Your Collecting Focus

[scmavl]

When I got back into cards a couple of years ago, my main (basically nonexistent) collecting focus was "vintage". Then I saw "Oh, they have game used cards now? Cool!" So my focus was then "vintage & modern" which means EVERYTHING. That is not recommended financially, nor is it particularly fulfilling.

I did manage to complete one set (raw '56 Topps) but when you buy 95% of the cards off ebay, there is really no challenge to it. So I decided to narrow my collecting focus. I'm down to:

-1951 Bowman in low grade without using ebay - Gorgeous set, I already have the Mantle and have found a few lots of raw cards. I'm about 60% done.

-Harmon Killebrew - I just respect him so much, as a player and a person. While I never met him (we did exchange emails once), he is my favorite player and I'll buy just about anything with his name on it. My collection is mostly mid-grade.

-Type I B&W vintage photos - I started with a couple of Branch Rickey photos awhile back. Then I realized "Wow, these are easier to display than cards!" so I've continued buying. Some of my favorites are recent pickups from Phil (Net54 user bcbgcbrcb who is a super nice guy) including a Kennesaw Landis and a pre-rookie Mickey Mantle. I also just bought my first Charles Conlon original, which I can see leading to an expensive habit.

Other things I'm thinking of working on are '68 Topps (as I have over half of the set, all raw), '69 Topps (maybe 1/3 of the set but I love the look of them), Stan Musial (another gentleman of baseball), and Smoky Joe Wood (underrated and a great player).

What are your collecting focuses? Please be in depth, I'm very curious to see exactly how focused some of our forum members are.