Type Collecting vs. Collecting wo/Focus

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

So I am getting into prewar and loving it. I have bought a few 1910 Obaks and some T205s. These two issues are great and really capture my imagination. I also find myself drawn to the D311s as well. Currently a member has a beautiful T216 thin paper for sale....sweet card! I have never fully understood the concept of type collecting. As a postwar collector I built sets, collected players, or HOF rookie cards.

So dumb question I know, but is it even remotely type collecting if I continued to buy 1910 Obaks, T205s, a few D311s, and maybe some T214s and T216s? Or does that make me a dabbler with not much focus? I also think the T210s are something I could like as well.

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[bnorth]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

So I am getting into prewar and loving it. I have bought a few 1910 Obaks and some T205s. These two issues are great and really capture my imagination. I also find myself drawn to the D311s as well. Currently a member has a beautiful T216 thin paper for sale....sweet card! I have never fully understood the concept of type collecting. As a postwar collector I built sets, collected players, or HOF rookie cards.

So dumb question I know, but is it even remotely type collecting if I continued to buy 1910 Obaks, T205s, a few D311s, and maybe some T214s and T216s? Or does that make me a dabbler with not much focus? I also think the T210s are something I could like as well.

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The T210's are beautiful. Personally I am a dabbler without much focus and love it.

[ullmandds]

I used to be a type collector and it is confining...feeling the "need" to acquire this "type" or that "type" which can be quite expensive for a common player with an unusual back.

I gave that up years ago and now I collect what I like...and I'm much happier!

Also collecting "runs" is a way to type collect and is super fun and more limiting!

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I used to be a type collector and it is confining...feeling the "need" to acquire this "type" or that "type" which can be quite expensive for a common player with an unusual back.

I gave that up years ago and now I collect what I like...and I'm much happier!

Also collecting "runs" is a way to type collect and is super fun and more limiting!

I have to agree on this. I just buy cards I find interesting regardless of era. It may be unfocused but I'm happy with the results so far.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Guys, you are making me feel better already! There are so many cards and sets that I want a piece of that I find myself just buying whatever appeals to me. Also, at first back collecting didn't appeal to me. Now, however, it does to a degree. For example, I might like to collect the different back slogans on the 1910 Obaks, among other things!

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[ValKehl]

Robert, I now pronounce you hooked on pre-War cards, and as far as I am aware, there is no known cure!

I, too, am a pre-War type-card collector, which is one of my too-many pre-War collecting focuses. But, hopefully, a cure won't be found until I am long gone from this earth.

[drcy]

I never was a type or set collector. I bought what appealed to me and like getting new and different things.

There's no one way to collect.

[drmondobueno]

Collecting sets and Clemente items and ended up starting a type collection of Japanese menko, karuta, bromides, whatevers.

In other words, I collect what I want and can afford.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

Robert, I now pronounce you hooked on pre-War cards, and as far as I am aware, there is no known cure!

I, too, am a pre-War type-card collector, which is one of my too-many pre-War collecting focuses. But, hopefully, a cure won't be found until I am long gone from this earth.

Haha, thanks! I flirted with the idea of prewar for a couple of years. For me, it was just a matter of reading thread after thread on this site. Not a lot of posting for me, just trying to get a feel for the landscape. I am 43, and never really contemplated baseball cards existing prior to the early 1950s. Net54 has exposed me to cards I didn't know about and a multitude of ways of collecting those cards. Scanning the BST often has been a source of valuable info. At this point, there are cards from all kinds of prewar sets that I will be adding to my collection. It's probably safe to say my set building days are over as I want a taste of a lot of prewar issues. The possible exception could be the 1910 Obaks and collecting the 35 back slogans. I will also probably get as many T205s as I can..both of these have really grown on me. If I get restless, there's the D311s, T216s (just "discovering" those), and the T210s. It is pretty endless. It has been nice actually starting to show off my Obak purchases instead of just talking about it.

You guys don't always know it, but you all are really helpful and informative. I would still be doing what I always did if it weren't for you. That's not to say there's anything wrong with postwar at all. I was just personally getting bored. Net54 is the best place on the Internet IMHO.

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[trdcrdkid]

Robert --

I used to be a type collector, and in some ways I still am. See my type checklist from 1980 that I posted last week:

http://net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=239160

Even back then, as a kid, I didn't consider type collecting and set collecting to be mutually exclusive. I collected the Topps set from packs every year from 1977 through 1981 (and then Fleer and Donruss in 1981 as well), but I also wanted to try to get examples of as many different sets from the past as I could, because I thought it was cool to have these little pieces of the history of the game, and I liked old stuff anyway. It started in 1976 when I sent $2.95 plus a quarter for postage to Hobby Card House for one card from each Topps baseball set from 1952 through 1975. I thought those old cards were so cool, but on my very limited budget there was no question of collecting the entire sets, so I sort of became a type collector by default.

When I got back into the hobby in the 1990s, I had a bit more money, but still not a lot by any means. I was able to fill in a lot of holes in my type collection, including the more common T and E cards and some of the tougher T206 backs, which at the time didn't sell for much of a premium, even though they were hard to find. Once I had examples of a lot of sets, I figured out which ones I liked the best, and I kept picking up more cards from those sets if I happened to see them at decent prices. I quickly gravitated toward Old Judges and T cards, especially T210s, T212s, T205s, and T206s (especially tougher backs when I chanced upon them). I still collect all of those in an opportunistic way, adding more if I see them at a good price and they have decent eye appeal. The only one of those where I'm anywhere near collecting the set is T206 (I need about 70), but I don't really care if I never finish that. I just like having the cards and being able to look at them and see how the game has changed over the years. It sounds like you're a lot like me in your collecting, and like others, I would encourage you to collect in whatever way makes you happiest. That's what this is all about, isn't it?

[EvilKing00]

Im 1/2 way through he t205 set, & working on tobacco boxes from that set, but i also collect babe ruth cards as well as interesting 1800's cards.... And if I get a good price on a t3 ill pick it up as well. Im not sure what type of collector i am eiher

[Harford20]

I started similarly with set collecting of post-war cards. I then moved to a type-collector, going from OJ's forward. I seemed to stall in the T-cards (I also loved the T205, T206, T210, T213, T215 cards). I then focused on the HoF players from these sets. After "running out of findable/affordable cards" (missing only T205 HoF variants, missing T206 Cobb green/bat on [of course skipping Plank and Wagner], very few T210 San Antonio around, T213 HoF getting pricey and T215 HoF non-existent), I moved back to type-collecting. No offense to those that love the 1920's cards, but these did not grab my attention AT ALL.

Now to T205, T206 back collecting and various other T HoF cards. I have just called this the "David Collecting Style" (kinda fits my short attention span).

Dave

[Fred]

Collecting without a focus??? SQUIRREL....

[Bill77]

Well I do tend to squirrel away cards and not remember exactly where I put them... So yeah that works.

[gregr2]

I collect what I like and can afford with no apparent focus...and I like it!

[garymc]

I collect NY Highlander/Yankee cards. It started as Type collection but before I knew it I became fond of certain types. I am trying to put together E90-1, T202,T205,T206 and T207 team sets. almost done with those. That eventually got me into different types of runs, I'm working a S74 Hemphill color run, a Walter Schang (E121 type) back run, a Chase (E cards) back run and a T206 Chase blue background back run. Even thou my focus is in several directions I still have the opportunity to enjoy the chase of HOF cards, type, team, and color variations..... the joy is not reaching my goals but the joy is in the journey of finding my cards.......

https://www.facebook.com/groups/554519474738304/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/151843924@N04/albums

[shernan30]

I was all over the place when I started collecting again a few years ago. At first I bought what appealed to me, but my personality needed there to be some sense to the collection. I now collect cards of pre-war players that spent time in the Columbus, Ohio minor league program.

I have over 200 players and doing a type style collection. Trying to get as many different set represented as possible. I assembled a sub-set of players when played under Carl Molesworth from 1923-1925. This resulted in 19 different players from 19 different sets. It was a blast putting that together last year.

I throw in boxing, and non-sport cards to help the bank account while fueling my addiction to cardboard. Just purchased an E76 boxing set and now working on 1941 Sky Birds and T37 Automobile Series.

Have fun and make sure whatever you do it makes you happy.

[PowderedH2O]

I have been unfocused since I was six years old. I've been a set collector and a star card collector. I've focused on modern, 50's, pre War... you name it. I've collected comic books, 45's, albums, autographs, programs, and vintage books. When you have a school teacher salary and you bounce around, you have a lot of cool stuff, but no real strength in any one area. Now that I have the Topps baseball and football runs finished from 1970 to the present, I am really falling in love with the cards from the 30's and 40's. Maybe that will focus me. But, I gotta get all of that other stuff out of my garage somehow.

[drcy]

Collecting what you like is a focus.

[Louieman]

I say get what you want to get and discover the focus after the fact.

[T206Collector]

I have found that if I hold myself to a specific plan that I get frustrated. If I just stuck with T206 cards -- even just signed T206 cards -- I wouldn't have picked up some of my favorite cards ever.

I am a T206 collector, but these are not T206s....

[PowderedH2O]

Well, I suppose those are ok if you like rare, good looking cards that are signed by the greatest players from the greatest era in baseball.

Wow!!!

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

+1000!! This really sums up a lot of what I have been thinking and feeling. At any point when I thought something like, "I HAVE to buy this card" or "I HAVE to finish this set" things started going downhill in a hurry. I mean hats off to collectors who can dig in and build those large 1960s Topps sets in nice condition because I am not the man for that job. One of my last efforts in postwar was building a 1965 Topps set. It is in my closet at about 62% complete. I couldn't possibly make myself buy one more card for that. No offense to collectors who are doing this and loving it, but I got soooo burned out.

I just feel free now. A few of you guys have essentially said buy what you like and can afford. That is precisely what I have started doing. Obaks, T205s, and D311s for starters. Perhaps some T210s and T216s down the road. Fun stuff!!

And these are some amazing signed cards, btw...wow!!

Originally Posted by T206Collector

I have found that if I hold myself to a specific plan that I get frustrated. If I just stuck with T206 cards -- even just signed T206 cards -- I wouldn't have picked up some of my favorite cards ever.

I am a T206 collector, but these are not T206s....

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

+1000!! This really sums up a lot of what I have been thinking and feeling. At any point when I thought something like, "I HAVE to buy this card" or "I HAVE to finish this set" things started going downhill in a hurry. I mean hats off to collectors who can dig in and build those large 1960s Topps sets in nice condition because I am not the man for that job. One of my last efforts in postwar was building a 1965 Topps set. It is in my closet at about 62% complete. I couldn't possibly make myself buy one more card for that. No offense to collectors who are doing this and loving it, but I got soooo burned out.

I just feel free now. A few of you guys have essentially said buy what you like and can afford. That is precisely what I have started doing. Obaks, T205s, and D311s for starters. Perhaps some T210s and T216s down the road. Fun stuff!!

And these are some amazing signed cards, btw...wow!!

ooooooh that wagner!!!!

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

ooooooh that wagner!!!!

Truth! The things I am privileged enough to see on this site!

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[Leon]

I used to be a type collector with a focus of getting one of every type card I didn't have before 1950. Now I am a type collector but only focused on cards I like not every single type I don't have. I have seen the title of this thread for a few days and been thinking the title pretty much sums up my collecting habits. Not much more needs to be said.

[nat]

I hope he's not planning to pitch from that distance.

[Fred]

Why not, the hitter aint gonna hit it... however if he does then it's going to hurt like a MFer if the pitcher gets hit..

[Seiklis]

I think the problem with type collecting is that it's also pretty much without focus. So long as you get a certain type, the players don't matter which kind of makes it a random set anyway.

I find type collecting with a focus, such as only doing a team, to work much better in both giving you a feeling that you're actually getting somewhere instead of a growing pile of stuff that to anyone outside the hobby looks completely random.

Now grant it I also include players out of uniform who played for Cleveland as well to fill in holes (such as T206 ABs....one of them doesn't have a Cleveland player) but it definitely helps keep the focus without getting too overwhelming

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

ooooooh that wagner!!!!

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Truth! The things I am privileged enough to see on this site!

You guys are too nice, thanks for the kudos!

Having put together 520 T206 in 2007 & 516 T206 ten years later this year, I definitely go through long periods of T206 exhaustion. But, what happens is usually I go on a dalliance with a different set -- like 33 Goudey -- or period -- like 1950s Topps and Bowman, until the T206s start to call my name again. It's pretty weird, but I just try to follow my gut. Because if you're collecting cards because you "have to" or just to tic a box on a checklist, then you've lost the plot. Not to be overly philosophical about it -- I obsess over baseball cards, sorry -- but the collecting journey comes from within us. I only get close to satisfied when I listen to that voice inside me, not the voice of the half empty box of cards telling me I have work to do.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

You guys are too nice, thanks for the kudos!

Having put together 520 T206 in 2007 & 516 T206 ten years later this year, I definitely go through long periods of T206 exhaustion. But, what happens is usually I go on a dalliance with a different set -- like 33 Goudey -- or period -- like 1950s Topps and Bowman, until the T206s start to call my name again. It's pretty weird, but I just try to follow my gut. Because if you're collecting cards because you "have to" or just to tic a box on a checklist, then you've lost the plot. Not to be overly philosophical about it -- I obsess over baseball cards, sorry -- but the collecting journey comes from within us. I only get close to satisfied when I listen to that voice inside me, not the voice of the half empty box of cards telling me I have work to do.

Absolutely no apology necessary. I also get really philosophical when it comes to baseball cards and their history. They aren't just cardboard to me either, they are history and art among other things. For example, one set I have come to be drawn to is the 1910 Obak set. My maternal grandmother was born that year. It fascinates me to have a ball card that old. I think about all of the card's owners, where it has traveled over the years, etc. Living in Arkansas, I sometimes wonder if the Obaks that I buy from sellers on the west coast have ever traveled this far east in their 107 years of existence? With these cards, I find myself actually going back and looking at them even after I have had them for a while. That hasn't always been the case. I have been a checklist guy, but I will not again for these and the reasons you laid out.

You have a great collection. I want to work on T205s, Obaks, etc. the way you have on T206.

[Leon]

The stories behind the cards are often fascinating. When privileged to find an original/new to the hobby collection it is very exciting. Here is a Fatima-like postcard I am always on the hunt for more specimens of......

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Absolutely no apology necessary. I also get really philosophical when it comes to baseball cards and their history. They aren't just cardboard to me either, they are history and art among other things. For example, one set I have come to be drawn to is the 1910 Obak set. My maternal grandmother was born that year. It fascinates me to have a ball card that old. I think about all of the card's owners, where it has traveled over the years, etc. Living in Arkansas, I sometimes wonder if the Obaks that I buy from sellers on the west coast have ever traveled this far east in their 107 years of existence? With these cards, I find myself actually going back and looking at them even after I have had them for a while. That hasn't always been the case. I have been a checklist guy, but I will not again for these and the reasons you laid out.

You have a great collection. I want to work on T205s, Obaks, etc. the way you have on T206.

[darwinbulldog]

I prefer to think it's not so much that I don't have focus as that I don't have money, so I end up picking up things that I really like and then needing to sell them in order to get other things I really like.

If you asked me at any point in the past 15 years what I was working on I could have named a set or two, but I've always sold them off when something more special came along. I've made pretty good progress with N28, then T207, E95, R327, C46, T206 Polar Bears, and E126 -- but I didn't finish any of the sets or hold onto my partial sets for very long.

Sometimes I've made a little and sometimes I've lost a little when I sold them off, but it's generally been about a break-even proposition, so in practice whatever set I'm working on at any given time is likely to end up having served as a savings account toward a long-term addition to my collection (and it's the rare type cards that go into the long-term holdings). In the meantime, the set building gives me something to collect that shows up for sale more than once a year.