Broad question for the type collectors
 

Why did you decide to be a type collector? Did you go into collecting with the intention of being a type collector, or was it just something that happened along the way?

Also, when you come to a set that has plenty of options for you as a type collector (for example t206), how do you decide what card to pick? Do you look for a certain player or team? Just curious how the minds of different collectors work.

my take....
 

I picked type collecting because I like variety. As for what cards from each set to collect, I pick ones that I like the most and can afford. I have no real set rules except I have tried to get one from each ACC designation before 1950. I also collect back variations and some misprints, which keeps it fun too. The fun thing about type collecting is it can be whatever you want it to be and whatever makes you happy. No need to get an obscure common to complete a set as you can pick up something you enjoy more and not have to worry about being complete. (this is 1 of 2 Ferguson Bakery cards I have ever seen with a coupon attached) regards

Troey,

I got into type collecting from the team collector side (Washington). I do go for certain players when I can, and only four will take me from Ts through Topps: Clyde Milan, Joe Judge, Cecil Travis, and Mickey Vernon.

Focusing on this team means that I don't go after any of the minor league sets. Wash also got shut out of some of the early E sets, like E93 through E98. Unfortunately, that also means that for some sets Johnson is the only choice. Still, it's a fun ride. I've been collecting off and on since the late 70s.

Bill

type
 

i've always been a bit of an historian as well as an archaeologist.
after taming the Monster, i had so many more questions than i ever had and knew it was time to fill in the various historical trajectories, wrestle with each mystery, and touch and know each treasure along the way.
with around 130 or so types, i'm now about a millionth along the way--loving each moment and in no hurry---since you can't really hurry when you're a millionth along the way.
best,
barry

Hey Leon, what is the approximate number to complete your "set"? In other words, how many ACC designation issues are there before 1950? Just curious to how big such a set would be.

Type collecting
 

Started out with wide range collecting habits and over the years, realized I needed a more simple focus. This turned into collecting the city in which I have lived, played ball, and grew up in for nearly 40 years. This has also allowed me not to get consumed by this hobby and also keeps my budget in balance, so to speak. Finally, I have learned more about the history behind baseball in my area and find it fascinating... Always something new to learn and in addition, I have yet to finish my Nashville type collection. I am down to less than 5 card/premiums types, and I sorta like it. It has been a 10 year investment of time and money, but a heck of a lot of fun!

the number
 

There are a couple of very common issues I just haven't picked up yet but are readily available at anytime. I just haven't found the right cards yet, plus, until I get the few really tough ones, it doesn't really matter too much to me. I usually think of my number to finish as "2", D351 and D355. regards

But if someone else were to contemplate taking on a "type collection" with every ACC issue before 1950, what would that number be?

depends
 

It depends if you want to include backs, variations etc....But if you just want 1 card from each ACC # (and I only do 20th century now) going back to the N's, I would guess it would be a few hundred. I have never counted though. I sort of doubt anyone has finished it before. Plus, there are probably as many that aren't cataloged that would need to be had also. It's really almost endless if you want it to be :).

It is too expensive to try and build(with completion) many prewar sets, for me. A few from as many sets as possible seems more rewarding and fun.

Frank

You are just our type
 

We have been collectors of high condition type cards
1860's- 1949 (and select mid-50's regional issues) since 1975

We picked type collecting because it afforded us the opportunity to secure the best possible example extant from each individual issue.

Our interest in type collecting was concomitant with our interest in studying the organizations that issued the cards; the historical aspects, if any, of said issue,and it provided an insight into 19th century and early 20th marketing. As founders of two advertising companies- the connection between baseball and advertising is very important to us.

Today we have over 300 different type cards with an average grade of 7.5. We have more than 20 different baseball cards and postcards which represent the highest grade (often 1 of 1) of any card in the set.

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List
bdorskind@dorskindgroup.

If you have rare high grade type cards for sale....we're ready to work with you.

Thanks for the responses, keep em coming.
 

Frank mentioned cost, I wondered if anyone was going to bring that up. That was one of the main reasons that I am considering going the type collector route. I figure if you are going to try to collect sets, no matter what set you are trying to complete, you are eventually going to run into the HOFers that you need to complete the set, and that means you are going to put out some serious money. While it would be nice to have some HOF cards in my collection, I don't have to have them to do a type collection.

Also, I think another factor for me would be the patience involved in trying to put together a set. I don't know if I can stay motivated to try to put together the same set for years.

Commons bore me...

I like Exhibitman's comment.

For me, it's that what is that reaction I have when I see a different card for this first time. It's not an overwhelming feeling, but it's, hey, that's different....and interesting.

For me its the pure fun of variety...and like Leon stated...you can pretty much branch out to whatever you want from there... Bruce brought out the point of studying about the manufacturer of the cards and their history...that's another fun thing too...to learn about the history behind the cards.. I tend to go for eye appeal of each type card I acquire and so its a mix of HOF and common players..as I said before..I never get bored.. and I occasionally swap out a type card and replace it with another one if I see something I like better. :)

What a great question.

When I first got into vintage, I was sort of all over the place. It was like a kid in a candy store - so many different things. I thought early on that I'd collect 20's kinds of issues because actual photographs are so cool. But then I realized that I much preferred the colors even if the image was not photographic.

So I just sort of merged into type collecting without having consciously decided to do so. It gave me the ability to indulge in every new cool thing I saw, in a way.

I'm a huge Tigers fan, so I decided to go for a Detroit player from every set. I was able to include the really great-looking minor league sets like Obak and Zeenut by getting a card of any player that had, at some time during his career, played for Detroit. This gave me a good balance between being focused and actually working toward something (Detroit players from pre-war sets) while also being able to get a wide variety of looks - I could by the latest cool thing I saw.

I could never actually get a DTW player from each set - Leon's quest has demonstrated how extremely impossible some of these sets can be. But I have liked trying, even though I've been sitting on my money lately have haven't bought a card in awhile.

Joann

Joann, that is pretty much exactly my plan, at least here at the beginning, I'm sure my focus will change down the road. I thought I would try to get a few types, but also slowly try to work on something like a Cardinals t206 team subset. I also thought about trying to get a Cardinals player from each set like you did with the Tigers. But I would like to get some other stuff too, so I guess that's the beauty of collecting types....you can change any time you want.

Troey, that is the same way I'm working on my prewar collection. I started out with trying to create a type set for my favorite team - the Chicago White Sox (as shown in my sigline). I'm closing in on 50 different types right now, and I'm having a blast!

After I got a couple of T206's, I decided to try and build a team set with an extra challenge of each card having a different back (either by brand or factory designation). I have also decided to build a T205 team set, and a 1941 Goudey team master set as well.

Hope that you will keep us up to date on your set building...good luck, and have fun with it!

When I resurrected my childhood 1954-60 Topps/Bowman collection in the 1980s, I first began completing these sets and other 1950s-60s sets. But, when I discovered the existence of pre-War vintage cards, I soon lost interest in this endeavor. Rather, I decided to collect type cards, because I liked variety and I didn't have the resources to try to complete many of the pre-War sets. And, I get a tremendous thrill from adding a type card from a very scarce set to my collection, even if the type card is in poor condition and not worth much (e.g., the 1917 Merchants Bakery card in the recent B&L Auction - lot #281).

Being a life-long Washington fan, to make it interesting, I decided to try to obtain cards of my favorite players - W. Johnson, S. Rice, M. Vernon, and P. Runnels - for my type cards. For sets in which these players do not appear, I look to obtain another Wash. player, or at least a player who played for Wash. at some point during his career.

Along the way, I have branched out a bit to work on a few Wash. team sets - e.g., N172, E120, M101-4/5, Holland Creameries, etc. - and I recently added E. Rixey cards.

One of the best aspects of this hobby is that there are so many different ways to collect!
Val

I will definitely let you know when I finish the Cardinals team set....minus O'Hara St. Louis, I won't be dropping that kind of money on cards, lol. I've got the first two, Billy Gilbert (SGC 40) and Jack Bliss (PSA 3). I figure I can try to keep it in VG condition and above. I'm on a limited budget to say the least, so I am going to try to keep it under $50 per card as much as possible. From what I've seen, I might have to go over $50 for Bresnahan. I welcome any tips and feedback, so keep the suggestions coming. Thanks for the responses.

For me it was a way to introduce more variety while keeping a core theme. At first I picked my favorite portrait of each HOFer. And, I ended up with several examples of '53 Topps, '33 Goudeys, and T205s - three of my favorite issues. Swapping them out to pick up new types was challenging, fun and educational. I learned of new sets I didn't know existed. The T205s and T206s helped me gain an appreciation for back collectors. I like how type collections represent the changes we've witnessed in the hobby/game of baseball - the variety of products advertised, colors, equipment, technology, photography, etc.

RustyWilly's Portraits - The Types

Variety is the spice of life! Who said that? As a HOF collector, I always opt for the type of card that I have the least examples of (or no examples of - even better!), when I'm looking to acquire a specific player. Of course, other concerns come into play, such as cost, early vs. late career, eye appeal, etc. But I love displaying all of the different varieties together. Just more interesting to me.

Question for type collector experts:

Where can you get a good online version of the ACC? The only version I could find was the wikipedia one, which has many omissions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Card_Catalog

Also, since there are so many issues that do not have ACC designations, is there a list online which lists every issue?

online?
 

Except for my online collection, which has most of the ACC#'s in order (not all, but most) I am not aware of any online versions of the ACC.

I am sure I have never seen any lists, paper or virtual, that have all known issues. I am not sure it's even possible :). Good question.....

Two good references for you are OldCardboard.com (linked at the top of the forum) and VintageCardPrices.com. VCP records sales of graded pre-war cards, so it is a very good reference for player checklists. It is free unless you want to see the prices.