Type Collecting?

[tbob]

I find that I have purchased cards as "types" like the D311s or 1911 and 1912 Zeenuts and have ended up collecting the whole frigging set. It just happens

[ethicsprof]

I knew while i was taming the Monster that i would choose type collecting next because there were so many non-t206 cards along the way that i had to let pass(and didn't want to!) while being singleminded about the Monster.
Having the one set under my belt means alot to me(i still give them their time at least a couple times a week) and now being on the
Type Journey means a great deal to me as well.
I collect using the ACC and am choosing my favs from 1903-36. At first,
i thought i'd do it decade by decade and largely did this, trying to pick up at least one representative from each year. At first, i also thought that i might
focus on 1903-1910 since this was the era of my beloved T206s and thought i didn't really want the strips, photographs/black and whites from the 20's and 30's but boy was i wrong. Some of the strips were so unique that i couldn't pass them up and what great fun it has been to get those fun food/gum cards with talk of ice cream, Wheaties, Holsum bread,the Gargantuan player in the Delong stadium,etc. And i must add that along the way that i have added a touch of provenance to my types---
making sure to pick up a few Nagy,Lionel Carter candies along the way.
I think i'm around 135 or so different types now, behind Leon around 999,865
or so. But i've got time. And with type collecting,there sure ain't no hurry. And i still have some cig packs to find!!!
all the best,
barry

[Tom S.]

I used to collect only post-WW2 cards for sets that I was working on (Topps from 52-79, and OPC from 65-69). Just over a year ago, I purchased a T206 Isbell at a local card shop, and became hooked on pre-war cards.

I decided on building a type set for my favorite team (Chicago Amer.); I'm 43 cards into it right now and I'm having a blast!

Unfortunately, I couldn't stop at having just one card from a few sets...so now I'm trying to put together a few team sets (T205 and T206) with each card having a different back. So far, I have 5 T205's and 16 T206's.

I'm just afraid that I won't be able to stop there, and I'll eventually try to assemble T205 and T206 team super sets...

[Zach Wheat]

Leon:

I have traditionally not been a type card collector. Previously, I have collected sets. However, as I've gotten into cards that I had no idea even existed - owning an example of this cards has had great appeal. In fact, I have a great deal of fun going over all the various players/types/styles of cards with my children.

Leon, there is something to your way of collecting!

Zach Wheat

We have been serious investors in pre WWII type cards since early 1975

When we first entered the hobby our two main contacts were two young teenagers, Bill Mastro and Rob Lifson.They each advised to collect the best examples one could, and that condition
and rarity really matters.

Whilst we had one or two personal setbacks which resulted in the sale of 100+ultra rare typecards- today we have built our collection back up. Of the more than 500 different type cards (different years for 1952-1959 Topps,
and rare regionals) we now have 75% are pre WWII.

In more than 40 cases we own the highest graded example in the set.
More recently we have extended out interest to post cards- and have recently acquired 10 different ultra rare high grade post cards.

Our goal is simple- to build the single best baseball card and baseball postcard collection in the world. We will continue to work every day to meet
this goal.

Please feel free to write us if you have an item for sale or trade.

Thanks


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List
bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com

[Bicem]

Nice! Which postcards Bruce?

[rhettyeakley]

I was much more of a type card collector a few years back BUT unlike Leon I was never 100% happy with that approach, but it was fun. However, having been a type guy I was able to channel my collection towards a few sets that I felt had a lot to be researched and discovered so I ended up going for Colgan's, Zeenuts, E121-like cards, etc. So, type collecting for me was more of a starting point than anything else, and I always advocate that approach to anyone that asks as I never knew I really liked certain sets until I actually had some (Zeenuts, T210, T209, etc.), and often I thought I would like a set only to find out they didn't do much for me (M116, E96, etc.)!
-Rhett

[BearBailey]

I've thought the big difference between set collectors and type collectors is OCD vs ADD. Eventually I think you become a bit of both, if you can't find that one or few cards to finish a set, I still find something else to collect.

[M's_Fan]

I'm mainly a sub-set collector: T206 HOFers, T205 HOFers, N162 Baseball players, N28 baseball players, T212 Obak Seattle players, etc.

I always think, "I'm going to finish these sets, and then I'm just going to start a type collection set." And then I get another idea for a great new sub-set.

One thing that discourages me from a type collection pre-war set is that it is so daunting, there are so many cards and many are so rare and expensive ones that it would be an impossible and lifelong pursuit to have a card from each set. But I guess that's the fun of it.

[smtjoy]

I kinda had Rhett's approach, in that i started young as a type collector but then ended up collecting sets of the ones I really liked (exhibits, e93, T210-3etc) and selling the types I really didnt like. I think getting into vintage by working on a type collection is an awesome way to start, getting to see and feel all the different issues is the best.

On the collect what you like front- I have been pretty good about maintaining my focus on my sets but I do allow myself a couple "Ohh thats a cool card" and just buy random cards I like a couple times a year.