If you had to collect one set in poor condition...

[asphaltman]

e98's are a good choice. relatively down in price right now and there is only 30 cards to the set...cobb and wagner are the two pricey ones, and to some lesser degree matty.

[ullmandds]

I'd consider the combines 14-15' cracker jack set...as these sets are crammed with great players...great poses...and they tend to look really great in lesser grades!

[deadballpaul]

I would go with e90-1 caramels, or e98's like Dave mentioned. Those cards look fine in almost any condition to me.

[martyogelvie]

T207, they look like crap to me anyway so the poor condition wouldn't even matter.
OOPS, I Hope I didn't offend any T207 lovers out there..

[Brian Van Horn]

I'm torn (not the cards).

It would either be the 1928 Star Candy or the W503 set.

[Mark]

Cracker Jack makes sense. On the other hand, they look so darned good in vgex or better, I would still notice that they are in rotten condition. I am slowly collecting cards from E220, and I find that cards in bad shape don't look so bad when they are in black and white. In fact, with all the miscuts, scrapes, and writing I've come across, I've learned to be at peace with poor conditions for much of that set.

[Al C.risafulli]

If they HAD to be in poor condition, I would collect something that's pretty much always found in poor condition - like Lections.

I'm not a high-grade guy, for the most part, but I do like a decent image on the card. If it's got to be SGC 10/PSA 1, I would want it to be something where the scarcity makes up for the condition.

-Al

[Jacklitsch]

I agree with three2Shits. Along with the Weaver and Million the Peckinpaugh can be pricey as well

[philliesphan]

Cabinet cards, in even technically poor condition, can often look phenomenal.

[rdixon1208]

I would consider collecting in SGC 20 or PSA 1.5. I pretty much only collect low grade because that's all I can afford, but I've found that a card graded SGC 20 usually presents pretty well. For a couple of bucks more, a 20 can be much nicer than a 10.

[Michael Peich]

A good question, Donny. There are some sets that are so scarce that poor condition would be a plus simply because cards in the set are difficult to find. In this category I would include T211, T209-1&2, T212-150 Subjects (a VERY short list of sets I collect), and difficult postcard sets like Topping, Ullman, Rotograph, Hull, Grignon, also sets I collect.

In the more common arena I would probably choose T205 since there are enough cards for some good values. BTW, I only have a few 205s, and have resisted starting the set, but this post may change my mind! I also agree with the Cracker Jack suggestion, but even in poor condition they're fairly expensive, certainly more than the $15-$20 category.

Cheers,
Mike

[Kehfee]

I'd probably go Cracker Jack or T206. There are piles of low grade in raw form a guy could buy.

[bcbgcbrcb]

It might as well be a Zeenuts HOF set. That's pretty much the condition that you find most all of them in anyway, right?

[DixieBaseball]

75 cards total - buy 6-8 cards per year, finish by 2019. Consider it a long term investment...

[JamesGallo]

T-206, it is very cheap and very doable in low grade. You can even find nice HOF for 25-50.

Cracker Jacks would be a bit more expensive and you would have a problem with the Cobb and Jackson which are never cheap.

Would there be any T206 (aside from the big 4 and the variations) that would be over 750-1000 in SGC 10, Would all the cobbs be over 500?

James G

[scottglevy]

T3 -- Turkey Red is my low grade set of choice!

Regards,
SGL

P.S. Answer to previous T206 question .... would be tough to find Cobb Green at under 500 even in a '1' (and of course O'hara/Demmitt). All others should be doable.

[makersmarkambassador]

Yep, the E98 set is the way to go. It was the first set I tried to complete. I got about half of the set then decided to start on another set. Never really finished the e98 set which I still kick myself for not finishing. This set won't break the bank either...