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Writer's pictureSamuel C. Evans M.S.Ed

What is Hobby Human Capital?

Updated: Jun 25, 2023

What is Hobby Human Capital? The journey to answering this simple and straightforward question starts with a key phrase that resides within the question. To be more specific, the journey to answering this question starts with the unpacking of the concept of “human capital.” So, what is human capital? Merriam-Webster defines human capital as “the skills, knowledge, and qualifications of a person, group, or workforce considered as economic assets.” When looking at this definition, per Merriam-Webster, there are three key words that immediately stand out to me. Those three words are: skills, knowledge, and qualification. Before I share my definition of human capital as it relates to the hobby, I think it is essential for me to clarify how these three words helped me understand how the concept of human capital is relevant to the act of collecting cardboard.

To be more specific, the journey to answering this question starts with the unpacking of the concept of the phrase “Human Capital.”

In the hobby the words skills correlates to the innate human qualities (e.g., integrity, kindness, love, trust, etc.) that we all practice as collectors. Next, the word knowledge as it pertains to the hobby parallels to the sharing of our collective passion for cardboard. The final word - qualification(s) - is the sum of our experiences as collectors. As collectors of this great community, the hobby:

  • Creates opportunities for us to nurture our innate qualities (e.g., skills).

  • Ignites our collective passion (e.g., knowledge) and drives our curiosity to learn about one another.

  • Allows us to showcase our collective experiences (e.g., qualifications) through the pieces of cardboard that we love to collect.

When looking at this definition, per Merriam-Webster, there are three key words that immediately stand out to me. Those three words are: skills, knowledge, and qualification.

The conceptual understanding of innate qualities, our collective passion, and our collective experiences creates the access point for ALL collectors to appreciate how the concept and practices of human capital have been synonymous with the hobby since its inception.

The impressions imparted on all of us from these concepts or practices helped me construct my definition of human capital as it relates to the hobby. As an active collector in the hobby, I believe the definition of human capital as it pertains to the act of collecting pieces of cardboard is, “through the sharing of experiences, a person or a group can create or promote a culture of belonging that is continuous through the mutual value in and yearning for human connections.” So, what does this definition of human capital look, feel, and sound like?

The best way I can describe what this definition looks, feels, and sounds like to me is to challenge everyone reading this article to partake in the mindfulness exercise I outline below. Please find a physical space where you will not be bothered. Now that you have found your space, take a moment to ground yourself by sitting straight up in your chair, with your feet firmly on the floor, and your eyes facing forward. Next, find an object and focus on that object with a soft stare. Then, I want you to take a deep breath, inhaling through your nose, and exhaling through your mouth. After, you inhale then hold, and exhale then hold; I want you to close your eyes. Finally, as you maintain a steady breathing pattern, I want you to recall one of your greatest cardboard experiences. I want you to call to mind:

  • How the experience made you feel

  • The actions of the people present in that moment, what were they doing and saying

  • The lasting impression this experience had on you as a collector

  • What the nostalgia of this moment looked like, felt like, and sounded like

As collectors of this great community, the hobby:

  • Creates opportunities us to nurture our innate qualities (e.g., skills).

  • Ignites our collective passion (e.g., knowledge) and drives our curiosity to learn about one another.

  • Allows us to showcase our collective experiences (e.g., qualifications through the pieces of cardboard that we love to collect.

After recalling this moment from start to finish, count down from ten and open your eyes. During the exercise if you were able to:

  • Remember specific innate qualities of another person that put a smile on your face

  • Revel in the passion of other collectors or

  • Learn and appreciate the experiences of other collectors…

…you’ve just experienced a reminiscent jolt of what human capital looks, feels, and sounds like. If you didn’t complete that mindfulness exercise, I encourage you and everyone participating in the hobby to try this exercise so you can enjoy your reminiscent jolt and deepen your understanding of why human capital plays a pivotal role in sustaining the hobby.

The sustainability of the hobby through the concept of human capital happens every time we:

  • Attend card shows

  • Visit local hobby stores

  • Interact as fellow collectors…

These daily actions, along with social media, fuel human capital.

“Through the sharing of experiences, a person or a group can create or promote a culture of belonging that is continuous through the mutual value in and yearning for human connections.”

Human capital in the hobby has no limits. Human capital extends beyond the typical cardboard experiences that we all look forward to when we visit our favorite local hobby store, when a national, regional, or local show is announced, and when we share a card found in an LCS or pulled from wax. Human capital is a call to action. More specifically human capital is an act of selflessness, and in 2022 I experienced two specific hobby moments that define what selflessness looks, feels, and sounds like.

The conceptual understanding of innate qualities, our collective passion, and our collective experiences creates the access point for ALL collectors to comprehend why the concept or practices of human capital has been synonymous with the hobby since the inception of cardboard collecting.

The 1986-1987 Fleer Premier Basketball Set is considered one of the most iconic sets of cards any collector could own or sell. Also, there is a consensus among collectors that the 1986-1987 Fleer Premier set (e.g., 132 cards and 11 stickers) is the holy grail of all cardboard sets because it includes Michael Jordan’s number 57 rookie card and other hall of fame players’ true 1st year RCs.

On average, individual cards from this set have record sales of three figures, four figures, five figures, and even six figures. The prices for this set of cards, both listed and sold during the hobby boom, were astronomical and the market value for this iconic set of cards continued to rise when I decided to start my chase.

In 2022, I received a special note and seventeen 1986-1987 Fleer Premier basketball cards (pictured below) from my close Instagram friend Mark who goes by @delaware_sportscard_hunter.


Despite the amount of wealth a collector can accumulate from this cardboard set or individual cards within this set, Mark’s call to action was choosing the wealth of our human connection over monetary gain. More specifically, the call to action that Mark adhered to in the spirit of human capital was the practice of altruism. Like me, Mark believes in human capital, and he understands that the true sustainability of the hobby lies in the belief in authentic reciprocity; what that means is that the hobby, at its foundation, is a community or village of support and giving.

The practice of Human Capital extends beyond the transactional experiences that we all look forward to when we visit our favorite local hobby store, when a national, regional, or local show is announced, and when we share a card found in an LCS or pulled from wax.

Mark’s commitment to human capital centers on his tag line, “for the love of the card.” Because of this commitment to human capital, Mark and I have not only created a memorable experience, but we have also established an ongoing two-way relationship. In the future, there may be occasions where our cardboard transactions consist of a monetary exchange. However, Mark and I both understand that the REAL wealth in our two-way transactions (e.g., mutual relationship) will center around our innate qualities, our collective passion, and our shared experiences (e.g., human connection) because we will never forget how we made each other feel.

Despite the amount of wealth, a collector can accumulate from this cardboard set or individual cards within this set, Mark’s call to action was choosing the wealth of our human connection over monetary gain. More specifically the call to action that Mark adhered to in the spirit of Hobby Human Capital was the practice of altruism.

I believe one of the most profound qualities that underpins the concept of human capital is integrity. In the hobby, you, as a collector, will face moments in which you will:

  • Take advantage of an honest mistake, or

  • Simply put, “Do the Right Thing!”

My moment of choosing one of the outcomes above came on August 19th during the 2022 hobby season when I was at Jeff’s Sports Inc. in Brookfield, Wisconsin. During my second visit the next day, I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff’s dad. Jeff’s dad was the original owner before retiring and turning the business over to his son. Beyond having a wealth of knowledge when it came to the sports memorabilia industry, Jeff’s dad was a passionate collector, and I truly enjoyed his fervor for cardboard. However, our interaction on that day would not be defined by the passion we both shared for collecting. Our interaction would be shaped by a choice I made after paying for my cards.

As I was enjoying both my exploration of the vintage showcase and the conversation I was having with Jeff’s dad, my eyes settled on a gorgeous vintage card (e.g., the 1957 Topps Roberto Clemente Portrait card).


As Jeff’s dad handed me the PSA grade-five 1957 Topps Bob Clemente card, I was immediately smitten by the overall aesthetics of card. The visual aesthetics of this classic late 50s’ vintage card up close almost took my breath away. I expressed to Jeff’s dad how the font and colors of the red and blue letters was truly a complement to Roberto Clemente’s candid portrait. Also, I shared how the candid shot of Roberto Clemente was picture perfect. Lastly, Jeff’s dad and I agreed that the portrait’s immortalization of Clemente was equal in caliber to artifacts and imagery seen in a museum.

After our conversation and gushing over this beautiful vintage card subsided, Jeff’s dad and I engaged in a wholesome negotiation that lasted about 90 seconds. At the end of our negotiation, I agreed to pay the original asking price for the card. While Jeff’s dad settled my two transactions (e.g., cash for raw cards and credit for the Clemente card), I did not pay attention to the credit transaction because I was my ordering my Uber.

After Jeff’s dad handed me the receipt, the cards I bought, and some free gifts for my daughter who collects, I said my goodbyes and walked towards the exit. Before I walked out of the store, I turned back and told Jeff I would be contacting him about the PSA Dirk Nowitzki Upper Deck rookie card.

I believe one of the most profound innate qualities that cements the concept of hobby human capital is integrity. In the hobby, every collector will face a moment when you will:

  • Take advantage of an honest mistake, or

  • Simply put, “Do the Right Thing!”

While standing in the parking lot waiting for my Uber, I decided to take a peek at the Roberto Clemente card. Before I looked at the card, I reviewed both receipts first. When I read the credit card receipt for the Clemente PSA card, I immediately noticed that the final charge price did not reflect what I agreed to pay. According to the credit card receipt, I paid three dollars and some change for a 1957 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA-5 card. So, I read the receipt for a second time, because I thought my eyes misplaced the decimal between the two number threes. However, after reading the receipt for a second time I realized that my eyes were not fooling me; I just paid three dollars and some change for a 1957 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA-5 card. So, as I stood in the parking lot of Jeff’s Sports Inc., I was faced with my moment as a collector – take advantage of an honest mistake or “do the right thing.” As I turned to face the door of the local hobby store in which I had experienced memorable moments over the past two days, I decided to “do the right thing” and honor the agreement between me and Jeff’s dad.

Hobby Human Capital has no limits.

My commitment to human capital through the practice of integrity not only made me an official family member of Jeff’s Sports Inc.; my commitment to practice integrity also etched a lasting impression on the hearts of Jeff and his dad. More importantly, adhering to the agreement made between Jeff’s dad and I solidified that the value of the human connection meant more to me than keeping the money because of human error.

Human Capital in the hobby is a call to action.

What is Hobby Human Capital? Beyond the definition that I created by way of Merriam Webster’s formal definition, I believe Hobby Human Capital in the simplest of terms are people building community through the act of collecting cardboard.


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