Just a question:
Is collecting for fun overrated?
Lately, I’ve noticed far too much talk about investments, reselling, flipping for profit, etc. What happened to the fun in the hobby? Do people still collect for fun or are we all at the point where this hobby turns into a small job?
Not meant as an attack or judgmental comment, merely an inquisitive point I’ve noticed as of late.
I don’t think those things are mutually exclusive. If someones idea of collecting for fun is seeing if their purchases turn a profit I don’t see the harm in it.
nah it’s not overrated. Half my collection will never be sold and the other half might be but even that’s not a guarantee. If anything I’m glad that the investment side of the hobby exists as it generates interest and flushes out cards that would be otherwise difficult to acquire on my own.
If you look at everything posted in a week, information, personal value, and general collecting discussions are the strong majority. Either way, most people who sell had or have some sort of personal value. You naturally see more discussion about prices since the market has grown.
I know many people in different hobbies flip to pay for their collection. So I think some of the times, the discussions are based on maximizing the profit to keep or buy certain other cards or sets.
Considering I sometimes pay over 5x the amount it’s worth when I see a Pikachu I’m still missing, I think it’s safe to say I’m a bad investor 
I’m only collecting because I enjoy collecting. I like the cataloging, discovering new cards, adding rare cards to my collection, adding non-rare cards to my collection. The entire reason I collect is because I enjoy doing it.
I can certainly understand why people want to know the investment-value in case they ever want to sell their cards in the future, but personally I have zero intent to ever sell my collection, so I couldn’t care less about what a card is worth tbh (to some extend of course). I only look at what I’m willing to pay for it myself.
Greetz,
Quuador
I think a majority of what you are seeing are people looking to profit to invest into their collection. Most of me browsing for deals is split between possible profits and collection additions. All profits fund my collection.
This
I wish I enjoyed collecting stuff still haven’t found something that I like the collect. On the other hand I do love trying to make profit from Pokemon xD
It’s fun to collect and it’s even fun to help and share items with others.
What keeps a hobby alive? Buying, selling, and trading.
Lastly, many sports stars love playing and they get paid well to do it.
I invest in things I enjoy looking at and being back the nostalgia of my childhood.
I don’t think any of us would be spending the amounts of money we do on fancy cardboard if we didn’t find it fun.
I personally think a part of the price and market side is a defense mechanism, Pokemon is still not exactly viewed as “cool” and a lot of collectors (including myself) often justify purchases and their collections in general to others as an investment or as prices per card, because everyone can respect and understand money. You can’t really go up to someone on the street and say “check out my super awesome PSA 10 1st Edition Charizard” because not everyone knows that. I’m sure 90% of the people out there wouldn’t even care and would think you’re a dork. However if you say “this card is worth $19,000” you get instant understanding.
It’s not socially acceptable for people in our age range to be spending this amount of money on Pokemon cards just for nostalgia’s sake. Adding an investment and sales side to a lot of our collecting allows us to be able to bridge the gap and explain what we do and why we do it to skeptical or judgmental people. I think everyone here has dealt with at least one of those people at one point, and I’m sure we’ve all explained the monetary values of our collections to people who thought we were being idiots by buying cards all the time.
Of course that’s not the only reason, just one I don’t see getting mentioned. I think with the dynamic market we have today that literally changes every day, people are realizing that market insight for Pokemon is valuable and important right now. Everyone wants to find the next card that’s going to skyrocket and buy it now. People are realizing that the Pokemon card market is a nuanced and complicated one, and it’s fun to look at price trends and ask “why?”
Collecting for fun and paying attention to the market are not mutually exclusive. Its collector’s feelings and emotions that drive the market to begin with. Someone didn’t burn 50 PSA 10 1ED Charizards and cut down the available number, collectors decided that the card was worth drastically more than it had been selling for previously. What should be avoided is collecting exclusively based on what you see as “fun,” with money being no object, and what people say is a good investment. Don’t buy that $19k Charizard if you don’t REALLY like it. But also don’t spend $200 on a PSA 10 of the newest hyper rare, because the market will change as more are graded and the card will decrease in price.
This is precisely what I do. I LOVE collecting and there are many cards that I hold close to me. But I rarely ever buy cards for my collection in singles for market price off ebay… I always buy lots for cheap lots locally and online. Take what I need, then sell it for cheap so others can do the same, or whatever they wish. I’ve managed to nearly complete 3 full binders ( base jungle fossil team rocket and promos and many more ) with just flipping cards, and I’ve spent minimal money doing it. I’m actually pretty sure I’ve turned a profit from the day I started collecting until now. Basically got my entire binder collection for free but it just took work!
Now with that being said, Graded cards are an entire different story… You cant find a mother selling her sons old pokemon collection for $40 on offerup from 15 years ago with graded cards in it… I’ll gladly splurge on those… Most of them I plan on keeping for the significant future and never selling, but some are purely to turn a profit.
I only collect the topps cards… so clearly I don’t do it for the future investment. I honestly hate the idea of selling things to make profit. To me it just feels like lying. I get that’s part of business but I’m just not into it.
Fuck no, it is not overrated. Why are we all here for? The money part is just cause we need more for more fun additions 
!
It’s not, but the majority of the new Pokémon hobbyists are in it for the profit. Emphasis on “Majority”, because there is still those purist that are in it just to collect. Keep in mind that everything has a vice versa. For example Those whom sell more than collect might also find themselves asking “Is selling for fun overrated?”.
The spectrum of qualities that “collecting” has is vast. From hoarding, investing, checklisting, SELLING, BUYING, trading etc. to each their own what part of the hobby is most fun. I for one find the thought of selling my beloved cards, very dreadful.
No it is still fun, however its nice to collect for fun knowing the cards you purchase will make a profit or hold value and the cards you sell wont be a regret down the line(or try reduce that ofc)
I enjoy it but I dont want to be over paying, and i like to know fmv and if i get a good deal etc.Its human nature to want return, to want to know what you are doing is fun both emotionally and financially secure(not guaranteed but im sure you get what i mean).
Also due to increased exposure, value have risen, cards are harder to find to grade…so alot collect and sell alongside their job inorder to get hold of coverted items they want in their collection.
We all have different ideas of fun, and I know alot of posts are whats this, how much, good value etc but without sharing knowledge between us…scammers will prevail and over paying etc. We are all int he hobby for different reasons, some dont care hm a card costs as they want it, some dont know hm their cards are…but it can still be fun to collect and have it a side hobby,part time or full time job/income maker to buy things you really want.
Ill wrap this rant up soon 
I have purchased cards and collections that i have no specific interest in collecting…i saw an opportunity to buy as a great deal and be able to sell for profit.This profit will be used to go towards more purchases to try make more and also to buy my genuine interests and wishlist of cards.Without it I couldnt afford to keep buying cards as frequently(instead save up and up buy a card I reall ylike thats it…then repeat…yes it can work and people do it but i like to accelerate this a bit by getting cards etc and hopefully turning a little profit to put back into the hobby for genuine interests and investments(yess i said it!heh)…not gonna make it full time but the added extra can boost my collection goals.As I gain more experience (touch wood) then the way I do things will change, as it already has form when i started and just bught booster boxes of new sets and put in ultra pro binders. You develop and learn, and I have such a loong way to progress but I enjoy it and cant wait to see what the future holds.
FIN
I’ve bought a handful of cards as investments but I mainly collect for the illustrator.
Some of the best looking cards aren’t that expensive.
For example, my baby is only $30
The only reason I do it is for the fun.
I agree with the philosophy of keeping collecting separate from business. Look at Chuck Rozanski, president of Mile High Comics, Inc. He is always talking about his Native American pottery collecting.
Chuck is a crazy guy.
He should have just kept the Mile High collection, would have been a lot richer for doing nothing.
I know one of the few books he kept was Red Raven. I still have to own a copy one day, wish I would afford the Edgar Church (Mile High) copy.
ON TOPIC
As values increase the monetary part becomes more important. Buying what you love is great when it is $20 cards. When you are buying $1,000 cards most people want to make sure they can get a good portion of their money back. Let’s be honest, people love collecting, but if you told them they would lose 90% of the value of the $10,000 they spend over the last 2 years many people would either not collect or find a cheaper alternative to collect, new set, lower grade, non-holo’s etc.
Investment- I have noticed for TCG/CCG games people use this term wrong. I used to see this all the time for MTG, should I invest in this deck? People have started to use the word invest instead of buy. You are buying a Standard deck (as in all new cards that will rotate out and fall in value) this is in no way an investment, unless you like negative returns or a pro player who could win enough events with it. That is not investing, people really wanted to know if the deck was good and would be good for a long time (as in a large part of the time before the cards rotate out).