[the 'stache]

Welcome to the forum, Coninefan.

That's a lofty goal. You're going to spend a bloody fortune on those. But the Harper and Giancarlo Stanton cards are a nice start.

Certain cards right now are really on fire, and I can't tell you which way they're going to go. For instance, the 2009 Chrome Mike Trout auto is way up there. It was as high as $500 a couple of weeks ago, and it looks like the last one sold for $400. I got mine last year before the season started for $99. It might come down, but if keeps hitting the way he did his rookie season, it might go up more.

Some guys you might want to consider buying now before they become stars:

2012 Bowman Chrome Oscar Taveras auto (tough to find a really clean auto. I got lucky)
2012 Bowman Chrome Nick Castellanos auto
2012 Bowman Chrome Wil Myers auto
2010 Bowman Chrome Manny Machado auto
2011 Bowman Chrome Jurickson Profar auto
2008 Bowman Chrome Jesus Montero auto

There are plenty of others, those are some nice ones to start with.

Other players that are more established, but should continue to go up in price (in other words, get them now):

2008 Buster Posey BC auto
2008 Jason Heyward BC auto


Others, like the 2005 Bowman Chrome Matt Kemp auto will be more affordable after his injury riddled 2012 season. He should bounce back and put up big numbers, and then his cards will jump back up.

The 2005 Bowman Chrome Ryan Braun auto should be affordable right now, too, because of the steroid rumors. Now is a good time to buy, as the cards will go back up once the season starts. He's a perennial MVP candidate.

Other really nice BC autos:

2002 Joe Mauer auto
2006 Clayton Kershaw auto (a personal favorite in my collection)
2004 Felix Hernandez auto

The biggest of them all, of course, is the 2001 Albert Pujols. That one is several thousand.

Have fun!!!