Collecting Obscure/Scarce/Under-appreciated sets - Does it affect your enjoyment?

[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by Leon

But just think about picking up a (relatively) lot of cards from a super obscure set? It can feel pretty good to have a large accumulation of cards almost no one has (or cares about, sometimes ) even one of.
.

This hits my current collecting habits dead on. The longer i've collect, the more i've moved from more common to rarer cards, regardless of who else likes the set. I love the feeling of knowing I have 40% of the known cards from a set. It just stinks when you know where half the other cards are and know they won't be available for a long time.

DJ

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

It just stinks when you know where half the other cards are and know they won't be available for a long time.

DJ

+1000 (except “stinks” is an understatement).

[Luke]

So, the reason I started this thread is that I recently got into the "1917 set" (for lack of a better term). It's kind of a weird feeling to get all excited about a set, read everything you can find about it online, and then..........wait for something to show up that you can buy.........

On the bright side, it probably saves me money since there aren't a ton of cards out there on the market for me to overpay for before I know what I'm doing.

I'm working on the five different backs as if they are one set, because that's the way it feels to me. Still need my first Standard Biscuit back. Since I'm just starting, I'm probably not looking to set any new records for prices, but if anyone has any of these laying around that they would sell for a fair price, please let me know. Brian has already been a big help (thank you Brian).

[ValKehl]

Luke, collecting the 1917 b & w cards with different backs should be a fun endeavor - good luck with it. I believe a sixth back, a blank back, also exists for these cards. Nice pickup re the Merchants Bakery - Rixey card; I almost picked up this same card a couple of years ago when it appeared in Heritage and LOTG auctions, but I decided to impatiently hold out for the re-appearance of the Merchants Bakery - WaJo card that sold in Heritage a few years ago.

[Luke]

Val, you're right. Shouldn't be that hard to count to six, but I am pretty tired, heh. I have 5 of the 6 so far and hopefully will end up with multiples of each back.

[Exhibitman]

I also like regionals from the West, esp. CA. Zeenuts, Standard Biscuit, Atlantic Oil, Mothers Cookies, etc. But since I only collect stars and HOFers, not commons, it can be quite a while between cards I want. Which is nice, frankly, since having one pop up is special. And there is the added benefit of so many PCL sets having pre-rookies and only cards of some players.











The Cubs at spring training on Catalina, doing the Seven Dwarves (HI Ho, It's Off To Work We Go).

[ValKehl]

Adam, over the years, I have greatly enjoyed seeing the eclectic cards from your collection that you have shared with us. And, the above group is no exception, my favorite of which being the Evers card, because the D350-3 Standard Biscuits are so tough to find.

[Danny Smith]

Well I’m 42 cards into the 50 card e105 Mello Mint set. It’s taken maybe 10 years but it’s a ton of fun. It started because I liked that it had Smith in the name and I was getting bored of the t206 set (which I completed this year without plank / Wagner). I’ve since completed a number of caramel and tobacco sets but this one is my ultimate chase.

I started when no one really cared about mellos and picked up 25 pretty easily. There are some other awesome Mello guys who have come and gone which has at times led to some crazy prices but spirited competition and strong collecting friendships. The cards are tough to come by now because they have grown in popularity as type cards and are just a mysterious set but I keep on trucking,

I get super pumped when they come up at auction or someone reaches out regardless of whether I need the card - and when one of the ones I need comes up it is beyond exciting. Most of the time I don’t win the last ones I need which totally sucks but man when I win it is just awesome - despite royally overpaying sadly. For better or worse there are 2 or 3 of us going hard for the same cards.

It’s a tough set. It’s getting pricey. But damn it I’m gonna finish it. And my kids will get them knowing how much of a bear it is to complete.