Watching (muted): Fiesta Bowl
In early 2017 I joined the Trading Card Database (TCDB), under the name AirPete, as I resumed collecting after a hiatus of over twenty years. I found TCDB as my lone collecting goal was to complete the 1986-87 Fleer basketall set and I needed a checklist. I tagged along with my brother-in-law to a card show a few weeks later and purchased a box of 2013-14 Panini basketball cards. I pulled an autographed Giannis rookie and I was once again hooked on collecting. I spent the remainder of 2017 sorting and logging my collection in TCDB.
For 2018 I determined to engage in using the transaction feature on TCDB. I have a large number of "junk wax" extras and my wife frequently comments as to how cluttered the basement has grown since I resumed collecting. Trading, I hoped, would serve as a means of eliminating some of the doubles (clutter) while filling some of the holes in my collection. I sold a police team set in January but did not complete my first trade until April 3 (dcdeacon) and by month's end had completed 13 trades. I then set 100 trades as my target for the year. I completed my final trade for 2018 on December 26 (karsal) - #134. Those 134 trades included over 22,000 cards changing hands, plus numerous extras and Pay It Forwards. In the end I successfully completed trades with 82 different TCDB members.
For 2019 I have created a blog. This can serve as a means to share my card collecting experiences, as well as other things going on in my life. My current collecting goals include:
- Collecting cards of former Michigan Wolverine basketball, football and hockey players. Chris Webber is, was, and will always be my favorite Wolverine. My goal, as unrealistic as it may be, is to own a copy of every Webber card.
- Collecting Giannis Antetokounmpo cards. My favorite current player. My rekindled interest in the NBA is directly tied to Giannis.
- Completing Finest and Stadium Club basketball sets. Topps introduced these two sets just before I stopped collecting in the mid 1990s. These were "high end" cards but I bought very few due to the increased cost. They still hold a certain appeal to me all these years later.
- Completing 1990s basketball sets. I was a huge NBA during this period and the cards bring back so many memories.
- Completing 2013-present sets. Basically, I have been purchasing new cards beginning with Giannis' rookie year (2013-14).
- Completing sets from my youth.
- Baseball (1983 - 1991)
- Football (1983 - 1991)
- Hockey (1989-90 - 1992-93)
- Continue actively trading on TCDB
When I was in 5th grade I was the second kid in my class to get a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). I spent far too much time over the ensuing years glued to the TV playing Mario, Castlevania, Zelda, and numerous sports games. My wife gave me the NES Classic Edition for Xmas and it's been deja vu all over again. I started with Tecmo Bowl where Bo Jackson is still an unstoppable zig-zagging force. I then proceeded to Zelda; a game that required so much time and study as a kid. I recall pouring over Nintendo Power magazine for hints and exploring the maps. Thanks to the internet I located maps and hints in mere seconds. My four year-old daughter watched and cheered as I completed the Triforce and saved the princess.
Happy New Year and happy collecting.
~ Pete
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