Building a "Top Ten" Collection

[jimivintage]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

I narrowed my rookie card goal to the top 24/25 players from the 40s-60s who wore New York uniforms (Dodgers, Yankees, Mets). I am also working on obtaining autographs for each of these players to accompany my set.

Very cool! I see you are working on a Mantle run as well? What does that entail?

[g_vezina_c55]

Nice collection jimi !
For my part i focus since 1 year now on my T206 set.. but sometime i have idea like you to buy what i want and have no guideline of collecting...
Perhaps some days....
I have many cards on my want list i would like to have someday ...
ruth goudey card....52 topps mantle or 51 bowman mantle.... cobb or jackson or other cracker jack HOF ... some caramel cards... a goudey lajoie !

anyway nice collection congrat

[Harford20]

Jimi,
Several years ago I felt I was losing focus, getting too broad on my collection. I have narrowed mine to these and have done very well so far, with each set gaining several cards each year. I have given up on set collecting.

A. Not my "Top Ten", but my "Elite Eight" (player cards of ONLY their playing years-but this has given me a mini-type set as well)
1. Mordecai Brown
2. Frank Chance
3. Eddie Collins
4. Jimmy Collins
5. Nap Lajoie
6. Matty
7. Tris Speaker
8. Cy Young

B. T206 HOF's
C. T205 HOF's
D. E98 HOF's (all color variations)
E. Ted Williams (anything rare, cards or otherwise)

I think narrowing the focus made me appreciate my collection much more.
All the best,
Dave

[jimivintage]

Originally Posted by Harford20

Jimi,
Several years ago I felt I was losing focus, getting too broad on my collection. I have narrowed mine to these and have done very well so far, with each set gaining several cards each year. I have given up on set collecting.

A. Not my "Top Ten", but my "Elite Eight" (player cards of ONLY their playing years-but this has given me a mini-type set as well)
1. Mordecai Brown
2. Frank Chance
3. Eddie Collins
4. Jimmy Collins
5. Nap Lajoie
6. Matty
7. Tris Speaker
8. Cy Young

B. T206 HOF's
C. T205 HOF's
D. E98 HOF's (all color variations)
E. Ted Williams (anything rare, cards or otherwise)

I think narrowing the focus made me appreciate my collection much more.
All the best,
Dave

Very cool, Dave! Yeah, I've been narrowing down, too, BUT switching projects has been more of the concern. "MUST FOCUS!" I find myself saying, or, "Dude, you're almost there! Don't give up already!"

I am finding that I like collecting the bigger named HOFers especially on iconic cards like my '51B Mantle or with tough backs like the Cycle Matty.

[t206blogcom]

Nice cards Jimi!

[jimivintage]

Originally Posted by t206blogcom

Nice cards Jimi!

Thanks, Jason!

I know some of my cards are not RCs, but at some point I had to get really about owning prewar HOF RCs, right? So, settling in on some "almost RCs" or simply and image I like that represents the HOFer well works for me. Post war is a different ballgame.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by jimivintage

Very cool! I see you are working on a Mantle run as well? What does that entail?

Thanks. I figured it was an interesting approach to take and would allow me to just get the cards I really wanted. Beautiful cards by the way!

The Mantle run is a bit of a challenge. I am going after every card issued during his playing days, including all variations. To make it a bit more manageable, I'm not, at least initially, going to be purchasing most of the regional and test issues. In total, I think I will end up with about 187 or 188 cards when I am done, so roughly 30 more to add. It had been an exciting project and has really given me an opportunity to get to learn some more about oddball 50s and 60s cards.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I have a list of my top 40 players through the 1967 set and my goal is to have at least one card of each (RCs from 1954 on), plus multiple cards of the very top players. I am up to 38 of 40.

[jmk59]

That has to be one of the all-time great looking Mathewson - Blacks. What great color.

I used to collect pre-WWI cards of Detroit players. I wanted one from each set but ended up with lots of Detroiter commons from the larger sets - T206, etc. When I decided I wanted more focus, I thought I would go to a "Set of 25" but couldn't give up my Tigers focus.

So now I'm loosely working on two different sets of 25. One is 25 Detroit players, and the other is any 25 players. The second set is just nice cards that I've always wanted but never bought because they weren't Detroiters and didn't "fit" my collection - things like T206 Johnson Portrait, an E93 Phillipe at some point, etc.

good luck with your collecting. If you do as well on the rest as you did on the Matty, it'll be great!

J

[Jacklitsch]

Mine was an "Elite 100". Keepers, never to leave the collection.

When I started to count them I was up to over 175 so I just changed it to my "Elite 200".

Keeps me going.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Jacklitsch

Mine was an "Elite 100". Keepers, never to leave the collection.

When I started to count them I was up to over 175 so I just changed it to my "Elite 200".

Keeps me going.

Sounds like my elite 5478.

[goodtricks]

Jimi great topic. My situation is similar. I've been back in the hobby for just over a year and have really struggled to focus. After starting and eventually selling a number of sets I've come to the conclusion I'm just not a set collector. I respect those that are, but something about finishing the monster or another large set and having a bunch of cards sitting in my closet in a box doesn't appeal to me.

I do still have a passion for prewar cards though. What I have decided to do is rank the top 50 prewar players and get 1 card of each of these players. My eventual plan is to get a nice display case that holds 50 graded cards. This way I can always see/appreciate/show off my collection.

Everyone has a different ways they chose to collect, it's just about finding your sweet spot.

Good luck with your project.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by jmk59

That has to be one of the all-time great looking Mathewson - Blacks. What great color.

I used to collect pre-WWI cards of Detroit players. I wanted one from each set but ended up with lots of Detroiter commons from the larger sets - T206, etc. When I decided I wanted more focus, I thought I would go to a "Set of 25" but couldn't give up my Tigers focus.

So now I'm loosely working on two different sets of 25. One is 25 Detroit players, and the other is any 25 players. The second set is just nice cards that I've always wanted but never bought because they weren't Detroiters and didn't "fit" my collection - things like T206 Johnson Portrait, an E93 Phillipe at some point, etc.

good luck with your collecting. If you do as well on the rest as you did on the Matty, it'll be great!

J

From one Detroit collector to another "Where have you been Joann"?


Joe