Sports Card Dealers
Hobby mantras all collectors should follow
We all know sports has its unwritten rules. I don't know about you but I feel the sports collectibles hobby does as well.
I coined them “Hobby Mantras” and recently posted them randomly on my podcast's social media platforms. Most I came up on my own but they come from a common-sense point of view or a do-the-right-thing philosophy. I adopted a few that were submitted by listeners and added them to the list.
There's about 20 on the list and I thought I'd share some of my favorite and most pertinent ones. I've even combined some due to parallels or similarities.
Enjoy the hobby … hobby your way … be the CEO of your hobby … collect what you like.
I combined these four because they fit together so well. For most, the hobby is an outlet, a way to get away from the everyday hustle-and-bustle. When we want to be more outgoing and vocal we can head to a card show, our favorite LCS or check out one we haven't been to yet. We can even go online and interact with a large hobby community that has made the hobby world seem smaller and closer.
That camaraderie is sometimes understated. Remember you're the CEO of your hobby, you control how and what your collect, buy or sell. You have no board of directors to answer to, unless your spouse qualifies. Collect what you like and enjoy. Never collect to impress someone; that will happen naturally.
Savor the journey of the acquisition.
Maybe it's finding that last elusive card to finish a set, completing a rainbow or acquiring a grail card you weren't sure you'd ever own. The adrenaline rush when you complete a mission or open that bubble mailer revealing a prized artifact is almost unrivaled. However, don't forget to remember the journey, the story and people behind the cards that led to that exhilaration.
Ship cards quickly.
Most of us want our purchases/trades in our hands as soon as possible. We are all inherently impatient by nature, so if you are an online seller and/or trader and a deal is consummated, please try to get those card(s) to their new collector as soon as possible. With that premise in mind, it seems like I'm at the post office almost everyday.
Base cards matter.
Some may disagree and most of us do love the shiny, numbered parallels, the big hit. I get it. However, many of us didn't necessarily start off like that. I think the rise of breaking has diminished the sentiment toward base cards. However, that's not the case for me. Some of those tossed-aside base cards could potentially be the future 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout. Vintage card collectors also know those base cards are making and breaking financial records all these years later.
Read the backs.
I can't tell you how much I learned about some of my favorite players from reading card backs growing up. While the cartoon caricatures of the 1950s-80s aren't as prevalent today, I still find myself reading those stat lines on the back. While I pride myself on knowing many of the players attributes, somehow I always still seem to learn something new.
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Be an ambassador and advocate.
True confession. This is one of my favorites in the bunch. This is where I always try to lead by example and walk my talk. Most of us believe this is the greatest hobby we could be part of. I think it's important to share our knowledge and experiences, to learn and teach, and be passionate, encouraging and welcoming to new folks coming into this great hobby. Remember we were all new once.
What are some of your favorite hobby mantras? I’d love to hear them.
— John Newman is a collector, dealer and the host of the Sports Card Nation podcast. Catch his Hobby Quick Hits on Monday and his guest interviews on Friday on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach him at sportscardnationpc@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ sportscardnati1
John Newman is the host of the Sports Card Nation podcast
