Sacrificing a significant portion of your collection for one of your “Holy Grails”

[MattyC]

Interestingly, one definitely reaches a point where you have sold a grouping of lesser pieces and bought a more major one enough times-- and now you are left with all cards you'd rather not part ways with for one larger piece. That's the tough part, when you gotta start dipping into new cash! That's where I am right now. There are a few big cards I want, but I look at any pieces I'd have to part with to get them, and I just can't do it. Which means I just gotta make more $!

[g_vezina_c55]

i think it is a good move .
good luck and i am impatient to see this holy grail !

[Sean]

I had a chance to do just this about 11 years ago. I had a chance to get a T206 Plank, and I decided not to do it. I regret that decision to this day. So I say: go ahead, get that one big item. You can rebuild your collection later, but you may never get another shot at your Holy Grail.

PS- I did eventually get a different Plank.

[4815162342]

I know of at least one board member who owns my dream card. The problem with what I collect is that almost every card is a grail, so it would be excruciating to start over.

If you can replace your collection fairly easily in the future over time, I say go for it!

[joeadcock]

Contemplating same thing
The dive is tough

[MBMiller25]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Interestingly, one definitely reaches a point where you have sold a grouping of lesser pieces and bought a more major one enough times-- and now you are left with all cards you'd rather not part ways with for one larger piece. That's the tough part, when you gotta start dipping into new cash! That's where I am right now. There are a few big cards I want, but I look at any pieces I'd have to part with to get them, and I just can't do it. Which means I just gotta make more $!

+1

[tbob]

I have done this before but it goes against my grain as I am a set collector generally, a type collector occasionally. There's just something about having a nice T205 set, for instance, instead of a nice E90-1 Jackson. I guess I am in the minority...

[Prince Hal]

I hadn't really thought about it until I just saw someone put an SGC 40 Breisch-Williams Chesbro on eBay asking $14k...

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by Prince Hal

I hadn't really thought about it until I just saw someone put an SGC 40 Breisch-Williams Chesbro on eBay asking $14k...

You'd think if you were selling a card like this, you'd at least put the right grade in the description (SGC 40 not 30)!!

There are far too many "grails" out there. As another poster commented, need to make more $.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by tbob

I have done this before but it goes against my grain as I am a set collector generally, a type collector occasionally. There's just something about having a nice T205 set, for instance, instead of a nice E90-1 Jackson. I guess I am in the minority...

I'm with you. Who's to say a complete set can't be a holy grail?

[bcbgcbrcb]

While I'm not after any one holy grail (although a Baltimore News Ruth would be nice), I have also decided to focus on quality over quantity.

[atx840]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

I have also decided to focus on quality over quantity.

This.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

I have also decided to focus on quality over quantity.

Not me. I would rather have every Sandy Koufax card in lower grade than one nm rookie card. I enjoy the lower grade stuff just as much as the high grade ones, and I enjoy being able to have a nice run of the cards I want a lot more than only a couple.

As for the OP, the one time I liquidated a bunch of stuff to go after a grail I regretted it, not because of what I sold off but because the grail showed up a couple more times after I'd outbid everyone else for it, so I had the dubious distinction of paying 4x what everyone else paid for theirs.

[steve B]

I've never really done that.

The closest I got was selling a few things to pay for a ski trip.

Some of what I collect is outside the mainstream in most of my hobbies, so I've been lucky to pick up a few really special items for very little. Mostly by luck.

I got comfortable years ago with the idea that there were things I just wouldn't be able to get unless I got really lucky.

Being a very general collector and involved in a few different hobbies It's hard to think of any one thing I'd sell most of it for. There are a few things I'd maybe consider it for, but most of them probably don't exist.

Steve B

[packs]

I am forever facing this question. I'll sell something and make a nice profit, tell myself I'm going to use the profit to buy one nice item, and then always seem to find a hundred small things I want. Before I know it, my profit is gone. But I've got a lot of nice little pieces that I wouldn't mind parting with later.

It's easy for me to part with small items later. But it's impossible for me to part with a large purchase because I feel like I would never make the investment again. Vicious cycle.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Not me. I would rather have every Sandy Koufax card in lower grade than one nm rookie card. I enjoy the lower grade stuff just as much as the high grade ones, and I enjoy being able to have a nice run of the cards I want a lot more than only a couple.

Same here.

When I was just starting out, I considered selling my entire collection to fund the purchase of a 52 Topps Mantle. I decided against it--mostly because what I had owned at the time wouldn't bring the money that I had hoped it would. Now, I don't think I could make the same move. I don't even upgrade my cards, because it is tough even parting with the duplicates in my collection and I cannot justify owning two of the same card. That said, it might be nicer to regain some closet space as one card would be much easier to store than what I have now.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by conor912

I'm with you. Who's to say a complete set can't be a holy grail?

Absolutely! A Holy Grail card need not be a Hall of Famer or a star player, it can be the card you need to complete your pre-war set which is very, very scarce. The E90-1 MCLean, the T205 Hoblitzell no stats, the T207 Lewis no emblem, the D311 Lewis, 1911 Zeenut Bohen, etc, cards a lot of collectors would have no clue about unless they were working to complete the sets.
I also agree with the poster about Grail cards not being about quality. If you have the money you can get the E98 Wagner in PSA 10. If you wanted the Bohen, for example, you'd taken one even if it were tattered and in poor condition.
As far as ANY Shoeless Joe autograph, the guy was illiterate and there are so many really good fakes out there wouldn't touch one with a 10 foot pole. There are even fakes of his wife's signing his name for him since he couldn't write. Way too shaky and treacherous for me at the price.

[mrvster]

ever since a kid it's been my dream.......as a kid almost had one, but seemed to be too much money for a baseball card.....my father had brought me to flee markets and buy cards, and my mother also...I always loved baseball and the cards that went with it...

my dad is long gone, and I miss him very much....

my dream is to accomplish it one day.....but im a working class fool lol....

anyway, my t206 circus o' freaks is so unique, hoping one day

hoping everyday

[Leon]

I sold a Kbats team card and another card, which I can't remember, to fund this card. I have never regretted it. I have sold a few other things to help fund others but this was the most expensive.

[Vintageclout]

It is always tough to part with the cards you "broke your back" to obtain, but I am convinced obtaining a MASSIVE cardboard brick is more than worth it!

[T206Collector]

Sold 400+ T206s to buy Lionel Carter's Eddie Plank. Have never regretted it.

It was hard at the time, but I have not missed virtually any of those cards, which frankly are easy enough to find again if I want.

[frankb22]

Sold my Holy Grail Trilogy in the fall REA and should be able to
fund my new pursuit/theme nicely. Very excited to get started.
Nothing like a new focus to get the juices flowing.