If you haven’t seen @Brews_and_Breaks latest post, stop now and go give it a read. https://app.onmantel.com/PFE9Cn6HPVb

The section about how to get the hobby back really resonated with me. There’s nothing better than hearing the stories and the reasons why people collect what they do.

I can remember the exact day, just a couple of months ago, when something finally clicked in my head and I asked myself, “What the hell are you doing?!”

That day, I went to a local card show. After walking around for a while and not finding anything that truly spoke to me, I decided to swing by one of the LCSs in my area—simply because I felt like I had to buy something. My buddy and I ended up grabbing two blasters of highly overpriced football cards, sat down, and ripped through them in just minutes. As soon as it was over, I felt that all-too-familiar sting of disappointment. No big hit. No rush. Just an empty feeling.

As I was walking out, I passed a little boy with his mom. He was looking at the boxes behind the showcase when I overheard his mom say no because they were just too expensive. That’s when it hit me—the path the hobby is on right now has started to phase out the love, joy, and memories it’s supposed to offer, all because of the constant urge to make a profit.

I stopped, turned around, and handed the little boy my box. The look on his face was all the reminder I needed. He didn’t care about resale value, odds, or ROI—he was just happy to have cards. That pure excitement… that’s the heartbeat of this hobby.

I’ve never shared this story before, because that’s not really who I am. I’m a relatively private person about certain things. But this article struck something deep inside me—something that’s been sitting there for months.

So thank you, @Brews_and_Breaks, for that reminder of why we started collecting in the first place.

Bought these five for $3 total. Sold the Mariano one within minutes of posting for $2. I am OK if I get “stuck” with the others.

Andre Dawson in all his glory! I love the 88 Topps set anyway, and when I think of Dawson, this is the card I often think about.

Published July 04, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

There’s always been some form of addiction in this hobby. Even in the earliest days, there was a chase—a pursuit. You’d rip packs hoping to find your favorite player or complete a set. But there was still something innocent about it. There was play. There was freedom.

Kids used to clip their sports cards into their bike spokes just to hear the flutter. They’d trade on the playground without checking comps. Creases didn’t kill a memory. Corners didn’t matter. And no one cared if their Mickey Mantle was minty fresh—grading cards didn’t even exist. Collecting happened on our own terms—not on a screen, not on someone else’s timeline.

But with the rise of streaming, slabs, and 24/7 access, that changed. Technology amplified everything. The hobby went from community-driven nostalgia to content-driven obsession. Now we watch other people open our dreams in real time. We get alerts about drops, auctions, comps. We refresh like it’s a reflex. And before we know it, the lines blur between passion and compulsion.

We don’t collect on our own terms anymore—we collect on the system’s terms. The algorithm tells us what to want. The breakers tell us when to chase. Social media feeds us manufactured hype all day everyday. And the clock never stops ticking. It’s not about connection—it’s about consumption.

This is why awareness matters. This is why we created Collectors MD.

Not to say the hobby is completely unhealthy or to villainize the manufacturers, platforms, and breakers. But to say that if we’re not careful, we’ll lose ourselves in a version of the hobby that was never meant for us.

So today, pause. Ask yourself: Am I collecting from joy—or reacting from impulse?

Because real collecting starts when we reclaim the terms.

#CollectorsMD
Cards were made to be played with, traded on the playground, stuffed in pockets—not turned into dopamine triggers disguised as “investments”.

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