T206 - Monster Advice

[the 'stache]

That's good advice, too, what Sean said. Something else to keep in mind. As you collect the set, you will discover things about it that you didn't anticipate. You're going to get a lot of the Piedmont and Sweet Caporal backs at first. Once you get something else, even your first Polar Bear, it will feel great. It's not a rare back by any means, but it's different. It's the Monster revealing just a little hint of its charms. It's like a beautiful woman leaving just the slightest hint of cleavage. As you collect a little more, you may not only like getting different backs, you will start to seem them out. That's the phase I'm at now. I have only recently started buying the cards a little more frequently. And a few times, when I had the decision to make-a common back, or a little less common, I found myself going for the less common back. You'll know pretty early on if the backs will hold some appeal. Maybe not. Maybe you'll be smarter than me, and figure out that the Monster in decent shape will cost you a bloody fortune, even if you do start out buying a large block of cards. Because then you start upgrading. Then you want to know what all the fuss about EPDG really means. You'll start buying those Old Mill cards for the first time, and then you get your first Southern Leaguer.

The T206 set is king because there are so many ways to collect the set. You could literally have started collecting the Monster when you were 18, and on your 60th birthday, finding something new you love about it.

Some people love doing runs. You pick a player you like, or a card that appeals to you. You open up your Bill Heitman book, and figure out how many backs exist for that card. And then you begin your search. You knock out the easy ones first. You get hooked up on the BST, and pick up a few of the semi-rare backs. You're going for the PSA 5 grades to start out, but by the time you're finalizing your deal for that Uzit back, the card is beat to ----, and you couldn't be happier.

Or, maybe you decide that ugly is beautiful. Some guys want their cards perfectly centered (hi Matt!). And that sounds good to you, too, until you hold your first severely miscut T206. And you're hooked. Or, you start hunting for cards with wet sheet transfers. Or cards missing certain inks. Maybe you are a Dodger fan, and you want to put together the ultimate Brooklyn Dodger set.

Maybe you have an idea what you're going to love already. Maybe you will know 3 months from now, or a year from now. You might go from a fan of the set to a true T206 lover, and you will remember the exact moment when you because a Monster freak. For me, it was opening up the package Rob sent me.

My first Hall of Famer. But more importantly, it was a card I just wanted because it spoke to me. The first time I saw it, I knew I was going to own it.



This card is gone. It's been upgraded by a nice PSA. But I still love it.