The Super Collector is Dead. Long live the Super Collector.

on

As of 11 August, these are the total cards for Kirby Puckett (selected randomly) and Kevin McGonigle on TCDB. 



That's Puckett with 6,304 (from 1983-2026) and McGonigle with 25,364 (from 2022-2026). Who knows, but now McGonigle could have 12,000 more. (Actually, he's already grown a couple of hundred and that's likely from 1 set with 130 parallels).

One could Super Collect Puckett. There probably are. Can you Super Collect current players? I don't think so. Unless you just simply go for the "rainbow" thing? The Super Collector is Dead. Yet, long live the Super Collector. 

I'm not even sure what makes you a Super Collector in the first place. For me, I think it means you go after more than just cards: balls, bats, bases, uniforms, batting gloves, cleats, cups, autographs, helmets, hats: the gamut of whatever it is that's vital to a players role in the sport. But maybe that's going too far? 

I have more than 1,300 Darryl Strawberry baseball cards and I think some would consider me a Super Collector of him. Of his cards. Just the cards. (Though I do have a signed picture framed and I honestly wouldn't mind a bat.) Would they be right? Can I call myself that? Even if others don't? This does sound like a good moment to shake a Magic-8 Ball. 

Here's the card I got signed by Strawberry when I met him in person for the first time in November, 2023.




I chose 1988 Fleer because I like the design. The 1987 Topps lover in me wanted to get that one; but I also knew I wanted it signed in Orange Sharpie. And I think that this looks better than it would have on the 1987 Topps card.

But, maybe you can tell me. What do you think a Super Collector is? Am I one?


Thanks for stopping by!

Comments

  1. night owlAugust 20, 2026 at 5:52 PM

    "Super collector" is a dumb term, invented by those type of collectors I don't really understand. I think every collector is super in their own way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter K SteinbergAugust 21, 2026 at 2:40 PM

      Well said and couldn't agree more. I feel super when I collect.

      Delete
  2. Tony LehmanAugust 21, 2026 at 4:20 AM

    I remember first hearing about the concept of the super collector in the 1980s in Baseball Cards Magazines, when they would put together complete lists of all 250 or so Mickey Mantle cards (or someone similar) and talk about how certain regional sets were super rare and hard to find etc.

    On that criteria, of course, the concept of a super collector is dead, buried, encapulated in titanium, paved over, built over, and then buried again unless you are collecting someone who is a team or personal hero but who was never a star in MLB--like, for the Brewers, Jim Slaton. Guy leads the team in all-time wins, games started, shutouts, and innings pitched and is second in appearances (one behind Dan Plesac) and complete games. Never a star, but he was on the team for 12 years, which is also the longest anyone has been a pitcher on the Brewers.

    He has 154 TOTAL cards on TCDB, the most difficult of which to find are random police cards from 1983 and Topps Heritage buybacks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter K SteinbergAugust 21, 2026 at 2:41 PM

      Interesting. I didn't know any of that about Slaton, though I did know his name. Let's try to keep him a secret for a bit longer!

      Delete
  3. DerekAugust 23, 2026 at 7:33 AM

    The highest quantities I have are 1200 Roberto Alomar cards and about 86% of Ed Sprague cards on TCDB but please don't call me a super collector! I don't really like the term. Others wear the label proudly, to each their own. I also stick to cards, but happily accept other stuff though I don't actively seek it out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter K SteinbergAugust 25, 2026 at 3:39 PM

      Thanks for commenting, Derek! 1200 Alomar cards is a great collection. I hope you're actively adding to it. Like you I don't seek out anything but cards but wouldn't maybe mind some piece of realia. Storage would be an issue though.

      Delete

Post a Comment