Set collecting advise?

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Posted By: Dave F

You have 90% of your available card funds tied up in the one set your collecting. Your at 80% of the set...six cards away. You still need a Cobb (cringe), and it just so happens that since you've started on this endeavor the set you chose to collect has jumped in prices. What do you do? Hunker down and keep trying to pluck away a little at a time? Jump ship and find something a cheaper set for the time being? Obviously those with unlimited funds aren't going to quite be able to understand this as they could go unto other things and just set these cards aside until the ones they need pop up regardless of price. Myself, six cards away and neeing low grade at somewhat reasonable prices...am I spitting in the wind? Frustration has definately set in when I see I have little money for other things as I wait for the few cards that I do need.

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Posted By: Matt

It probably depends on why you undertook to collect the set in the first place. What do you plan on doing with the set if completed? Is it just a "thrill of the chase" thing or was it going to the grandkids?

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Posted By: Dave F

Matt,

No, wasn't going to any grandkids. I basically sat down and looked at the sets with 30 cards as being relatively easy to complete. I like e94's and e98's the best..and figured e98's were the cheaper route, however it doesn't seem to be that way at this point. I might as well have went with e94's. I would be broke up eventually anyway...just a matter of trying to remain disciplined and keep trucking and not being able to afford much else, or getting out while prices are fairly strong and recouping money I guess.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

dave- it's no secret that you are all over the place as far as dabbling in different sets (which is fine), but you might as well, "Hunker down and keep trying to pluck away a little at a time."...complete the set, and then decide what you want to do next.

MS

p.s. focus and discipline yourself to complete this set...good luck. it might be fun to slowly upgrade the set once complete...

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Posted By: Dave S

Dave--think the majority have faced the same dilemma at some point. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day! Patience...don't think anyone (other than your enthusiasm) has put a time deadline on completing the set. Work around (not against) your budget. Don't think you want to unload it to start another...you'd most likely end up in the same boat. Take your time, cards will be there when your wallet's ready...

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Posted By: Dave F

The problem is I wouldn't have started the set to begin with if it were then what it is now as far as prices. I would have probably dabbled with a E96 or E93 set perhaps. If it were a waiting game, I could probably find 5 of the cards I need relatively cheap..but would still not leave any money for the Cobb needed. So I'd still be sitting still for months until the wife would feel sorry enough to let me put more money into it. Definately 50/50...would be great to be 50 years old and have money stashed away for such where I could just put it to the side and if a card popped up I needed every 6 months so be it. I'm on the fence.

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Posted By: peter ullman

dave...I feel for you. I'm on somewhat of a budget as well...and have nowhere near the means others on the board here have. I used to be a type collector...but as prices skyrocketed for rare types I realized that my goal could never be realized. I'm now liquidating a lot of my types and am buying cards I love...cards I've always wanted and I'm happier than ever! Maybe you should consider doing this!!!

pete in mn

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Posted By: Dave F

Pete,
I do like the idea of doing like a 25 card them or something like that. If I do sell the E98's there would definately be a couple that I would more than likely keep for a type card collection...the Wagner and an SGC 30 Collins which I really like.

The other end that sucks is there isn't even a good way to go about selling a partial set...I don't think it matters if you break them up or try to sell them in one chunk your probably going to screw yourself one way or the other.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

"I do like the idea of doing...a 25 card theme or something like that..."

Dave- that's kinda where i'm at these days...mostly high-grade rare back T206's, but a few other gems sprinkled in here and there...it took me a long time to figure out that i prefer a few choice quality pieces, rather than chasing sets...in the end, it is simply up to you, to each, his own...

good luck.

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Posted By: Dave F

Yeah Michael, I've noticed some of the terrific cards your acquiring. That Boston Garter is amazing. Going to get it slabbed?

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Posted By: peter ullman

dave...I'd think you'd definitely do better selling them individually.

pete

ps...yeah Mike...that boston garter evers is awesome

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Posted By: Eric

Hey Dave,

I feel you on the limited funds as well. That's why I sold off everything I had to pursue those special type cards I've always wanted. The collection will keep evolving for me, but I am doing a 25 card collection (maybe 30) and rotating out that way. I still haven't reached 25 (I'm at 21), now that I ran out of money, so this year my goal is to get the last 4, and then rotate out as I add new ones.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

thanks guys...yes, i plan to get the Boston Garter slabbed on-site in Reading in a few weeks.

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Posted By: Jason L

maybe not!

Is it still fun?
were you going to keep the set once completed? (if so, then taking a break and coming back to it later on might be an option)
If you are in a price spike, and it's no longer fun, and you could see yourself selling it later on anyway, then definitely SELL them!!! just come back when the dust settles.


I have run into similar problems with my collecting tobacco Cubs cards. (lots of team sets started, and it's getting costlier)
for instance, I had no idea when I started the T207s, how ridiculously out of my budget the Ward Miller would be. I don't think I will complete that one, but now I am stuck with some otherwise cool cards.

as a result I am becoming less enamored with some of them. I am not generally a set collector because of lack of patience, and I hate buying cards I don't otherwise like, except to fill a set. For me, it can become drudgery. That was why I saved the HOFers for last (so that my early newcomer excitement was spent on the commons).
Of course, the problem I have backed myself into is that I now need all the expensive cards to finish the team sets, and the pace is depressing, regardless of how cool it is to be only buying HOFers.

Good luck whichever you choose.
Have you got the collection on display somewhere?

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Posted By: Dave F

Jason...I love collecting the set..but what is NOT fun is standing pat at the present time. If I had a couple extra thousand to tinker with other things then it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe the thing I'll end up doing is selling most, keeping the couple I really enjoy waiting on doing a set like this until I'm further along in life (not paying for my kids everything!)


Here is the set, only thing not there is a Mclean SGC 30 that will be on the way.

http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/asphaltman76/E98/

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Posted By: leon

Dave- I feel your pain in a bad way....
I need to downsize my collection too as it's really become it's own monster.....I think that in the near future I will find a way....with a litte help from my addicted friends....regards

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Posted By: Jason L

If it were me (and I may wind up doing some of this myself soon), I would sell off all the easy ones and the ones you don't enjoy the most.
Keep the tougher ones, and a few that you like alot.
Return later with a nice headstart!

and doing this, who knows, by the time you can start up again, maybe you will have lost the desire for that set, but still like the best of the group...hang onto those, and then sell the tough ones for even bigger money than you could get today!
(insert a shrug of the shoulders here)

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Dave, I think I hear the MONSTER calling you.....There's a set that you can obtain fairly easily if you don't go after the big ones as most people can't and don't anyway. I think your determination overrides your impatience and you can get it done. You should pace yourself though so you don't get burned out like I did.

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Posted By: Joe D.

let me know how I can help ease your pain



Dave - it sounds like you enjoy the 'buy' more than the 'hold'. If the 'hold' is getting in the way of your enjoyment (the 'buy') - I say you should think about selling. For many many cards that I once had.... I enjoyed them for a time and then I let them go. It is fun to maximize the number of cards that pass through your hands. There are only a select few that I consider 'keepers'.

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Posted By: barry arnold

Now Dan has an answer that I like.
No surprises there,huh.
Still, i say go for it,Dave.
You obviously love them.
And remember, The Monster will want you to quit. Don't listen to it.
I guess this emendation is more appropriate for this context:
The Monster doesn't want you to start. Don't listen to it.

all the best as you decide, Dave

barry

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Posted By: Rob

The Monster is definately a possibility for you Dave, if you're interested. Plenty of subsets (as you know) that you can divide the set into for short term goals - by team, series, alphabetical, HOFers, etc. Do one subset at a time.

Like Dan said, you should pace yourself. Maybe set a MAX number of cards that you can buy per month. Like, 10. That way you don't go out and buy the first 200 cards over a 6 month period and run out of both money and enjoyment, cuz eventually the purchasing WILL slow down. Make each card special! Or maybe with each sale of an E98, you use that money to fund T206 purchases.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!

Rob

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Posted By: Fred C

Dave,

Just out of curiosity, how much was that set going for when you started collecting it and how much is that same set (same condition) going to cost now? There was a huge escalation in caramel card prices so I could imagine the price difference between the set cost when you started it was much more realistic/reasonable than it is now.

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Posted By: Dave F

Fred-

When I started a few months ago I could get some of the commons in SGC 10's for $75-80. Those here lately have been more $125-150, the tough commons are $200-300. Its kind of like my Wagner SGC 10 which should have probably went for $800 IMO, well I ponied up $1625 to pick it up (I like it and its from the Carter collection which is kind of cool, so thats fine).

Many of the cards are going for at least double what they were...


As far as T206's...been there before as well. I got up to about 100 cards before I figured out at the time I'd like to go after something a bit more less common..which is where the e98's came into play. I used to be able to flip a card here or there and make a little extra money to put back into the cards, but haven't really done that since I got into the e98 set.


P.S. Fred- The six cards I still need..I would venture to say I'd need $2500 to get them..and that would be with some heavy searching for good deals...Cobb SGC 10 maybe find one at 1k, and the Chase seems to go for a premium as well.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Dave,

Your report on the recent increase in prices of e98s no doubt will shock folks who are convinced we're headed into recession -- if we're not already there.

Seriously, I wonder whether the frustration you're feeling, not specifically with escalating prices but rather with being "stalled" on a handful of cards you need to complete the set, wouldn't be a factor when collecting just about any set. That's why I rarely pursue a set.

I'm really intrigued by the "25-card collection" idea. That way a person has some structure (the number of cards) but isn't restricted from picking up a card he thinks is cool. And then the choice must be made on which card to remove from the 25 when a new one is acquired.

Neat idea.

Rob

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Posted By: Dave F

Rob,
It is frustraing being down to the last few cards...yes. But, it would be manageable still if I had other money to play with...the way it is right now, I don't. I just have enough pocketed to where if one of the cards came up for sale I need, then I'd have the money for that. Problem is, even if say a Chase SGC 20 came up for sale on ebay...well there is no guarantee I'd get it, or at least wouldn't get it for a decent price...as there is a good chance a few e98 collectors are waiting on that same Chase. So instead of paying $250 for it...all the sudden I'm paying $450, and really not any better off.


The 25 card collection is intriquing...and of course it may be a 20 or 30 card collection..but at least it keep some stuff rotating in and out as you want to.

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Posted By: peter ullman

I also like the 2...30...50...whatever # collection you choose...that way you are not bound to buy ugly cards you don't like. that's my issue with set collecting...and lately type collecting..."having" to get cards to fill a space whether you like em or not. I also will be moving towards a more limited collection of only cards I like. Dave...get out while you're still sane...set collecting is for suckers!(insert smiley face here!

pete in mn

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Posted By: Joe Jones

Hi Dave,

My advice would be to relax and enjoy collecting the set. This is not a race so have a little patience. It is ok to pass up a card that you need, and wait until you can afford another example.

At one time I was in a hurry to collect a set and I ended up selling because I was frustrated. Now I wish I would have just waited and kept the cards.

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Posted By: Dave F

I am thinking I am going to let many of these go, except a select couple I'd really like to keep. I won't mention anything else in this thread because I don't want it to look like advertising at this point, probably better to let this fall down the page. Thanks to all who chimed in.

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Posted By: Fred C

Dave,

I've been working on a 1940PB set for over 20 years. I have about 80% of the set. The one thing I have going for me is that the set is not too expensive. In any case I told myself that I'd pick up a card here and there but I wasn't going to pay an extravagant price for any of the cards. Maybe in 10-15 more years (if I live that long) it'll be complete. I'm in no hurry, it's a labor of love and when it's done, it'll be done <-- my Yogism for the day.

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Posted By: Paul S

Dave - if you sold some cards from a set you are "collecting" to finance the "completion" of purchases of cards you don't have, would that make you any different than some of the set registry people? (Only half joking.)

To me it's a frame of mind. I came back to the hobby after a very long layoff and saw how much it had changed, and the prices boomed. The idea that some people actually sold cards was a bit of a revelation to me, after all, I always fancied myself a collector, not a seller. I still had about half the E90-1 set (beaters), with some tough ones like Cobb and Upp. I tested the waters and saw that I'd never be able to score the Mitchell or Jax. Oh well, maybe I'll sell some to get some. This is not at all a knock on set collectors because who wouldn't mind having a whole set?

Probably the best day I've had as a card collector was last spring. I had a days worth of appointments in NYC. However, when I got out of my driveway I turned left instead of right, used my cell to cancel the day's appointments, pulled of my tie, and drove the offroads the whole day, stopping at small antique stores, thrift shops, et al, looking for the elusive card (believe it or not a Boston Garter was on my mind!) Well, I did pick up a few small inexpensive pieces...none of them cards!! The whole thing was thrilling. If there's a moral here, maybe it's that sometimes I have to unstick my preconceived notions and just go do it. (sermon over.)