The Joyless Collector

If there's one thing I never want to become, it's The Joyless Collector.

I see them all the time at card shows: the people who walk around grumbling, flipping through boxes in a huff, and just generally not appearing to have much fun. But isn't that why we're here? For fun? I'm not saying there aren't things about the hobby that frustrate me, but in the end there's a reason I'm still here: because the thrill of collecting simply beats out all the negatives.

I don't trade on the blogs nearly as much as I once did - writing this means I'm all somehow caught up with my trade posts! - but I don't want to give the impression that it's due to a lack of fun, because people still surprise me on a regular basis.

Take a package I received from new(ish) blogger David of "Card Boredom" recently - a gift that saw not one, but two 1952 Cubs come my way!

I've been blogging for nearly 13 years now, and I don't think I've ever had someone send me anything from '52 Topps before (with a '54 Bowman thrown in for good measure) - so yes, the surprises are still here.

David also threw a '65 Topps Embossed Ernie Banks my way - while I'm not particularly thrilled with this set (is anyone?) and I already had Mr. Cub, David's copy (left) is clearly better than mine.

Because I've learned there is a minor thrill in the joy of a decent upgrade.

Our friend Mark from "The Chronicles of Fuji" recently stumped me on his blog with these cards from something called Topps Clear - basically straight Topps reprints with different numbering on the back given away at select airports.

Mr. Fuji even generously sent a few my way - David Bote is still a favorite in Dime Boxedonia! - and had me wishing for a quick moment that I still worked at the airport (god, that job sucked).

I've developed more of an obsession with minor league cards over the past few years, and I've learned that these Line Drive sets are particularly good for mini-collection hits (even posed ones count!).

This quartet of pitchers pretending to hit and outfielders pretending to catch came via a fun little envelope from Bo of "Baseball Cards Come to Life!".

Bo also hit a Dime Box Dozen need of mine with that Eckersley (send me all the Cardinals Ecks!).

I specifically requested that Zoilo Versalles from Bo, because in addition to being a coveted Zero-Year Card...

...it's also an OPC!

(Still not sure why '69 OPCs seem to be particularly tough.)

Ho-hum, a couple more Sega Card-Gens from everyone's favorite Japanese cardboard supplier: Mr. Zippy Zappy of "Torren' Up Cards."

He's responsible for about 97 percent of the Card-Gens I own, so my collection is almost singularly in debt to these hallowed Zappings.

Most of my trading these days consists of an informal give-and-take with a few longtime friends of the blog, one of whom is our resident scribe Greg of "Night Owl Cards."

On the one hand, I think Topps ruined Big League with their dumb tiered-rarity base sets - but on the other hand, actually getting one of the super rare Blue Foil Kershaws from Greg certainly shocked me!

  

Greg is always good for a few curated want list hits - reminds me why I keep a want list in the first place - and there's yet another airport-themed set that I kinda like with the Trout.

I've said it time and time again (probably to convince myself more than the rest of you): I'm not a team collector, I'm not a team collector, I'm not a team collector.

Still, seeing a stack of random Cubs waiting for me in trade packages from Greg has routinely brought a smile to my face for years.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the generous souls of the blogs would just send Ohtani cards to one another for nothing, but that's exactly what Mr. Shlabotnik of "The Shlabotnik Report" did!

While Ohtani might be cool, that "All Aces" Catfish Hunter is even better - seriously, I don't think Topps got enough credit for the mastery of those inserts.

Mr. Shlabotnik also finished off my "Stars of MLB" needs from Series 1 - are people still hoarding Elly De La Cruz cards?

In addition to a few other want list hits came my first look at 2024 Donruss, accompanied by the usual "meh" reaction (what uniform is PCA wearing there?). 

I throw Heritage SPs on to my want list with the expectation I might knock one off the block every eight months or so.

Which is why I was floored to see an "All-Time Leader" Ty Cobb short-print fall out of this Shlabotnik PWE (why did you have to make these SPs, Topps?!).

If nothing else, it's simply good to be thought of in regards to the things I collect.

Longtime trading buddy Jim of "cards as i see them" apparently ordered multiple copies of this early 2024 Topps Now card, and graciously sent one to me for my beloved "42" mini-collection.

Speaking of mini-collections, there's a neat parallel of a longtime favorite "Pitcher at the Plate" with that Trevor Hoffman (has a batting helmet ever looked more awkward on someone?).

Pair that with a flurry of other cool needs in this PWE, and you have a fun little batch of randomness...

...and that was before a Babe Ruth variation fell out!

If I remember correctly, Jim came into a few of these on the cheap recently, and by the goodness of his heart passed this one on to me. The early-2010s Legend SPs are incredibly tough, and that's even before the added tax that a lot of The Bambino's cards seem to carry. In short, not anything I'd expect to fall into my lap.

So, yeah, I'm eons away from becoming The Joyless Collector - if you can't find something to love about baseball cards, you're not trying hard enough.