Most Effective Method for Vintage Set Builders

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

I am finding that complete sets or at least large partials are the best buys. I always said I wanted to build my sets a card at a time and have control over each card, but I now see that led to spending more money and bogging down and abandoning sets. Buying complete sets or large partials still allows me just as much enjoyment as I work through them and upgrade if needed.

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Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

I am finding that complete sets or at least large partials are the best buys. I always said I wanted to build my sets a card at a time and have control over each card, but I now see that led to spending more money and bogging down and abandoning sets. Buying complete sets or large partials still allows me just as much enjoyment as I work through them and upgrade if needed.

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My inclination is similar. I have tried to find similar sets on Ebay and suspect that I could be spending more using the "one card at a time" method. Though I very seldom see a set in the same "true" condition as these two just completed.

It is worthy of note that my cost on the 1966 was much lower at around the 500 card mark. The High # and SPs wiped me out.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by sfh24

My inclination is similar. I have tried to find similar sets on Ebay and suspect that I could be spending more using the "one card at a time" method. Though I very seldom see a set in the same "true" condition as these two just completed.

It is worthy of note that my cost on the 1966 was much lower at around the 500 card mark. The High # and SPs wiped me out.

I hear ya. Sometimes when collecting a set that has challenging high numbers you can get a deal on most or all of the low #s (outside of the big cards of course) by buying most of the set outside of the highs so that you have $ left to tackle the highs. Good stuff though. It is a fun hobby.

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[commishbob]

I've gone the 'big' starter lot route and found it to be the most fun. At least with the 50s through 1970 sets I've put together. I look for lots that contain 50 to 60% and the rest I pick up at my local hotel shows or online. I know it would be cheaper to just buy the set. I've done that with some sets from the 70s and 80s but I find that I never really enjoy flipping through the cards as much as I do with my "blood, sweat and tears-built" ones. I can tell you when, where and how I found the last cards I needed for those.

[BearBailey]

I’ve always found it cheaper to buy the whole set especially with difficult high numbers or sp cards. I also find it more enjoyable to build the set card by Card and focus on grade or centering or whatever you are after.

[Exhibitman]

I buy and bust sets. Best bet for a bargain set start are the large starter sets on eBay which are usually the leftovers from collection acquisitions and set breaks. You can get 70% or more of the set for a pittance then work the rest. I have a 1975 starter set of over 500 cards up right now on eBay at a dime a card from a recent collection purchase.

Originally Posted by commishbob

I've gone the 'big' starter lot route and found it to be the most fun. At least with the 50s through 1970 sets I've put together. I look for lots that contain 50 to 60% and the rest I pick up at my local hotel shows or online. I know it would be cheaper to just buy the set. I've done that with some sets from the 70s and 80s but I find that I never really enjoy flipping through the cards as much as I do with my "blood, sweat and tears-built" ones. I can tell you when, where and how I found the last cards I needed for those.

You make a good point. I am intimately acquainted with every card in the sets I have compiled. I know the exact condition and flaws of every card.

[SAllen2556]

I would just add that if you have access to local card shows that can make a big difference in how you go about putting together a set. Buying one card at a time on eBay is tough. For the '68 Topps set, I can't imagine buying that way. But card shows specifically cater to set collectors, and there's no shipping!

You might also check out COMC for purchasing multiple cards. I've used it for commons and minor stars and have had pretty good luck.

[Marchillo]

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

I would just add that if you have access to local card shows that can make a big difference in how you go about putting together a set. Buying one card at a time on eBay is tough. For the '68 Topps set, I can't imagine buying that way. But card shows specifically cater to set collectors, and there's no shipping!

You might also check out COMC for purchasing multiple cards. I've used it for commons and minor stars and have had pretty good luck.

Greg Morris Cards on eBay is a good source once you make some progress. When I built my 63 set I used him to buy dozens of cards at a time. He does tons of 60's set breaks in all sorts of conditions. He charges a rate of $3 for as many cards up to the maximum amount eBay allows on an invoice. He also lets you keep cards in the cart for a week or so. Which usually covers 2-3 set breaks for each year in the 60's. Good luck!

[kailes2872]

The most fun that I have had building sets have been '56 and '67 which were pretty much done card by card. I remember specific cards in that set so much better than the others and have both of them exactly as I want them. However, similar to you, they are the most expensive ones. The best value were the ones that I found that only needed a card or two upgraded - but after the first couple of weeks, they go into the safe and I haven't looked at them.

A guy on this board that was in the same post war set quest as me had a method and I thought that it was really smart. He would buy multiple versions of the same set, cherry pick the best set and then sell off the others as complete. It is capital intensive, but it allowed him to upgrade to the best possible version for himself and then sell of the others as complete and get the majority of his investment back. I did a version of that with my 50 Bowman set and it allowed for a pretty nice version - however, I have not taken the plunge on buying multiples of early 50's sets as I didn't want to lay out that much cash and then hope that it sells - as I tend to be the guy that gets $.30 cents on the dollar for my stuff.

Similar to a lot of people, I look for large lots for the commons - as I hate spending $10-$20 per card on a common that will be absorbed into the set cost at about $3-$4 a card. I then go card by card on the stars to get the exact one that I want. As a result, all of my HOFers for '54, '55, and '56 Topps are at least PSA 6 and gives nice uniformity.

Best of luck to you.

[ALR-bishop]

I started collecting in 1957. Eventually I built Topps sets from 1951 to 1971 card by card, after 1972 I bought sets. For me, it was more enjoyable by card but less expensive by set.