2011: My Collecting Year In Review

The year is over, the cards are filed away, and the lists are up-to-date.

Yeah, right.

I'm writing this post before returning to California, but I'm sure there are packages from trades waiting to be opened and filed away, and I haven't updated the type collection lists since Topps Chrome was released. Plus, with the "discovery" of SportsCardForum.com, there are great strides to be made in further updating the type collection. I have cards on COMC that aren't registered in my inventory, and I have thousands of cards in transit from Georgia to California to scan before heading overseas.

So while everything from 2011 isn't complete (I have until January 8th!) this is the time to take a look at my life in cards for the past year.

It's hard to think back to January, to see where I was in my collection. I know I had discovered some blogs and I was reading a few, and I was collecting cards via eBay and card shows. I made the decision somewhere around this time to add the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards to my collection, and flagship base sets for Donruss, Fleer, Score, and Upper Deck were added pursuits (Topps has been on the list for years).

I started this blog in mid-February, and hit off with a few big posts on 2011 Topps. Some of my first posts were show-offs of finds on eBay that helped me finish sets. Of course, since then I've had about 600 more posts on a whole bunch of crazy topics.

Over the course of the summer, I built two 2011 sets: the flagship release (all three series!) and Gypsy Queen. I also obtained Allen & Ginter and I've made major progress on the Stickers set.

I also finished or made major progress on several other sets - some that I started collecting in the 1990s, like the Upper Deck version of the Hassan Triple Folders issue. I made major progress on the flagship sets, though most of those sets were issued in the "junk wax" era.

I started, defined, blew, and refocused a series of player collections. I certainly added a lot to my plate this year.

I started and never completed a card set based on important baseball locations. I would love to continue this series but time is an issue.

I have a "supercollector" collection - nearly - for Geoff Geary. I'm sure there are 1 or 2 other collectors in the world with more cards of his than there are in my collection, but someday I'll make a major stab at fixing that.

I completed dozens of trades with you, my loyal readers. I thank you for all the wonderful cards you sent my way and I hope I've been at least fair in what I've sent to you.

I really rediscovered my love of collecting this year. In the past, the collecting of cards was fun, but the lists were all that mattered. Lists are important, but I've been able to enjoy my collection more by being able to share it with you. I dreamed of having a baseball card and souvenir museum when I was younger - a way of sharing my knowledge and collection with others. I can do just that through blogging, and your comments and support through readership has helped inspire me to continue on as an amateur writer.

I don't have "2010" numbers to compare to, but my collections stand today:

• Awards and Leaders: 3374/4295 cards (78.6% complete)
• Base Sets
• Topps: 47.3%
• Upper Deck: 77.3%
• Donruss: 43.5%
• Fleer: 34.5%
• Score: 45.5%
• Stadium Club: 71.4%
• Ultra: 17.7%
• Type Collection: 6664/30404 cards (21.92% complete)
  note: Beckett lists 32,803 sets; SCF lists 35,501.
• Baseball Sets: 159/278 sets (57.2%)
• Diamond Kings: 17/63 sets (27%)
• Non-Sport Sets: 760/1336 sets (56.9%)
• Personal Collection: 273 cards
• Player Collections:
• Geoff Geary: 24/54 (64.9%)
• Other Players: 151 cards
• Team USA: 10/58 sets (17.2%)
• UD Heroes: 21/30 sets (70%)
• Womens Sports: 68/74 known sets (91.9%) plus 101 cards, 63 Sportscasters
• Japanese Type Collection: 0/1779 (0%) (list through early 2008 with some sets missing)

Hopefully next year the percentages will be up a little.

That's it for the year. Have a happy New Year!