Building a set without the internet

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Originally Posted by scmavl

I actually meant no forums/websites/etc, just in person/phone/magazines/shows. "Paelo Set Building", if you will.

I love the thought provoking post.

One additional problem with that, even though you mention "friends/friends-of-friends" is that not many of my local in person friends collect.

As a kid, pretty much 80% of my friends were all chasing 1987 Topps...so it was easy to get a trade going.

But now, of the one or two guys I know that collect, we don't really collect the same sets...so trading partners are pretty much ZERO without the internet.

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by thatkidfromjerrymaguire

But now, of the one or two guys I know that collect, we don't really collect the same sets...so trading partners are pretty much ZERO without the internet.

Same here. Therein lies the challenge.

[JollyElm]

I find the thought so impossible that I couldn't even imagine building a set without 99% of the cards coming from eBay and other on-line acquisitions. And in the COVID era, card shows are as infrequent as lunar eclipses, so there's not a lot of hope working that avenue successfully.

[bbcard1]

That was one of the great things about owning a shop in the 80s...set builders coming in...we helped a lot of people build 1987 Topps sets.

[GasHouseGang]

I did it back in the day all the time. But not in the last 30 years. It would be possible but extremely difficult for any older sets. All of the local shops have modern cards but very little vintage. If you were building this year's base set I guess you could probably do that pretty easy with buying at the local shops.

[midmo]

I try to go to a couple shows a month. From what I see I think 1953 Topps and later might be doable over time, but earlier stuff would be pretty tough. I'm slowly working on 4 sets now and have been picking up pieces at shows. No desire to limit where I get stuff though.

[BearBailey]

I think it’s possible depending on where you live and the availability of card shows or shops, but probably more difficult then the 80’s and 90’s by a wide margin. I went to local shows and shops and the willow grove shows and eventually the national to complete sets back then, but now I think more people sell online as compared to shows and in person, I wish it weren’t that way but don’t see it ever going back. Seems like a fun project but might be extremely difficult. If you decide to do it keep us updated on your progress.