Have you ever deliberately purchased a "placeholder" card?

[mechanicalman]

Allow me to explain the question.

You're trying to complete a set or a run, and you've been searching a long time for an elusive card to no avail. Then one pops up, but it's not at the grade or quality with which you know you'll be happy over the long term. But, you buy it anyway just to fill the gap until a better one comes along, at which time you liquidate the placeholder.

Given the transaction costs, it's not always a fiscally responsible practice, but does the need to fill a gap ever win out?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by mechanicalman

Allow me to explain the question.

You're trying to complete a set or a run, and you've been searching a long time for an elusive card to no avail. Then one pops up, but it's not at the grade or quality with which you know you'll be happy over the long term. But, you buy it anyway just to fill the gap until a better one comes along, at which time you liquidate the placeholder.

Given the transaction costs, it's not always a fiscally responsible practice, but does the need to fill a gap ever win out?

I have done it several times. When I finally find one that I am happy with I sell the placeholder. The only down side is when it is an odd ball card that is super rare but not worth much cash. Sometimes it take a while to sell the placeholder and not take a bath on it.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I have done something similar but only where I could live with the card long term if a better one did not come along. Sometimes as they say the perfect is the enemy of the good.

[Fistner10]

Definitely. Not the best financial decision but helps with boredom.

[Ronnie73]

I do if the TPG population reports combined are in the low single digits. At that point, I know sometimes you have to take what you can get and if a better one comes up, then its time to make the decision of an upgrade.

[jmb]

I bought this one for the focused image. I've been looking for a well centered, focused 3-4 for a while now.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by Ronnie73

I do if the TPG population reports combined are in the low single digits. At that point, I know sometimes you have to take what you can get and if a better one comes up, then its time to make the decision of an upgrade.

Totally agree. I have purchased many placeholders for back runs and some remain place holders bc I can't find a better example (low pop) or a better example at a reasonable price. I have also purchased nice looking cards that I want, albeit in a lower grade than I want, and work my way up the grade scale -- for example, I bought a 51 bowman Mays 4, and when I nice 5 came along, I bought that and sold the 4. This allows me to inch up on big time cards one level at a time (btw I ultimately want the Mays in a 7 at minimum). To that extent they are placeholders

[edjs]

I do it all the time. The only problem I have with it is once I have the "placeholder," I end up moving on since that particular card is checked off the list.

[Piratedogcardshows]

I have done it many times as well. Sometimes the placeholder is a permanent addition even after I upgrade the card.

[ullmandds]

absolutely!

[mantlefan]

Absolutely. I really dislike having a 99.2% completion rate on a set. In difficult sets that I might be trying to complete in a 7 or 8 grade, I'll often add 5's or 6's to fill them out. Lately I've been adding high end 5.5's to finish my 1953 Bowman Color Baseball set.

[LuckyLarry]

Most cards in my collection are placeholders as I upgrade constantly. After all these years some of my sets are actually a pretty nice VG
Larry

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by LuckyLarry

Most cards in my collection are placeholders as I upgrade constantly. After all these years some of my sets are actually a pretty nice VG
Larry

..some years over fifty per cent of my collecting purchases are just to upgrade a 'placeholder'.......but by then it's so hard to say goodbye to an old friend that I often wind up with a lot of 'doubles' unless I get a really really sincere ( read : "whiney") PM from a fellow set-chaser...

..

[brianp-beme]

Without placeholders there would be no field goals. And typically when I am within range I go for 3 points instead of the end zone.

Brian

[Bigdaddy]

I know some people who have used that philosophy with wives

And as with cards, usually not the best move fiscally.

[MMarvelli]

E137-Zeenut Patterson, Ham (torn) F+B.jpg desperate after years of searching

E137-Zeenut Patterson, Ham F+B.jpg Two weeks later found this

[conor912]

Originally Posted by mechanicalman

Allow me to explain the question.

You're trying to complete a set or a run, and you've been searching a long time for an elusive card to no avail. Then one pops up, but it's not at the grade or quality with which you know you'll be happy over the long term. But, you buy it anyway just to fill the gap until a better one comes along, at which time you liquidate the placeholder.

Given the transaction costs, it's not always a fiscally responsible practice, but does the need to fill a gap ever win out?

Never. You'll take a loss, and probably a substantial one.

[Cozumeleno]

All the time - and plenty of times, I've actually sold T206 placeholders for more than what I paid initially.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Along those lines since I like my cards in albums I have actually purchased some Goudey Ruth reprints for the pages since my very low grade Ruths are PSA graded.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by conor912

Never. You'll take a loss, and probably a substantial one.

likely true! and then a short time later...numerous examples will pop up!

[kmac32]

Absolutely as sometimes that is all you can find for an example

[Stampsfan]

Never at the time. I always try and stay in the mode of getting things in the preferred condition.

However, I seem to have this habit that when I complete (or nearly complete) a set, I tend to go back and upgrade to some of the higher quality examples.

[sterlingfox]

All the time.

Have only tried to upgrade one so far, and the graded PSA 6 example in hand actually didn't look better than my PSA 4. Still can't decide which to keep. The set avg is around 7.75, so in theory, I should keep the 6 so that it's more in line with the rest of the set. Or, I should just get rid of both and find an 8

[tschock]

Absolutely! As long as it's priced accordingly and I think I can back close to what I put into it. Some I've gotten more, some less.

[Leon]

Yes on the type card collection, as to a placeholder. No, to the 2 sets being collected, T205 and Delong. Need 2 more Delong after these new pick ups. Not placeholders ...

[clydepepper]

The only set I'm currently working on completing is the 1953 Topps set. I am 41 cards short at this point.

What remains are SP cards which are somewhat pricy in the condition I prefer them in - EX/MT.


I am enjoying the 'hunt' too much to 'settle' for a lesser condition card just to finish up the set.



A few years ago, I finished Topps sets 1954-1980. Upon completion, I felt an emptiness...suddenly, the sets did not mean as much.


I sold all but the 1954-thru-1956 sets. I only started back with the 1953 set (I had previously amassed 175 of the 276 total cards) and have added another 60.

I am also trying very hard to stay with a budget on these...while working to pay of the two high-dollar pre-war cards I purchased in August.

I am not addicted...I can stop any time...

[rats60]

I bought this as a placeholder. I hope to find one someday with corners, without creases, paper loss and pin holes. It will take saving up for a while.

[oldjudge]

Absolutely, in the Old Judge set, where all the cards are relatively scarce and some are incredibly rare, you get cards you need when you can. It may be years before you see a better copy, if ever.

[mybuddyinc]

curley.jpg

........... all the time

As the old saying goes:

"I'd rather have a hole in my card, than a hole in my collection."

Scott