Jan 23, 2026: randyc

First of all, lulu integrated two systems today and immediately texted me asking for a job. She then called and reiterated how amazing she is. I agree.

Maybe those lulu translations are already paying dividends.

I opened up my laptop, wondered what the fuck I was gonna type up, wandered off to tcdb and before you know it, I wrote a bunch of words. Only, over there.

How about a little Q&A with RandyC?

Happy Winter wonderland to eveyrbody! So, just starting out with the hobby and having a blast. Have 3 sons age 18, 21, 24 and it's just one more thing we can pass the time texting about that is super fun.

Also having a great time finding the cards I want to start collecting etc...which leads me to my questions

1. It's like a never ending carnival out there. Every time I hit a new site or a new Ebay page I feel like I found something else I want. How did you guys all end up figuring out what you wanted to focus on and how long of a process did it take you to get there?

2. Torn right now between just grabbing nice raw cards or picking up PSA rated 10 cards. Any advice on which way you have had more fun personally?

3. Finally, I know ripping is not a way to build a collection (from what I've read) but it is kinda fun every now and then. We are mainly focussed on basketball and baseball and I'm wondering if there's any advice you might have re: what % of budget goes to ripping vs singles and when it comes to buying packs / boxes etc which ones you think are worth it. (Brand and type of box). Finally, do you guys buy current year sealed packs / boxes or go back to the prime rookie years for your sports?

So, lots of questions but so much to learn!

What a great community here too!

All the best,

Randy

Hey Randy,

1. I bet it took me a good 2 to 3 years before I really understood what I did and didn't want to collect when I stumbled back into the hobby during covid. I probably traded thousands of cards away before I realized that I might in fact want them later on. If you have the means to explore what speaks to you, I would encourage you to keep exploring.

2. I'm mostly a set collector and raw cards fella, but I do keep an eye out for inexpensive PSA 10s. I'm not really dabbling in the high end market, and I don't sell basically anything, so I have plenty of fun with raw cards. I don't send anything in for grading, and I don't chase that portion of the market. If you aren't in it chasing lottery tickets or quick flip opportunities, I can assure you that the thrill of the chase is just as fun whether the card is raw or graded.

3. I buy a decent amount of retail products, dabble occasionally on cheap hobby boxes, and have a few breakers that I trust and offer good pricing so I personally like to try a little bit of everything. I also buy just about any cheap lots of cards that I come across so I always have plenty of trade bait to return to this community with. Except for peak junk wax era cards, somebody here is almost always looking for whatever I'm able to get my hands on. Even that junk wax stuff will move every now and again in surprising ways. Hell, I'll even rip some old junk wax packs if they show up at my door. I've got a buddy who can't get enough of it, so we go from shop to shop and show to show trying to find crappy junk wax packs.

Long story short, it's everything in moderation for me. Sometimes I might get out over my skis and buy too much retail, or maybe I get too invested in the latest Topps basketball releases, or maybe I'm mailing too many trades overseas and I realize I need to take a step back from something for a bit.

Be mindful of your limits, and have fun within those limits. That's my general approach.

James