What to collect? Complete Sets or HoF Players from that Set

[wilkiebaby11]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

It's so nice when you have the entire set with no missing holes. That's a beautiful thing!

But it sounds like you're treating it like an investment. If that's the case, then you want to spend the least amount to eventually garner the most financial return. So you gotta simply ask yourself, "Am I a collector or am I just looking for a return on my investment?" The answer will steer you in the right direction.

I'm not looking to necessarily "invest", but I don't want to lose money when it comes time to sell them (if I need to). First kid is on the way in a few months, and while I'm not spending money that I (ahem... "we") don't have, you never know what the future holds and what cards may have to be liquidated. I'm steering towards playing it safe and collecting just the HoFers, but I need some gentle coersing. I definitely want that complete set, it would be amazing, but I have a feeling that in a couple of months that the project will be put on hold or at least the far-far back-burner.
Thanks for your input, definitely has made me think of it in a new light.

[ALR-bishop]

Set collectors like me prefer sets, Player collectors prefer players. If investment appreciation is not a major consideration, collect what you like best. A hobby should be fun and interesting to you, whatever anyone else thinks or likes or collects

[wilkiebaby11]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Set collectors like me prefer sets, Player collectors prefer players. If investment appreciation is not a major consideration, collect what you like best. A hobby should be fun and interesting to you, whatever anyone else thinks or likes or collects

Thanks. I like the feeling of accomplishment. So I would like to have a "goal" when collecting. I am starting to think that while a complete 1956 Topps Set would be an amazing accomplishment, I don't know if I will have the resources (time and money) to complete it in a timely manner. I think I'll probably reduce and try to collect the HoFers first and leave the complete set for some time in the far future.

[brewing]

Entire sets is not in my budget and I agree the outlay of cash for some commons became painful. Therefore I chose to collect Topps regular issue of Hall of Famers, all Detroit Tiger cards, and sets from the year of my birth forward. I veered from this to complete the 1956 set, only because it is my favorite set and I focused on VG-EX cards.

Like others have stated, collect what you want. Just have fun doing it.

[wilkiebaby11]

Originally Posted by brewing

Entire sets is not in my budget and I agree the outlay of cash for some commons became painful. Therefore I chose to collect Topps regular issue of Hall of Famers, all Detroit Tiger cards, and sets from the year of my birth forward. I veered from this to complete the 1956 set, only because it is my favorite set and I focused on VG-EX cards.

Like others have stated, collect what you want. Just have fun doing it.

I'm having fun either way! I guess I don't want to quit something that I've started out doing. I don't want to be a quitter and I have an obsessive behavior to finish something that I started (in a good way). I still want to have the fun and fulfillment of collecting, but maybe at not such an extreme goal of 340, 58 year old cards. Shortening my set needs to a simple 32 (albeit a more expense 32), should satiate my collecting needs. Thanks for all suggestions. I just needed a littel encouragement to do what I wanted.

[kailes2872]

I am a set collector. My standard practice is to buy a set for a good price with some upgrade needs. Most of the time the superstars are less than ideal and I upgrade them in PSA 6 & 7 slabs.

However, I still have a nervous tick from trying to collect '67 card by card. I found while I collected that set that I really didn't mind investing in the superstars - Mantle, Seaver, Carew, etc. The challenge that I had was paying sizable dollars for non-superstar high numbers - Clendenon, Red Sox Team Card, Tommy John, rookie cards of guys that I have never heard of (White Sox, Yankees), yet they would cost pretty serious dollars for the condition that I was looking for.

I have back to '57 with the exception of '61 (still looking for the right set at the right price). As I move to '56-'53 and the sets are 280, 250, 206, and 340 cards - I think that I am going to change my approach. I will look for lots of commons for a few hundred dollars, and then buy the superstars in slabs - versus paying for a set with a low grade superstar and having to upgrade it anyway. The pain will be upgrading the semi-stars and high numbers in between. I am thinking of starting with '54 with this style first as it is all about Banks, Aaron, and Kaline. If I get those, then Mays and the two Williams cards, I can be well on my way just looking for common lots.

I understand you pain, however, and 56 with the 340 cards might be too many to buy card by card - epecially when many commons in any sort of EX type presentable condition start getting expensive - and nothing stinks worse tink sinking a few hundred dollars into cards of guys who you have never heard of.

Best of luck and enjoy the ride.

[wilkiebaby11]

Originally Posted by kailes2872

I am a set collector. My standard practice is to buy a set for a good price with some upgrade needs. Most of the time the superstars are less than ideal and I upgrade them in PSA 6 & 7 slabs.

However, I still have a nervous tick from trying to collect '67 card by card. I found while I collected that set that I really didn't mind investing in the superstars - Mantle, Seaver, Carew, etc. The challenge that I had was paying sizable dollars for non-superstar high numbers - Clendenon, Red Sox Team Card, Tommy John, rookie cards of guys that I have never heard of (White Sox, Yankees), yet they would cost pretty serious dollars for the condition that I was looking for.

I have back to '57 with the exception of '61 (still looking for the right set at the right price). As I move to '56-'53 and the sets are 280, 250, 206, and 340 cards - I think that I am going to change my approach. I will look for lots of commons for a few hundred dollars, and then buy the superstars in slabs - versus paying for a set with a low grade superstar and having to upgrade it anyway. The pain will be upgrading the semi-stars and high numbers in between. I am thinking of starting with '54 with this style first as it is all about Banks, Aaron, and Kaline. If I get those, then Mays and the two Williams cards, I can be well on my way just looking for common lots.

I understand you pain, however, and 56 with the 340 cards might be too many to buy card by card - epecially when many commons in any sort of EX type presentable condition start getting expensive - and nothing stinks worse tink sinking a few hundred dollars into cards of guys who you have never heard of.

Best of luck and enjoy the ride.

Your last point was pretty much my thought. I've spent hundreds of dollars (probably about $500-$600) on about 70 common cards, that I looked at once and put into my set box, to never been seen other than on my setlist... or I can sell them off and finally get the Mantle in a PSA 5 (or 6 if I'm lucky). I'd look at that one card more often than the 70 common cards sitting in my box.

I think you've all persuaded me to do what I really wanted to do all along!