[Ronnie73]

Welcome to the group. The best advice I can give you and anyone else that's just starting to collect the T206 set is to take things slow. Collecting this set is not a race to the finish line, but more of a marathon, even though there are a few collectors that might make it feel like a race, especially when you see so many pictures of cards that others have. You will actually start to notice that the fun part is in the hunt and not the completion. Study the set as much as you can, and search ebay's sold listings for the certain cards that you are looking to aquire. This way you can see the range in prices for a certain grade or condition you would be happy with. Split the prices up, by card back, because the card back is just as important as the player on the front. Once you have an idea of the price range for a certain card, with a certain back, and in a grade you prefer, then you are ready to search for that card and know what you should pay for it, when one comes along. If it's an auction, you will know the maximum you should pay. If you win the card for less, then you know you made a good purchase. If you get outbid, and it's a common back, just wait for the next one. With common back cards, there's plenty to go around. The last thing you want to do is over pay for a card. An exception would be if it's the last card you need to finish a certain group, and you keep getting outbid when one shows up. That's when you need to adjust the high side of the range to pay. So basically, study the sold prices, and do your best to pay within that range.

The second piece of advice that I can share is to only purchase ebay Buy It Now cards, if it's within your buy range. Usually they are priced higher than where an auction will end up at. Always ask around if the seller of a Buy It Now card, is a member of Net54. Because you will most likely get a better price working a deal off of ebay, because you will save on taxes and the seller will save on fee's, and that will allow them to come down on the price.

The last piece of advice I can share, is to have fun. You should always be enjoying the hobby. If you find yourself getting stressed out, or spending too much, where you put yourself into a financial bind, then it's time to stop, take a few steps back, and evaluate the situation. If you realize that you need to take a break or even sell your cards, if you bought within the range, then you should be able to sell within that same range and come out of the set with little to no loss. The only exception is if you are trying to sell quickly, then you are more likely to lose money on your investment.

I hope this information makes some sence and is helpful to you and others just getting started.