Acquiring massive single year lots for "fun" collecting

[Matthew80]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120789568933#ht_1864wt_1325

75,000 cards... I don't even know where I'd put FIFTEEN 5k card boxes!

I've been thinking about buying a post-1970 (post-1974 to mid 80's, really) lot to just dig through and enjoy while assembling a set (or seven :)) buying up stars separate to match the condition of the set. Now, this listing is obviously a bit much and overpriced, but I'd like to buy a lot with, say, 3-10k cards in it to assemble sets and become intimately familiar with a certain year. I think it'd be a fun side project handling cards like I did as a kiddo while continuing working on higher end, pricier stuff on the side.

Has anyone done this type of thing before? Any advice, pointers, warnings, etc would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance. Oh, I'd also be curious to hear whether you think a seller might find a buyer for a lot like the ebay one above. Granted I've just started browsing large lots like this, but this does seem quite rare.

[RobertGT]

That eBay lot of 73s will be sitting there forever at that price. Let's see, a vg/ex bulk lot with no stars and I'm assuming no high numbers. That put's this at 5 cents a card in the best case scenario, or $3,750. That's a collector price. Dealers, who are more apt to buy in bulk, would probably be closer to $1500. 73s are not a great year to begin with, and when you combine that with all the all the stars yanked and weak condition, there's not too much to get excited about.

But as far as your idea, that can be a tremendously fun project, if you have the time. I used to enjoy putting together sets and partial sets according to condition but eventually became so distracted by other collecting pursuits and lack of time that ir just snowballed and the cards really piled up on me.

So I'm probably sitting on btw. 5K and 10k of each year from 72, 73 and 76-81 and probably 2K from 70, 71, 74, 75. So let me know when you're ready haha.
Rob

[buymycards]

I did something similar with 55 Bowmans. I had a great time finishing the sets and learned a lot of about this high numbers and short prints.

These 73's should be prices at maybe 2K.

Rick

[Rich Klein]

`1) I don't know how many hi #s are in that group but I will tell you that both Jim Hickman and Joe Niekro are Hi #'s. and I saw a nice group of semi-his

2) Based on that -- I think a realistic price is about $6K which I suspect will be 10 percent of book if every card were a pure common with the mix of semis and highs that I'm venturing are in there.

Rich

[thisisradioclash]

I just can't believe someone spent the time to sort all those cards...no wonder they want 20 large for it.

[steve B]

It takes a lot less time than you'd think.

I sorted vending boxes into sets and star lots for a dealer, an hour or two a day but not every day. Probably went through about 75K cards in maybe a couple months.

Just sorting by number is much faster.

Steve B

[Matthew80]

It takes a lot less time than you'd think.

I sorted vending boxes into sets and star lots for a dealer, an hour or two a day but not every day. Probably went through about 75K cards in maybe a couple months.

Just sorting by number is much faster.

Steve B

I remember going through '90 Fleer doing this (sort by #) with my dad as a kid. I probably had about 500-1,000, and I'd mess them up after he left just to get him to help me again. My dad was a trooper...

I think that'd be fun to do this for a dealer, especially if they're cards you're unfamiliar with!

[steve B]

They were 78 Topps, new from the vending cases. Although I think I did a few in 79 and 80 as well. I think by 81 they could buy factory sets - at least for Fleer they could and maybe Topps
The cards became familiar very quickly.

Steve B

[Matthew80]

But as far as your idea, that can be a tremendously fun project, if you have the time. I used to enjoy putting together sets and partial sets according to condition but eventually became so distracted by other collecting pursuits and lack of time that ir just snowballed and the cards really piled up on me.

So I'm probably sitting on btw. 5K and 10k of each year from 72, 73 and 76-81 and probably 2K from 70, 71, 74, 75. So let me know when you're ready haha.
Rob

I'd be interested to know a more precise count on the '75 and '77 if you don't mind taking a few minutes. Those two sets seem to be the two I'm most interested in. Thanks in advance, Rob.

[RobertGT]

I'd be interested to know a more precise count on the '75 and '77 if you don't mind taking a few minutes. Those two sets seem to be the two I'm most interested in. Thanks in advance, Rob.

I took a look at these two years and the quantities are approximately as follows:

75 - 2,800 cards
77 - 6,200 cards

Condition is all over the map (Poor to NRMT). Most probably in the middle of the pack. All stars and RCs are present.
Best,
Rob