New Vintage Collector.. Help me get started

[todeen]

You can get a handful of t206 hall of famers for $3000. I am a quantity over quality guy myself. I'd rather look at six $500 cards rather than one $3000 card.

You could also buy 1-3 complete post-war sets for that amount (depending on quality of the set). You could pull out the star cards and then sell off the commons. It would actually reduce the price of the star cards if you did it that way.

[cardsagain74]

More info on your preferences is needed (especially if you're interested in pre WW 2, post war, or both). And even what you'd like most within those eras.

Like if it's post-war, mid-grade rookie cards of guys like Seaver or Nolan Ryan? Or early cards of Aaron/Mays? A Mantle?

And like Dale said above, with how the market has moved lately, unfortunately you're beginning in a more difficult position. He and I have talked about how we never would've begun building our '52 Topps sets if we had to start today (and I only began collecting vintage late last year!)

That being said, obviously the market could still have more room to grow. As long as you find the right current market prices on blue-chip type vintage, there's a good chance you could be okay in the long run. And even if your timing ends up being unlucky, it sounds you'll still enjoy owning the cards more than enough to make it worthwhile to you

[nwobhm]

Pay down the mortgage on your house with the $3000 and the return will be greater than any card investment you make. In the next 2-3 years there will be a downturn of massive proprtions. Buy in after the crash, it's coming.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

You'll hear this repeated over and over, but it can't be said enough, "Collect what you enjoy." That way whether the value of your collection rises or falls, you'll still enjoy the process and hobby of collecting cool cards.

If your goal is to become a vintage card INVESTOR, then that changes the discussion.

But if you are looking to get in to vintage card COLLECTING, then there are lots of options. Set building can be really fun...so if you are interested in that, try picking up a few commons and minor stars from some sets that interest you and see how they look an feel in hand...and if something strikes you as interesting, then start researching and building out that set. Pretty quickly you'll start to discover your preference for condition....if you don't mind creases and marks on your cards, your money will go a lot farther than if you exclusively chase Near Mint vintage.

Another option is to decide which ONE vintage card would be awesome to have, purchase it, and then build the set around it (i.e. grab a 1955 Clemente rookie, and then enjoy adding all the other common, star, and HOF players from that set). Or grab a T206 Cobb, and then build a T206 Tigers team set.

I also enjoy reading biographies and baseball books from the time period I'm currently collecting. My first big vintage purchase was a 1952 Bowman Mays, and I enjoyed that card even more after reading a biography of him. I followed that pattern after I bought my first Ruth and first Mantle. Reading about pre-war baseball greatly enhances my enjoyment of the few T206 and Goudey cards I have, and reading about the early 50's Dodgers, Giants, and Yankees really gives me a better appreciation of my post war Bowman and Topps cards.

I haven't really gotten in to collecting cards from the 60's or 70's, but I'm sure there are some good books about those eras as well.

At any rate...$3000 can get you a ton of satisfaction in this hobby if you enjoy the learning and researching aspect of it.

Keep us posted on how your collecting goes!

[Shortstopguy12]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I am looking to get some iconic cards. The ones that will be conversation pieces. Obviously, some of the big iconic cards are nowhere near my grasp at this time. I'm interested in the 4 major sports. Right now, I am looking for a high grade 1955 Jim Thorpe as one of my first pieces as his story fascinates me. Baseball is my true passion, so I will want a 54 Aaron, an early Jackie Robinson and many others. I am not in this to invest, but rather to build some history that I can share with friends and family. Graded is a must for me to ensure authenticity, and to keep it protected. I want people to be able to hold these cards. I am also a teacher, and would love to share this history with my students. I teach at an alternative high school where students struggle for every reason imaginable. Getting them into sports has literally saved many of their lives. I doubt any of them will get into card collecting, but some of them have developed a real passion for the game and its history. Thank you all for your wise words. If you have anything that you think might fit my criteria, please send me a message. Stay safe everyone!

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Shortstopguy12

Thanks for the responses everyone. I am looking to get some iconic cards. The ones that will be conversation pieces. Obviously, some of the big iconic cards are nowhere near my grasp at this time. I'm interested in the 4 major sports. Right now, I am looking for a high grade 1955 Jim Thorpe as one of my first pieces as his story fascinates me. Baseball is my true passion, so I will want a 54 Aaron, an early Jackie Robinson and many others. I am not in this to invest, but rather to build some history that I can share with friends and family. Graded is a must for me to ensure authenticity, and to keep it protected. I want people to be able to hold these cards. I am also a teacher, and would love to share this history with my students. I teach at an alternative high school where students struggle for every reason imaginable. Getting them into sports has literally saved many of their lives. I doubt any of them will get into card collecting, but some of them have developed a real passion for the game and its history. Thank you all for your wise words. If you have anything that you think might fit my criteria, please send me a message. Stay safe everyone!

Sounds to me like you already have answered your own question and know the direction you want to head in. That's such a great basis for wanting to collect. Purchase what you know about, and what means something to YOU. I myself am a retired teacher, and as I'm sure you know, while it's important to know your subject, it's also important to have a passion for it. That passion can reach your students. And if that's how you collect, getting cards about athletes that mean something to you and hold significance for you, those cards will help you reach your students. And so many great things can come out of that.

I would only say that you don't necessarily have to purchase graded cards, although I understand the concern. And some of the most historical cards, you might not always find in great condition. Also, some of the most soulful cards are not mint.

[mrmopar]

The question that probably needs to be answered at this point is what is your motive? Are you wanting to collect with the intent of making a gain in the future or are you simply doing it because you enjoy the hobby. That is easy to answer when you are buying 15 cent packs new and holding on to them for years, but when you are plunking down $3-5K and more to buy old cards you never had, then it becomes a much harder call.

$5K will buy a lot of iconic cards if you are willing to accept flaws and lower condition copies. If you are "investing" at this point, you are probably going to have a pretty small collection with that budget.

I'd say I am somewhere in the middle. I want cards that are enjoyable to look at (no major flaws that detract from the overall appearance) but won't break the bank. I don't do graded cards and I don't insist on gem mint cards either. I also don't buy much in the way of vintage anymore either, having grabbed up most of what I have now years ago. Knowing what I know though and with all the recent talk of trimming and the proliferation of counterfeit and reprints, it makes buying that stuff ungraded now even more risky though.

Good luck whichever way you go. I know I couldn't build the collection I have now if I started today and wanted to be budget conscious.