Not super serious but let’s just say, a few levels above a casual collector, which is what I would categorize most of us as when we were little kids
For me it has to be when I started critiquing stock photos. It was kinda funny to realize that certain hard to grade cards like base set 2 hitmonchan on pokemonprice use stock photos with holo scratches and print lines it also has started to bother me when I see that troll & toad’s stock photos are off center lol
What made you realize that you’ve changed from being a casual collector?
I think when I spent $25 for a shadowless Charizard (circa 2010) I had decided in my head that I’d totally lost it. A little time put it in perspective though and $20-30 really isn’t very much for a single card.
Needing a second bedroom for on-hand cards, and being willing to pay full market price for a card.
I transitioned from being competitive to collecting, and I started in 2011 with a Metagross Star. It’s a very bad card but I thought it looked cool, so I collected the rest of them, and then all the shining and crystal cards, and then got a 1st Edition Base Charizard and said “well, might as well finish the set.” It’s spiraled since then.
My mentality towards collecting changed when I decided I wanted to collect higher graded cards as opposed to the raw-played cards I had been collecting.
When you’re no longer a closeted collector. When you openly tell your friends and colleagues about your collection. And sure enough, when you buy single pieces of cardboard encased in plastic worth more than the average car.
When I started comparing non-essential things I thought about buying to possible Pokemon purchases - just like it happened with guitars a couple years ago.
Cooking some noodles instead of ordering expensive food → Buy a Promo card/one more card graded next submission!
When I created an account here last year, there was no going back
The day I bought my first PSA card, which was a PSA 9 1st Edition Porygon for $16. It was hard for me to justify why I would spend that much money on a single card, considering what actual essentials I could have bought instead with that money.
Today he has about 174 other friends he likes to hang out with…
I honestly can’t tell if i’m a serious collector or not. My collection is only worth at minimum of a little over 12k. Maybe if my collection in the future hits around 20k+ I would be able to consider myself a serious collector. For now I guess I would consider myself a casual collector.
Most I ever broke in one sitting was around $200. I can’t imagine several thousand. That being said, I would say when I was willing to drop $50 on a card - a concept I originally thought was ridiculous. I still consider myself a casual collector however to the rest of you - but serious in my niche.
I honestly can’t tell if i’m a serious collector or not. My collection is only worth at minimum of a little over 120.000.000 million EURO. Maybe if my collection in the future hits around 2000.0000.0000 EURO I would be able to consider myself a serious collector. For now I guess I would be considered a casual collector.
If you believe really that, imagine this. Take every pokemon collector and sort them based on the value of their collection I guarantee you’re in the top 1%. Even if it’s purely based on money (which I completely disagree with) you’re more serious than 99% (yes it’s a made up/estimated number) of collectors by your own standard
it also has started to bother me when I see that troll & toad’s stock photos are off center lol
That being said, I would say when I was willing to drop $50 on a card - a concept I originally thought was ridiculous. I still consider myself a casual collector however to the rest of you - but serious in my niche.