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

[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!