Satisfied with team collecting?

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by JLange

As a Cleveland Baseball collector, I just don't have much interest in the players from other teams, even when they are hobby icons. I have plenty of stars and HOFers to pursue - including Tris Speaker, Nap Lajoie, Joe Jackson, Cy Young, Bob Feller, Larry Doby, Satchel Paige, and Rocky Colavito - to name a handful! It may not hold forever, but presently I am happy to continue collecting players from my favorite team. For me, that means I pursue players when they were with the Tribe, and take little interest in their cards/collectibles when they were with other teams (like Speaker with Boston, Colavito with Detroit, etc.). It also means that I limit my type collecting to only those cards/sets, that have a Cleveland player. I do admit its hard to look at some of these neat regional sets from other teams, but again I have plenty of tough items to pursue just from Northeast Ohio to keep me satisfied.

I can relate to what you are saying. I have collected whole sets in baseball and football, but I feel increasingly drawn to the Brooklyn Dodgers with Jackie, Duke, Campy, Pee Wee, Newcombe, Preacher Roe, etc. The early Bowman issues are especially nice. Really outside of Jackie, most of these can be had fairly reasonably. Someday, I might fill in around the Dodgers and complete the entire sets someday, but this sounds like fun right now.

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[Exhibitman]

I tried it for a while but found it too limited. What I enjoy more is collecting all players on the team from a specific set where I find the cards especially pleasing, like the 1976 Topps Reds or the 1978 Topps Yankees.

[commishbob]

I spent many years collecting Orioles team sets (and older pre-MLB Baltimore cards) and it was fun. I had a few other side projects but basically, I was Orioles-only. My interest in the hobby faded as my interest in baseball did in 1990 or thereabouts. The strike/lockout/walkout sealed that.

Went I got interested again (thanks, Buck Showalter!) I pulled out the old binders but I also found my nostalgia level had risen. I discovered the hobby blogosphere and I fell in love all over again with the sets I collected/flipped/traded as a kid starting in 1958. Chasing them, one or two at a time, has been really fun. I folded most of my old Orioles cards into the sets to help defray costs a bit.

Re-reading the original post I'm thinking I didn't answer the question. When I was collecting Orioles I also would pick up a few stars here and there. Generally cards of guys I enjoyed like McCovey, Gibson, and Kaline. I don't recall ever 'missing' the others.

[skil55voy]

I am a Tiger's fan. I collect Post Cereal and Jell-O sets. However, I am collecting Detroit Tiger and Lions team sets. I have started in 1955 (Year of birth) up to 2000 for the Tigers and Lions. I have Goudey wide pens from the 30's and when I can find them for good prices, I'll get Bowmans, Leafs etc.
I buy the oddball stuff when available. (Domino's Pizza Set, Kellog's Coca Cola, Pins etc..) I also buy newer stuff from bargain boxes at the shows where I live. Concentrating on Allen & Ginter, Gypsy Queen and Heritage. i know I won't get all of the cards but, it keeps the hunt going.

[Jim65]

I am satisfied in collecting Mets, my collection is pretty big and my wantlist is getting smaller so when I find an item its probably very rare.

The one downside is having to buy cards of players I wouldn't normally buy. I know I'll get crap for this but I think Nolan Ryan is probably the most overrated player and it hurt to have to buy his rookie and early cards.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by Jim65

The one downside is having to buy cards of players I wouldn't normally buy. I know I'll get crap for this but I think Nolan Ryan is probably the most overrated player and it hurt to have to buy his rookie and early cards.

I would hate to think that I "have to buy" any card. If you feel that way, save your money.

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[ALR-bishop]

As a master set type collector there are cards you have to have, like them or not. I am not a big Mantle fan but I think I have all his Topps cards ( and Bowman) but for the 66 Punch Out and 61 Dice, including both 52 Topps variations. If sets are your parameter, saving money by not buying cards you do not particularly like is not an option. And if set runs are the parameter you can not even avoid sets you do not particularly like. No complaints. Set the parameters many years ago and stuck to them