How My Collection Changed and What the Hobby Taught Me Along the Way

The way we collect rarely stays the same. It evolves with our lives, our resources, our priorities, and our understanding of what really matters to us. Looking back over the last five years, and really over my entire collecting life, I can see a clear shift. Not just in what I collect, but in why I collect.

This is the story of how my collection changed, and how the hobby slowly taught me to let passion lead instead of hype.

Where It All Started

Like a lot of collectors, my story begins as a kid collecting with my dad. We started around 1992, going to local card shops and small shows. I didn’t have a ton of money, so I bought what I liked, not what was expensive or trendy. I certainly enjoyed watching my dad spend a little more on some really cool pieces. I remember him buying the entire 1986 Fleer Basketball set for $200 from a local card shop.

I loved the Bad Boys Pistons. Watching that team with my dad win two championships was a big part of why I collected those guys (and still do to this day). I also collected Mark Price because my dad told me my basketball game reminded him of Price’s. Michael Jordan was everywhere, and of course I wanted his cards too. Those early years weren’t about value or condition. They were about time spent together and the joy of finding something cool in a box.

Eventually, as high school came along, collecting slowly fizzled out. Life moved on.

College Years and a Brief Return

When I went away to college and into early adulthood, my cards went into storage. The hobby wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t active either.

I remember getting interested again around 2004. LeBron James entered the league, and my Pistons won another championship. That combination pulled me back just enough to browse eBay and pick up a few autographed cards. It was casual, nothing obsessive, but it reminded me why I liked collecting in the first place.

Then, once again, life took over and the cards went back into the background.

The Pandemic Pullback Into the Hobby

Everything changed in 2020.

Like so many others, Covid slowed life down. With more time at home, I pulled out some of my old Jordan cards just to see what they were worth. I was genuinely surprised. That curiosity pulled me back into the hobby at the same time the entire market was exploding.

I started buying more Jordan cards in the $20 to $100 range. Nothing wild. Just things I liked. Grading was new to me, so I began learning about that side of the hobby as well. It felt exciting, but also a little overwhelming.

The Pack Break Phase

Early on, I jumped into pack breaks. At the time, it felt like gambling. There was a rush. You never knew what you might hit.

But looking back honestly, I threw away a lot of money chasing that feeling. For every exciting moment, there were countless empty ones. Eventually, I realized I’d rather spend my money intentionally and just buy the single I actually wanted instead of hoping to get lucky.

That realization was an important turning point.

Taste Changes and Trading Up

Over the next few years, my collecting tastes shifted again. I stopped being interested in owning a lot of $20 to $100 cards. I began moving many of those pieces to consolidate into higher-profile items.

I also became far more selective. I wasn’t chasing volume anymore. I wanted fewer things, but better things. Pieces that felt meaningful and permanent.

Discovering Custom Collecting

During this time, I also started crafting my own collection through Reclaim Customs. That became one of the most enjoyable parts of collecting for me.

Being able to create exactly what I wanted for my favorite athletes and celebrities to sign (or embed existing autographs and game used items) was different than buying something off a shelf. It allowed me to connect creativity, design, and storytelling with collecting. Those pieces felt personal in a way nothing mass-produced ever could.

What I Care About Now

Today, my focus has shifted almost entirely to athletes who have stood the test of time. I’m far more interested in greatness that’s already been proven than in prospects or rookies who might pan out.

I’ve also learned that I need to understand what I collect. For example, I didn’t grow up with Pokémon. I don’t have a connection to it. Even though it’s valuable, I don’t collect it.

That clarity has made collecting more enjoyable and less stressful.

I also look forward to the National Card Convention every year. It’s one of the few places where you see things you won’t find on eBay, Facebook groups, or online marketplaces. It reminds you just how deep and diverse the hobby really is.

The Moral of the Story

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is simple: let your passion guide your collecting.

You don’t have to stay locked into one lane forever. If a part of your collection no longer excites you, it’s okay to move on. Don’t be afraid to sell something to get something else you truly want.

At the end of the day, this should still be a hobby. It should bring joy, connection, and fulfillment. When collecting starts to feel forced, stressful, or driven by fear of missing out, it’s worth stepping back and remembering why you started in the first place.

For me, that answer has come full circle. Collect what you love. Collect what you understand. And most importantly, collect in a way that makes you happy.