Leaving hobby? Why?

[EurekaDave]

I have seen lots of "leaving hobby" sales these days. I would to hear thoughts about your leaving. Just curious.

1. Maybe it's too expensive?
2. Maybe too dishonest?
3. Maybe the natural ebb and flow of interest?
4. Maybe other family consideratons -- kids, debts, time...

I'm just curious.

[Shipp_96]

I believe all the reasons you posted are valid, and the top two reasons probably come into play more often than not.

The ones I find disturbing are when the person claims to be leaving the hobby, makes some sales and then starts posting brand new items again :confused:.

[TBTwinsFan]

I think some people just get bored with it.

It just happened to me with modern baseball cards. They just became boring.

[kellsox]

Saturation of market. Especially in baseball. Teams have increased the items that they put out each of the last few years and will keep doing so.

[frikativ54]

While I haven't left the hobby, if I jumped ship, my number one reason would be the competitiveness. I'm not against competition per se, but I find the fights and jealousy between collectors for a piece of used clothing to be insipid.

Compete over awards, compete over academics, compete over art. However, what's the point of getting all hung up about game used memorabilia? While I enjoy owning my jerseys, hats, and cleats, they are merely possessions.

[rdeversole]

I find the fights and jealousy between collectors for a piece of used clothing to be insipid..... While I enjoy owning my jerseys, hats, and cleats, they are merely possessions.

+1 :D

[mad87man]

I think its b/c the market is getting over saturated these days. Every team knows what they have and are willing to make that buck so they all sell it. I also think the competetion is there too. Instead of people helping one another a lot of people hurt each other. I also believe that the expense is alot too. People have to pay top dollar for jerseys that don't deserve it.

[Preston]

For the most part we collect different things which is GREAT! I know there's another Titans collector on GUU (ALoving) but we're friends and we pass along info to each other. We help each other out. That's what it's supposed to be - A FUN HOBBY!

Yeah it can be expensive. Yeah it sucks when you have a drought and can't find anything for a while. Yeah things happen. But a collector is a collector.

[larry bourget]

Times change, people change, interests change, mortality starts to set in your thinking also, for the older collectors.

LB

[ahuff]

Saturation of market. Especially in baseball. Teams have increased the items that they put out each of the last few years and will keep doing so.

I agree with you entirely...I too have recently sold off a huge amount of my collection. I did so for a few reasons, but the oversaturation was certainly one that made it much easier to part with items for me.

[emann]

Probably for most 1 & 3... It is an expensive hobby if you want to own star player items, unless you're lucky or willing/knowledgable enough to take risks with old bats at flea markets.

No offense to the forum, but think the loss of a sense of community contributes... If there was a really vibrant community of collectors who were in constant contact, I think that would have a huge effect on casual collector participation; encouraging new ones, reinvigorating old ones, etc... Alot of this community aspect is what we as fellow collectors make it...

I also think the average sports collector is more "blue collar" than other areas of collecting (antiques, books, art, cars, etc) and this affects the dollars flowing in and out during times of recession. I don't think it's a coincidence that you see auctions closing lower than expected or people deciding to pull the plug on collecting for now.

... but, if anybody is considering "leaving the hobby" without their Red Sox items, feel free to drop me a note. ;)

[David]

I used to a be a big photograph collector. When I realized I had a large pile of photographs on a desk I hadn't looked at for two years, I realized it was time to sell the collection.

I am involved professionally with collecting, and do enjoy following the various areas, but am not a active collector at this point.

[sox83cubs84]

While I haven't left the hobby, if I jumped ship, my number one reason would be the competitiveness. I'm not against competition per se, but I find the fights and jealousy between collectors for a piece of used clothing to be insipid.

Compete over awards, compete over academics, compete over art. However, what's the point of getting all hung up about game used memorabilia? While I enjoy owning my jerseys, hats, and cleats, they are merely possessions.

+2

Dave Miedema

[G1X]

Times change, people change, interests change, mortality starts to set in your thinking also, for the older collectors.

LB

+1 As an older collector, I can relate to all of these quite well.

I also agree with just about everything else stated so far in this thread, especially the over-saturation issue. For some collectors, the"chase" is part of the fun, and when there is no chase because your favorite team is continually flooding the market, part of the fun is suddenly gone. All that is left is deciding whether you want to pay (over-pay in most instances) when this year's uniforms are made available. This can become both boring and expensive very quickly - or at least it does for me.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for WFL uniforms

[chakes89]

Compete over awards, compete over academics, compete over art. However, what's the point of getting all hung up about game used memorabilia? While I enjoy owning my jerseys, hats, and cleats, they are merely possessions.

And art, awards and academic achievements aren't merely possessions? What's the point is getting all hung up about some old paint on a piece of paper? Why care about competing to get an award? Why strive for anything tangible? Sounds like a biased double standard to me.

Your argument is flawed in the sense that, at the end of the day, everything short of what you mentioned is merely "stuff". Who is to say where the line should be drawn and what should be included/excluded? To each his own and who cares what the other guy does as long as you are happy? Who cares if someone beats you out on a bat or a jersey? I have lost out on quite a few items during my collecting days and I don't pout about it for more than a day, if even that long. Life isn't fun if you spend your time dwelling about trivial things.

Just a thought, for what it's worth

[frikativ54]

And art, awards and academic achievements aren't merely possessions? What's the point is getting all hung up about some old paint on a piece of paper? Why care about competing to get an award? Why strive for anything tangible? Sounds like a biased double standard to me.

You can go to the grave with various distinctions for things like art, activism, and academics. They are things you've done, and the titles don't vanish with death. However, owning other people's jerseys or bats, while they may provide pleasure, is not the same as going out and doing something yourself and being successful in your own life. It's living through others' achievements, and that is not always constructive.


Your argument is flawed in the sense that, at the end of the day, everything short of what you mentioned is merely "stuff". Who is to say where the line should be drawn and what should be included/excluded? To each his own and who cares what the other guy does as long as you are happy? Who cares if someone beats you out on a bat or a jersey? I have lost out on quite a few items during my collecting days and I don't pout about it for more than a day, if even that long. Life isn't fun if you spend your time dwelling about trivial things.

Just a thought, for what it's worth

I don't think I'm drawing a line in the sand with anything I've said. The question is why would I leave the hobby, and the answer would be that it's only worth so much to live my life vicariously through athletes. While I wouldn't deny that collecting is fun on a certain level, if I left, one of my reasons would be because of the competition between collectors and the general pettiness of fighting about which person won which bat.

[perlman9]

I have thought about leaving the hobby several times, but then a piece pops up and I get right back in. As the movie line goes, "I thought I was out and they pulled me right back in."

And I agree with Mark Hayne, I love the chase and the excitement when I find a MSU alum jersey, especially when its not on ebay or another auction.

I probably have as much excitement finding a piece for me as I do another collector. When I run across something interesting, one of the first things I do is search the forum to see if there is a collector who would want it, and it is awesome when I see them post the find in the pick up section.

However, the over-saturation and high prices for common NFL jerseys is becoming frustrating. Since I collect former MSU Spartans, there are not too many super stars, but seems the price of their jerseys is as high especially when the seller knows what I collect. But other than that, I think I will be a life-long collector just may wane a bit from how deeply involved I get.

But people like Mark, Preston, Buckeye, and others who helped me get my collection to where it is will always be appreciated, and more than make up for the negative experiences I have had.

[jonschuette]

For the Biblically minded, this verse comes to mind:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

[otismalibu]

For the Biblically minded...

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_marulcNT6X1r8nqooo1_500.jpg

[Dewey2007]

+1

For it was I Moses who rescued the 76ers and promised my people, "Fo, Fo, Fo" :)


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_marulcNT6X1r8nqooo1_500.jpg

[jppopma]

I think many people have covered the combinations of things that change for us all.

Life changes is likely one of the big pushes. Be it kids, marriage, or just the fact that everything else is so expensive now....many people just do not have the recreational cash to put into the hobby.

With all the push of people wanting jerseys to be photomatched, LOA'd, and packaged all fancy with every loose end tied up....I am surprised to hear all of the other old timers bring up that it takes away from the thrill. Maybe I take much of my collection for granted, but there is not the thrill of receiving a new jersey and looking over every inch of it for an hour just admiring it.

With prices dropping, I think alot of people are scared to lose the investment side of the hobby. While many of us collect for the fun of it, there is a great deal of pride in "getting a good deal", "the find", or knowing that we can liquidate some of the collection if we find ourselves in need. The mix of values dropping and many team prices skyrocketting, does not work well for the hobby.