I started collecting Mtg cards back in 1994 and my whole collection was stolen, it's making me sick at just how much money I lost..
I first started playing MTG back in 1994 and I really got into it, I love the game. Well as time went on I kept buying all the new sets that were put out and at the same time I would buy any and every collection that I could find. Back then when someone got out of the game, they would just usually want to sell their collection to someone who played the game and I was able to amass a massive collection. I had lots of Alpha, Beta, Arabian Nights, Legends all the way up too Time Spiral, I had the Black Lotus, 40 duel lands and multiple of most of the good cards. I played with covers and kept most of the best copies unplayed in mint condition. Back then there were a lot of the cards that are expensive today that nobody played with like Loin Eye Diamond, Mox Diamond and many others. I had many copies of them never played and I collected cards because I loved to play, make decks and just come up with cool combs to beat people with.
Well then I had a fire at my house and even tho I did lose my red burn deck, which was ironic, but I still had my whole collection. I stopped playing for a while because of the fire and I kept my collection in my storage, until I couldn't stand not playing so I brought all my cards back home. I had so many cards that when I stacked the boxes up it was taller than me and not even a week later they were all gone, stolen. This was about 2011 and insurance wouldn't cover them because I didn't have pictures and everything inventoried and when I filed the theft with the police, they really didn't care at all. They looked at it like some dumb card game that kids play and not a theft of over a $100,000 dollars, I was crushed.
Needless to say I quit playing MTG and gave up collected cards for several years until I just couldn't stay away and so I got back into it about 2017. But the game had changed a lot and all the people that I used to play with had moved on. Well several more years passed by before I went down to my local card shop this years and started playing again. I've started over and it's nothing like it was when I used to be able to buy up collection back in the day, people usually want 70- 80 % of todays value and when I seen how the prices on all those cards that I had have gone through the roof, it makes me sick. I actually miss playing with them more than anything and I wouldn't have sold a lot of them, but in commander you can only play with one copy.
I feel like a part of me was taken from me and I'll never get those cards back. My advise to anyone that collects MTG cards or any other cards for that matter, take pictures, make a list of your cards and don't let people see what you have. Protect your self and your collection and get them insured one way or another..