I'm at a T206 crossroads and looking for ideas

[Cozumeleno]

I'd recommend keeping them for now, but collecting something else in the meantime. That way, when you find good deals that come along, you can still add to your set on a casual basis.

Once they're gone, they're gone. Not that you can't start over but your progress will be gone. Unless you really need the money, I'd hang onto them, take a break, work on something else in the meantime, and decide later.

If you still feel the same way in a few months, maybe move them then. But I wouldn't be in a rush to sell them yet - I can't tell you the amount of times I've collected something, got out of it, and got back in later.

[Luke]

Hey, Jason. I was at a similar point maybe 3 years ago. I had around 200 t206. I had started with the HOFers, so maybe 50 of those were HOF. I didn't have much budget to spend on any more cards, and the thought that it would take me years and years to ever finish was really daunting. About that time, I started to get away from buying poor/fair condition cards, but a lot of my cards in my set were poor or fair.

At one point, a Bob Groom in fair condition that I had bought showed up in the mail, and I let the envelope sit in my mail slot for weeks. Eventually I realized that I just wasn't that interested in what I was collecting. I still loved t206, but I wasn't collecting in a way that was fun to me. Finding a Piedmont backed Jeff Sweeney for $28 in nice shape just wasn't doing much for me.

I sold off all of the commons that I didn't really enjoy (probably like 120) and started an E95 set and decided I would collect T206, but with no direction. If I liked a card, I'd buy it, and if it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it. I ended up getting into backs, and selling a bunch of my HOFers and buying HOFers with tougher backs.

It took awhile, but about two years ago, my latest pursuit came into focus. I found I preferred the 150-350 series for a few reasons (only consists of HOFers, the toughest backs are still affordable, I think the artwork is superior in the first series). So, now I'm working on the most interesting 150-350 series set that I can possibly put together (variety of backs, oddities, print goofs, etc). I haven't regretted any of the cards I've sold or traded.

Sorry for how long that was. The main point of it is that you can really do whatever you want with T206. You can sell all of the cards in your set that you're not in love with and use the money for other cards, or sell all the commons and buy a bunch of non-t206 HOFers, etc. They are really easy to sell, and if you're not feeling it, I doubt you'd regret the decision.

[frankbmd]

A fork in the road............Take it

[dougscats]

Good to see you back and still interested.

Is money and/or time a big issue?

Some excellent advice from Cozumeleno, above, and from many others.

One thing that the Monster teaches you is patience.
Let them pile up now--
It's a buyer's market now!--

As someone else mentioned, I set up a binder with pocket-pages, planned it out, and watched them fill in over the years.
It's such a pleasure flipping through a binder--you can do it any time you want--the easiest way I know of to review a collection.
By all means, do sub-sets while you continue on the big picture [like a jig-saw puzzle in this analogy]. I started out doing Hall-of-famers and Brooklyn Dodgers before I set up my binder alphabetically.

Meanwhile, let the others pile up. If you're in a rush, I don't have to tell you that you can pick them up right here on BST pretty inexpensively [less than ebay].

I started collecting with hall-of-famers [with my son] back in the '90's. After leaving off for some years, I discovered ebay, then Net 54, and it took me 7-9 years to get to 518. Even before I finished, I discovered that I enjoyed the chase even more than the accomplishment. And now I'm continually upgrading my 518.

And from what I see, they're a decent investment. T206's have continued to gradually appreciate over this past 20 years, even while I/you actively enjoy them.

So my advice: Don't quit.
Enjoy the climb.

Doug

[ZachS]

How's it going, Doug? Someone bumped this thread from 2013 but I am still at it... sort of.

Since I started this thread I decided to narrow down my T206's to portraits only. I traded/sold most of my non-portraits and I'm around 60-70% complete with the portrait subset. It's been a while since I picked up a T206 card though.

I've also started a 1953 and 1955 Topps set. Recently I've been considering getting rid of the 53 set though. I also started messing around with some older non-sports sets. I'm actively pursuing T121 SC WWI Scenes cards (about 85% on that one) and R164 War Gum (about 75% complete).

As usual, I'm all over the damn place and my interests change from week to week. Lately I've been digging the T205 set more and the T206 set less.

[T206Collector]

I got to 520 and then sold most of them to buy Lionel Carter's Eddie Plank in 2007. I've climbed up a bit and down a bit a little ever since. I'm in the mid-300s, now without the Plank, which I sold a couple of years back. I just pick them up when the urge hits me, and then let them sit when the urge doesn't.

[PolarBear]

That T121 is one of my all time favorite sets. I had about 20-25 cards at one point but gave up because they're so tough to find.

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by PolarBear

That T121 is one of my all time favorite sets. I had about 20-25 cards at one point but gave up because they're so tough to find.

I picked up a nice sized lot a while back for a good price to start out. I've been able to find smaller lots and singles fairly easily since then. I don't have much more left now and I've saved up a few duplicates. I like vintage cards and military so it's one of my favorite sets as well.

[PolarBear]

If you like military cards, you should try the "T206" of non-sports, the Kinney military series. I'm sure you're probably already familiar with it. 622 cards I think.