1581 - My 7-year-old Hypothetical Self

Foreign. Doctor James Beckett Sports Card Insights. Thanks Sponsors Topps Panini Upper Deck Heritage Auctions Huggins and Scott Auctions Mike Stadium Sports Cards burbank sports cards compse.com and Beckett Media Beckett Grading Beckett Authentication. I've always been thinking that being seven years old when I got my first car, that's the ideal age for somebody to start. Then I started thinking maybe it's younger than that, maybe older than that. So I did a hypothetical here to query what it would be like for me when I was 7 years old. By my own experience, I got the 1 card in 56 and I had very few 57s as a kid, a few more 58s. But my big years were 59, 60 and 61. So that's 10, 11 and 12 rather than 7. one-of-one this hypothetical exercise and I was not able to get a kid's voice for it, the ChatGPT voice, but they didn't have a kid thing. So it's not the way I sounded when I was seven. But I'm just kind of asking my former self, a typical seven year old, what it would be like. I was smart, I was really into sports. But I have one Topps card and ten Topps cards. So I'm refuting my own thought. Hope you enjoy this exercise and not too distracted by the artificial voice. But it was interesting to me just to think think about when kids are young, they're just kids. I still believe starting kids young is a good thing, but if you push em too hard. My dad didn't push me too hard, but I wasn't trying to please him. I just was really into baseball. So one-of-one hope you enjoy this experiment. And here it is. I remember when I was seven, I had just finished first grade and our family was driving down the road and my dad pulled over and he bought a pack of cards for me. Now it was a penny pack that just had one card in it plus some gum. They don't do it that way anymore, but I've always thought that 7 is a good age to start because you can read. And I was playing Little League and I was interested in baseball and so I got a baseball card. Would that be your experience at 7 or you just think you'd be interested in cards because dad is interested? Because I'm interested. Then you should be interested. Are you interested in your own? Right? Hmm. I think it's kind of both, Dad. I like them because you do. But also I like looking at the pictures and trying to read the names. I feel really big when I can read the team name all by myself. You're an excellent reader, and you really can sound out most of the names, especially in baseball. And you remember better. Players get talked about a lot more on the radio and on the tv. And when your mom and I are talking about stuff, some of these names come up. So does that make it more recognizable for you? Plus, you can sound it out and see it on the card and maybe see the picture of the player's face. Yu-Gi-Oh Like, when I hear a name a lot and then I see it on a card, it feels familiar, like I already know that person. And then I want that card more than just a random one. Okay. Now, when I was seven, I was really good at math, and so I'm just wondering how high you can count and whether or not you understand things like batting average or how many home runs somebody had. Are you really good at counting and figuring out why one player would be considered better than another? I can count pretty high, like into the hundreds. But big stats are a little confusing still. I mostly just notice if a number is bigger or smaller. I don't really get averages yet. What about prices? Because when you go to a card show, there are hundreds of dealers, mostly men, selling cards they have for sale for you and me as we walk round, and some are priced higher and some are priced lower. Do you understand that a $1 card is not as good as a $10 card? If I gave you $10, you'd either buy one card for $10 or 10 cards for $1 each. Would you rather get 10 cards that look good or one that is a little better? I think I'd want more cards because then it feels like I have a lot. Like a stack. 10 just feels like more fun than one, even if you say the one is better. But if you buy these 10 cards and then somebody comes along and sees one of the cards and says, hey, I want that card. Will you sell it to me? Would that feel disloyal if you bought something and then you just sold it an hour later for more money? That might feel weird. Like, if it was my card, I just Beckett it because I liked it. Not to give it away. Maybe if it was one that I didn't care about. But I probably ask you first because I wouldn't know what to do. Well, I think somebody might want to buy it for a price that is higher than what you paid. And if they wanted to do that, then we could discuss it. But what would you be asking me? Just whether it's a good Deal? Yu-Gi-Oh like, is this okay, dad? Am I going to get tricked? I think I'd want to feel safe about it and no. You think it's fair Before I say yes. Okay. Would you be more worried about being tricked if the person was eight years old or if they were an adult? Probably an adult. Adults feel like they know a lot more and I might do something wrong. No, but that you think the adult would trick you, but the eight year old wouldn't. I'm wondering about that myself. An older kid versus an adult that maybe has his own kids. I feel like grownups could do sneaky stuff, maybe easier. With a kid I could be like, hey, let's trade back. But with an adult it feels final. What about a female adult? A lady dealer that saw one of your cards and she said, hey, I like that card. Will you sell it to me? Would you consider that? I think I'd still want to check with you even if she seems nice. And how long are we going to stay at this card show? Can we do like an hour and then maybe get a cookie or some fries if I'm patient? It's hard to stand still a long time. Well, but when you go to the movies, movies can be like two hours long and you really enjoy that. And when we go to Disney World, you stand in line for a long time. So maybe it's like that. At the movies I'm watching stuff the whole time. And at Disney I know a ride is coming. At a card show, it's mostly just walking and waiting. So it's are you people watching or card watching? When I go to a card show, I do both. I watch the people listen, but I also look at the cards. So more interesting to you to watch the people or to check out the cards? I think I like looking at the pictures on the cards and seeing if there are any shiny ones. Sometimes I notice people if they're loud, but that kind of makes me tired. So you're seven, your first grade is a big kid. A second grader or a sixth grader, not just by their size, but a 10 year old has better reading skills and math skills. So what do you consider a big kid? I think big kids are like fourth or fifth graders. They seem really big and they know lots of stuff. Second graders are big too, but they're just not as big as fourth or fifth graders. Well, they're definitely not and they haven't had as much experience. So having told you that, do you think you want to be a more serious collector by the time you're a fourth or fifth grader and if so, what do you think you should do to try to increase your knowledge and enjoyment? Maybe keep my cards nice and don't bend them and keep them in the little sleeves. And maybe learn some player names by reading them with you. What about going to a card show every couple of months? Would that be of interest if every couple of months we spent a Saturday morning at a card show and then had lunch together or a snack or ice cream or something, would that be something fun we could do together? Yu-Gi-Oh if we make it our thing and get a treat after it and you help me a little bit, then that can be fun. Just not all day. Yu-Gi-Oh What age do you think you would need to be to go all day? Oh, maybe like 10. Okay. And how much money should a kid get? You do some chores and if you had an allowance? I've heard of some kids having like a hundred dollars to walk around and spend. That seems like a lot to me. Certainly for a 7 year old, but maybe even for a 10 year old. How does it strike you? A hundred dollars feels like a lot. Like too much. $10 feels exciting and not scary. Maybe when I'm bigger. 20. Okay, but if I took you to the show and so you're there and we're walking around and I told you that you have $10 that you can spend on whatever you want to spend on, but you could also not spend it and just keep the $10 and then get something else next week or the week after or put it in your savings account, would you still buy cards or would you keep the money? And again, if you had good behavior, we're going to go get ice cream or lunch and I'm going to pay for that. So you've got $10 in your Beckett you might keep it in your Beckett or spend it on cards just for the fun of checking out the cards. I'd probably want to get at least one card because it feels special, but maybe I'd save some too, like buy one or two and keep the rest safe. Okay. And like I said, sometimes people have a $5 box where every card in the box is $5. But a lot of people have dollar boxes where every card in that particular box is $1. But then some people have 25 cent boxes. Do you know how many cards you could get for $10 that are 25 cents each? 25, 50, 75, 100. Well, not actually. When I was seven, I could do that. A $10 bill converts to how many quarters? 40, 40 I hope that wasn't a guess. I hope that was math sense. You are my son after all, and when I was seven I could do stuff like that. So does that sound good to get 4025 cent cards that are shiny as opposed to 10 $1 cards or 2 $5 cards? 40 sounds like a lot. Sounds fun, but I Goldin hold 40 cards very well. Maybe that be too many for one day. We're supposed to be going this next weekend. Yu-Gi-Oh Will we be together the whole time? If I get tired, can I tell you right away? How are you going to tell me? Because I might be in a conversation with somebody. We need to have like a signal. You can tell time now. So you're going to know if we get there at 9 o' clock and we're going to stay till 11 o' clock and then we're going to go get some ice cream and lunch. So you'll be able to know by the time. But how would you let me know if I'm in a conversation? I could maybe just hold your hand or tug your sleeve quietly. Yu-Gi-Oh I think that's a good signal. That's good behavior as long as you don't do it as soon as we get there. But there is opportunities for us to be talking as we're going around and seeing the different things. Would you want me to be explaining things as we're walking around or would you just like to observe on your own? Tell me a little bit, like small bits, not too much so I don't get lost. So you're in this dollar box and you're picking out your 10 cards. Let's say you're doing that. Would you want me to tell you, oh, don't pick that one, or here's a good one to pick, or would you just want to do it on your own? I want to pick by myself first and then you can tell me after which ones you like. I just want to try first. Do you understand that? I could explain why some card would be probably better than another. Yu-Gi-Oh After I pick them then you can tell me. I wouldn't want it to be discouraging. You should pick out cards you like. For whatever reason, I don't think you're thinking about what are these cards going to be worth someday. I certainly didn't think that way when I was seven. I was just thinking, hey, I like these cards. This was early summer after my first grade year. In second grade, some kids would bring their cards to school. Any of your friends bringing cards to school? Either? Sports Cards or Pokemon cards? Or is that more the third and fourth graders? I've seen a few kids with Pokemon cards, but not much sports yet. Yu-Gi-Oh Do most of your friends play soccer or play baseball? Like T ball? A few do soccer and a few do T ball. Some just play a recess. So if we look for some soccer cards, would that be interesting or is that too many guys from foreign countries? I think soccer cards could be cool if they look fun and maybe if I recognize a team I'd want to see and decide like with the other ones. This is a funny name for a 7 year old, but if you heard about Messi, Lionel Messi, who's from Argentina, I think I've heard that name. He's really good, but I don't know that we could get one of his cards for a dollar. That's what I'm saying. The more famous guys usually sell for higher prices and he's already famous. So some kids want to figure out who also might be great at some point in the future. But what if I just pick one bison or cool or shiny? Well, a lot of them are shiny and a lot of them look cool. A lot of them look the same. So what would you be looking for? Would you want it to be reflective or it's like my favorite color was blue, but some people like red cards or white cards or whatever. Are there particular colors or designs? There's cards that have like animal print, like a Zebra print on it or a Snakeskin. I think that's interesting. Would you think that would be cool? Yu-Gi-Oh animal print sounds awesome and shiny. Or a card that just looks really cool. I like picking with my eyes. I guess at 7 years old, not really thinking about what you're going to sell it for. You're just thinking, that's interesting, I want to have it. And then over time, if you hold on to them, then maybe you could trade them for other cards if your opinions change. Yu-Gi-Oh I'm just thinking this one's cool or I like this one. Not selling, just keeping ones I like. So if a kid comes up to you and says, hey, I like this one card that you Beckett one of your 10 I really like, here's 10 cards I'll give you for the one card that you have. What would you think about that? Would you say, that's great, let's do it, More cards is better. Or would you look at the 10 cards he had and make sure they were interesting to you and something you'd rather have than the one card that he wants? That's already yours. I had to look at them. If I really liked mine better, I'd want to keep it, right? Well, you don't have to, but you could. When I got my one card that I had, I just put it away. And I don't remember getting it out for a while, probably the next year, and being at school and then the year after that. And each year more of my friends were collecting and bringing cards to school. That was fun. We traded at recess and we did various flipping games. But I don't think that's what kids do anymore. Are you aware of what some of the kids in the third and fourth grade do, or are they just too far ahead of you? I just know what my friends do and what I do. Yu-Gi-Oh but if a fourth grader does it, doesn't that make it cool? Maybe, but I just like what I like, but it doesn't make me want something just because they do. What about if your dad really likes it? It seemed like that would be a positive. That if your dad really likes something, then you would think maybe I would like it too. Maybe, but I still want to like my own ones first. Then we can compare. Okay. And the comparison is not based on the financial value. It's just based on, I like this one. And every year you're going to be better able to recognize the players and the teams. What happens if I get bored in a few months and I don't want to do it anymore? Then do I just keep the cards in a box. I don't want a waste of money. And you don't have to spend the money, but once you have the cards, we could just put them away because you could enjoy getting cards and trading cards for the rest of your life if you really enjoyed it. And some of your friends might do that, and you might do that, but if you don't, I'll still love you the same. But anything you have, you should take good care of. And if you don't want it anymore, then we could find another person that would want it. If you're sure you're never going to want it. But there's a lot of people in the hobby that got rid of their cards because they thought they didn't like them anymore. And then many years later they go, Yu-Gi-Oh wait a minute. I wish I still had my cards from when I was a kid. So I'd really want to encourage you to put them up in your closet in a place where you know they're there. And if you don't have hundreds of cards that they're not going to take up that much room. But dad, if I stopped collecting and you're still collecting, is that okay? It's okay. I want you to be doing things that you enjoy, and you're going to be doing a lot of things. Stuff with your parents, but you're also going to be doing a lot more stuff with your friends. And if your friends are all collecting, you're probably going to be collecting. Your friends don't collect, then it's hard to be the only one that collects. But you might encourage your friends to collect. If you really liked it. But you could like it a little bit more each year, especially if your friends are doing it too, then watching the games is more interesting too, because you say, I have that guy's card. So that adds another fun element of watching the game. That sounds really fun. I don't want to think too hard about it and just have fun picking out some cards for now, and then we'll see how it goes. Well, we're doing life together because we're family, so we're going to be in a situation where we're going to be talking back and forth about this. And you can't force somebody to have a hobby. Just like I wouldn't want to take you to a movie that you would think is terrible, but if I think you're going to like it, I'd like for you to try it. And then if you say, hey, that was really good when you watch Toy Story, and then There's Toy Story 2 and 3 and 4 and now 5, and hey, I like Toy Story. I know Woody and Buzz and all these others. So card collecting in sports could be like that too. You get used to it and you can enjoy it more and more. That's a really cool way to put it. I think I'm excited to go. Let's just try it this one time, and let's do an hour and a half this first time, and then we'll see, and then we'll talk about it with mom and decide if you want to go back another time this year. Depending on how busy you're going to be and how busy I'm going to be. But this is my lifetime hobby that I've really enjoyed since I was your age. So I want you to have that opportunity to do that. Just give it a try, and if it's not your thing, we'll find something else you're really enjoying and excited about and good at. Just want you to be the best you can be. And I want to encourage you according to your own interests and abilities. Thanks for talking this out with me. We'll do it next Saturday morning, and we'll begin the great adventure together.