Anyone else do this....
 

Probably crazy for most set builders, but I sort all my sets by team. Even if I'm close or complete on a set there's just something about having a whole team set together as opposed to numerically. Didn't always do it this way, did as a kid and re-discovered I just like it better this way, maybe due to the fact I'm not a completist on most sets anymore :D

I haven't sorted by teams since the days of rubber bands and shoeboxes.

I do for Yankees and really enjoy it

Sorting
 

I am in the same boat as Jeff. As a set builder I would always worry I had missed one :-)

How do you keep/store/display them ?

Depending on the year either in binders, penny's, or ultra pro's. Again, most of my set building days are behind me so I don't really worry about lists and such any more, just enjoy shuffling thru years by team as I feel like it.

Shifting
 

And that's the important thing, to enjoy your collection

That's funny..just the other day a friend of mine that collects sets made the decision to go back in and organize them by teams. Now I come read this...

I think its a great idea...I agree with others, couldn't do it until it was complete, but I totally get it. I did this by team in my youth...would be a cool way to mix it up a bit!

Is there another way?
 

I have been collecting for 56 years and can't imagine sorting my sets any other way. Pre- and post-war, Topps, Bowmans, Ts, Es, Rs, all organized by team except the sets that don't show team affiliations (V100 is the worst for this).

It would solve another issue I have...I love sets that start with the Leader cards of the year, 64, 65, 68, 69....sets like 66 do not, and so on. Organizing by team could allow me to sort the Leaders up front...hmm...got me thinking! Lol...

Ha! Acutally I remember doing that as a kid...when I went to visit my best friend who moved to another town, he had all of his 1972 Topps Cards arranged by teams in alphabetical order in a large flat tray....I liked that so much I had it displayed like that for awhile...then went to back to 1-660 in 1973...

Ricky Y

I organize all my sets alphabetically so I can find a plater fast.[/I]

Sets
 

What about mixed star cards, like 1962 Manager's Dream ? :)

Was just thinking about that while reading the thread: All-Star cards, multiple-player rookie cards, multiple-player league leaders, etc.

It's all about the teams, put 'em where you want LOL This could drive an organized set builder to drink....:sly:

What bothers me more is a player in his old teams uniform on his new teams card :banghead:

Wow, I thought I was the only person crazy enough to do this!

And...I'll go you one better. Since starting collecting in 1967, I have always arranged my baseball sets by team and the teams by league. Within each league I arrange them by the standings from that year (i.e. in 1975 the Reds went first in the NL West, the Phils first in the NL East, etc.) The special cards (league leaders, World Series, All-Star cards) would go in between the two leagues and the Checklists go at the end.

And on top of that...each team is arranged based on their starting line-up: Team card first, Manager next, then the three starting outfielders followed by the infielders (in order- 1st, 2nd, SS, 3rd), the catcher and the "main" (most successful, best record, or most used) starting pitcher.

Then come the most used fielders followed by the remaining pitchers, starters then relievers and finally the multi-player cards ("Casey Teaches", "Cards Clubbers") and the multi-player rookie cards.

When I first started, I would know the line-ups every year during the season, but as I branched out into older sets this would take a lot more energy; you had to go to the library and find a baseball encyclopedia to get the info.

Now it's all easy using the internet. I've also started printing a standings page with league standings, award-winners and play-off/world series results to go at the beginning of each year's set.

Is this complusive behavior? Collector mania? A big waste of time?

Nah, you're good :D

ALR-Bishop:
I started organizing like this with my 1961 set in pages/album. All individual player cards are alphabetical. So my friends say: "Hey Tom, do you have a 1961 Roger Maris card?" Easy to find. Then I have a section of pages of only team cards-alphabetical. The Sporting News All-Stars-Alpha again. I then have the League Leaders in numerical order. Then Hi-Lights in numerical order. Because there are not so many of them. Should I put my Mantle next to Mantle All-Star? Maybe. My 1958 set I am working on has the same issue as you mention with Manager's Dream. I put all the multi-player cards near the end. Though just last week, I thought about taking a pen, and cross out the players' names on the multi player cards and then writing 'MULTI-PLAYER CARDS" on the fronts, then putting them in number order. Still wresting with this. Do I use a BIC or a Sharpie?

Adjusrting cards
 

No. Just go to Office Max and get some of those little round or square white sticky things and paste them over the nonconformative areas of the cards. Then label them how you want them, in pencil in case you later change your mind on how you want them designated, or change the way you organize them :)

I don't collect sets [can't stand commons] but when I get a bunch of cards from specific issues and years I try to arrange them in my albums by team, especially when Topps used a distinctive design or color scheme for each team. I guess that qualifies.

Yes, it does! I was doing my 72s today, what a jumble. Sorted by team, awesome!

I like this idea, but using a pencil eraser to remove the colors works better.:)