OPINION: TEAMWORK

Ruthlessness or compassion? Time of day or talk to the hand? Yours.......or mine?

What side of the fence are you on?

As a kid, buying packs of cards and then trading off the doubles for the singles I needed to complete my set was the epitome of teamwork. My friends and I would always be looking out for one another when it came to building our sets.

Sure, there was a bit of competitiveness when it came to who could finish their 396 first, but in the end we all worked together.

That's what card collecting should be about......right?

Enter the 90's. I was a little older, knew the value of a dollar a little more and card collecting became more of an industry than a hobby for a lot of people. There was a little more......heck - a lot more competitiveness going on when trying to acquire singles. Ebay didn't help with that either.

I'll admit, when I started my Linden collection, I was more about tracking down stuff for myself. I wasn't too worried about what others were doing and if they were looking to purchase a card I wanted, I had a little more 'me, me, me' in me to go and get it.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized it might be easier (and more fun) to work together with fellow collectors rather than against them. Actually e-mailing them - communicating with them - made the whole experience of getting cards I needed a lot easier and less punishing on the wallet. Most importantly, I got to know some of the other die hard collectors out there who share the same passion for hobby that I do.

I like being able to help someone out with their collection. And I'll admit - I love it when someone else can help me with mine. Especially with those nasty rare Linden parallels from 10 years ago. :)

I still see a number of instances where collectors have tunnel vision when it comes to their projects. Sure, it's ok to focus on your wants, but to do it at the expense of other hobbyists or the camaraderie of a collecting community just doesn't sit well with me.

There are days where I go to a card show or a hobby shop and I feel like I'm back in junior high - clique city. Other days, it's a great experience where I can share my collection with others and they can do the same. Listening and learning without question has made me a happier hobbyist. Sap city eh?

Door #1 or Door #2? I'll take Door #2 every day of the week.

What are your thoughts on how other hobbyists fit into your world of card collecting? Do you enjoy dealing with other collectors? What if they collect the same thing you do?