More joy: complete sets or individual items

[Rhotchkiss]

You ask two different questions:

1. "Do I sell off / trade some 1 off things, ie, autographed memorabilia, hockey, basketball, rare albums, comics, etc. Assuming equal value, do I sell an autographed baseball for an equal amount in cards?"

2. "What brings more joy in the end... Completing sets or a variety of cool things?"

The first question assumes you are committed to assembling sets and asks how to pay for that commitment. The second question asks whether you should focus on sets or variety of cool things. Since the answer to #1 hinges on the answer to #2, I will focus on #2 (as most here have done already), and I will approach this from a different angle -- what would I rather sell vs keep (kind of touches om #1); instead of sell vs buy.

I recently decided to buy some real estate, and I have decided that I will sell sufficient value in baseball cards to pay for the real estate (many items will be sold in Memory Lane over the next few auctions). I own sets, back runs, and numerous cards of specific players, and I had to decide what to sell and what to keep.

Ultimately I decided to sell privately items that I felt could flood a market at auction causing a situation where supply outstripped demand (mostly e card back run variations), and to consign mostly items that I could maybe-likely replace if I ever so desired. Thus, I consigned to Memory Lane my T206 set, my 1914 CJ set, a D304 set, and many more common Ruth, Cobb, Wagner Gehrig , Plank, Mathewson, Thorpe, Young, and Jackson cards. Note, by "common" I mean more than 4-6 extant and I am not regarding front/back variations. I decided to keep the items that mean the most to me, that I feel has the most investment upside, and that would either cost me a fortune to replace or I could never replace. For example, I am keeping my compete E107 set (only one known), most red sox era Ruth items, most of my Wagner portrait cards, including T206, rare early Cobb and Jackson items, some very rare and historically significant items, etc.

First I decided to convert cardboard into real estate; you have decided to buy more cardboard. Next, I had decided what cardboard to sell and what to keep; you are trying to decide what to buy and what to buy it with. Finally, I determined to keep those items that are most dear to me, which often are irreplaceable.

In answer to your question #2, I encourage you to consider a similar dynamic -- first, define your top priority (for me it was to buy this real estate and to use 100% cardboard to buy it), and then decide what items you can and cannot part with in pursuit of that priority. Then execute. If assembling sets is your priority, then, in regard to question #1, sell whatever is less important than your goal for sets and keep the rest. You may find you like the individual stuff more. Who knows.

Last thing, regarding sets: Assembling sets is a lot of fun and a huge accomplishment. In my experience, the fun is in assembling and there is a bit of a let down after completion -- the journey, not the destination, is the reward. Regardless, if you do pursue sets, please spend the real money on the HOFers and be frugal on the commons.

Good luck