Like many others, I got back into collecting during the 151 craze a couple of years ago and since then my collecting journey has evolved quite a bit. I went from randomly buying a 151 ETB off the shelf at Barnes and Noble (then another a few days later… then a premium collection the following week…) to preordering the latest modern releases to monitoring the twitter alert accounts for modern product drops online.
A couple of months ago I became exhausted by the modern hype cycle I found myself in, rediscovered some of my childhood cards, and began my journey down the vintage rabbit hole. Since then, I’ve discovered e4 and my eyes have really been opened to the wide world of collecting. As my interests have shifted so have my methods of buying cards - way less Target, BestBuy, and Gamestop and much more eBay, local card shops, and trade nights.
One of the ways I’ve most enjoyed finding cards for my collection is what I call “rummaging,” this is, digging through bins at card stores or flea markets. I find that hunting for cards at flea markets in particular is such a fun experience. Slowly walking through the rows of tables, poking around a table looking for a binder or a plastic baggie of loose cards, the careful rummaging itself, looking for the unassuming promo, holo, or charming art. finding a stash of old cards laying amongst old silver spoons and campaign pins from the 1960s and finding a card that progress a collection or creates a spark of joy is a feeling you just can’t replicate.
Good riddance Target. Long live rummaging.
P.S. Would love to hear your favorite rummaging finds, memories, moments, experiences!
Depends on your definition of “successfully". I live in a big city with lots of flea markets that are easy to stumble into on weekends. I’ve had a lot of success findings cards to sift through and moderate success finding things I want to buy. Haven’t found any hidden gold stars or 1st edition holos but have picked up a handful of fun cards to throw in my binder.
Rummaging is the main event, finding a worthwhile card is just icing on the cake.
I have been to 1 or 2 flea markets in the past decade or so. They can be fun especially if you arent only there for pokemon, but most vendors just like at a card show (which is also falling off for me) get to look at other booths before people get there, and with pokemon being as big as it is they just arent the same, nor align with how I like to collect and interact with the hobby. Still fun though!
I pop into a card shop every so often that I like. They churn a decent inventory at this point for singles. Not exactly rummaging, but being confronted with a selection that isn’t just what you have in mind at that moment is more spontaneous and fun. Sometimes there is nothing, other times I pick a card or two out. And that is a healthy habit. Not binge buying.
That said, I had a good stretch where I could just order a a booster box from an online store for $90 and enjoy opening packs for each set. As soon as that stopped, I never bothered to go hunting for cards. You got to see a little bit of that. The set right after 151 is low key, the last good set for opening booster boxes.
Anyhow, glad you found a healthier way to enjoy cards. Nothing should be done if it makes you stressed or miserable. The idea of “keeping up” with any sort of hype is exhausting. I don’t know how the trend chasers do it.
I just picked up some little random cards online. Its fun to just get a few things here and there.
Over the past few weeks I’ve picked up a 1st edition base wartortle, 1st edition fossil non-holo articuno, holo jungle wigglytuff, holo fossil lapras, and a few other random 1st edition WOTC commons. All cards that I would have loved having as a kid, was happy to come across randomly, and now have happy homes in my binder.
Me and my wife love doing this; 90% of my wife’s collection are cards found at 2nd hand stores and it’s an incredible and diverse set of binders. A lot of the cheaper-end cards in my collection have been obtained in this way too