What will surprise most is that out of a small percentage of Americans that serve in the U.S. Military there are a plethora of collectors that many don’t even know exist. The everyday American doesn’t know or has never considered the percentage of Americans that have served in the U.S. Military. When most hear that it’s right around 1%, that’s when more start truly understanding what it takes to serve this country. Every year on the 11th day of November we honor all those who have served on Veterans Day which is not to be confused with earlier in the year when we honor all who have sacrificed themselves while serving on Memorial Day.
Core values like integrity and discipline are instilled within the service members from day one and I believe that those values translate into being some of the best collectors or hobbyists out there. Over the years during my travels to shows and events I’ve ran into so many Veterans that collect and every one of them have a unique story that can draw you in right away.
“At first, I started collecting sports cards because it seemed like what everyone else was doing. I followed the trends and leaned into popular opinions. But as time went on, I found my own voice and began to collect what I truly love—not based on anyone else’s opinion. My military service taught me discipline and focus, which I’ve brought into my collecting. Now, every card I add reflects my own passion and purpose, not the noise around me. It’s made collecting so much more meaningful.” – Jenny (Jennymariesportscards)
The passion is what drives most in this industry and the values that are taught really help when dealing with the small distractors that most struggle with. Like Jenny said the discipline and focus can help individuals accomplish goals that most might not think are possible.
“Having a military background has instilled in me a deep commitment to integrity and accountability, which I bring into my business within the hobby. I am dedicated to ensuring every transaction is transparent and customers can trust me with their valuable collections. The discipline and mission-focused mindset I developed in the service drives me to go above and beyond, whether it’s breaking, grading, or selling for my customers. My goal is to build a strong, trustworthy community around the hobby, setting me apart by consistently demonstrating loyalty and dedication to my customers. My dedication to my customers is what everyone should expect as the standard. Hopefully, more people catch and follow my lead.” – ValorSportsCards on Instagram
So where are these collectors located? The simple answer, they are all hidden in plain sight. If the username or nickname doesn’t have something military related in it, you might never know that this person you’ve been talking to for years once served their country. The second biggest show in the state of Virgina is put on by Russell Savage-Fink with 757CardShows in Virigina Beach. Their quarterly field house show brings collectors from multiple states, but many of the vendors and foot traffic are from Norfolk and the Navy base. Every time I’ve been in that area either going to shows or stopping into the oldest card shop at the beach with B&B Sportscards I see such a strong military presence. Sitting down and hearing stories on how they started collecting and how they continue to collect while still serving will always resonate with me since I was once in their “boots”. I’ve said this before and I’ll continue to say it, this hobby is an actual hobby for some and an outlet from their everyday lives. The struggles of being away from family and going to war zones halfway around the world make you feel differently knowing that these collections could be the tool that’s keeping that service member together.
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