Modern day collectors, question on SPs and SSPs

[AGuinness]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Did you buy all 10(?) SSP versions of the 2017 Topps David Ortiz card?

I would have thought that would make you quit. I think the SSPs are reasonable enough that if you are only buying one team per year, it's affordable (notwithstanding when they do the Ortiz thing).
Maybe not if you throw in Heritage Throwback SSPs because those are nuts, especially right after release.

But it's your money and your collection, you get to choose what you want to collect.

Actually, those 2017s are pretty sweet cards (the Comerica Park one is the only one that really isn't a good photo). And those have sold around $100 apiece, give or take, when they become available and sometimes quite a bit lower (I got my BGS 9.5 one for just over $10, although I needed to persuade the seller to send it, which they did). That said, I haven't seen one pop up on eBay for a while. But I've got 4, will continue buying the ones I don't have as they come up.
Since this thread could use a photo, I'll post one of those cards...
Collecting absolutely is what I choose it to be, but I seem to revisit the SSP debate whenever the new set comes out. I think it's good to reevaluate any collection/habit/etc. from time to time to see if it still fits. I'm curious if others have had this debate with their collection and how they ended up getting to a final decision.

Originally Posted by frankhardy

I have 21 albums full of Cardinals Team sets from 1948 to present. I get all SPs and SSPs. I recommend waiting a little bit on the SSPs, but not too long. I wait about a month. If you wait a year, they have a tendency to dry up. Topps started doing variations in 2009. Try finding some of those older ones. If you wait about a month they always come down a little.

I've got just about all the image variations from the 2009-2015 (ish), but it's more of the SSPs that have come out in recent years that have changed the dynamics a bit. First, because there seem to be more SSPs each year, and second because they're hitting prices that are surprising (multiple hundreds). There are at least 3 in the past couple years that I need, all with price tags at least $200 apiece. And just like everyone, I've got a limited budget overall and shelling out that scratch for a modern SSP cuts into my pre-war collection, etc.

Originally Posted by frankhardy

I agree 100%. I don't do all of the color parallels and the different color refractors. I only do base, variations, Chrome, Regular Refractors, and Minis.

I also did not do the sparkle variations a few years ago. Like was said..... You have to draw the line somewhere.

You have the same problem with vintage variations. You have to make a decision on how far you take it.

Definitely draw the line. I don't do color variations. The sparkles from 2010 and around then did not really strike a chord with me. I got one or two, to have as examples, but didn't try for all of them. Same with the "Boston Strong" cards they put out in 2013, in no small part because the print run was so limited. I've got one, and would buy another if the price was pretty cheap, but am fine with the single example in my collection. I'll probably circle back for the red-lettered 2007 cards, since they're not expensive, but I don't feel like I have to get those.
I do like the image variations, and better than some of the older "variations," such as the 1968 3rd Series Checklist with Yaz that I think has three versions with slightly different text or the 1991 Topps Dwight Evans that can have either tied or lead the league in games played during 1982.