Why don't more people collect Baseball Hall of Fame Rookie Cards?

[barrysloate]

Most of the reasons why people don't collect rookie cards have been stated, but the bottom line seems to be that it is impossible to do. One might get 90% or more of the known rookie cards with patience and a big checkbook, but finishing the set can't be done. And it would cost millions of dollars even if there was some way to do it. Plus, the lack of a consistent definition of a rookie card frustrates too many collectors. We've had numerous threads about rookie cards and there are always so many different opinions about what's what.

I like Jay's idea of collecting one card of choice of each Hall of Famer, difficult enough in its own right. In many cases a player's rookie card is unappealing so why spend big money on it?

Dan P.'s example of Cy Young is a good one. The Just So is unique, and the E107 is a five figure card. Why not simply get a nice portrait, such as a T206 or an E90-1, and call that your Cy Young example? I would rather buy a card that appeals to me aesthetically than one that is ugly but is a player's first. It kind of forces you to buy a card whether you find it attractive or not.