Collecting has always been a part of my life, but among Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, stamps, and sports cards, it’s the latter that has captured my heart for the longest time. My journey into the world of sports card collecting began one Christmas morning in 1988, when I was just 10 years old. I received my first complete set of baseball cards, the 1988 Score Premier Edition Collector set, which included 660 player cards and 56 magic motion trivia cards. The excitement of finding my favorite Atlanta Braves players among those cards is a feeling I’ll never forget.
In my youthful enthusiasm, I immediately tore open the box, not realizing the potential value of keeping it sealed. My sister and I even went as far as laminating some of the cards, naively thinking we were preserving them, not aware that we were actually diminishing their value. Despite this, the joy and satisfaction of organizing and admiring my collection was all that mattered to me at the time.
As I grew older, my interest in sports cards expanded to include football and basketball cards. I spent countless hours researching card values, carefully placing the more valuable ones in special holders. This hobby, which once consumed so much of my time, has slowed down over the years, but I still find myself drawn to it, occasionally checking the latest prices and reminiscing about the days when my collection was steadily growing.
My collection has become a point of playful contention between my wife and me. She often questions why I don’t sell some of my valuable cards, but for me, it’s not about the money. The potential future value of the cards and the sentimental attachment I have to my collection outweigh any immediate financial gain. This mindset has led to me amassing boxes of sports cards, stamps, and Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, all of which are collecting dust but hold a special place in my heart.
Collecting, for me, is more than just a hobby; it’s a passion that has shaped who I am. It’s a never-ending process that I cherish, despite the clutter it creates. My name is David Hoover, and I am a collector of many things, each with its own story and value, far beyond what can be priced or sold.
