collecting was about - the Bulls cards was always just a side project to completing sets. Naturally that has changed over the years and the Bulls cards have become more special to me, but to be honest most of them are base cards or cheap inserts/parallels - the stuff we all got excited about back in the day, and its the stuff that still excites me now.
Im a good example of keeping a lid on the addiction, yet still getting huge enjoyment out of it. So what if I like cheap cards? I wouldnt have 1500 (or whatever the figure is since I last counted) Bulls cards if they were all auto's or patches or whatever. The only Bull auto I have is Jannero Pargo, and the only jersey I have is Joakim Noah - I dont even have a patch of ANY player. Never have. Probably never will, unless it happens to come out of one of those cheap boxes I might one day buy.
---------- Post added 02-04-2011 at 08:17 AM ----------
you are the perfect example of how the entire hobby has changed in the last 20 years. When I was your age, there was no such thing as buying a whole box! At least, no-one I ever knew did. We didnt even know where to get boxes from, even if any of us could afford them.
Im a good example of keeping a lid on the addiction, yet still getting huge enjoyment out of it. So what if I like cheap cards? I wouldnt have 1500 (or whatever the figure is since I last counted) Bulls cards if they were all auto's or patches or whatever. The only Bull auto I have is Jannero Pargo, and the only jersey I have is Joakim Noah - I dont even have a patch of ANY player. Never have. Probably never will, unless it happens to come out of one of those cheap boxes I might one day buy.
---------- Post added 02-04-2011 at 08:17 AM ----------
you are the perfect example of how the entire hobby has changed in the last 20 years. When I was your age, there was no such thing as buying a whole box! At least, no-one I ever knew did. We didnt even know where to get boxes from, even if any of us could afford them.
sgt_pepper
Amatuer Footballer
jacobsmith01
Damian Lillard
Very valid points there mate. It is a form of gambling for sure. But I guess the odds of getting a nice card are better than winning jackpot at the pokies. I think its better to buy a case or box if you want to collect the set because you like the design of the cards etc because then you are getting something for your money. Then the probability of getting a card you like the design of and a card to go towards the set is about 1:1.
sgt_pepper
Amatuer Footballer
yes, its a little different, because you are always getting at least something back for your initial output, but really, i doubt most collectors buy packs/boxes just so they can get a bunch of base to cover the price of the pack or even to just keep. we want the hits, and its why we buy. base cards as a whole are 1:1, but if youre looking for a certain player for your PC or set, then those probabilties change drastically...
seems as though we agree tho jacob, so i wont go any further into it...
except to say that denial can be part of addiction.
Your entitled to your opinion but I disagree. If one is collecting because they want to collect a set of cards they are not gambling. Sure, back before you could complete sets by trading/buying online and had to buy packs for the chance to complete the set, then that was gambling. This simply isn't the case for everyone anymore. Unless you want to argue that I'm gambling on the fact it might get lost in the Australian postal service.
I refer you to my original comment that it is not gambling unless you expect returns..notice I didn't say what kind of returns. Perhaps I should have made that clearer in my first post, I did not mean purely $.
I can purchase a pack of cards without having any expected returns from the pack, be it financial, material (ie. I don't care what's in it, it's just fun). Like when we used to buy them as kids so that we could look at the players and read their stats, it didn't matter who or what came from the pack.
You may buy for the hits, that doesn't mean everyone else does.
Any way enough ranting, just my opinion
jacobsmith01
Damian Lillard
Your entitled to your opinion but I disagree. If one is collecting because they want to collect a set of cards they are not gambling. Sure, back before you could complete sets by trading/buying online and had to buy packs for the chance to complete the set, then that was gambling. This simply isn't the case for everyone anymore. Unless you want to argue that I'm gambling on the fact it might get lost in the Australian postal service.
I refer you to my original comment that it is not gambling unless you expect returns..notice I didn't say what kind of returns. Perhaps I should have made that clearer in my first post, I did not mean purely $.
I can purchase a pack of cards without having any expected returns from the pack, be it financial, material (ie. I don't care what's in it, it's just fun). Like when we used to buy them as kids so that we could look at the players and read their stats, it didn't matter who or what came from the pack.
You may buy for the hits, that doesn't mean everyone else does.
Any way enough ranting, just my opinion
Well a heroin addict wants a hit to....................
I agree with Sactum, I personally collect base card sets too. When i buy a box im trying to get the full set and any hit is a bonus. I have base sets from every year since 2005. I really enjoy collecting, I can understand how people can become addicted to the gambling side of it but i find it unrealistic. I recently purchased a hobby box of 2010-11 Rookies & Stars and it cost me $125, Realistically, of the 3-4 hits in that box, What are the odds of the 3-4 hits will earn you more than the box cost you? I sold the 4 hits i got in that box for a total of $75. Although i do go a little over the top with my PC's but i do also make most of what i spend when i decide to off-load the PC to start a new one.
sgt_pepper
Amatuer Footballer
Your entitled to your opinion but I disagree. If one is collecting because they want to collect a set of cards they are not gambling. Sure, back before you could complete sets by trading/buying online and had to buy packs for the chance to complete the set, then that was gambling. This simply isn't the case for everyone anymore. Unless you want to argue that I'm gambling on the fact it might get lost in the Australian postal service.
I refer you to my original comment that it is not gambling unless you expect returns..notice I didn't say what kind of returns. Perhaps I should have made that clearer in my first post, I did not mean purely $.
I can purchase a pack of cards without having any expected returns from the pack, be it financial, material (ie. I don't care what's in it, it's just fun). Like when we used to buy them as kids so that we could look at the players and read their stats, it didn't matter who or what came from the pack.
You may buy for the hits, that doesn't mean everyone else does.
Any way enough ranting, just my opinion
yeah, theres been a slight misunderstanding here i think. i meant purely busting packs or boxes...
obviously, buying/trading sets/singles etc is not gambling. thats just pure collecting baby...
i collect base to, so i dont only want the hits, i just meant people usually like to get them.
i dont think even as a kid, i got packs without hoping to pull something. i liked the stats aswell, but i was always excited at the prospect to pull an insert...
these are obviously only my opinions aswell...
Yeh I get what your saying about busting packs/boxes purely for the purpose of hits, that is most definitely gambling. I am all for pure collecting personally but each to their own. I'm not gonna lie I'd love to pull a D.Rose out of a box for sure, not that I would sell it, it would remain in the PC until I was dead and buried.
I have an addiction to almost anything that takes my fancy for about 6 months anyway. I get obsessed and then find something new to do
Would you buy an $8 pack if you knew in advance it would contain 10base cards worth 50c(total) and nothing else?Maybe a true collector still would, but I suspect even they would track down those cards and buy them individually. Part of the fun is definately in the unknown and in beating the odds.
And yeah im still addicted to the hobby but dont bust product anymore only going for singles 
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