Anybody Have Guilts About Game-Used Collecting

[frikativ54]

Its in our blood. As long as I can afford it, I'll buy what interest me.

And depending on what you buy, it can be quite the investment. So its not like its a waste if you think of it that way, which I really dont anyways.

Thats just me though, everyone feels differently.

Maybe, it's because I collect Bagwell. I am sure he's going to sooner or later show up on one of the steroids lists, and that I'm going to lose my money. I look at pictures of him, and I would be deluding myself if I thought he wasn't on the juice. You can get big by lifting, which he did, but not that big.

[David]

There's nothing wrong with having a hobby or pastime. In fact, they can be good for mental and physical health. Winston Churchill painted, Humphrey Bogart sailed, Sherlock Holmes played a violin. Of course anything can be taken to financial and other extremes, but there's nothing errant about collecting baseball bats or jerseys.

[ndevlin]

Well it shouldnt be about how much your item is worth. As long as the item/s you want to buy/or own make you happy, then it shouldnt matter how much you could get for it when you decide to sell it.

We buy bats and jerseys because we love the game and enjoy collecting. But there are times, I also put into consideration, that if I ever had to sell the item, if I would get the same amount back that I put into it. That tends to help the cause.

[frikativ54]

Well it shouldnt be about how much your item is worth. As long as the item/s you want to buy/or own make you happy, then it shouldnt matter how much you could get for it when you decide to sell it.

We buy bats and jerseys because we love the game and enjoy collecting. But there are times, I also put into consideration, that if I ever had to sell the item, if I would get the same amount back that I put into it. That tends to help the cause.

Thing is, I would think less of my item if Bagwell were proven to be a drug cheat. And that would kind of ruin the fun of collecting for me, though I would probably pursue some other items as well.

Maybe I'm focusing too much on one player. I really enjoyed getting a non-Bagwell item, my Rawlings Pro-Giant glove. It was a fun transaction, because it made a glove, which indexes childhood innocence (for me, at least), into something that was larger than life. Below is a pic from my Dad's camera phone, after he set it up for me:


Perhaps I just need to be focusing on other stuff within the baseball memorabilia universe. I love this glove, because it looks just like the one I had as a kid, that I used from like 2nd to 10th grade.

[zookerman182]

Thing is, I would think less of my item if Bagwell were proven to be a drug cheat. And that would kind of ruin the fun of collecting for me, though I would probably pursue some other items as well.

Maybe I'm focusing too much on one player. I really enjoyed getting a non-Bagwell item, my Rawlings Pro-Giant glove. It was a fun transaction, because it made a glove, which indexes childhood innocence (for me, at least), into something that was larger than life. Below is a pic from my Dad's camera phone, after he set it up for me:


Perhaps I just need to be focusing on other stuff within the baseball memorabilia universe. I love this glove, because it looks just like the one I had as a kid, that I used from like 2nd to 10th grade.

too much of one player? If you like the guy then there isnt any problem. I have 5 game used bats and 2 game used jerseys of a 21 year old who has only played in 9 games and has 4 at bats. When things are said and done with me collecting this guy i dont want to know how much of his crap i will have. But as long as you like the one guy you collect then there shouldnt be a problem.

I have found its really hard to hang on to stuff of players you are only collecting to invest in. Its easy to keep a collection full of your favorite player.

[frikativ54]

too much of one player? If you like the guy then there isnt any problem. I have 5 game used bats and 2 game used jerseys of a 21 year old who has only played in 9 games and has 4 at bats. When things are said and done with me collecting this guy i dont want to know how much of his crap i will have. But as long as you like the one guy you collect then there shouldnt be a problem.

I have found its really hard to hang on to stuff of players you are only collecting to invest in. Its easy to keep a collection full of your favorite player.

Who's your guy?

[coxfan]

Hobbies are good for mental and emotional health, as long as they promote positive social interaction, preferably also with intellectual stimulation and exercise. Game-used collecting tends to be intellectually stimulating and should promote positive social interactions, as long as done within good budgetary priorities.

There are many bad hobby choices, such as watching talk shows that promote social ridicule; or hobbies that tend to support destructive addictions such as alcohol dependence. But game-used collecting doesn't fit those bad categories.

I think Jim Leyland once said that the real value of baseball is that it brings people of all walks of life together in something they can enjoy together, without the usual social barriers. I think our hobby does that pretty well.

[gingi79]

My guy in hockey is Sami Salo. I would argue I have the most complete set of his jerseys to date. When I started collecting him, his shirts were $295 from MeiGray. Now they are $495 and Barry was kind enough to explain why. MeiGray has had 40 of his shirts since 2001, one is in the HOF, one is still for sale and the rest sold. I rarely see them for sale on eBay or the hockey gw boards and when I do, I get them much cheaper than what I pay for at MeiGray, sometimes 50% + off.

That doesn't stop me from adding to the collection as it is a goal to have one of each style. By the next MeiGray expo, with any luck, I will only have 4 missing styles from 3 different teams.

I do feel guilty when I look at my bills but my fiance is addicted too and that makes it more fun having a "partner" to collect with. Bills will always be there but I really enjoy looking at my favorite players career on my wall. Plus it's a goal and while I find it frustrating at times waiting for styles I don't have, I nearly dropped my laptop screaming "I found it! Holy !@#$ it finally found it!" when Salo's Detroit Vipers shirt popped up on eBay.

My advice? Any item that doesn't make you smile and feel honored to own should be let go of. If you can imagine not owning them and you feel ok about that, then you need to re-evaluate what you collect. My rule is simple, Love it or trade it for something you do. That could mean different jerseys, a different hobby, a bigger savings account or a wild weekend in Vegas that you hope your mom never sees pictures of.

[gatorcollector]

I too have felt this way at times. When I think about how much money is tied up in those jerseys, I can't help but think what good that money could do elsewhere.

On the other hand, I agree with jetersbatboy. My family is well taken care of, so why not enjoy the fruits of my labor? I've worked hard and made good choices, so I'm going to do what makes me happy.

[commando]

I don't drink alcohol or smoke. I guess you can say that this money goes to Houston Gamblers memorabilia instead. Keep in mind, I will NOT pay more than I think is fair, even if the item is scarce. A couple of months ago, one of those foam fingers popped up on eBay, and I had never seen one for sale before. I'm not sure who won it, but they paid more than I was willing!

I do pick up items for ten dollars or less all the time. It feels awesome when I fill another hole in my collection for just a few dollars. It sounds like your guilt may be based on the AMOUNT of money you're spending, and not really the fact that you're collecting someone.

I think the desire to collect is a trait of certain personality types. Don't fight the feeling, young lass.