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I haven't bought any baseball cards since my case of Allen & Ginter - but that doesn't mean I don't want to... However, before I can purchase cards again, I need to do something to earn a little extra spending money - and that leads me to a few questions for you all:
1. Do you try to collect complete sets (via packs, eBay, trades, etc) or would you rather purchase a complete set in one shot?
2. How do you display your complete sets? Does it matter if the set is a "junk wax era" set versus a vintage set?
3. Do you ever try to sell your complete sets? If so, where?
4. Is the idea of being a set collector the "pure" type of baseball card collector or the "fool" type?
5. How many complete sets do you have?
6. What's the most difficult set you've ever completed?
1. Do you try to collect complete sets (via packs, eBay, trades, etc) or would you rather purchase a complete set in one shot?
2. How do you display your complete sets? Does it matter if the set is a "junk wax era" set versus a vintage set?
3. Do you ever try to sell your complete sets? If so, where?
4. Is the idea of being a set collector the "pure" type of baseball card collector or the "fool" type?
5. How many complete sets do you have?
6. What's the most difficult set you've ever completed?
Comments
1. Yes to both. It really depends on whether I can or will buy a box depending on the price. For example, I bought the 1997 Bowman's Best set for $19 vs. a box for around $50 because there's not much added value for me.
ReplyDelete2. I usually use those long boxes unless I love the way the set looks....then I store it in binders (like UD Masterpieces, Topps All-Time Fan Favorites, etc). Also, flagship Topps do not go in binders. I like the look of the stack of boxes.
3. No, I am a set collector first. (actually, more of a team collector since I started my blog; I never collected Phillies before, strange no?)
4. I'm going to equivocate and say both. There are some sets worth collecting (Allen and Ginter, Topps, maybe Topps Chrome). Then there are base sets which are not (think SP Authentic, Topps Heritage (for me), any $100+ per box product)
5. I have around 50 in two different states. It depends if you're counting those little boxed Topps Traded sets from the '80s and '90s.
6. This was at the dawn of internet, but for some strange reason I loved this set as a kid...1995 Fleer with all the insert sets. I completed it through card shows and AOL message board posts.
1. I complete sets via package purchases, lot purchases, etc. I've tried the complete-set route, but it just doesn't work for me. I don't appreciate the set, and there are very few memories attached to the set.
ReplyDelete2. I store sets in binders.
3. I don't sell sets. Maybe one day, but I'd have to change my whole approach to collecting first.
4. Set collecting is what I know. It's what kids did when I started collecting. It's what adults did.
5. I haven't counted them. I'd say around 25 of the larger sets (Topps base, A&G, etc.). Probably 35-45 if you throw in traded sets, oddball sets, etc.
6. Well, when it's all done, I'll say 2008 Heritage. But for now I'd say 1989 Topps. I did all but 4 cards through the whole "couple packs at a drug store" method. It took quite awhile.
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ReplyDeleteThis is from the opinion of a kid collector in the 90s to a newfound collector today:
ReplyDelete1. The first set I collected was the 93 Studio. I started off with packs and bought singles at card shows. Since being out of it for so long, I haven't decided what sets to collect yet. Ebay would be my first option as I have found many sets that I liked for cheaper than a box. But next year, I will buy a hobby box and then go from there, really chase a set I like.
2. Binders. Even if it's junk. I have thousands of Braves cards from 80s and 90s. Once organized, junk or not, they will go in binders. It's the easiest way to go through your collection and I always find something I never noticed before.
3. I don't have a complete set to sell as of right now. If I did, I would go to forums/bloggers first then ebay.
4. I would consider it a purist/old school way of doing it. Base sets you're never going to make your money back (in regards to your 'selling sets' question). I do like looking at the evolution of baseball cards through sets though. For me, I think I have decided that if I collect a set, it's going to be visually attractive to me or I won't like it. I am becoming a fan of chasing the SPs in sets as opposed to the whole set. I am also building up my personal collection before set collecting.
5. 0. I don't know where my 93 Studio set went, but I am going to purchase one (the ebay way) due to it's personal value.
6. n/a
I've only gone after 4 sets. I completed them on my own (almost.) It's not normally something I do but in each case I loved the base cards and wanted them all. The hardest one by far was the 2008 Upper Deck Goudey. Just completed it a month ago and it took over a year to find all the shortprints.
ReplyDelete1. I enjoy completing sets, but that's mainly from my collecting in the 90s. These days it seems more like a pain in the ass with all of the short prints and crap like that.
ReplyDelete2. All of my sets are in boxes. I've got far too many sets due to buying a box of almost everything in all 4 major sports throughout the early 90s. I don't have the room or the funds to display all of my sets in binders. Also, I've seen too many horror stories when sets are displayed in binders.
3. Haven't to this point.
4. Used to be the way to do things. These days, the card companies certainly don't cater to the set collectors and it can get frustrating.
5. No clue. Hundreds easily.
6. Any of the Ginter sets. I don't think I've completely finished any of them yet. They end up being more pain than fun towards the end.
Great questions Chris.
ReplyDelete1. Packs and trades mostly. Way back in the day (late 80s) I bought a few complete sets.
2. With a couple of exceptions, binders is my preferred method.
3. I've never sold a complete set.
4. I think there are too many ways to collect to call set collecting the "pure" type of collecting. I would love to have a complete set of everything, just to have it, but that's impractical.
5. Not many right now...maybe 6-8.
6. All of them. No kidding.
1. I complete sets by buying boxes and packs only. I really enjoy busting packs because you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes you can get a good lot off eBay for a great price though.
ReplyDelete2. I used to only put my sets in 800 ct boxes but I've decided to "binderize" UD Masterpieces and Topps 206.
3. I've never sold any of my sets. I think if I was going to sell one, I'd do it on eBay.
4. I'd say it's the pure baseball card collector's way of doing things.
5. I have about 100 complete sets, all hand collated.
6. I'd have to say 2006 Upper Deck was pretty tough because of all the SP's and just the shear size of it.
1. Not a complete set collector but I am a team set collector and I am begining to think it is smartedr for me to just buy team sets from case breakers rather than trying to trade for all of the cards.
ReplyDelete2. I have my team sets in binders by year. The few complete sets that I have from long ago are in boxes.
3. All my complete sets are junk era. If you can find a buyer for that stuff let me know.
4. I used to think that set collectors were pure collectors back in the 80s. Once there were 500 different sets produced per year in the 90s I thought that set collectors were the fools and player collectors were the smart ones. Then came all the 1/1 cards which made the player collectors the fools.
5. About 9. Two Boxing, one Basketball, the rest football.
6. 1996 Select Certified Football. I was down to Quinn Early and I had the Artists Proof but not the base card. It took me like 3 years to find the darn thing. It was back when eBay was still small and there were no online shops. I found someone on Tuff Stuff Forums that had the thing.
1) I started set building with 2009 Topps last year. I would much rather buy packs/boxes/trade than to buy the set in one shot. The only sets I would consider buying are of non-sports.
ReplyDelete2) Until I complete a set I leave them in monster boxes. I want to start to move some of my favorites into pages/binders eventually though. Base sets such as Topps though will probably go in their own dedicated cardboard boxes.
3) Since I'm still building sets I'm not selling them.
4) Depends on the set if you ask me. I never had enough money as a kid to buy much of one product so building a set always seemed impossible. Now I find it fun, yet expensive at times.
5) I only have a few completed (non-sports) sets so I'm really unable to answer this question. Probably the hardest set I'm building at the moment is the 2008 UD Timelines.