The Big 5-0

I just bought a new home and beside the entire moving process being incredibly exhausting and insane — it’s made me realize something.

I’ve got too much crap!

Decades of stuff just piled up all over the old house, most of it lacking any sense of organization or reason.

I have six basketballs, and I can’t remember the last time I actually played.

I found more putters, drivers, and fairway woods than I care to admit, and that’s not even mentioning the umpteen pieces of clothing I uncovered buried in the basement, stuffed into boxes or trash bags from the last time I moved into a new place.

I found books I’ve never read, countless CDs and DVDs, as well as an entire box of VHS tapes. There were two boomboxes I was so proud of — in 1990 — and even some 45s and albums I had as a kid.

I am proud to say, I cleansed myself of most of it, either junking it all together or donating some of the better stuff, and it feels amazing.

Among the casualties were nearly 600,000 sports card commons, most from the 90s and early 2000s. I tried to donate these even, but no one wanted them — which I understand. I mean, do you really need four monster boxes of 1990 Topps baseball? Probably not.

All this purging got the wheels turning in my head, and has prompted me to do something I find very exciting — I’m trimming down my sports card collection considerably and focusing on no more than 50 cards. Period.

I’m keeping about 35 of the cards I already have and consolidating the rest of the collection into the remaining 15 cards.

I’ve started to make a list of those 15 cards, as well as sell off the collection I already have, sans the 35 I mentioned earlier.

Among these 15 is a 1979-80 Wayne Gretzky rookie in a PSA 7 or better. I had one a few years back but it was a SGC 5.

This ain’t a cheap card, but it’s on the list nonetheless, as is PSA 9 (or better) ‘86 Fleer Charles Barkley rookie card and a number of hockey PMGs ( I love PMGs) and a few Golden Treasures from Platinum hockey.

The point is, this has all helped me to think about just what I love to collect, very specifically, and then go chase them all.

I had nearly 900 cards in my personal collection and as of right now, I’m selling, trading, wheelin'-and-dealin all but 35 of these with the hopes I can use that cash to buy some of those on my wish list.

Is this the best approach to collecting?

Don’t know and I don’t care.

I’m enjoying the heck out of it, cashing out the old for the new and building the collection I want to have.

Thoughts?