I think there's room for both types of collectors. And for both types of cards in a collection. There's also room for a third sort of collector.
Having collected fairly constantly since the late 70's but always on a budget my collection includes some very nice cards and some really beat ones. And if I had to pick say 20 cards to keep, it would probably be 50/50 between nice and beat. I have a fair appreciation for the players, but obviously need a bit of studying on the older ones.
One of the things I find cool is the different ways people collect. Some go for condition, some the opposite. Some only HOF players some only one player. The different collections are endless. And I admire the focus some people can sustain.
The third type of collector? Those are the ones that know a good deal about the players AND look for cards in fantastic condition. We usually only get to see bits of those collections, but what we see is wonderful, inspiring, and humbling all at once. Sort of like going to a good museum, or seeing the work of a great artist up close. I think there are a few more collectors like that here than most places.
Some of the best threads are the ones where someone shows an item and explains why it's incredibly cool to them. The director of the Smithsonian wrote a column for the magazine that was like that, different item each month some national treasures, some just really interesting. It was the first part I read.
If all someone wants is the best of some particular set assembling the finest known examples verified by grading, that's fine too. Even if that's all they care about.
Steve B
|