30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

My 2013 Hobby Goals

I believe it's important for people to set goals for themselves, because it gives us something to work for.  This year, I've decided to break down my goals into three categories:  manageable, challenging, and intimidating.

Let's start with the manageable goals:


1.  I will continue to post 3 to 4 times a week on this blog, as well as write periodically on A Pack To Be Named Later and Blog of Trade Bait.

2.  I will resist temptation and keep my pack and box purchases to a minimum.  Instead, the bulk of my cardboard purchases will focus on singles and completed sets.

3.  I will continue the tradition of running my annual summer contest, because I love to see all of you guys interact with each other.

4.  I will build five new sports card trifectas in 2013.

5.  I will start and complete a full run of Topps base cards (during their active playing careers) for Tony Gwynn and Kirby Puckett.


Now for the more challenging goals:


6.  I will complete my 1972 Topps Oakland A's team set.  I've been working on this project for awhile now and I'm down to seven of the high #'s.


7.  I will complete at least 12 blog trades, while adding at least 5 new names to my Completed Blog Trades list.

8.  I will finally organize and update my trade bait lists and Photo Bucket.


And finally a pair of intimidating goals:

9.  I will add a 1909-11 T206 card to my collection.  This will be challenging, because the handful of Athletics I've targeted aren't cheap.


10.  Start trading again on the forums.  I'd like to raise my SCF rating up to 250 by completing 28 more trades and bring up my CCW rating to 40 by completing 16 more trades in 2013.

Okay, it's your turn...

What are some of your 2013 Hobby Goals?

Happy New Year and sayonara!

31 comments:

  1. Next time we trade, we can post it on the SCF to boast your rating.

    Set completion is at the top of my list this year. 2013 Ginter is my goal to finish.

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  2. Sounds good... kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Best of luck on the 2013 Ginter set and happy new year!

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    1. Thanks moe! Have a safe and positive 2013!

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  4. Here are mine: http://bbcrecollections.blogspot.com/2013/01/lets-play-nine-2013-wishes.html

    Also, I collect Gwynn's and we've never traded. Two-fer for ya!

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    1. I'd love to work out a trade... have tons of extra Gwynns. Just got back from reading your hobby wishes. I hope they're granted for you.

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  5. Here are my goals: http://buildingabettercollection.blogspot.com/2012/12/new-year-new-focus.html

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    1. Thanks for sharing... and I'm down for trading. Happy New Years!

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks PATP... I hope 2013 treats both of us better. Happy New Year!

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  7. I don't have much in the way of specific goals as far as cards or collectibles are concerned. I'm going to post about my one 'white whale' card in a few days.

    --I'd like to pick up the Earl Weaver bronze statuette giveaway that was issued by the Orioles in 2012. I have the other five.

    --I'd like to find an authentic and affordable Lyndon Johnson signature. The ones I come across are auto-pened, fake, or out of my price range.

    My main goals are blog related. I'd like to finish my '59 Topps blogging by year's end. I've posted about 350 of the 572 cards. Completing the final 220 or so this year is possible though I'm guessing it will be early to mid 2014 before I can wrap it up.

    I'd like to improve my other, general hobby blog. I feel like I got into a rut by mostly dealing with baseball cards and ignoring a lot of what interests me. Since I don't have many readers I can pretty much post what pleases me so I set a goal to look at more of my Japanese card collection, my publications and off-the-wall stuff. We'll see.

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    1. Best of luck on grabbing the Weaver statuette and the Johnson autograph. I'm a huge fan of Japanese cards, so if you post them... I'll be there to read them. Happy New Year!

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  8. My hobby goals: enjoy myself.

    Happy New Year!

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    1. Great goal... I need to add that to my list. Happy New Year!

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  9. I'm not big on individually #'d cards, but I recently learned of the existence of the "Rookie Relics" from the 2005 Topps Rookie Cup set (How'd I miss that?). Allegedly there is a Wallach #/2. I've never seen a picture of one, and all of the checklist label it as "Wallace" but the card # is right. Probably just proof that all the sites steal from each other. Finding one (or both) of these is #1 on my list.



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    1. Wow... that card would be awesome. Best of luck on your search for that Wallach. If I ever come across it, I'll be sure to let you know. Happy New Year!

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  10. I'm going for 1300 signed cards this year. Last year I got over 900 and was way less prepared than I will be this year.

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    1. Holy smoke... congratulations on getting 900+ autographs this year! That's pretty awesome and best of luck on your mission to get 1300 more. Happy New Year!

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  11. Thanks and Happy New Year to you too!

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  12. I wish you the best of luck on your goals Fuji.

    My goals would be:
    *Only buy Pro Debut, Heritage Minors and Bowman Draft
    *Earn/save enough money to buy a case of Bowman Draft
    *Get crafty with my "Drafted & Debuted Yankees" PC

    I wasted way too much money on products that I didn't even like last year so this year I plan on limiting what I can buy to 3 products. And since there's a chance that I'll be going back to the states next year I won't be able to collect Card Gen cards anymore. Hopefully I'll be able to fight off the urge to buy blaster boxes & rack packs (although I may crack when Topps Chrome comes out), manage to make some money with my unwanted cards and save enough money so that I can buy my ever first case, in 2014 which might be the earliest that I can finally afford it, unless college loans and text books have their way with me, *shudders*.

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    1. Thanks Zippy & best of luck on your goals. Stock up on those Card Gen cards and use them as trade bait when you get back to the states ;-)

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  13. If you are looking for an Athletic T206 card who isn't a Hall of Famer, I would recommend the Doc Powers card. It's a strong, striking image with a tremendous backstory.

    Amongst the Hall of Famers, I'm partial to the Eddie Collins portrait, but you really can't go wrong with any of them (except Bender No Trees, knowing Bender Trees exists, but trees are always a plus on a card).

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    1. You called it... I'm targeting Collins and Bender, but I might need to settle for a non-HOFer. If I do, I'll look into Doc Powers. I agree "trees" are definitely a "plus". Happy New Year.

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  14. I'm targeting two sets - 1971 OPC baseball high numbers and 1952-53 Parkhurst hockey. I want to get 20 nice examples of each. It will be harder than it sounds.

    Beyond that, 5 of each 1950s hockey set I don't have finished and 10 of the remaining 1960s OPC ball.

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    1. 1971 OPC? That's really cool. The older I get, the more I appreciate older OPC products. Best of luck on your goals and happy new year!

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  15. I guess my main goal would be to see a negative flow of cards from my house; more cards going out in trades and sales than cards coming in. I will almost have to abandon eBay, otherwise I'll just keep accumulating cheap lots of cards that I don't need and that don't really fit with my collections, JUST because they're cheap. I see something neat, and notice there are no bids, and think "It would be a shame to see that go unsold for so cheap!" Then I bid and win and have extra crap that I really don't need. Sure I could just say I do it FOR SCIENCE! But who am I really kidding. I'm not doing that much science, unless it's a study on how dust settles on random piles of cards.

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    1. Negative flow of cards from my house... what's that? Actually... at some point, I'll need to do the same. So your goal might possibly be an amendment to this year's goals or one of my 2014 goals. Best of luck on selling and trading those cards. Happy New Year!

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  16. Happy New Year, and here's to accomplishing those goals early so even more can be obtained!

    My first goal for 2013 is/was to start collecting and reinvesting in the hobby. I've been doing that successfully (influx of cards, out-flow of funds = serious fun) and am wondering why it took 20+ years to get back into it?!

    Secondly, I had the thought, after reading this blog, along with a number of the other great blogs out there, that I'd share my thoughts as a newbie. I'm working on that goal.

    Continuing on, I'd like to build my first couple of sets, at least start working on them in earnest. I'd like to build the Topps set for my birth year, as well as those two sets that got me in to collecting as a child, the Topps 1986 and 1987. I have most of them already, from childhood, but there are a few left that I need. I'd also like to build the 1989 Upper Deck set, as there are a few cards in there (I'll give you one guess) that at that time, took card collecting from a hobby to a passion. That said, I'm reading a lot of people are really down on Upper Deck and I'm not quite sure why yet, but no big deal, from my newbie, i.e., rookie of 2013 view.

    I want to further commit to and build my San Diego Chargers and Padres team sets and player collection. I want it all: vintage, patch cards, auto cards, retro cards, Dan Fouts and other players as well as the few H.O.F. cast members, Tony Gwynn, my biggest player collection thus far.

    I also want to complete my first online trade. I hear all you guys talk about them, but I don't know how you all set them up, ha!

    I'm also looking forward to buying my first hobby boxes. I'm researching which 2012 Football boxes to get (any recommendations?), as well as the 2012 Allen & Ginter baseball for fun.

    Those are my goals for my first year back collecting! Whaddya think?

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    1. Congratulations on getting back into the hobby. I jumped back into it back in 2008 and have been riding the wave ever since. Best of luck on building those sets. Usually, I'm too lazy and will just buy the set I want. But there are a few that I'm currently working on.

      As for Upper Deck... I totally miss their presence in the MLB, NFL, and NBA products. I typically like their designs over Panini products.

      It's nice to see another Gwynn collector out there. I actually became a Padres fan, because of #19. Maybe one of these days, we can work out a mutual trade. Unfortunately, my trade bait isn't updated... and at the rate I'm moving, probably won't be until this summer.

      I don't bust too many new products, so I'm not the guy to ask. The 2012 football products are loaded with the solid rookie class, so I'd go with the design you like the best. I'm a huge fan of A&G products too.

      Great goals... and best of luck on them. Happy 2013!

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  17. Great goals. Speaking of goals ... I'll continue 2013 with reaching my target of the English Football League 100 Greatest players on cardboard (see my blog).

    I've inspired at least 2 collectors to chase this goal. Who knows, it may be interesting to a few more.

    I will also try to get back to doing some sketch cards - maybe even do another Topps set if the subject matter is good.

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    1. Love the top 100 English Football League project.. best of luck. And can't wait to see those sketch cards. Loved those Walking Dead sketches you made. Great job!

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