Prices of complete sets relative to singles

[GeoPoto]

Does anybody else question the OP's premise that "complete sets are regularly cheaper than the equivalent summed singles pricing"? I've never purchased a complete set, so I don't have a lot of relevant experience, but my recollection of the half-a-dozen-or-so instances where Mile High has run auctions that allowed bidding on the individual cards and the set is that the set won more often than not. My memory could be wrong, but I certainly remember "winning" a lot of individual cards only to be trumped by the high set-bidders.

[cardsagain74]

The online marketplace has changed everything too.

During the junk wax era, complete sets were priced more in line with the underlying breakup value. Sometimes even above it. Because there was a lot more demand for them. Mainly because building a set was quite tedious w/ only SCD, maybe a local card shop, and whatever shows you could make it to. Which, unless you lived in a big city, were often just 30 to 40 tables of Kevin Maas cards at the local VFW.

But with the ease of finding practically anything you need online, partials and commons have a much more popular marketplace than they did back then. Leading to many people going back to their childhood fun of putting a set together. Buying complete sets just isn't as popular anymore.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

Does anybody else question the OP's premise that "complete sets are regularly cheaper than the equivalent summed singles pricing"? I've never purchased a complete set, so I don't have a lot of relevant experience, but my recollection of the half-a-dozen-or-so instances where Mile High has run auctions that allowed bidding on the individual cards and the set is that the set won more often than not. My memory could be wrong, but I certainly remember "winning" a lot of individual cards only to be trumped by the high set-bidders.

He's right. I've been really involved in putting together a post-war run of vintage baseball sets in the last couple years, and it's usually more cost-efficient to buy them complete. Often not even that close.

There are a some exceptions ('64, '74, and especially '81 Topps come to mind), but not many. With individual star cards and partials in such demand, it doesn't take much for the pieces to cost more than the whole.

Especially when you have really expensive cadillac cards or high numbers for a set's era

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

Does anybody else question the OP's premise that "complete sets are regularly cheaper than the equivalent summed singles pricing"? I've never purchased a complete set, so I don't have a lot of relevant experience, but my recollection of the half-a-dozen-or-so instances where Mile High has run auctions that allowed bidding on the individual cards and the set is that the set won more often than not. My memory could be wrong, but I certainly remember "winning" a lot of individual cards only to be trumped by the high set-bidders.

Your memory is correct. Especially with graded sets, the sets seem to sell for more than the singles would cumulatively. Occasionally a bargain can be found. There was a near 1968 PSA baseball set with BP that finished around $20k (sans top 10 cards) in the recent Memory Lane auction. Obviously, over the past year, the cost/value of graded sets has increased due to the grading costs of commons.

Over the past year raw set prices seem to have doubled. For example, mid-grade 72 baseball sets could be had for around $1500, today the same set would bring $2500-3000.

[bks14sr]

I appreciate all the responses. I’ve so far only completed a few sets, as I primarily chased singles of interest. My recollection from past efforts were that complete sets did pull a premium. As mentioned, maybe that’s changed due to ease of finding singles these days, a few of the mentioned reasons, as well as the particular set being chased. I recently started making some changes in my collection and decided to get more liquid to chase bigger wants. I seem to change collection direction every so often, so it’s swaying me from chasing sets with current approach. I’ll start taking the less popular approach, buying complete sets as a start point, then replacing singles from there. Started pricing a sell of my mid grade 54T set, was surprised by the huge difference in complete comps to singles. It should be closer in my eyes.

My sets are uniform throughout, as I do cherry pick from large lot and single purchases. That’s more why I asked the original question. A direct sales comparison between selling a set and breaking out those same cards, I figured the value would lean towards the complete set. But I see most don’t have my same logic.

[jayshum]

I remember when I was working on Topps sets 20+ years ago and the Beckett Price Guide was the main source for prices. Each set had a complete set price listed along with separate listings for commons (by series for the older sets) and then individual stars and minor stars. Usually, if you added up the prices of all the listed stars and minor stars, you got pretty close to the price listed for the entire set which seemed to mean that if you could find a whole set to buy, you would basically get the commons for free. Since I couldn't afford to buy an entire set at once, I never was able to verify if that was really true, but it certainly was implied by the price guide.

[quinnsryche]

I think it's the fact that most collectors can't afford to buy a complete set all at once but can afford to pickup a card here and there. There is also the aspect of the enjoyment of building something and the sense of accomplishment when the task is complete. That's why when many collectors finish said set, it either sits on a shelf or they decide to sell it to start something new.
Just my 2 cents.

[obcbobd]

As a seller I would sell a complete set at a discount as opposed to selling each card individually as it would save me a lot of time and energy

[parkplace33]

It is very rare to find complete sets for sale now. Most AHs or ebay sellers (GM) break up them to maximize profit.

[GoCubsGo32]

I think it depends on a few factors.

For me...

If it's a vintage set and kinda pricey...I love the build. Usually ends up being cheaper, you pay as you go and get to pick the condition of the cards. I hate buying a vintage set via AH. I often feel because of the amount of cards in the set they're aren't described the best (unless it's a graded set). In addition, I enjoy learning about the different players as I add them into the set.

If it's a modern set, say 1987 Topps etc. I'm buying the factory set, looking through them and call it a day.

The thrill is the chase vs. the catch!

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Your memory is correct. Especially with graded sets, the sets seem to sell for more than the singles would cumulatively. Occasionally a bargain can be found. There was a near 1968 PSA baseball set with BP that finished around $20k (sans top 10 cards) in the recent Memory Lane auction. Obviously, over the past year, the cost/value of graded sets has increased due to the grading costs of commons.

Over the past year raw set prices seem to have doubled. For example, mid-grade 72 baseball sets could be had for around $1500, today the same set would bring $2500-3000.

Complete sets have done better lately (relative to the underlying value), but your numbers are skewed. They haven't doubled in just the last year.

For the '72 you mentioned, a lot of ex+/ex-mt raw sets have gone for 2300-2400 on ebay in the last three months. A year ago, those sets would've sold for 1700-1800. And that's the type of 30-40% increase that I've seen across the board for many vintage sets. Anyone spending 3000 for a "mid grade" '72 really overpaid.

Plus the underlying breakup is still a bit higher than those recent sales. Even before factoring in the transaction costs of building one.

[puckpaul]

I like buying complete vintage sets, i would also be thrilled with a discount to breakup value. Anyone wants to sell them, contact me! I like putting them together, but though some are plentiful, it can take lots of patience to finish them in a consistent grade. I think there should be a premium for that effort, happy if i get a discount from all of you though!

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

Complete sets have done better lately (relative to the underlying value), but your numbers are skewed. They haven't doubled in just the last year.

For the '72 you mentioned, a lot of ex+/ex-mt raw sets have gone for 2300-2400 on ebay in the last three months. A year ago, those sets would've sold for 1700-1800. And that's the type of 30-40% increase that I've seen across the board for many vintage sets. Anyone spending 3000 for a "mid grade" '72 really overpaid.

Plus the underlying breakup is still a bit higher than those recent sales. Even before factoring in the transaction costs of building one.

Guess I was thinking of this set for the high number of my range:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25533367593...p2047675.l2557


Since the 72 set is one of my favorite sets, I tend to pay more attention to those sales.


Not sure I remember midgrade 72 sets a year ago consistently selling for more than $1500. Possibly a few did.

Still, the buyer of this $3k midgrade 72 set probably still got a bargain at $3k. Based on my own recent experience, I broke a near high number midgrade run, less the top 15 cards for around $1500. The whole midgrade run likely sells for $1800-2k pieced out. For someone piecing the set together card by card, if s/h average $3 a card, it would cost almost $400 in s/h alone for the just the high #s.


I'm pretty sure my 72 set has doubled in value over the past year. Early last year the APR on my set was around $13k, up to almost $25k as of today.
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregist...lishedset/3092

I would argue that increase is likely due to grading costs of commons and the reduced supply of commons.

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Guess I was thinking of this set for the high number of my range:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25533367593...p2047675.l2557


Since the 72 set is one of my favorite sets, I tend to pay more attention to those sales.


Not sure I remember midgrade 72 sets a year ago consistently selling for more than $1500. Possibly a few did.

Still, the buyer of this $3k midgrade 72 set probably still got a bargain at $3k. Based on my own recent experience, I broke a near high number midgrade run, less the top 15 cards for around $1500. The whole midgrade run likely sells for $1800-2k pieced out. For someone piecing the set together card by card, if s/h average $3 a card, it would cost almost $400 in s/h alone for the just the high #s.


I'm pretty sure my 72 set has doubled in value over the past year. Early last year the APR on my set was around $13k, up to almost $25k as of today.
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregist...lishedset/3092

I would argue that increase is likely due to grading costs of commons and the reduced supply of commons.

I should've specified that I couldn't speak for what high-grade registry sets like yours have done during that time (was only referring to the typical raw or mostly raw set) That looks amazing. But I still think that person who paid 3000 could've done a good bit better (based on all those comps I quoted from the last three months). Your ebay link won't come up though.

Like you said though, the '72 has a lot of breakup value versus what people pay for it complete (even if they don't get a very good price). Those highs add up so quick for a '70s set. Mine isn't in the same universe as your PSA 8 registry bonanza, but even in the raw ex-mt/nr mt it's in, the underlying value still packs a punch

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by cardsagain74

I should've specified that I couldn't speak for what high-grade registry sets like yours have done during that time (was only referring to the typical raw or mostly raw set) That looks amazing. But I still think that person who paid 3000 could've done a good bit better (based on all those comps I quoted from the last three months). Your ebay link won't come up though.

Like you said though, the '72 has a lot of breakup value versus what people pay for it complete (even if they don't get a very good price). Those highs add up so quick for a '70s set. Mine isn't in the same universe as your PSA 8 registry bonanza, but even in the raw ex-mt/nr mt it's in, the underlying value still packs a punch

Not sure what happen to that link, hopefully this one works:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25533367593...p2047675.l2557

Since I finished my original raw 72 set circa 2001, I have probably broken up around 20 complete 72 sets, plus numerous other near 72 sets over the past 20 years as this set was the most profitable set to break for me. The profitability is mainly due to the high numbers. However, in recent times, with the demand and supply changes (as noted by Glyn) breaking this set currently at the new typical prices for a decent profit is much tougher.

[Republicaninmass]

It's been near impossible for me to add any 1952 topps high series , even going after big lots of 20+ cards and paying "retail", after the BP, shipping, and tax. I'd suspect a full set would go for the full value of its parts, even more if it had a mantle.... people feel just to "get a mantle" is worth it. Also, always fun to upgrade a set along the way to you own personal liking. I cant speculate on others, but assume a "factory set" in the original box from the 70s might bring a premium as well.