So I was making my normal rounds of reading blogs in order to find a Blog Recommendation of the Day for all of you, and hopefully snag some new cards in trade for me, when I once again came across "The Trading Gap".
What's the Trading Gap, you may ask? It's that which separates Collector A's collecting (might we say hoarding?) habits from Collector B. Of course there are as many different types of collectors as there are cards, but for the sake of this post, I'm simply going to address two particular types.
The first type of collector is, of course, just like little ol' me. My collection is pretty much focused on only one team, but I also chase a variety of players from a variety of other teams. I suppose my collecting tastes can be classified as fluid. Any Johnny Bench card will do, thank you very much.
On the other hand, we have the set collectors. Their needs are absolute and finite. When card #11 is needed to finish 2013 Gypsy Queen, only #11 will do, thank you very much.
And that, my friends, is the Trading Gap.
In checking other bloggers' wantlists, I frequently come upon something similar to this...
Blogger A needs:
2013 Topps Update
8,13,23,26,90,109,115,131,
146,150,154,161,175,178,192,200,206,
265,274,310,311,321,324,329,330
'71 Minis
25,27
Chasing History
108!!!
That's fair enough - but when I see lists like this - and some lists are quite long - my brain goes blank, and I presume I can't help you.
You see, my collecting brain doesn't think about cards or sort them like a group of numbers. When I see a list of 25 cards needed for 1972 Topps, I might very well have 8 or 10 cards to help you out, but I know those cards by the player on the front, not by the tiny number on the back.
My suggestion is when you know what player is on the card, please list his name along with the card number, and you just might get a lot more hits.
I wouldn't expect Blogger A from above to list all 20 or 30 players needed for the main Topps Update set, but when the chase is down to only one or two needed cards, why not list the player when he's known?
I might have that last Glove Stories card that you need to complete your chase, but I won't recognize it when I see it listed as #GSJI.
However, if it's listed as #GSJI, Jose Iglesias, Detroit Tigers (or something like that), chances are, I'll remember I've got that one, and it can soon be on its way to you.
And wouldn't that be grand?
