drawing the line?

[whelenfan]

I am at a crossroads, so to speak. I am still slowly working on my t205's and having a ball but am wondering where to draw the line.

I am willingly collecting sub-grade cards, but up until now they have all been "intact". How many of you other sub-grade card collectors accept cards into your collections that are missing pieces/chunks?

I try to get decent eye appeal and really try to have very minimal back paper loss. Creases don't offend me at all, markings are great, I'll even take 'em with a few little punch out/cut outs (my thinking is that the original owners did that!)

So far, I've been able to keep costs down to the $10 - 15 range on average.

Is everything driven by the almighty $ and my desire to complete the set/get as many cards into my collection and I just accept it?

I am not talking like a cobb, a serious variation or even a rare back, just commons that I don't have or a medium level card (hof'er, ml'er).

Any thoughts or comments?

[Eggoman]

I'm less than 20 cards away from a "complete" set, counting all of the front/back variations that I know of - but NOT counting advertising backs.

That said, these 2 cards are still in my set! I just haven't found the right replacements at the right price...

THE HUNT IS THE BEST!!!! ENJOY IT!

[whelenfan]

well, thank you for that!!! I don't feel so bad then. Honestly, those two don't look bad to me, LOL!!!

[bbcard1]

I did a front set of T205s. They are largely horrible and many are skins, but they were my first vintage set achievement, so to speak.

Here is a little website/blog i did about the project.

http://www.bbcard1.com/205/

[bnorth]

I'm less than 20 cards away from a "complete" set, counting all of the front/back variations that I know of - but NOT counting advertising backs.

That said, these 2 cards are still in my set! I just haven't found the right replacements at the right price...

THE HUNT IS THE BEST!!!! ENJOY IT!

I will use Gregs cards as an example of the way I collect. I would never buy the card on the left. I do not mind paper loss or creases. That is unless the paper loss or major creases that break through the front and expose the card stock go through the players face. I own several cards like the one on the right and am very happy with them.

[dabigyankeeman]

Sometimes for me its worth it on expensive cards to accept pieces missing. I have a 33 Goudey Babe Ruth with the bottom part that says "Big League Chewing Gum" cut off, and i have a 34 Goudey Lou Gehrig with the corners cut off caddy-corner, all 4 of them. But I wont buy inexpensive cards that are like this. However lessor cards that have many creases can be fine, just dont want pieces missing.

I started collecting with the theory of "as long as i have the card i dont care about condition" and i bought a ton of bad cards with big creases and other defects. But after a couple of decades, i wound up up-grading a lot of them. My upgrades though still most of the time were not to cards in perfect condition, but rather to cards with small defects that didnt bother me. But still, i do feel its better to own a card in any condition than to not own it at all.

[Cozumeleno]

I'm perfectly fine with beaters like that when working on a set, to be honest. I'd rather have that card than no card at all and not being picky helps to complete sets at a much faster rate. It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing, in my opinion.

The thing to remember is that you can always upgrade later. I've upgraded about 100 cards in my T206 set. As long as you're not overpaying for a beater, you'll be fine because there are always people looking for them.

[buymycards]

With the sets that I collect, I feel fortunate to be able to fill a hole in my collection, even if it means that I have some real dogs.

[kmac32]

I have 1 card like you say missing chunk. Only reason I took it was it was a piedmont 42 which are relatively rare and it came with another group of cards. If it were an easy card then I would not have bought it.

[Bill77]

If my Peaches Graham card had almost any other back I would not have bought it.

[conor912]

For me, set building is all about eye-appeal consistency. Technical grades can be all over the map, but it drives me crazy to have sharp cards next to beaters. I'm totally fine with a beater set, but they all need to be roughly the same amount of beat, for me anyways :)

[Eggoman]

For me, set building is all about eye-appeal consistency. Technical grades can be all over the map, but it drives me crazy to have sharp cards next to beaters. I'm totally fine with a beater set, but they all need to be roughly the same amount of beat, for me anyways :)

AGREED! My "Eye-Appeal Consistency" will come with more time! When I bought the collection that had those 2 T205 Beaters, I HAD to keep them as they are cards that I didn't otherwise have! I just haven't replaced them yet...

They DO look positively hideous next to the other T205s that share the same page!

All in good time, my pretty, all in good time!!! :D:D:D

[mattjc1983]

I don't collect this set but think they're all beautiful regardless of condition. One question here from a novice though: when buying raw, is it easier to fake a card when pieces are missing or its roughed up to the point that details are hard to spot anyway?

I envy you guys that have the skills to tell a fake from a real card, especially from nothing but an eBay photo. Definitely not a skill I have.


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[Leon]

It just takes time to acquire the experience to tell good from bad. Most fakes and reprints have dead giveaways to render an opinion.

To the original question, yes, our cards are driven by dollars. The better the card, the more the demand, the higher the price. As for what to accept in your collection. It is up to you. :)

I don't collect this set but think they're all beautiful regardless of condition. One question here from a novice though: when buying raw, is it easier to fake a card when pieces are missing or its roughed up to the point that details are hard to spot anyway?

I envy you guys that have the skills to tell a fake from a real card, especially from nothing but an eBay photo. Definitely not a skill I have.


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[tschock]

For me, set building is all about eye-appeal consistency. Technical grades can be all over the map, but it drives me crazy to have sharp cards next to beaters. I'm totally fine with a beater set, but they all need to be roughly the same amount of beat, for me anyways :)

As to consistency, there is this rule of thumb. You can always downgrade the cards in your collection without buying a replacement card, but it's a bit more difficult to upgrade them. :D

[conor912]

As to consistency, there is this rule of thumb. You can always downgrade the cards in your collection without buying a replacement card, but it's a bit more difficult to upgrade them. :D

It's funny you mention that. I have often thought about nicking a corner on a card on purpose just to make it more in line with the other cards in a set. If that's not OCD I don't know what is.

[whelenfan]

It's funny you mention that. I have often thought about nicking a corner on a card on purpose just to make it more in line with the other cards in a set. If that's not OCD I don't know what is.

That is hilarious!!!