Trying to figure out where to go next collecting wise

[Seven]

I'm sure many of us have faced this problem in the past, or are currently facing this issue now. As I see the light at the end of the tunnel (for now at least) when it comes to my main collecting focus, I'm trying to decide what I am going to shift gears to. I was thinking maybe something pre-war, perhaps Eddie Collins as I always felt he was undervalued. Ralph Kiner and Yogi Berra are others that have caught my eye recently as well. I fear the ship has sailed on me getting into t206's with the metoric rise in some of there prices but I'm sure I could find alternative sets as well. How do you gentlemen, decide what to collect next, after a project has finished?

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Seven

I'm sure many of us have faced this problem in the past, or are currently facing this issue now. As I see the light at the end of the tunnel (for now at least) when it comes to my main collecting focus, I'm trying to decide what I am going to shift gears to. I was thinking maybe something pre-war, perhaps Eddie Collins as I always felt he was undervalued. Ralph Kiner and Yogi Berra are others that have caught my eye recently as well. I fear the ship has sailed on me getting into t206's with the metoric rise in some of there prices but I'm sure I could find alternative sets as well. How do you gentlemen, decide what to collect next, after a project has finished?

Depending if you are looking for specific players or sets.

For Sets I think the 1916 Sporting News Set(and all the different Blank Back and Ad Backs) have so many great players and HOF'ers and is an under appreciated set and IMO still an undervalued set and cards.

If you are looking for Players Eddie Collins is a great choice as you said. Also Tris Speaker, Roger Hornsby amongst a few of the Greats that still have upside potential on cards and if your a collector even better great cards to select from for them

[Snapolit1]

I think just pay attention to the auctions that are rolled out with an open mind and sooner or later something will speak to you that you think is really cool and possibly even being overlooked by others. Has worked for me in the past.

[Leon]

This is super cliché but collect what is going to give you the most enjoyment. Each time I have strayed from my main focus I have gotten a little bored with it.

I think Stan the Man is still a relatively less expensive alternative to many others.

[FrankWakefield]

Hey James...


I read through this, (easy, only three responses), and I was thinking of suggesting where I'd gone, W514s and more recently W572s.

I found myself agreeing with both what Jeff said, and Snap... Twenty years ago I had maybe half a dozen of the Sporting News cards, I'd shy away from buying more. Now I have about 3 dozen. But it didn't become a focus. Back then I avoided strip cards; they seemed course, crude. The difference in strip cards and normal cards, to me, seemed the difference between the Sunday comics and a hardbound book. Now I'm barely still in my 60's, and I love W514s and W572s.

I'm reminded of something a veterinarian friend of mind told me. He went to a multi day vet practice seminar. One presentation was about the business side of things. Succinctly put, a cattle farmer probably was financially stable that they could pay their vet bills. When a cattle farmer moved to sheep the advice was that they could pay a vet bill, but don't extend too much credit. However, if a cattle farmer started raising goats instead of cattle, sheep, or horses, be sure and get paid up front for any services.

With that in mind... peruse auction catalogs, eBay, the standard catalog, BST here, and see what series interests you anew. Read a bit about baseball, biographies, or The Glory Of Their Times, AND, Baseball When the Grass Was Real. If you read about a player you'd like to collect, find a copy of Dr. Beckett's Baseball Card Alphabetical Checklist. Buy a used one on ABAbooks, Alibris, or eBay, you won't need a new one because you're after old cards anyway, and I think it's out of print. Then you can decide if you wanna go after a few players, a certain team in a certain year or time period (1930s Cubs for example) or a certain series or set.

I saw my first big league game in 1963, saw Mr. Musial play. To this day I'm a Cardinals fan.

Maybe those strip cards are my goats, but I find that I really like them, used to hate 'em.

[Fuddjcal]

easy for me. Cash, gold, cars, stocks, dental implants & beer. In no Particular order.

My Baseball Card, autograph and memorabilia collection is Complete.

[Peter_Spaeth]

What do you collect now? Sorry if I missed that.

[boneheadandrube]

An entire era that has room to grow, meaning the "ship hasn't sailed" as you say might be late 1910's to early 1920's

The bigger Sets here are:

-M101-4/5 and their family of ad backed sets
-1917 E135 Collins McCarthy & 1917 H801-8 Boston Store
-E120 American Caramel and their Canadian Sister Set V61 Neilsons
-E121 American Caramel and their family of other ad backed sets
-V100 Willards

You can cross collect something like E121 with its ad backed relatives by just focusing on the fronts as they are the same. The E135 and H801-8 are also similar enough to each other and E121 throw in this mix. Go to VCP and look at the image scroll at the top of each of their set pages and see the similarity. W501 uses the same format as well. Alexander, Hornsby, Sisler, Heilmann, Ruth, Smokey Joe Wood...lots of star power to collect. These are much rarer than T206 and cheaper relative to player quality in my opinion. I'm a T206 guy and all these sets have become very appealing to me this year.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by boneheadandrube

An entire era that has room to grow, meaning the "ship hasn't sailed" as you say might be late 1910's to early 1920's

The bigger Sets here are:

-M101-4/5 and their family of ad backed sets
-1917 E135 Collins McCarthy & 1917 H801-8 Boston Store
-E120 American Caramel and their Canadian Sister Set V61 Neilsons
-E121 American Caramel and their family of other ad backed sets
-V100 Willards

You can cross collect something like E121 with its ad backed relatives by just focusing on the fronts as they are the same. The E135 and H801-8 are also similar enough to each other and E121 throw in this mix. Go to VCP and look at the image scroll at the top of each of their set pages and see the similarity. W501 uses the same format as well. Alexander, Hornsby, Sisler, Heilmann, Ruth, Smokey Joe Wood...lots of star power to collect. These are much rarer than T206 and cheaper relative to player quality in my opinion. I'm a T206 guy and all these sets have become very appealing to me this year.

Great List Greg spot on IMO

[Seven]

First off, I appreciate everyone coming out and responding. I'll try to cover all of my bases here. As my username suggest, my main collecting focus is Mickey Mantle. I've always had a goal to put together a playing days run of his career. This is more or less accomplished at this point. While I'm holding off on a couple of cards due to bills at the moment, the only significant Mantles I do not own are the 51 Bowman and 52 Topps. I don't own the 53 Topps at the moment either, but that's something that I can realistically see myself having in the next two years.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this passion project, it went from bonding with my father, to taking on a life of its own. I've certainly collected other cards along the way, but Mantle has always been my focus. Through Net54 I was able to discover some of my favorite alternate issues as well, as I fell in love with the 52 Berk Ross and the 54 Red Heart, both of which sit in my collection now.

I think I'd want to shift to player rather than sets, but I'll really consider everything at the moment. Hornsby was another player I've thought about, Frank pointed out Musial as another great player to collect too.I would eventually love to own a Ruth or a Cobb, that becomes harder and harder as the years pass though, and I unfortunately cannot live in my cards (though I wish I could ) Thanks for all the input so far. I'm definitely trying to figure out who/what I'd enjoy collecting next!