[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by tbob

Brian- I wish you the best, whatever you decide. I would offer one bit of advice from one who's been there, when you get mired in a collecting funk, resist the temptation to start selling off pre-war card sets. About ten years ago I sold off complete sets of many caramel cards and have just now completed getting them all back again. It's too frigging hard to find some of the cards now as many collectors, for investment sake or collection sake, have buried the cards in to their collections like the T213 tobacco Coupons. Cards which were available ten years ago are now difficult to find and you'll find yourself kicking yourself for selling them. I know when I decided to "re-put" together the E95, E96, E97, E99 and E100 sets, especially in nice condition, it was tough. E98s would fall in to that group also but for the Black Swamp Find which has made it easier, albeit a little pricey. Sets like the 1909 Zeenuts will never disappear from my collection because it is now impossible to put together the whole set from scratch.
Think twice! For me, I only collect 1909-1919 in the pre-war because that is my favorite time in history. Find a niche, that's mine. Sure I have sets like the DeLong, Tatoo Orbit, George Miller but the 1909-1919 era is my niche.
I wish you the best in your decision....

1909 Zeenuts? That does sound like an impossible set to complete.