I'm at a T206 crossroads and looking for ideas

[ZachS]

For a couple of years now I've pretty much been away from collecting any new cards (first son was born in 2009 and just had son #2 about 3 months ago) and recently I've started selling off some of my collection.

I've given up hope of ever completing the T206 set but I feel like I need to complete "something". At first I was thinking of completing a HOF set but as I was going through my remaining cards I noticed how good all the portraits looked lined up together.

I'm sure many of you have done this and I was wondering if anyone had a readily available portrait only checklist?

I'm also open to other ideas for completing some sort of T206 set. Help! The monster is winning.

[z28jd]

http://t206resource.com/Portraits%20Checklist.html

Consider the cards an investment for the children and keep getting them!

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by z28jd

http://t206resource.com/Portraits%20Checklist.html

Consider the cards an investment for the children and keep getting them!

Thank you, sir. 177 sounds a lot better than 520!

As for the investment side, I even have my wife convinced that they're worth keeping around for a while. She doesn't care for my gun collection or the couple of military vehicles she's like me to get rid of but she doesn't mind the "old cards".

[atx840]

Maybe try a smaller less expensive subset, my first endeavour was the Factory 649 OP. 34 cards, a handful of HOF to keep things interesting and you have to search/requests backscans on every possible card.

Portraits (minus the big three), portraits by background colour, A-Z. Endless really. Good luck!

[t206blogcom]

Go for the southern leaguers, or only southern leaguers with one of the three possible backs?

[PolarBear]

You could do one of the smaller back sets like Polar Bear, or a team set.

Or, just collect 150 cards with a 150 series back. That is possible with Piedmont, SC, and Sovereign, and since the 150 series contains more than 150 cards, you can skip the big 4 and still get to 150.

[jasonc]

Thought I'd bring up an old thread, as this really relates to what I'm dealing with.
I am currently at 220 or so T206 cards, and I am at a crossroads. I feel kind of burned out and on one hand I feel like trading away some cards in order to "complete" something like a Tigers and Browns team set. Which with the HOF's and cards I have, I could do even making a run at trying to get the other 3 Cobb's.
And on the other hand, just keep chipping away. I really feel like getting into something else, which means I could keep what I have and just change focus. I don't want to face the regret of selling what I have.

Is there anybody that was at the 200 or 250 card point then just sold or traded most of them to get into something else, like just going for a T206 subset and using the cash to get into something else?

Maybe some people sold most of their T206 collection and started all over again???

I really do see how the T206 set is called "The Monster"

[VoodooChild]

Hey Jason.....I got up to around 160 a couple months ago after 2 and half years. The T206 Oakes was the first Pre-War card I ever bought. I consider "The Monster" as the "gateway drug" to Pre-War collecting. As the years went on, I started realizing that type collecting was more interesting to me than set building. So, a couple months ago, I sent a bunch of my T206's off to Sterling and sold a bunch here on the BST. For now, I'm going to keep my HOFers with "rarer" backs and all my Pirates. I'm also going to keep one of each back to attempt to but together a back run for my type collection.

I probably still have at least 50 left that I want to sell including common back HOFers and SLers. I kind of look at them as a savings account that I can tap into if I need to finance a purchase for my Type Collection. I still buy a T206 every now and then, for example, when I see a Tolstoi/EPDG/AB HOFer but I do not buy commons anymore.

I don't regret trying to build the set since it is what got me hooked on Pre-War and I don't regret selling most of them off since I was able to then buy cards that I currently find more interesting. Who knows what I'll be into two years from now. But the good thing about T206's is that there's plenty available if you want to start building "The Monster" again.

[PolarBear]

I still like my idea from 2 years ago. Collect 150 cards with 150 series (all same brand) backs.

[jasonc]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

Hey Jason.....I got up to around 160 a couple months ago after 2 and half years. The T206 Oakes was the first Pre-War card I ever bought. I consider "The Monster" as the "gateway drug" to Pre-War collecting. As the years went on, I started realizing that type collecting was more interesting to me than set building. So, a couple months ago, I sent a bunch of my T206's off to Sterling and sold a bunch here on the BST. For now, I'm going to keep my HOFers with "rarer" backs and all my Pirates. I'm also going to keep one of each back to attempt to but together a back run for my type collection.

I probably still have at least 50 left that I want to sell including common back HOFers and SLers. I kind of look at them as a savings account that I can tap into if I need to finance a purchase for my Type Collection. I still buy a T206 every now and then, for example, when I see a Tolstoi/EPDG/AB HOFer but I do not buy commons anymore.

I don't regret trying to build the set since it is what got me hooked on Pre-War and I don't regret selling most of them off since I was able to then buy cards that I currently find more interesting. Who knows what I'll be into two years from now. But the good thing about T206's is that there's plenty available if you want to start building "The Monster" again.

Some excellent advice. Thanks for sharing

At this point I don't really know what I want to do. Another thought would be to keep 1 of each HOF and trade my commons away to get into something else. Also, a type collection sounds interesting that way I don't have to complete anything if I don't want to.

I was going to build a "Major League" Set, but that is a long road ahead cause of Multiples of Johnson, Young, Mathewson, Cobb etc.

I really do think I can complete a 1 pose of each Major Leaguer (of course, no, Plank, Wagner etc.) I am actually close to that.

[rjackson44]

let them pile up thats what i do ,,,keep buying dont stop

[ullmandds]

hows about keeping the t206's you love...selling the rest...and buying other cards from other sets that you love!

[Mountaineer1999]

I'm in the same boat and I would guess everyone goes through a burnout. It only took me a year and around 125 T206 in the collection. I then moved into a Lumley back run (that I just posted) to try and break things up. I would like to buy a few graded T206 a month but the discretionary income will not allow it so even if I can buy two a month, it will take me 17.5 years to complete the set.
With those number I should probably just come to the realization that it aint gonna happen and go ahead and start sharpening up my golf game for retirement.