To be a Player/Super Collector or not?

[steviey2493]

In a dilemma here guys. Hope everyone had a good holiday, but really been pondering this idea...becoming a super collector and/or heavy Steve Yzerman collector. Here are a few things I am thinking of to do it or not do it:

#1-Yzerman is my ALL TIME favorite...no one comes close
#2-While I am a HUGE Stevie fan, I do like a lot of the current Wings like Pav, Hank, and Nick...so if I was to become a strict Yzerman collector my collection of other wings would be cut down by a lot
#3-Money! Yzerman autos are usually minimum 45 dollars, all the way up to a few hundred usually, and I can't imagine trying to scoop up a 1/1 of his, while the other wings are cheaper
#4-Yzerman stuff will never be forgotten, he is a legend, where if I spread the collection out between a bunch of current wings, it really may not mean that much to me in 10 or 15 years.
#5-I think its nice being able to look at multiple players for a variety, but having a bunch of Stevie cards would be awesome too.

What would you guys do/any advice?!

[Phoenix]

In a dilemma here guys. Hope everyone had a good holiday, but really been pondering this idea...becoming a super collector and/or heavy Steve Yzerman collector. Here are a few things I am thinking of to do it or not do it:

#1-Yzerman is my ALL TIME favorite...no one comes close

^STOP RIGHT THERE.^

#2-While I am a HUGE Stevie fan, I do like a lot of the current Wings like Pav, Hank, and Nick...so if I was to become a strict Yzerman collector my collection of other wings would be cut down by a lot
#3-Money! Yzerman autos are usually minimum 45 dollars, all the way up to a few hundred usually, and I can't imagine trying to scoop up a 1/1 of his, while the other wings are cheaper
#4-Yzerman stuff will never be forgotten, he is a legend, where if I spread the collection out between a bunch of current wings, it really may not mean that much to me in 10 or 15 years.
#5-I think its nice being able to look at multiple players for a variety, but having a bunch of Stevie cards would be awesome too.

What would you guys do/any advice?!

^^^ That is the only part that matters. How far you take that collection depends on your budget.

[steviey2493]

Phoenix, my question is though how can I do it being 20 years old when a simple jersey card on ebay goes for $10-$20, and autos $40+...it seems almost impossible!

[Wickabee]

Are you a bigger fan of Yzerman or the Red Wings?

If Yzerman, then go with that. I started collecting again 2 years ago. I had nothing, now my collection, while it's fairly cheap and still pretty small, is starting to take shape.
It takes time moreso than money to build up a half decent collection. Patience is the key. You'll find money to save up and cash you want to spend on cards, and you have a looooooong time to do it being that young. I'm 27 and I can only imagine what my collection would look like after 7 years.

If your answer is Red Wings, then keep collecting all the neat/cool/whatever Red Wings you find and be happy with that.

The most important part is to collect who you want why you want, and for no other reason. The second you start comparing your collection to others, you've lost. There will always be someone out there with a "nicer" collection, especially with Yzerman. Don't worry about it and be happy with what you can afford. Every one of us always wants something we think we'll never have for whatever reason, it's part of the hobby.

[steviey2493]

Thanks for the input so far guys. I am a life long Red Wings fan (since I was 6 or 7), but Yzerman has been my favorite since. I would say that if he was traded while playing I would still be a Wings fan, but Steve still my favorite player either way. I just don't know how well I can do collecting as $45 for a low low end Yzerman auto is a beautiful piece from the Cup for another Red Wing I am a fan of.

Should I save money for Yzerman autos/game used, but if I come across something else nice Wings then make it secondary so that'd be my minor PC?

[Wickabee]

I'll put it this way, as much as I'm sure you probably don't want to hear this.
There is no "should", only what you really want.

[Phoenix]

Phoenix, my question is though how can I do it being 20 years old when a simple jersey card on ebay goes for $10-$20, and autos $40+...it seems almost impossible!

That you'll have to figure out on your own. Do you want to put a bit of money aside every week and buy one big card at the end of the month or do you want to buy a $20 card every week, etc? That's what you have to figure out.

I can't speak from experience, but from hearing others, it's actually the collectors with limited budgets that appreciate their collection more than those who can buy whatever they want. Don't try to be a supercollector, just get what you want, when you can, and enjoy it.

[Wickabee]

That you'll have to figure out on your own. Do you want to put a bit of money aside every week and buy one big card at the end of the month or do you want to buy a $20 card every week, etc? That's what you have to figure out.

I can't speak from experience, but from hearing others, it's actually the collectors with limited budgets that appreciate their collection more than those who can buy whatever they want. Don't try to be a supercollector, just get what you want, when you can, and enjoy it.

Amen

[iidaemmi]

How many Yzerman cards you already own?

If you start about point zero, it's a very long way to become a super-collector.
But if the super-collector badge is not the main thing, go for it!

Hari

[RGM81]

If by the SCF Super Collector you mean "Super Collector," you're really not going to like what you're about to see....
Total cards: 4,532
AU: 479
MEM: 1,518
S# /25 or less: 1,574

For a player with that many cards we ask that a collector have a minimum of 35% of the total number of cards made, which would work out to 1,586 cards. As far as the "Super Collector" title goes, you thus run into the same problem that many of us who collect superstar players do: there's just too many cards and they cost too much. The key in this situation is not to focus on getting "the badge" and just enjoy the collection for what it is: being the best that you can make it.

Phoenix raises some good points above that should be considered as well. You'd have to make a choice between quality and quantity when it comes to collecting Yzerman. I deal with that a lot with my Price collection. There's just so many cards out there that it's easy to spend 8-10 bucks here, another 12 there, on regular GU's and low-numbered parallels - you end up missing out on those $40 hard-signed autos that look even better.

If you're a Wings fan, it can never hurt to collect your favourite players on your favourite team. If the guys move on to another squad, you can usually find a new collecting home for them. If you're lucky and the guy goes to a popular hobby destination, you might even be able to swap them off for new Yzerman cards.