Posted By:
ockdayHi Ray..As one who has completed the T206 set (minus the big 4) I will pass along some of my experiences.
I started about 3 years ago buying single cards but when the opportunity to buy big lots came along , I did just that. I bought a couple of ungraded lots from some of the online auctions like Lew Lipset and Mastro. My preference was to have them graded by PSA, so when I got them back I was somewhat disappointed in that the grades I got were usually less than what they were advertised as.I filled in the balance of the set mainly with Ebay purchases . I found that all the cards are out there and all you need are patience, diligence and of course the money .
When buying ungraded cards , I learned that some dealers overgrade and some are accurate and I took that into account when buying. Also be very careful when buying ungraded as there are many trimmed or altered cards out there.My personal favorite dealer for ungraded tobacco cards is Vivian Barning. Her Ebay id is vbarning@aol.com .
Personally I didn't go after the rare backs but maybe will someday. I am also in the NY area and the shows and stores here are pretty dismal in this area.
Good luck and have fun in this quest...Regards..Alan