Set Builders - what is your preference when filling a set

DMasci

I just started building a NFL HOF set that has no restrictions...so any card of a HOFer can be added to this set. I've been looking at the many sets in this category and there are some awesome sets with awesome cards. Most of the cards for the skilled positions I already had but graded by BGS/BVG and many with high grades so I probably won't replace them anytime soon.

I've noticed a couple different ways that collectors build a set such as this. Some seem to collect high graded cards lots of 10s but they are newer cards of older players. Others seem to try and get mostly RCs of the HOFers for this set. My personal preference is to try to get as many RCs as possible, especially for those I didn't already have or can easily upgrade to a higher graded card and also fill in cards that may not be a RC but is close to RC but a high grade.

Questions to other set builders, what strategy do you use within your budget? Let's say a player's RC is 1972, would you rather have a 1972 RC PSA 7 or a 1974 card of this player PSA 9? Or maybe one of those recent throwback cards of a long retired player that is PSA 10?

I realize it is different if you are collecting individual players or say a complete 1972 set. Just curious as to how others approach their set building, the good news is there is no right or wrong way.

LarkinCollector

For a no restrictions set, the cheapest 10 I could get of each. I prefer chasing the RC sets personally and haven't bothered to register a HOF no restrictions, so I'd go with the lower grade rookie all the way.

JRR300

Depending upon my budget, I would prefer to have the highest rated of the older cards first and fill in the lesser or more recent cards later as they are typically more plentiful and easier to find. Patience is always the key as you can go for stretches without seeing anything you like or want and then 4 or 5 could pop in a very short time. If you see something you like and it's reasonable, I find a way to buy it right then.

picklepete

I actually would work on a autographed card of each HOF member.
Either certified or PSA / BGS slabbed auth.
But I'm a autograph guy.

DMasci

Looking back a couple months at one of my original threads here and realized I have stuck to some of the advice given. I continue to work on a no restriction NFL HOF set but at the same time decided to build a modern-HOF RC set. I've managed to get about half of the cards on the RC checklist but have decided it's time to break open some of my Beckett cards and send in my first order to PSA. I dropped an order off to the post office yesterday that included RCs of Montana, Rice, Elway, Marino, Largent, Fouts, Swann, etc. using the quarterly special that is for cards 1972-1989. I'm hoping for either same or maybe .5 lower grades....several of the Beckett cards were 8.5 and 9.5 but we will see. Next order will include the older stuff depending on how it goes. It's been fun getting back into FB card collecting and reading posts here....So thanks for the advice now back to the hunt.