Collectors MD

Collectors MD is proud to share a major update on the continued growth of #RipResponsibly—a movement built to bring responsible participation, real guardrails, and accessible support into the modern collecting ecosystem.

The collecting world has changed fast, especially the version of “the hobby” we know today. Live breaks, mystery repacks, razzes, high-velocity marketplaces, and always-on access have introduced mechanics that can feel exciting in the moment, but overwhelming over time—especially for collectors navigating chasing, overspending, secrecy, and emotional fallout. #RipResponsibly exists to meet that reality with something the hobby has needed for a long time: clear awareness paired with real solutions.

#RipResponsibly is not a slogan. It’s not a marketing play. It’s a standard we’re working to normalize—where pausing is respected, boundaries are encouraged, and support is visible without judgement or shame. Because awareness alone doesn’t protect people. Systems do. And the goal is to build systems that make the hobby healthier, safer, and more sustainable while preserving what people love about it.

We’ve partnered with brands, organizations, and professionals that believe in real solutions, not just awareness. That includes recovery and prevention leaders like 800-GAMBLER, Better Way of Miami, Birches Health, Evive, Gamban, ODAAT Gambling Awareness, OpenRecovery, PGCC, Right Choice Recovery, & more—along with hobby platforms and media voices committed to transparency and healthier participation like All Touch Case, Card Ladder, CLLCT, GorillaShip, Grader’s Reserve, Hobby Scan, The Hobby Spectrum, Mantel, Market Movers, Mr. Minty, SlabTrack, Sports Card Investor, The Sports Man Dan Show, Tropic Collects, Tropic Media, & more. We’re also grateful for the growing list of hobby operators putting the message into action in real environments, including Bodega Cards, Bogo Breaks, CardsHQ, My Card Post, RipHamiltonRips, Rippinwax, Santiago Sports, Saturday Morning Clubhouse, The Trading Card Hall of Fame, & more.

We’re building tangible ways for the community to display and normalize this commitment. Through our fulfillment and supply partners—including Chronic Cards & Stand Up Displays—breakers, shops, and collectors can access co-branded supplies that bring the message to the places where purchasing decisions are being made. We now have an official #RipResponsibly landing page to make that access simple and centralized.

We’re also seeing meaningful early adoption. Several major breakers have started using the co-branded mats and signage, and very positive feedback has been coming in from both breakers and their audiences. That response matters, because it reinforces a core truth: when the hobby feels unstable, people don’t just want more entertainment—they want to know someone’s paying attention, and that trust is being protected.

Collectors MD isn’t anti-hobby—we’re pro-support. #RipResponsibly is how we keep the hobby fun without letting it become harmful. It’s how we protect collectors without pathologizing them. And it’s how we build a culture where people don’t have to hit a crisis point to deserve real help.

This movement is growing—and if you’re a breaker, shop, platform, hobby brand, or content creator who wants to be part of it, we’d love to explore ways we can spread this message together. The standard is changing. Let’s raise it together.

Interested in getting involved or learning more about #RipResponsibly partnerships? Email info@collectorsmd.com to get in touch.

Collect With Intention. Heal With Support.
#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

Visit Our Dedicated #RipResponsibly Landing Page

Follow Collectors MD On Instagram
Join Our Weekly Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel

By Martina F, Collectors MD Community Member

I have had several favorite teams throughout my lifetime. The New England Patriots (before they won any Super Bowls), the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the Toronto Maple Leafs (we’re on a break), and even the old school New York Yankees players that I never got to witness on a field, like DiMaggio and Gherig. But there has been one team that has been in my heart quite literally since the day I was born: the Toronto Blue Jays. I was born just two years after the franchise was founded, and through ups and downs, they’ve been the team that has not only brought me the most joy, but the greatest sense of being “home”.

My earliest memories of the Blue Jays are of happiness, likely because after less than 10 years in the league, in 1985, we won our first American League East title. Players like George Bell, Cecil Fielder, Dave Stieb, Ernie Whitt, Tony Fernandez, and Jesse Barfield were our heroes in powder blue. The 80’s were good to the Blue Jays, but the 90’s were the turning point. Back-to-back World Series championships cemented the team forever into Toronto folklore. I still remember exactly where I was in 1992 when Mike Timlin threw the ball to Joe Carter at first base for the final out of the World Series. Me, my parents, and a full Toronto SkyDome watched with anticipation on the Jumbotron as our beloved Blue Jays made history. Then, one year later, Joe Carter’s walk-off home run to end the World Series sailed over the left field wall at the SkyDome as I leaped up and down on my couch at home. Champions again. What a fabulous time to be alive!

The Blue Jays 2025 World Series run will be one to remember for the ages. If you had told any fan at spring training that we would take the mighty (and expensive) Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink of elimination in game 7 of the World Series, they would have told you that you were crazy. But it happened. And it was both heartbreaking and awesome at the same time.

Naturally as a baseball card collector, I began collecting Blue Jays cards almost from the time I opened my first pack. These days, that gets harder and harder with more parallels, autographs, and super expensive products. So how do you collect your favorite team on a reasonable budget? Check out the tips below!

Collect A Specific Era

The older your team is, the more you may have to specialize. It’s difficult and very expensive to be a Yankees or Red Sox completist collector, but if you focus on one era, decade, or even one year in particular, you can focus your collecting dollars and really create a nice gallery for yourself as a collector. For example, collecting the Blue Jays cards from the Pat Gillick/Paul Beeston era is not a bad choice in my case.

Pick A World Series

If your team has ever won or participated in the World Series, you may choose to collect things from that particular year’s team. The added bonus here is that World Series collectibles can often come in the form of things that are NOT cards, so you can really expand the collection without losing a focus/theme. While I mentioned I collect various Blue Jay cards in various capacities, one “hyper focus” I have is the 1992 World Series-winning team. This allows me to say “no” to cards I find less special without guilt, because I know I’m building toward an awesome monument to the history-making Blue Jays team of 1992. It’s a win-win.

Pick A Brand

This is an old but useful tip: pick a card manufacturer and stick only to cards from that brand. My current project is to finish the Topps team sets of Blue Jays cards from 1977 to present day. Once I’ve done that I will add Donruss, Fleer, etc. You can also pick a parallel or variation within a brand, like Topps Gold, for example, if you want to do something brand-specific with modern era cards. Example: every Topps Gold Blue Jays card since the first issue of Topps Gold cards in 1992.

Collect The Rookies Of Your Favorite Team

Another great idea may be to collect the rookie cards of anyone who began their career in your favorite team’s jersey. In my case it means I get Fred McGriff, Cecil Fielder, Carlos Delgado, Dave Stieb, Jimmy Key, Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, Vladimir Guererro Jr., and the up and coming JoJo Parker. If you’re not buying and chasing anything else, you can put all of your money towards some really nice graded rookies of anyone who started their Major League journey in your team’s uniform. This can be really, really expensive if you have a storied, long-standing team, but even with that you can then narrow it down to an era or lower-grade cards that fit your budget.

Focus On Locally Issued Card Sets

Local restaurants, car dealerships, soda pop companies, fast food chains, and even police/firefighter branches often partner with local Major League teams to create team sets. The Toronto firefighters used to issue a Blue Jays set every year, and they were available for free if you walked into your local fire hall and kindly asked for it. It was a great way to get children engaged in both the hobby as well as community fire safety. It’s also a great set for collectors to pick up at a relatively low cost.

In the end, the love of your favorite team is often indescribable to others. Through both wins and losses, there is an affinity that comes with belonging to a fandom – a sense of community or even a “third place” of sorts if one is attending games regularly. Regardless, collecting your favorite team doesn’t have to set you back a huge amount of money.

What are some ways that you collect your favorite team? Reach out and let me know!

#CollectorsMD
Collecting your favorite team isn’t about owning everything, it’s about choosing what actually means something to you.

—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel
Read More Daily Reflections

January 2026 | Martina F, @darthtrader89

This month, we’re proud to feature Martina F (@darthtrader89) in our Collector Spotlight, a passionate lifelong Toronto Blue Jays and New England Patriots fan, and a mother who now collects alongside her son.

Martina’s story reflects the heart of what Collectors MD is all about. Her collection isn’t driven by hype or resale value. It’s built on nostalgia, memory, and personal connection. From childhood Jose Canseco cards that once felt impossible to own, to modern Blue Jays and Patriots pieces she now collects with her son, Martina reminds us that meaning matters more than market value.

After returning to the hobby in recent years, Martina quickly recognized how much modern collecting has shifted. What used to be a simple and affordable pastime for kids now often feels engineered around pressure, urgency, and gambling-like mechanics. Rather than leaning into breaks or high-dollar wax, she re-focused on singles and affordable products that bring genuine joy, especially when shared with her son.

Her recent Daily Reflections captured that beautifully, showing how "junk wax" and childhood cards still matter because of the memories they carry. It’s a reminder that the emotional value of collecting far outweighs any monetary profit.

She also shared a thoughtful framework for approaching the hobby in a healthier way, publishing her own Annual Card Review and Plan for 2026. That process encourages collectors to reflect honestly on the cards they buy, what actually brings them joy, and how to move forward with intention over impulse.

Martina's personal collection focuses on players like Jose Canseco, Cal Ripken Jr., Addison Barger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Joe Carter, Shawn Green, Tom Brady, and Drake Maye, along with a long-term mission to collect every Blue Jays base card ever printed. And now, the most meaningful part of that journey is sharing it with her son, building memories together through affordable boxes, games, and moments that last far beyond the cards themselves.

Martina’s voice has become an authentic and supportive presence within our CMD community. She reminds us that collecting should feel grounded, fulfilling, and shared, not pressured or compulsive.

This is intentional collecting. This is the heart of Collectors MD.

https://collectorsmd.com/collector-spotlight/