Fun/Expert Advice needed

[iggyman]

If you don't mind blank back cards, how about the 1929 R316 Kashin Publications set? One of my favorite B&W sets with great pics and reasonable prices. Plus, once you are finished you end-up with Hornsby, Grove, Foxx, Gehrig, Ruth, and a Moe Berg.

Lovely Day...

ruthk.jpggehrigj.jpg

[mintacular]

Hi, I like T205 and T206s because in the case of the T205s the gold border and T206 because of the poses/color mostly...The advantage to these is that they are pretty mainstream and plentiful compared to more obscure sets so I can get my "fix" pretty easily... If you don't want to put the $/time into trying to complete these you can do team sets, back-sets, or other "sub-sets" and feel the sense of completion that way...

[smtjoy]

1921 Exhibit is one of my favorites, fits what your asking for, great action shots, only two expensive cards- Ruth and Cobb.

I also like the 1933 Delong set, not too expensive and nice grouping of HOFers.

A little more expensive but only 30 cards is the E93 set with tons of great HOFers.

[vintagecpa]

Take a look at the T205 basic set. Over 200 cards, but you only need to purchase one Cobb, Johnson, Young, Matty, etc. If you choose the T206 or Goudey 1933, you need to buy 4 Cobb or 4 Ruth cards (as an example). If you are going to collect it over 5-10 years, you can purchase tons of cheaper commons that are always available while occasionally splurging for one of the big names. Good Luck!

[FrankWakefield]

An idea might be to go for Delongs. There are a few cards there that will cost some money. The others aren't that expensive. An "up" side to the set is that there aren't many of them, so completing the set is a real possibility. When commencing something of this nature it works well if one has attainable goals, it helps maintain interest.

[T206Collector]

T ....2..... 0...........6..............

Why try anything else? It has everything the other sets have, and so much more.

[edhans]

Can't help but put in plug for my favorite set-E90-1. VG commons (about half the set) will run you $40-60 a copy. Then there are varying levels of difficulty up to the last 12-15 cards, which will be very tough indeed. All topped off by the Joe Jax, which would probably cost about $10-12K in today's market. A beautiful and timeless set when complete.

[jeffmohler]

1933 Goudey - I am surprised no one has mentioned this set yet. I like the Art Deco look of the portraits. Not sure I care for the action shots as much. Nice looking commons in EX are available for less than $50.00.

[mybuddyinc]

Go regional !!!!!!!!!!!!

From the West/NW -- Obak's T212
From Central/South/SE -- Old Mill T210

Lot of variety and decent availability --- $25-50 range.

Lot of "sub-set" goals to reach along the way.

[deadballera]

Depending on the ERA that you want to start collecting.


1933 Goudey or the T205/M116 would be a good start.

[ethicsprof]

Paul M( T206 collector) spells my choice quite well.
all the best in your quest,

barry

[birdman42]

Have you considered type cards? I can vouch for the thrill of the hunt, as can a few others on the board. You can set your goals as broad or as narrow as you want.

I collect only Washington players, so I don't worry about any of the minor league sets, or lots of the E-9x's.

Or you could choose a favorite player and go after one of each of their cards. HOFers can be pricey, but if you select someone who played for a while, you can still end up with 30-40 cards. For my Washington set I've sort of focused on Clyde Milan --> Joe Judge --> Cecil Travis. That carries me through most of the major sets (and a few minor ones) from 1907 through 1941.

Or collect only horizontal cards. Or minor leaguers in major-league sets. Or... or... Whatever strikes your fancy.

Whatever you start out with, don't be afraid to change your mind. If you buy judiciously, you'll be able to get out of your cards if you change focus. (Check through some listings on the B/S/T and see how often that "change focus" phrase shows up.)

And remember, it's a fun hobby. Collect What You Want. Start slow, by doing some research, as other posters have suggested. Then buy a few raw cards for cheap to get a feel for them. There's no substitute for running your fingers across the surface of a well-loved card.

I've been collecting for almost 30 years off and on, and I still have lots to look for.

Bill