Pick one- #1 set OR only set
 

I have been looking through a few of the current auctions and noticed a handful of PSA #1 sets on the current Legendary auction. A few of them are sets that I hadn't seen before, I checked and they are actually the only set of their kind on the registry. (I know other sets are possible that just haven't been graded)

My question is- Which would be more attractive to you as a collector?

1) To own the only complete set of a particular set of cards.
2) To own the top graded set of a particular set of cards.

To keep it fair we would have to assume the value of the two sets are equal.

ideas?

The ONLY one.

If I have to pick one, the only one.
Not my way to collect though.

The only one. It would be neat to show it off.

Cards are like women, I'll take odd over pretty any day!
I know this is not as tough as the things most of you all have, but it is in my top 3 favorite cards.

Hope all is well,
Bob

<a href="http://s588.photobucket.com/albums/ss329/upperhandisforemost/Eddie%20Collins%20cards/?action=view&amp;current=T206CarolinaBrightsCollin sFront.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss329/upperhandisforemost/Eddie%20Collins%20cards/T206CarolinaBrightsCollinsFront.jpg" border="0" alt="T206 Carolina Bright Collins Front"></a>

Bob
 

Great card Bob! I love Carolina Brights, one of the nicest backs in my opinion.

Tony

Depends
 

It depends ....

I think I would rather have the only one if it was a rare set rather then the #1of a very common set.

To gather any truely rare set takes time and true interest, if you have the money you can go out and buy the best of a set.

James g

easy question...

The only one.

can I get a vote for E107?

If I was a set collector, E107 would get my vote, Brian! Seems like the last I heard on this board, someone was within six or ten cards or so away from the only complete set.

Larry

PS: Nice, tough card, Bob! It would fit in quite nicely with my little band of hall-of-famers.

To own the only

The only one.

It depends why it would be the only set - if it is due to rarity, then sure, but if it is an obscure set with minimal interest, then maybe the #1 set is more appealing.

I'd be a fan of owning the only one. Ostensibly, if it was that rare, you wouldn't have to worry about someone else completing one. If you're a set registry guy (which I'm not) I imagine you always have someone breathing down your back making trades to improve their rank.

I'd go with only as well.

I'm actually there with one nonsport set. Unfortunately it's pretty much ungradeable since they're all hand cut. And apparently almost every card from that set is handcut. It's both rare and obscure, so it's not particularly expensive.

I've also been told it may be the only set known to be completed. A big surprise to me on a roughly 100 year old set.

And yes, it's realy cool to look at a set that's the only one.

Steve B

set preferences
 

While it may be true that having the only set of something feels great, I think that what I enjoy most about being a collector is the fun of the chase. If a set is not available, it becomes uncollectible. Coupling this uncollectibility with the fact that you can't really share your pursuit of the set with fellow collectors who have the same interest. That is why the most popular sets are those that are readily available or at least have enough available copies to put several sets together.

Being #1 isn't terribly important to me, however I also do not want to be the only person collecting a certain set. I have found in my pursuit of the 1933 Goudey set, that it helps to have fellow collector's trying to obtain the same goal. I have done many trades and have had good information shared with me about that set. To me that is what the hobby is all about.

The only set
 

I'm really not a set collector. The only set I currently have is the E90-2 Pirates set from the Lionel Carter collection.

If I was to own a set, the E107 or the Just So Tobacco would be my top 2 choices.

Tony

i'm in the only camp too.....

if you complete a set of which only one example is available, you can register it and have the top set too :)

For me it would have to be the only set as well.

Thanks for all the replies. It seems like most people are in the same boat.
The only reason that I thought there might be people going the other way (as Robextend mentioned)-
Having the only set would mean that most people hadn't even heard of the cards, I thought more people would want something that was a little more known/mainstream.