[frankhardy]

I guess you would say that I am a completionist. Although my main focus is Cardinals team sets, my secondary focus is on Topps base and traded sets.

Currently I have completed 2013 Topps down to 1969 Topps. At one time I got a pretty good start on a 1952 Topps, but it was getting very expensive very quickly, so that one is on hold indefinitely. I have decided to go in reverse order. Right now, I have the 1968 Topps set about 75% complete. I go at these complete sets a little at a time. I will probably have the 1968 Topps set completed by the summer.

I do exactly what another poster said - I buy large lots and the sell off the duplicates in order to fund the next set. I pretty much got my 1969 for nothing.

On vintage sets, I do not worry about condition. My 1969 Topps set is in VG to VG-EX. As the sets get newer, the condition gets better. My 1970 and 1971 sets average about EX to EXMT...I think you get the picture. Once I have to start getting those expensive Mantle cards, low grade won't bother me at all.