Can anyone honestly say....

[1952boyntoncollector]

Yeah some of the star cards may make you money but the commons will kill you.

Also you forget, if you take 20 years to compile the set..you cant expect to get your money back if sell all in a year. If take 20 years to sell, you will do better but nobody wants to sell sets in a 20 years process the way the assembled it over 20 years....time is money as well

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Yeah some of the star cards may make you money but the commons will kill you.

Also you forget, if you take 20 years to compile the set..you cant expect to get your money back if sell all in a year. If take 20 years to sell, you will do better but nobody wants to sell sets in a 20 years process the way the assembled it over 20 years....time is money as well

Yes, in certain sets (66, 67, etc.) you also might want to get the shorter printed high numbers 1st. But the general rule is a batch of commons will always be available for you. I'll stand by what I wrote, get the danged key cards 1st. And if it is going to be a 20 year project than what I wrote is even more true.

Rich

[KCRfan1]

I am working on a 1973 set, card by card. Overall the set is NM, and a 6 year project.

The first card I bought was Schmidt ( a beauty for $75 ) , then remaining HoFr's, all graded.

Common cards are ungraded.

Yes I have put more dollars into the set than purchasing outright, however this is a labor of love. This is the first year I remember collecting cards as a kid and I can't put a price on the memory and enjoyment I have gotten from the journey.

I am 50 cards away so the goal is in sight.

[clydepepper]

I built 1953-1980 Topps sets 'brick by brick' as you described it...sold all but 1953-56 and probably lost a ton...but that's didn't take away from the enjoyment of building them.

I may make a profit...someday...on the ones I've kept...the big cards in '53.'54 & '55 sets are graded...and all the cards are at least EX...so it will take a lot for me to move them.


.

[Bigdaddy]

I think to answer the OP's question, you have to take 'time' out of the equation. In other words, you are only looking at the cost of the whole or the sum of the parts, not looking at appreciation of certain cards over time.

That is a different question.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

I think to answer the OP's question, you have to take 'time' out of the equation. In other words, you are only looking at the cost of the whole or the sum of the parts, not looking at appreciation of certain cards over time.

That is a different question.

I think how long you spend to build a set is an important part of the equation. There is a nice man who comes to my shows *pre-Covid* who I usually see once a year when I go free admission as a holiday gift in December.

He's been working on his 1970 set since, well 1970

Other people build sets in a month, year, etc.

So the time spent is a case by case answer

Rich