Philosopy of Collecting

Today I got about a dozen baseball cards in the mail from a guy that I've never met. He just sent me the cards he had and said that I can do the same if/when I get some of the cards on his list. No counting. No comparing values. Just take what you need. I can't think of a better deal. He also had some older (late 80's) cards on his list, so I sent some of those to him.

I would like to collect the 2008 Topps baseball card set the old fashioned way this year- a pack or two at a time over the course of the season. In order to do this without spending too much money and ending up with a bunch of 'doubles' I need to find some fellow collectors (like this guy I mentioned) who we can trade with. I would prefer to find someone local, but the Internet will have to do for now.

I think this 'old fashioned' way goes against the individualistic tendency of our current culture. Collecting with friends and neighbors is the way I started this hobby as a kid. But a temptation is to simply buy the complete set from the factory. It can be done easily. Instant gratification, if that's the way you want it, and you can do it all by your own self. But I don't think buying is the same as collecting. The experience is totally different.

The 'buy it now' approach is what I had when I stopped collecting cards in the 1990s. It (and other things) led to my loss of interest in the hobby, and it led to excess. It turned into buying to have, rather than buying to enjoy. It is one reason that I have more cards now from the 1980s than I possibly know what to do with. I have boxes of cards that have never been enjoyed. I own a few complete sets that I have never even looked at. This seems very silly to me now.

So what can my kids and I learn from collecting baseball cards a few packs at a time? Patience - the season is long and unpredictable. Interdependence - we might do it without others, but why would we want to. Sharing - instead of hoarding, give your extra to people who can use it.