My love for the VOGELMONSTER has been documented ad infinitum on this humble little blog. Vogey, as he is affectionally known by teammates, is a fun-loving player who seems to be a genuinely good person. I've crossed paths with the masher a few times and always had a pleasant experience.
2020 was a banner year for Vogelbach cardboard. In fact, my Google Sheet list shows 251 unique 2020 Vogelbach cards in my collection. Remember, Vogelbach was the Mariners' All-Star game representative in 2019. So, maybe he deserves 250+ cards? Although, 2020 was not such a banner year, as he was sold to the Blue Jays and then lost to the Brewers when he was claimed off waivers. So, maybe 250+ is not warranted? I guess that's for Topps (and Panini) to decide.
Regardless, that's a BUNCH of cards! Vogelbach was given his first card in the 2011 Bowman release. That's right, somehow we've snuck up on ten years of Vogelbach cards and of me being a Dan Vogelbach super collector. Wow, does time fly!
Here's the change: I'm removing the "super" from my self-proclaimed title. I enjoy chasing a rainbow, but I shudder at thinking how much I paid in shipping for all of the 251 Vogelbach cards I purchased this year. A handful were added to my collection via trade packages from blogging buddies, but not one Vogelbach card was purchased at a card show or my LCS. Yes, for awhile, I think I may have been single handedly kept the USPS in business. 😅
Even though I do dearly love adding Vogelbach cards there are certainly better ways to spend my money. I get it. It's a hobby. Actually, it's my hobby. I can collect how I want and I could continue to track down all of the Vogelmonster's cardboard. But, it's time for a change. Ten years of super collecting is a long time.
I hope Topps deems Vogelbach, he of three teams in 2020 lore, worthy of cardboard in 2021. If they do, then I'll still be hunting them down, but with one major difference. No more parallels, which means no more rainbow chasing either. This post shows 56 different versions of the 2020 Topps base card, #99. Some of them are from Opening Day, some are from Topps Chrome, some are from the Ben Baller Chrome set, some are from the United Kingdom set and some are minis. They have the same picture and design, and nearly all of them are gimmicky. Yes, Topps, please stop with all of the incessant parallels and variations!
My hope is I feel safe attending a card show at some point in 2021 and I can search for Vogelbach's in the wild! That would be so much fun! You ever have a dealer ask you what you're looking for and then say a player's name like "Vogelbach," and then watch their facial reaction? Oh, it's the best! At the end of the 2021 cardboard season I can venture on over to Sportlots and pick up all the cards listed for 18 cents and put together a well thought out box order. I figure if it's not Sportlots and it can't be purchased for a quarter or less, then I don't need it.
So, there you have it. This is one way I'm changing the way I collect. I have one more post planned, but you'll have to wait until the blogging bug bites me again to see what other direction I'm going.
Are you doing anything different with your collecting habits in 2021? Feel free to share below.
Thanks for reading!
Trying to narrow down my focus more. Collecting more NY Giants then anything else. Especially Eli Manning
ReplyDeleteI always wonder how "super collectors" do it. I'd go insane trying to track down 479 copies of the same card that Topps seems to put out these days.
ReplyDeleteI say this every year, but I'm gonna try to buy less retail in 2021. Might not have a choice about that if the retail flippers continue their ways. It's less satisfying to buy the base cards I need on Sportlots vs. opening packs, but my wallet sure likes it a lot more.
That is a great idea. It is ridiculous that there are that many parallels. Collect the parallels that you think look nice and save the money to buy cards that you want.
ReplyDeleteI do have the UK card set aside for you.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of the "same card". Yikes!
ReplyDeleteAnd hey, you'll always be super to me.
A. 56 different versions of his card is both awesome and ridiculous. It's awesome that you managed to track down that many... but if I were a super collector I'd be a little annoyed.
ReplyDeleteB. I decided to change the way I collected in 2020 when I started getting hit with taxes on eBay and COMC. Since then... I've really cut down on my spending.
Yeah I set mini-goals for my player collections and go from there. Super collecting isn't for me. I'm also too cheap!
ReplyDeleteGood lord - 56 different versions! I knew there were several, but not that many. For me and the players I collect, it's 1 base card, a chrome or parallel (whatever the best one is) - and anything after that had better arrive in a trade or something.
ReplyDeleteGood ideas here. I need more patience when it comes to adding new cards that I know are not as rare as I treat them.
ReplyDeleteWow. I find this both impressive and insane. I collect you know who and you know who, but I do not consider myself a super collector because the idea of going for 7,829 parallels a year confuses and nauseates me. I have tremendous respect for those that do super collect.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite songs: "Chasing Rainbows" by Shed Seven, a British band.
I'm amazed that you've been able to acquire this many of them! And even though this many parallels is kind of ridiculous, they sure do look nice when bindered up like that.
ReplyDeleteQuite a V-bach collection! I spent almost nothing in 2020, probably less than $200. For me, that is a significant decrease. I used much of the pandemic down-time to organize. I was a bit surprise by how much I owned and how unimportant it all seemed, with all the chaos in the world. Gave me time to reflect on my priorities so cards are taking a backseat to my guitar playing. I'm still collecting but not at the same level.
ReplyDelete