Which Cards to I buy?

DMobleyV3S

Hello.
I am very new to this card collecting thing, and I would like to know which brand of cards or type of cards to buy?

Here is the situation. My son is 3, and I was planning on every year buying him a couple complete sets of Baseball/Football/Basketball cards as well as some RC's. I'm going to keep them in a place that he doesn't know about and then when he is like 18 I will give them to him, and let him do what he wants with them. Hopefully there will be some cards that will be worth some money that he can either sell or pass along to his kids.

My question is. What would be the best type or brand to buy?

Thanks;
Dustin

kr580

Topps has Complete Sets for sale every year for $20. There's no really high-end cards in there, but you get a complete set. Not sure if RC's come with it.

That's the only place i know to get a complete set.

Stadiumking

The type of cards you buy really should be centered around your interests. With many card companies switching to serial numbered RC's, special inserts, etc. complete sets and set building have really suffered, which in my opinion is a shame. Most card companies seem to have abandoned the notion that children are interested in collecting cards, and have started selling high priced boxes, inserts, autos, and serial #'d Rc's. I have been collecting for almost 15 years, and miss the day when i could go to the corner store to buy a pack of 1980 topps football cards (with the stick of gum included) for only 25 cents a pack, now football card packs cost upwards of $10.00 a pack. I personally have decided to stick with what I LOVE, which is set building modern and vintage football card sets. PSA has done a wonderful thing with the addition of it's PSA set registry, which allows collectors to show their collections and compare them based on their PSA grades. The only time you will catch me buying new football product is when I believe a player has big investment potential (Mike vick, etc.)

My advice would be to purchase some older unopened material for your son. I think this would increase your potential for investment, and may create some excitement if in the future when you two sit down and open some packs together.

Topps is the only company that consistently puts out factory sets, that may be a good route if that is your decision, but get a good deal because these sets have really not done much as an investment.

Allen

Give them to him on his 13th B-day instead of 18. Then he may take an intrest and pursue collecting.