It sounds cliche' and generic...but I buy cards cards that I like. Old, new, Gem, ragged out. My cards span the entire grading scale! LOL! That can mean anything from a card that has a really cool action shot, or maybe just a great picture of a particular player or players. It can be a HOF superstar or a common that I have never heard of. Sports or otherwise(although 99% of my cards are something sports related). I don't recommend this to anyone else, but it usually works for me!