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scott brockelmanthe main idea of the tobacco and caramel card marketers was to entice the buyer to try and complete the set or sets they were issuing. many time they complicated matters AND pumped up sales with short prints, skip numbered series and even the occasional non-issued card to create the "chase cards" of the early 20th century.
i have always been of the opinion that each set should be collected in it's entirety. you can also go to the extreme and collect variations, both catalogued and others(such as back combinations, print variations, etc).
while type collecting is great for a broad spectrum presentation of various issues, set collecting is as tough or tougher. rare type cards are hard to find and so are no name commons of many sets. to each the thrill of the hunt is reason for pushing on.
i have completed T201,204,205(no hobby-no stats), T206 sans wagner, T207, t209 color, T212 09's & 11's, quit on 1910's about 10 cards short. in a couple of sets i have traded one or 2 cards away and now need a replacement. still workin on T209 B&W's T210's and T211's. E cards, i have completed, E95 & 96, and am close on E93, 94, 97 & 107. also have M116 complete. the reason i point these out is the endless hours of hunting for the last few commons was extreme and quite a relief/victory when that final hole was plugged.
type collecting is mostly about the amount of money you have to spend, set collecting is about the amount of time and patience and commitment you have, to do it like the kids of the early 1900's.
scott