Upgrading is satisfying, don't you think?
 

There is something very satisfying about buying a mid-grade set and slowly upgrading it card by card, weeding out soft cornered/creased/oc cards with a nicer version and replacing its inferior counterpart. Kinda like weeding your back yard, anyone else appreciate this aspect of card collecting, if so which set?

I agree. I have been doing that with my 1933 and 1934 Goudey sets as well as my 1948 Bowman set. It is nice when sometimes the monetary difference is only a few bucks and you feel you have really improved your overall set.

Yes, took about ten years assembling a '52 Bowman set in just that way. It was the set I most fondly recalled from childhood, so a labor of love. Like many Bowman sets, registration of the image was a very common problem. Don't know how many times I found a near mint card at a show, thinking it would really upgrade my collection, only to get it home and compare it to my vg/ex filler to find that it was slightly out of register and the image not as sharp as the other card - frustrating, but you could go on trying to perfect a set that way into eternity - or as long as you last.

And just what do you do with all those weeded out, soft corner cards?
Yes, it is a serious question.

Upgrading
 

I have a Topps set run that is ungraded and in binders. When adding variations/errors to my sets, or just browsing through one, I will sometimes spot a particular card that I decide should be upgraded. I then make the mistake of looking more closely at cards around it and it becomes obsessive, particularly in the pre 1971 sets which were mostly assembled via packs or few cards at a time. But once in awhile I go all in in upgrading one of them in general. I find the process both satisfying and maddening at the same time

love it
 

The trouble is as I upgrade I keep the lower grade cards then the few become 1/4 set then 1/2 set then I have another full set.Then I keep upgrading set 1 moving the lesser quality cards down to set 2.Them the few of upgraded upgraded(!!) cards become a 1/4 set then 1/2 set then I have 3 sets etc etc. That is the reason why I have 6 full sets and 3 "on the go" sets of Davy Crockett Orange backs. Hi my name is Tony and I am a CARDOHOLIC

I do just the opposite: I am downgrading my postwar cards to low-cost cards I can put into a binder and enjoy without all the slabs and money worries. upgrade or down, it is all about what you find to be the most enjoyable way to collect, after all is said and done.

upgrade
 

I think upgrading is a waste of money and time, if you buy a set or assemble a set in an eye pleasing shape..that should be good enough, use your card money on stuff you dont have yet.
Ive actually downgrade many of my cards... if I have a VG set of 1962T...and I find a NM high value star card..I will look to sell it or trade a 2 for 1 if possible

Even the small number of replies suggests that it's completely a matter of taste. I personally love upgrading. I ran after a 1948 Leaf set and completed it in just about 8-9 months, but as you can imagine, they're all not the same grade. Right now they're kind of all over the map, but for me, I got to 'pat myself on the back' along the way by having a complete set. Now I can go back and make the set more consistent.

Yup, it's more expensive that way, but then again, what's the point of just, say, going out and buying the entire Leaf set thru an REA auction? Might as well buy some municipal bonds!

You're absolutely right there: I can't imagine why any hobbyist, or anyone other than a dealer selling broken sets or a speculator, would want to buy a complete set. It goes against the basic concept of collecting.

Upgrading player collection
 

Interestingly I collect Roberto Clemente cards and memorabilia - I LOVE upgrading unusual or rare cards. Regular issues are far too plentiful for me to care. Even more exciting is uncovering variations or issues I never knew existed!

While I agree with the basic principle of getting what you can to complete a set and then upgrading it later, I have never ever done it that way. All of my years collecting -- both as a kid and later as an adult -- I have never bought a single card to upgrade one I already own.

Regards,

Richard.

Boy Al I sure can relate...I sometimes upgrade my 1970-79 Topps sets that way...I think I'm okay with a card...then I notice something I didn't like...my pet peeve is tilted cards....OC top to bottom, left to right don't bother me too much unless its like 90/10....

Ricky

Interesting, the two widely varying sides to this, psychologically speaking. I wonder if it's just fussy perfectionists versus no-frills fundamentalists, or something more complex.

There is a middle road, so to speak, which is consistency. I don't really care whether the cards are ex or mint, as long as they are visually appealing and consistent throughout my holdings. I will frequently get rid of cards that are below or above the average for the issue I am collecting in order to arrive at a consistent visual presentation for the set.

I think that's an great point. I've seen plenty of examples of VG cards with excellent overall eye appeal for a fraction of the price of the same cards in EX condition that don't have the same overall high end appearance. If I can get a lower grade, visually appealing card and save some money in the process, then that's the route I'm going. :D

When high-end collectors upgrade their cards, those cards are upgrades for middle-grade collectors, whose cards then turn into upgrades for us low-end collectors!

Congrats!

Trickle-down card collecting, huh?

Everything comes down to preference and financial ability. Those collectors that have fallen in love with a set or two and have decided to make those sets their specialty, are more likely to upgrade. While on the other hand, people that are more interested in "say" a complete Topps run(as example, basically compiling as opposed to perfection) are more likely to downgrade, and get the "2 for 1" deal as someone mentioned earlier. Personally, I'm a compiler and am not really that condition sensitive. I love the beaters. Eye appeal is somewhat important, BUT it's not that often I come across a card I don't find appealing. My father on the other hand is one of the condition/upgrade guys. His '54 Bowman football set is rather nice(5th current finest psa), and I've watched him over the years make many upgrades, and sometimes downgrade for a better looking card or in trades for multiple cards(that while downgrading the main card also upgraded a handful of others as part of the trade), only to upgrade again. It seems like fun, but also alot of work. I've often considered picking a specialty set, but I'm too indecisive. Maybe I have ADD or something..

I am a set & player collector, my upgrading really depends on the set-

On a few tough sets like 1926 and 1933 Exhibts I am just happy to get a card in any grade, I like to upgrade but only if the price is right or my first card is really bad. Now I will pay up for a mid grade if its a card I need.

On other more common sets like 1934-37 Exhibits, I am trying to get them all in the VG range, in these cases many times I will sell any high grades ones I get and downgrade. I also make a point of upgrading any P-G cards.

On a newer set like 1947-66 Exhibits, I am working to get the set in EX-MT, I have sold off lots of cards in the NM+ range and upgrade my lower conditions but I watch the cost a lot. I do not see much value in upgrading a card from a PSA 5 to a 6 but I would pay up to go from a PSA 3 to a 6.

On my Clemente cards, I really like to get a nice solid example but any top graded cards I get I would rather sell/trade to the top two Clemente collectors for other Clemente cards I need. I get so much more satisifaction at just getting a card I need or discovering a new card vs upgrading.

I do not have a set that I am trying to get in top condition (nothing above ex-mt other than Clementes), It is just not my cup of tea, I would rather save that money for other cards I want.