Buying a Complete Set - Good or Bad?
 

I was looking at auctions sites and came accross this:

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...Set-(518%2f524)

A near complete set of graded T-206 cards. Personally I would never want to buy a whole set in one lot. A large part of the fun is the thrill of the hunt. What are your thoughts or experiences?

I, too, love the thrill of the hunt but would buy the set and spend my time "hunting" for upgrades.

IMO this is something for a financial investor .... and those types of collectors are becoming more and more popular. They aren't into the "thrill of the hunt" as most of us here are. They just want to buy, store, and sell later at a profit.

Personally, I wouldn't do it.... although I have bought groups of 20-30-40 T206's at one time .... I don't think I would ever buy the whole set all at once..... that's just not my thing.

I am not a set collector but voted yes because of this sentiment too....Buy groups, upgrade, sell the rest...party on.

Even if I wanted to, there is no way I could come up with the cash to buy a set. I'm content with buying a card or two at a time as I can afford. Will take longer but the complete set will come.

Not that I could afford this set, but usually buying sets or near sets is the most economical way to go about it, and typically much cheaper than buying one by one. Even if you got this set, you would not necessarily be done since you could still upgrade certain cards and go for different back runs.

Be fun to be a part of partnership on a set like this. Is anybody putting one together by chance?

Best,

Andy

I prefer the hunt so i vote No

the journey is the reward, but with this set buying it complete would only be the start. Backs and upgrades could take you forever and give plenty of opportunities for the hunt.

I bought about 450 different T206's at one time, culled out the ones I wanted for my collection (only about 30) and sold the rest. Didn't miss them at all - never thought of them as part of the T206 set quest.

How did you choose the 30?

Bought a fairly substantial W572 set from a board member, separated out the dupes and kept the best for my collection. My set is now up to 93 cards out of 121

Bet that felt good!

I'm building a set of 'not normal' T206's. The commons have to have something odd about them (print freaks, non-common back, etc). Cards that aren't commons just need to be great examples, but then I upgrade if I can find a 'weird' one. All of this is within my condition parameters: great color and registration, generally 'no sharp corners'.

It's all personal preferences.

I agree. For me it is about having one copy of each. Condition is unimportant.

I've never heard anyone say this before, but for players with multiple cards, I go for the one that's the most interesting, and that's it. There are exceptions, but you have to find a way to tackle this thing, and this is my method.

This^

Takes all the fun out it when bought completed already.

Speaking of.....hey Nelson I'm still waiting for you to send me a PM with a price on that Plank of yours :D

Financially it makes all the sense in the world. But if you buy a complete set, the usual best thing to do is to break it to maximize profit. That's some mighty fancy shootin' there, irony.

As a collector, buying a preassembled set should be reserved to the current year of Topps, IMO.

Yep.....

I can't specifically speak to the T206 set, but in my own quest to build a postwar vintage set, I find that sets have a few problems:

-nearly all are overgraded.
-centering on many cards is attrocious. Even in the PSA 7 collections I've seen, its like the original person who assembled the set cheaped out and bought poorly centered cards of the star or big name players.
-whats the fun of buying a entire set rather than build it.
-I'm finding that its cheaper to build my own set. This is contrary to whats supposed to happen, but very nice raw cards can be had for much less than "book" value(this I'm guessing is not true of the T206's)

Scott.....
 

I see the "freak-eeee-ness" is with you......party on my son:)....good luck with your quest is a most admirable one:D

I would like your left overs;)

Financially...buying a complete set should be less expensive...but it depends on the set...and the time...and the venue! The few(very few) vintage sets I've completed...e90-2(11 cards) and e94(30) cards...the thrill of the hunt was fun and exciting(albeit frustrating at times)...and it makes you appreciate the intricacies and nuances of a set more.

I also like the idea of buying larger lots(complete sets) and keeping some...selling the rest and upgrading that way!

Personally I could never attempt a large set like t206...too many commons!!!!

I did this with my recently completed 54 Topps set. I'd buy lots of 40-50 cards, keep the 10-15 I needed, and sell the rest.

I was part of a group a few years ago involving a set. Man was it fun! I attempted to put a group together on this set, but it fell through.:(

Buying complete sets takes away too much of the fun for me. I do however, often purchase card lots to help me along the way while selling what I don't need.

I have to think it's virtually unheard of to complete the t206 set one card at a time?! I would have to think most...if not everyone who has completed it has purchased some lots of cards...ideally some large lots!!!!

I guess I am one of the crazy ones putting it together one card at a time. I am up to 381 (all SGC50 or better) and have done it without buying a single lot. I have been collecting it for 7 years now and my plan was to have it finished in 10 years.....I would say that I am still on pace to accomplish that.

I bet your set will be a beauty when it's finished! You're about to hit the 400's...good luck the rest of the way :)

Do you happen to have any remaining '54 dupes? I'm looking for raw commons in EX or better condition.. my list is still pretty long, 100+. Please shoot me a PM if you do, thanks

The thrill of the hunt in completing the T206 (minus the Big 4) was fantastic and most of my sets are put together this way but you must balance the cost of card by card vs. a reduced rate getting the whole set. If you have the money- get a set and upgrade, if not, card by card is the way to go.
I've purchased some post war sets as a set and then upgraded but on pre-war, it's always card by card.
tbob