Time or money?
if you don't care about condition it should be pretty quick to get very close, Maybe set-8 or 10.
Going with all low grade cards, figure $15-20 for commons 75-100 for typical HOF players, and maybe 50-100 for Southern leaguers. It can be done cheaper if you're patient and good at hunting for or negotiating for bargains.
So 15-22 thousand for the easy ones. The next 6-8 will be tougher and more expensive.
But as you get into them you'll start looking at backs. And the badly trimmed or creased cards might become less appealing. Especially once you get that one really nice one....
Geez I just realized how little it would have cost when I started collecting. And how much junk I spent that money on..... Ah well, there's also a bunch of stuff I didn't buy that's worse junk than what I did buy, and it's all been fun so far.
Steve B