T206 Collecting Theory

[T206Collector]

What I mean is that card collecting is a great game, and so many people collect T206s because of both the ease of access and rising difficulty in completing it as you go along.

Sometimes people say they dont understand why people collect T206 if you'll never own a Wagner or Doyle. To them, I say, the fun is in playing the game -- not in winning it.

[Howe’s Hunter]

I'll never win, because I'll never know how many there were. As long as there is just one out there that I don't have, I won't have won. Its the challenge that makes it fun for me.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

What I mean is that card collecting is a great game, and so many people collect T206s because of both the ease of access and rising difficulty in completing it as you go along.

Sometimes people say they dont understand why people collect T206 if you'll never own a Wagner or Doyle. To them, I say, the fun is in playing the game -- not in winning it.

I agree T206collector. As a fairly focused type card collector (1900-1949) the possibilities, with all of their iterations, seem unlimited. To me, as it is to many others, The journey is a large part of the fun.

[cdn_collector]

This makes a lot of sense to me. Each collector can pick their 'game' (be it T206 or not), set the basic rules (condition, how to collect variations, price point, etc) and then collect away.

People tend to feel a level of accomplishment when they complete something (and the game ends), and yet it seems threads about such accomplishments often contain posts about what will be collected next ('when does the next game start?') and how much fun the journey was.

Perhaps I'll have to add this book to my summer reading list.

Regards,

Richard.

[CW]

That's an interesting way of looking at collecting, and it also helps explain the appeal.

I also agree with Peter that the ultimate "game" would be a complete N172 set (basically an endless game that would be near impossible to complete).

[MVSNYC]

interesting topic. in my case, i've collected T206 on and off for 20 years, i always come back to it. i know the set well, and i enjoy the "journey". and yes, i agree, if it was too easy, people would loose interest fast. the set offers an unlimited amoutn of ways to collect (HOFers, rare backs, errors, master set, high-grade, SLers, etc)...