Can anyone honestly say....

[steve B]

I put together a 48 Bowman set in mostly poor condition between 1978 and 1982-3. Sold it in 85? for a bit more than I'd paid. It probably couldn't be done today.
Most of the sets I collected when they were new would sell for more than I paid, but I didn't keep track of costs.

[brewing]

There were 2 sets I built where I acquired large lots at a great price as foundations. Filling in most of the holes with a couple of lots and the rest over a 2-3 year period.

In those 2 scenarios, I made about 20%

I sold most of my other sets 5 years ago (from break even to 20% loss), if I would have waited until this year I probably would have done quite well.

I think it depends on how long you hold it and how vintage it is. Sets from the 70's are price losers when selling as a set.

[puckpaul]

Wouldnt it depend on when you built the set? Certainly the commissions can make it challenging when you sell, but given the appreciation of many cards, if you bought the star cards well and a while ago, you should be able to make money on the set. I have been building a T3 set for years, luckily i bought the star cards first. The Cobb, young Mathewson and Lajoie should put the set value over the top. You always have the option of breaking it up to sell, too, if that maximizes exit value.

Given the appreciation over time, i would buy the most valuable cards first of building.

[ALBB]

the other " losing " factor with building sets brick by brick..is the added shipping expenses (assuming its Ebay,which seems to be where most guys buy from)

So for every $5/$10 card you buy...add $3-4 + for shipping. Most collectors tend to " leave out " this pesky out of pocket expenses..when they state " I put together a 59 T set for about 1100..sold it for 1300...I did alright ( really ? LOL )

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Funny I used to build vintage sets for profit all the time. The key was do as much of your buying as possible in large lots, compile what you need and sell off the duplicates. When it gets down to card by card hopefully you did well enough in the bulk buys to stay ahead. I had no problem buying 200 cards to get 3 I needed because I could likely get those three cards for free by reselling the lot. Often I'd break the lot up some and actually make a profit.

My best was a 1971 set that cost me $11 net to build. Sold it for $600.

[mintacular]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Funny I used to build vintage sets for profit all the time. The key was do as much of your buying as possible in large lots, compile what you need and sell off the duplicates. When it gets down to card by card hopefully you did well enough in the bulk buys to stay ahead. I had no problem buying 200 cards to get 3 I needed because I could likely get those three cards for free by reselling the lot. Often I'd break the lot up some and actually make a profit.

My best was a 1971 set that cost me $11 net to build. Sold it for $600.

I think you are talking about something different. You are saying that you used profits from smart buys to help invest in building a set and therefore the entire process "paid for the set". That is a whole diff. conversation

[Tere1071]

Originally Posted by ALBB

the other " losing " factor with building sets brick by brick..is the added shipping expenses (assuming its eBay, which seems to be where most guys buy from)

So for every $5/$10 card you buy...add $3-4 + for shipping. Most collectors tend to " leave out " this pesky out of pocket expenses..when they state " I put together a 59 T set for about 1100..sold it for 1300...I did alright ( really ? LOL )

When I got back into collecting in 2012 after a 20-year hiatus, I began building Topps Heritage sets. Local dealers didn't really deal in singles, so I went to eBay. If I figured in the shipping some of the sets I assembled would have cost me far more than I'd ever hope to sell them for.

When the hobby was my job from the mid-70s to 1987 I remember dealers purchasing sets to break apart for their inventory. High initial cost, but the profit would gradually be realized by individual card sales. Based on that I began purchasing Heritage master sets, filling in the SSP cards as the money and wife permitted.

When I decided to collect the 53 Bowman color set last December I was heavy on Heritage sets and short on money so I went back to purchasing singles from eBay as the few dealers who have them in my area ask quite a bit of money for their inventory. Had I saved the money from my Heritage sales I would have the opportunity to purchase a decent mid-grade set for less than what I have into my current set. No regrets, having my set makes me happy and I relate better to it than the current shiny, expensive stuff. But, a $10 card with $4 shipping plus tax becomes in actuality a $15 card. Multiply individual purchases that require the cost of shipping and tax in building a set will leave you with a keeper at least in the short term.

[ALBB]

I love that !!..." as money and wife permitted " !! LOL

[Rickyy]

In my case for some of the 70's set I would say yes (although won't be a killing...I probably will come out ahead by a hundred dollars or two)...because most were bought buy me as kid back in the 70's and I took good care of them....and just filled in or upgraded some cards...as I went along... also for some of the earlier sets I bought near complete or complete series that I needed from old time dealers like Larry Fristch back in the 70's so I did alright.

Ricky Y