Chronicling my T206 adventure

[Kevin]

I need to be 40 instead of 50 right now. 300+ with no plan other than collecting all 520+.

Thanks for posting🙃

[3-2-count]

James, following your thread has been a fun ride.

Keep on truck’ in. I love this set too….

[Johnny T]

James,

Well I just read through all of your posts from the beginning and it was quite the ride. I too have quite a few higher end vinage sets that are all slabbed, but you're right...I don't look at them much because they are slabbed. My 1950, 51, and 52 Bowman sets are awesome, but they sit in the box. Same for my 35 and 38 Goudey sets.

Conversely, my 33 Goudey, 34-36 Diamond Stars, 40 & 41 Play Ball, 48 Bowman, and 53, 55, 57, 59 and 60 Topps sets are in binders and I look at them all of the time. My really high end cards and favorite cards that are slabbed are in curio cabinets (about 125 separate cards) and I look at them almost every day. My office is in my basement so no real danger of light ruining them (I think...lol). Anyway, if you can't enjoy them, what's the point???

That brings my to my T206 journey which started a year ago. I bought a collection from a friend of a friend who inherited about 110 of them from their uncle. Not in great shape...all were raw and in poor to good condition...mostly poor. But I loved handling them and I was immediately hooked. I did send a few for grading because they were some of the higher end cards...Cobb, Matty, Johnson, Young, etc...the rest I kept raw and in a binder. I was happy reading your journey until the last post, where the project is on hold....and obviously you're selling some because I've bought a few from you already on B/S/T. I too keep a limit of $35 for commons and I'm currently at 338 out of the 520. I didn't complicate things yet by worrying about backs, just getting to 520 and the backs are the backs...for now. With almost all of the HOF'ers done, with the exception of 3 Cobbs and 1 Young, I'm hoping I don't fall victim to the same decision to pack it up.

For now, I love following Leon's weekly T206 auctions (even won a few) and lately dabbling in B/S/T. Hoping I stick with it as I'm really done with almost all of the other sets I ever wanted to go after...I'm hoping this one keeps the chase going for some time.

JT

[RCFire82]

Sorry to see you go James! I can totally relate to the on-again, off-again feelings towards the monster. I've been in those positions a couple times on my current set build endeavor. Shooting for all off-backs, a marathon mentality has definitely been required.

[Luke]

I can relate. I was about 250 cards in to a set when I felt the same. Just seemed too daunting. What I did was I sold all the common backs and started collecting mid-tier and rare backs, with no rules other than I had to love every single card in the collection.

[3-2-count]

Originally Posted by Luke

no rules other than I had to love every single card in the collection.

This ^^^^

[MR RAREBACK]

I understand what your going through, I thought I could finish a brown hindu set, but they have went up a lot. Now I just keep buying less common backs and rare hope I get to 520 someday but I don’t keep track.
It will be a life long journey

[53toppscollector]

I appreciate everyone's comments.

The funny thing is, I think my ORIGINAL plan, to only collect off backs (except the ultra rare backs) for only portraits was the plan I should have stuck to. When I pivoted and started trying for a 520, I think that was where I kind of got stuck in the mud. Collecting 178 portraits is a lot more realistic than collecting 520 cards, and a lot of the big HoFs still have portraits. And the portraits were always my fav cards in the set, hands down.

If/when I return to T206 for a third act, it will likely be a reprise of Act One.

For those of you still plugging along toward 520, or those who have already gotten there, I tip my cap to you.