A T206 set question....Yes...another one!
 

I have seen numerous posts from people who have decided to tackle the monster or are in various stages of collecting the set but I had a question about the cost of doing so. Since I have collected sportscards for nearly 40 years and have had a few T cards in my collection through the years I have been curious about the cost of assembling the T206 set.

So lets say for arguements sake I wanted to compile the full set, minus the big three with only the most common backs available for each card. And lets also say I wanted to complete the set with cards that have the best eye appeal I could get in a PSA or SGC 1 condition (cards dont have to be graded...just setting expectations of the type of condition I am looking at). What would I reasonable expect to pay when all is said and done for this set after putting it together?

Now I know there is no set price for the set itself but what is a ball park estimate to compile the set with the parameters I have mentioned if I purchased cards one by one. I am really curious to see just how daunting of a task this might be.

minus the big 3, so you want the price with the magie?
Just to start with magie,demmitt and o'hara in AUTH or 1 grade you have for arround 6500$ for these 3 cards. For the low grade common player, my advice is buy raw cards. You can look at arround 13 to 20 $ for comon low grade player. For The SL and the HOF it is more difficult to put a price. SL will go for arround 35 to ? .....

I didn't track it carefully, but i expect had I done so and adjusted the cards I got from way back when at cheap to today's prices, I would imagine I have $15000-$17,500 or so in my low grade set of 520. I got some good buys and also some that weren't all that great. Add $5500 for a low grade Magie if you want to go that route.

My set is low grade...but not unpresentable. I constantly try to upgrade the worst of the bunch.

For the Magie 5500 is for a graded 1 according to me.... i think with patience it is possible to find a magie AUTH with nice eyes appeal for 4000-4500 ...

super duper quick math ...

~500 cards averaging $25 each = $12,500

Add in extra $ for the Cobbs + Demmitt + O'Hara, so minus the big 3 probably $15k in lower grade?

Excellent question...Yes, Without the Magie.

Again, I am really just curious as to the basic cost of this set as someone who is nothing more than an average collector with limited funds. While I am asking for my own knowledge I am sure others out there might also be interested in this as well. Is assembling this set within reach of an average collector who doesnt have big bucks. Can it be done for less than 10K in the condition I described? ( I assume not) 20K? More?

Thank you for the responses. I assumed a presentable set was not attainable for 10K or under but it seems under 20K would be reasonable. Especially when you take into consideration maybe spreading out the set building for 10 to 15 years as I tend to do with something of this size.

I just dont think I can pull the trigger on a card for 4K plus so I am going to have to forget about the Magie if I decide to go after this set. My wife would pull the trigger on me if I spent that much on a card and she found out about it!! LOL

I'm nearly 150 cards into this quest now. About half of my cards are graded and the nicest one is a PSA 4. Most are much less, but all have great eye appeal on the fronts. Some are missing large chunks of the backs, but I don't really care.

Hoping to get all said and done around $20k by 2030. =)

Ok so without the Magie. I think for 15 to 18 it is possible to build a 520 cards set.

Figure if its around $15k, and you plan to take 10-15 years thats about $1k a year. $100/mo = $25/week so a card a week!

You can definitely do it for under $20,000 for the basic 518 cards, but you will have to settle for some very poor cards along the way, and you won't be able to get any rare backs. You will pay at least $1,000 each for Demmitt and O'hara St. Louis variations, which takes you to 520 cards. The big 4 (which includes the original Big 3 plus the Doyle NY Nat'l) would be impossible on the budget you describe.
But I wish you good luck. I have really enjoyed putting together my collection.