Has anyone ever given up on set collecting?

[PowderedH2O]

I've been a set collector since the 1970's. I've got complete set runs back into the 1960's, and I've got a good run on a lot of sets in the 1950's and 1960's. But, increasingly I am finding the majority of the fun that I have collecting is on star cards (and sometimes minor star cards) of the 1910's through the 1960's. I've never thought about NOT collecting complete sets until the last few months. I spent several hundred dollars this Summer on commons from the 1950's and 1960's for various baseball and football sets. When I opened the packages and put the cards away, I found myself literally looking at the cards long enough to stick them in a plastic sheet and then.. goodbye.

I have had an internal debate for several years, and it has gotten bad the last six months or so. If I gave up set collecting and just went to getting the cards that I like, it would make a lot of space in my house and I would only be looking at cards that I truly like. I'm not saying strictly HOFers, because I like a lot of players that aren't superstars (i.e. Willie Kamm, Bob Johnson, Vic Power, etc.). I also wouldn't be spending big money on cards that are just hard to get, but not particularly appealing. My 1966 Topps set is complete, but honestly, who the heck is happy about spending more money on a Grant Jackson rookie card than a Goose Goslin rookie card? By not set collecting, I can avoid these situations.

It all sounds very logical. Except, my instincts are to try to complete sets. My collecting has been organized for a long time. I'm not sure I can do it. Has anyone else had these kind of internal debates? Did anyone ever abandon set collecting? If so, did you have any regrets? Just looking for other people's thoughts.

[steve B]

I like to complete sets, but have seldom really pursued it all that much. Maybe sometimes when I realize I'm down to a couple cards I'll make an effort to find them.

I pretty much gave up on set collecting years ago when I realized the price of some cards was getting well beyond what I can afford. Even a small set like 48 Bowman which I'd completed (With a wide range of conditions, a couple really nice, some VG, most p-f) and then sold, are now sort of out of reach.

I don't focus on stars though, and will pick up pretty much anything, as long as it seems like a deal at the time. So I guess I'm still sort of set collecting, but in a very haphazard way.

[Jim65]

I gave up building sets a long time ago. I hated spending money on players that I never cared about or even liked. That why I basically collect one team.

[Golfcollector]

Gave up set collecting a long time ago..but I still have a few

[G1911]

Yes and no. I love complete sets, and set collecting suits me best. I like putting together a full set, and enjoy commons just as much as superstars. With the prices of superstars ever increasing, I have many sets that will just have to be 1 or 2 cards shy of completion forever. Plugging a hole in my 1952 Topps box is just not worth the thousands of dollars a low grade Mantle costs. I suppose I’m now a near set collector lol

[conor912]

I am a set collector and always will be. That said, in recent years I have taken to subsets as well. There isn't any set in existence you can't slice and dice into any subset that interests you.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I did for a while but was quickly drawn back in. The key for me is to find manageable sets that aren't 500+ cards. 1950s baseball and 1950s and 1960s football are right in my wheel house. I like some of the 1960s baseball sets, but they are a little large for my taste right now.

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[mq711]

I feel your pain. I generally work on pre 1972 baseball sets, raw except for the stars, in ex/mt or better condition. When trying to upgrade, I find it getting difficult to spend a lot of money, or even a marginal amount, to improve a card two grades when it doesn't really add value to the set. The only way I justify the continuance of my pursuit is working on two sets from the same year in various conditions. Not sure where I'm going from here.

[PowderedH2O]

There are sets from the early 50's where cards in VgEx condition are running $10-20 each. A lot of times, I have no idea who these people are. Pitchers with few wins or batters with few hits, yet what a few cards cost me could get me a star card from the same set. It is such a tough situation.

[Republicaninmass]

High grade, given up

Low grade fun over time

[Nick55]

Keeping it short, I recently went through the same internal debate as you (the OP). And where I ended up is that even though I'm set collector by nature, I have all the sets that interest me (two pre-1972 Topps baseball sets and the rest more recent than that). For the reasons you mentioned, I don't see the point in pursuing any others. I thought about team sets, but that doesn't interest me. So, I don't consider myself as having given up as a set collector. Rather, I'm just plain done. Mission accomplished. Now on to single cards, but only the ones I really like or have special meaning to me. And, I've been spending more time looking at what I actually have.

[PowderedH2O]

I actually like that logic Nick.

[orioles70]

I have been a collector since 1969 age 9 and back then you tried to get the entire set...I am still a set collector and now have Topps sets from 1964 to date and trying to complete back to 1957...also have a complete T205 gold border set and 2 complete T219 sets(willing to trade a set or dupes for needs) and need a Bruce Brown card to complete a T227 set...would love to finish this T227 set
John


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[Exhibitman]

Yup. I gave it up because I didn’t enjoy it. Much happier just collecting the stars.

[Kenny Cole]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Yup. I gave it up because I didn’t enjoy it. Much happier just collecting the stars.

Me too.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Just when I thought I had it figured out, you guys go and make compelling points in this thread....

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[MR RAREBACK]

I switched over to just high numbers or short prints or harder backs or rookies or hall of famers only, sets just take up to much space for me

[Vintagevault13]

I have read and reread this thread several times over the past couple of days. There have been many compelling arguments made against collecting sets. I primarily collect ‘70s mid grade sets and the challenge of finding/buying high # commons certainly resonated with me. In the end, however, I have decided to continue building sets (currently about 20% finished with the 71 set). I guess we all have to decide what we like and why we collect. I enjoy building the sets of my youth. I actually enjoy looking at commons. Each card captures a moment in time and looking at a set is like opening a time capsule. Ultimately it is an individual decision based upon what we enjoy. I may eventually sell my sets, but for now they provide a great and relaxing escape, even if just for a few minutes.


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[conor912]

I enjoy prewar set collecting because I like the stories I learn of the lesser known players. The HOFers are the easiest to find and almost merely a formality for completion. I'm not sure exactly why, but I've always seen exclusive HOF collecting as front running and boring.

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by Vintagevault13

I guess we all have to decide what we like and why we collect.

Exactly.

When I had all my CJs I would but them all on the floor, in number order, by team, HOFers, commons, all sorts of shit. I enjoyed that set more than other I have ever had including my childhood cards. I just got burned out on it, too big.

I collect cards that make me feel like I did when I was a kid which is a feeling I cant really put into words but it either does it or doesn't and its that simple. I love pickin up really tough stuff, I only get to make a handful of buys a year though and is the downside but I definitely know exactly what I want in a card by the time I buy it.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I have posted in this thread a couple of times, but I keep rereading it because I enjoy it. I agree with what Ed said about everyone doing it the way they enjoy. Collecting single HOFer cards sometimes appeals to me, but I enjoy all the cards that make up a set and seeing how sets fit together. Also, I know myself as a collector well enough to know that I always need/like to be dabbling with the cards. As a collector on a budget, sometimes the commons in a set come at a good time for me financially. I might not be able to afford another star card at a certain point, but I can add a few commons and make some progress, giving me some new cards to sort and play with.

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[JustinD]

Completely given up in the past couple years. I also just found no enjoyment in getting cards that did not interest me me just to fill a checklist and pass on others that did. I still have the sets from my childhood years that I still enjoy, but that is it.

I just like not necessarily collecting stars, but just cards that I enjoy looking at.

I do really find forum members like Larry and many of the OBC crowd that collect low condition sets to be pretty awesome in their collecting habits and might someday try building a gd-vg set for fun to try it out. I think I would need to do much better in my shows and trading habits as postage on a low condition project like that would take away the point in my mind.

[rats60]

I gave up on the t205 set twice before completing it on the third try. It is the true monster, much harder than t206. I can't imagine doing a Cracker Jack set, especially 1914. I am done with collecting sets. I will keep my t206, t205, 1933 Goudey and 1941 Play Ball sets and just pick up key singles from now on.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by rats60

I gave up on the t205 set twice before completing it on the third try. It is the true monster, much harder than t206.

Did you do the master?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by conor912

Did you do the master?

No, but I collected 5s and 6s. I do have the easier variations, but when I have to pay more than a Cobb or WaJo because of a minor text variation, i will pass.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by JustinD

I do really find forum members like Larry and many of the OBC crowd that collect low condition sets to be pretty awesome in their collecting habits and might someday try building a gd-vg set for fun to try it out. I think I would need to do much better in my shows and trading habits as postage on a low condition project like that would take away the point in my mind.

^^This^^ I collect postwar but have thought about picking a set and trying this. I am not a high grade collector, opting more for mid-grade stuff. That being said, I am not sure I could ever "let go" enough to do it.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

^^This^^ I collect postwar but have thought about picking a set and trying this. I am not a high grade collector, opting more for mid-grade stuff. That being said, I am not sure I could ever "let go" enough to do it.

I used to think the same thing, then I read a quote...I think it was George Vreck (sp?). When asked about building low grade sets, he said something like " Obviously we'd all love to have mint cards, but the reality is we're not all rich and we don't have eternity to build these sets."

True that. Do the best you can. I think the beauty of the breadth of the finished set is worth the well chosen sacrifices in condition we have to make sometimes.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Couldn't agree more! That was my point in my rambling post over on the postwar board about the 1954 Topps set I put together. I have always been anti-crease and such, but I have often wondered if my level of satisfaction would really be any less with a lower grade set. Don't get me wrong, I am not looking for beaters but might entertain a collector grade set. Like I posted about that '54 set, I did give in a little in spots condition-wise relative to what I usually do, but the sum total (or the beauty and breadth as you so eloquently put it) of a completed set is pretty powerful. I wish I had unlimited collecting funds, but I don't. If I try and build every set high grade, I have learned that I will end up not completing and bogged down. There is something about taking the lid off the box and just seeing them all lined up.....and then pulling out those Cardsaver Is and looking through them all. Can't wait to get home tonight and look at my 1953 Topps!

Originally Posted by conor912

I used to think the same thing, then I read a quote...I think it was George Vreck (sp?). When asked about building low grade sets, he said something like " Obviously we'd all love to have mint cards, but the reality is we're not all rich and we don't have eternity to build these sets."

True that. Do the best you can. I think the beauty of the breadth of the finished set is worth the well chosen sacrifices in condition we have to make sometimes.

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[danmckee]

Not me, I love collecting a set