Buying Collections

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Posted By: David Smith

I guess my question is, what do you consider a collection??

The link to that thing on eBay, to me, is not a "collection" but a "grouping" of cards. What I mean by that is, there is no focus, just a bunch of stuff thrown together to make a splash on eBay.

To me, a collection is like what I used to buy when I was in high school. While my friends were spending their money on other stuff, I was buying their baseball card collections. Sure, it was mostly 1970's stuff but this was also only the mid-80's when I was doing this. So, I was able to pick up cards cheap that either filled holes in my sets or upgraded cards as far as condition went.

Later, while in college, I bought a couple guys collections from when they were kids. The bulk of one collection consisted of Topps baseball cards from 1956-1958 with a few 1955's and 1959's. These cards were VGish and the 1957 Mantle had been used in bicycle spokes. The other collection were 1960 and 1961 Topps cards. These were in better condition, especially the 61's because the guy never really "got into" collecting cards. So, those two purchases really helped me as far as cards from that era.

As far as Pre-War goes, I have missed out on a small collection of Diamond Stars and Goudeys. Another small collection of W502's. Three different stacks of B18's and the worst was over 1,000 tobacco cards from the 1880's. There were only 3 baseball cards (N28 of Clarkson, Keefe and Caruthers) but there were cards of Annie Oakley, Wild Bill Hickok, N28 athletes plus multiple complete sets of Fish and Birds series.

So, today (and using the board as an example) buyin a collection to me would be like Leon's type card collection. Yes, they are varied years but there is a theme. Price?? Probably high but that is only natural because of rarities like the T231 fan card and also the time it took to put his collection together.

So, what type of collection are you talking about?? Something that a kid put together, whatever the era, by buying cards in packs?? Something that someone has taken the time and energy to put together in a thoughtful manner or something like that link on eBay where someone has just thrown a bunch of stuff together??


David