Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoebox
I got started collecting as a kid in the late 80s and with the explosion of brands and sets in the 90s I never even considered set building. I would buy a pack or two of whatever was new on the shelf, occasionally, a hot insert, or a rookie that was exclusive to a set would keep me buying more. I didn't really get introduced to set collecting until the late 90s. I tried it a little but it's not something that has ever 'stuck' for me. I wonder if that is a generational thing driven by the era where I began collecting? Are more of the age 30-45 collectors than I realize set builders? It seems much more prevalent among those that got their start in the Topps dominated era.
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I definitely think it may be generational. I was opening packs in 78, 79 and early 80s and like others said, the whole neighborhood of kids were as well, and we were all trying to complete our sets. I remember a FIERCE battle I had in 1981 trying to trade ANYTHING extra I had for Gene Richards (Padres) card. No one in the neighborhood had it...I SWEAR it was single printed. Kid got one at school and he knew several wanted it...I got it, last card in my set.
The mid 90s and even today there are so many inserts ect, what is a set anymore? My 11 year old is trying to collect the 2016 set through packs and with so many special cards it makes it distracting. He likes stars and players he knows...so I would agree with you...generational BUT only because of the way the companies came to market...imho