PC jealousy question...............

[87sluggo]

My question, and I do have one, is........HOW ON EARTH DO YOU GUYS NOT GO INSANE LOOKING AT THE SHOW & TELL SECTION?????

I'd like to think I have a pretty nice collection. In fact, I know I do, I love hockey cards more than my family after all. But I don't have one or two particular players I chase, my stuff is pretty spread out.... 60's & 70's Canadiens, other 60's & 70's players (Espo, Orr, Mahovlich, Bossy, Trottier, Howe, Hull etc) Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, other Hull, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Canucks from the 70's on up.......

So I have a lot of pretty nice mid-range things and a few mid/high, but I don't have the 1/1's or the Shields or just about anything from The Cup or Dominion. I can't afford hundreds ot thousands of dollars on one card when I can spread it around, know what I mean?

All that said, I see the show&tells from Boofish with all the Gordie Howe 1/1's and from Esposito08 with all of that amazing stuff and Phildo with what seems to be every 90's insert ever produced etc and so on, and I'm CONSUMED with jealousy. No joke.

So to the guys who just collect one or two guys or one team, how do you do it when there's all of those amazing shiny cards out there???

[jlai624]

This is my take:

I would love to bust as much wax as possible but of course that get's expensive. So for me, if I have a few players that I can focus on. I can sell off the other hits to keep funding my card fund. That's just personally how I do it myself. And if you get bored of those players then sell them off and pick a new player and repeat.

I don't get jealous, because it comes down to everyone's choice. I can't afford to bust CUP/Dominion either but instead I will buy those cards of my players by the singles. Everyone's method of collecting is different is what I am trying to say :)

[jlai624]

I would also say a lot of people here would say they have too much excess cards or trade bait and always looking to sell. So I try to keep my "extra cards" as low as possible.

[Yipper]

I understand your jealousy ... But in some ways have to say it has less to do with the amount of money you have and more so the way you are spending it.

I can say I have a full Brandon Yip PC including all 1/1s except 2 cause those have not popped up and I have 10 shields. Yes, 10 ... All purchased within the last 4 months. As well as other high-end.

Do I have a lot of money? No. I probably spend the same amount as a usual collector. I don't set a budget cause I believe that can only lead you trouble. It just make you fancy the amounts you don't have. Just be disciplined and you won't run into trouble.

How do I do it? Simple.

You always see people breaking boxes and usually 3-4 at time and almost always when a new product is out. I enjoy the chase as much as everyone, but honestly it's a complete waste of money 90% of the time. Boxes cost 100 + each on average. And if you are going to buy 4? That is $400. And say you do that once a month. In 2 and half months, you spent $1000.

Even if you don't, I guarantee the average person spends at least $100 on boxes on a month.

I really don't understand when many spend a few or couple hundred on boxes a month and then reply and say ppl have more money than them or can't afford buying singles. I have huge question marks at that? Nor do I understand those who spend all their pennies on cards and be jealous at people when they do have more money. If you are spending all your money on cards over other things than that is a serious problem. There are bigger things in life. It's a hobby, not a life style, so I have to say I have no simpathy for that.


Back on topic...

I spend absolutely nothing on boxes and cards stores hate me lol cause I rather save and spend it on the specific card I want.

Gets down to preference, but certainly, you have to buy smart and nothing more.



Applies to life as well. Savings goes a long way. Don't spend at times (crazy I know), but there are reasons why only a fraction of people can afford certain things while many cannot. I am not saying savings can lead you to be rich. But if you enjoy fancy things, you can certainly save a bit to get a piece of it.

[87sluggo]

I understand your jealousy ... But in some ways have to say it has less to do with the amount of money you have and more so the way you are spending it.

I can say I have a full Brandon Yip PC including all 1/1s except 2 cause those have not popped up and I have 10 shields. Yes, 10 ... All purchased within the last 4 months. As well as other high-end.

Do I have a lot of money? No. I probably spend the same amount as usual collector. I have a budget.

You always see people breaking boxes and usually 3-4 at time and almost always when a new product is out. I enjoy the chase as much as everyone, but honestly it's a complete waste of money 90% of the time. Boxes cost 100 + each on average. And if you are going to buy 4? That is $400. And say you do that once a month. In 2 and half months, you spent $1000.

Even if you don't, I guarantee the average person spends at least $100 on boxes on a month.

I spend absolutely nothing cause I rather save and spend it on the card I want.

Gets down to preference, but certainly. You have to buy smart and nothing more.

I don't chase boxes, I'll buy a cheap tin from the Wal-Mart every now and then, but not because I'm looking for a hit, more just to open up some packs...............

This is what I'd like answered.........You have THE Brandon Yip collection. Are you happy with that? You have no desire to go willy-nilly on anyone else? If yes, tell me how??? What is the secret to not coveting EVERYTHING?????

[Yipper]

I don't chase boxes, I'll buy a cheap tin from the Wal-Mart every now and then, but not because I'm looking for a hit, more just to open up some packs...............

This is what I'd like answered.........You have THE Brandon Yip collection. Are you happy with that? You have no desire to go willy-nilly on anyone else? If yes, tell me how??? What is the secret to not coveting EVERYTHING?????

I have a lot more stuff stashed away. PC player collecting is hard.

My answer is: don't chase current year stuff until they have been out for a while. Almost way too expensive.

I made one exception and that was Yip cause I didn't want to lose the 1/1s, but I made sure I could afford to do that.

I really don't touch anything else. I always have wants but I dedicate the rest of my money to shields. So I guess, nail down your wants to certain things and not too broad.

Aim for something harder to obtain so you have something you can chase rather than just something you can buy.

[cygnusx1]

Hmmm... it's hard to say. I guess it depends on the kind of person you are. There's all kinds of incredible, beautiful cards out there that I would love to own. But at the same time I have to be realistic. I've always been pretty reasonable with money, and I'm fortunate that I don't really feel the need to treat myself to anything (don't need any of the gadgets, don't need a fancy car, etc.). I also try to make sure that I never spend a cent out of pocket on the hobby. Obviously I had to start somewhere, but since then I make all my PC additions through buying, trading, and selling with what I had initially put into the hobby.


While it does sometimes sting to see a card I'd love to add go to somebody else, I just put it in my mind that the money I would have used on it will likely go towards a gift for my girlfriend. And without trying to sound like a sap, I do know that I will enjoy that far more than whatever card I would have picked up and then stored away in a box.

[canucksfan007]

Go to the shows! 90s inserts are DIRT CHEAP if your willing to go through boxes! I got a nice lot of about 60 90s inserts, with a few pretty rare ones .... for around $25! Thats 1 problem solved =P

Each collector collects his own way. I bust very little, and mainly buy singles on here, ebay or at shows.

Shields and stuff from The Cup / Dominion really arnt that expensive, ive seen many of your S&Ts, and can say that you can easily afford some nice pieces from the high end products ..... and even a shield or 2 =P .... but like you said before, your collecting habits dont take you down that road.

I think the way ive decided to collect makes me more jealous than anything else. EVERYONE in this hobby wishes they could bust cases and cases of everything, but unfortunately that isnt that case for most. I wish I could bust 10+ cases of The Cup with my hobby friends, it would be so much fun! The way ive decided to collect has taken me away from wax ... I really do miss it, but ill just be happy with what I can do in this hobby =)

[MrBlackisBack]

There are always going to be collectors with crazy collections. If you try to chase them you will only drive yourself crazy. Now I am a team collector. This gives me a broad enough pool to pull from that I don't have to worry about something not fitting in my collection. I don't bust boxes so I have more funds to put towards singles. If those cards are what you want, then buy them (within reason).

[centrehice]

My question, and I do have one, is........HOW ON EARTH DO YOU GUYS NOT GO INSANE LOOKING AT THE SHOW & TELL SECTION?????

I'd like to think I have a pretty nice collection. In fact, I know I do, I love hockey cards more than my family after all. But I don't have one or two particular players I chase, my stuff is pretty spread out.... 60's & 70's Canadiens, other 60's & 70's players (Espo, Orr, Mahovlich, Bossy, Trottier, Howe, Hull etc) Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, other Hull, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Canucks from the 70's on up.......

So I have a lot of pretty nice mid-range things and a few mid/high, but I don't have the 1/1's or the Shields or just about anything from The Cup or Dominion. I can't afford hundreds ot thousands of dollars on one card when I can spread it around, know what I mean?


All that said, I see the show&tells from Boofish with all the Gordie Howe 1/1's and from Esposito08 with all of that amazing stuff and Phildo with what seems to be every 90's insert ever produced etc and so on, and I'm CONSUMED with jealousy. No joke.

So to the guys who just collect one or two guys or one team, how do you do it when there's all of those amazing shiny cards out there???

You have to treat cards like a commodity, eggs, butter, widgets. One day you will be an old man like me, and the cards will mean nothing.

Sorry to give you the rude, correct answer, but sooner or later, they are just cardboard.