Doonboggle Of The Week: Courtesy of The Lost Collector

One of my favorite blogs out there is the Lost Collector, run by one of my favorite dudes.  He was gracious enough to provide my first "Doonboggle of the Week" material and answer a few questions about his blog and himself as a collector.

Blog Name: The Lost Collector

How long have you been blogging? Since Feb., 2011.

What do you enjoy most about the card blogging world? Trading with other bloggers. I've grown my Yankees collection vastly. After middle school, I wouldn't have imagined I'd ever trade a baseball card again. Now I make trades on a nearly weekly basis.

How long have you been collecting? Like most bloggers, I started when I was a kid, stopped in high school and college, then recently picked it back up again.

What do you collect? Yankees cards, Tino Martinez, Yankees prospects, and currently 1968 Topps Game. I'm also a fairly avid TTM (Through The Mail) autograph collector.

 The Bungles

How did you come to own these Doonboggles? Frustratingly enough, I was born a Cincinnati Bengals fan. It's the only sport where I follow a non-NY team, and it's horrible. After years of being irrelevant, the 2005 Bengals exploded onto the scene with young talent and an exciting team. They even won the AFC North. I was so inspired, I went on eBay and bought a few lots of Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson cards. I grabbed a few rookies and inserts. I have never collected football cards and I literally had no idea what I was buying at a time when I wasn't even collecting (I was in college). I thought it would be a sound investment. I even told my dad about it while I was home on winter break, and I remember him saying, "you better hang onto those ones, buddy." I didn't spend crazy amounts on autos or game used or rare cards, but the fact that I felt the need to stock up on these guys when I knew nothing about the product I was buying certainly makes me a doonboggle. Just six years later, Carson is sitting out the season because he doesn't want to be associated with Mike Brown or the Bengals, and Chad Johnson has a new last name and is struggling to put up remotely decent numbers in New England's high-powered offense.

He even saved his invoice.  No Credit Cards?  This was old...

What advice would you give to someone who is starting a blog, and/or starting a sport card collection?  For someone starting a blog, I'd say do it for yourself and find your own identity (I'm still looking for mine). Everyone has their unique spin - some guys are team collectors, others player collectors, and others just offer insightful thoughts on the hobby in general. Personally, I like showing off cards I get from other bloggers and showing off TTM successes. It's very Yankee-centric, which probably turns off some potential readers, but I can't please everyone and if it's not to their liking, and that's ok. I use it as a way to stay interested in collecting and I would encourage anyone else to do the same.

For starting a collection, find something you like and don't go overboard. Pick a team or player to focus on and start small. There is always set building too. Try a few different areas of focus and then it'll be easier to narrow down what to collect.
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Thank you for participating AJ!  I would love to do this weekly, so please shoot me an email if you would like to share your Doonboggle story.