Baseball cardsBy Paul Deeds (bobreaker50)

My mother always used to tell me that a card is “only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.” While this statement is technically true I have always thought otherwise. My trading card collection has been valuable beyond the monetary potential it holds. In my lifetime I’ve learned about investment, giving, commitment, accomplishment, sacrifice, and a myriad of other valuable lessons through collecting, trading, and giving cards away. I currently work at a children’s home near Atlanta Georgia where I have had the opportunity to teach these same lessons to the boys in my home.

Once a week the guys and I sit down for a trading time. While they’ve negotiated deals we’ve also been able to talk about accomplishing goals such as set building. We’ve discussed compromise while they worked trough trades that may not benefit them in all the ways they would like. And we have genuinely enjoyed being around one another. Our first trading session was extremely hectic as they were all attempting to make trades with each other simultaneously. Cards were everywhere, feelings were hurt, and no one got what they wanted. Six months later the trading sessions have become organized, the boys have learned patience, and all the guys are building nice collections that fit their specifications. Some of the boys have even been able to connect with their parents through the hobby. The guys are now bringing in cards that their fathers have given to them, they’re going on outings with there families and friends to add to their collections, and they’re even giving cards away to one another. In the beginning guys were making trades without much thought. Some of the boys even made trades with revenge on their minds. They would acquire cards simply to keep them away from other’s hands. Half a year later these same children have made trades that require more foresight than they thought possible. I have even seen trades made solely for the purpose of helping one party out to the detriment of another’s collection. These same personal strides could have been made through other means such as recreation time, but trading has been a great way for them to measure how far they have come in their interpersonal communication skills and it has been a pleasure to observe and report.

A large portion of this magazine has been dedicated to helping us determine the cash value of what we have in our pages, boxes, and cases, but there is some much more to value in our hobby. The longer we collect the more we learn about ourselves and the world around us. As you rip open a pack or sort through a stack today remember the real value of trading cards lies not in numbers, but in lessons learned, risks taken, and time spent with friends. It’s a great hobby and I hope we can all enjoy the benefits both great and small.