Does this ever happen to you? And how do you stop it!
Pharber
Posts: 266
A couple of weeks ago I finished off my first ever vintage set, the 1958 Topps baseball. I know, I know, it's the Rosie O'Donnel of Topps' vintage sets, a real dog. Not as photographic as the '57s, or artistic as the 55s or 56 sets. But it was the first set I collected as a youngster and it brought back memories.
I wasn't going to spend a lot of money on the set. I'm a golfer and there is always a new putter to purchase or driver that will get you an extra 15 yards, which for me, meant 15 yards further in the woods. So I decided to sacrifice condition. I'd accepted VGs because it didn't matter to me. It was the memories.
I scanned EBay, sniped (forgive me Card God!) a few bargains in the final seconds of auctions, talked some dealers down to lower prices on Best Offers (I got a sweet No. 150 Mickey Mantle for $100. I know I could get a lot more on EBay for it! But I know I'll never sell it).
Furthermore, I had a lot of fun doing it. I put all the cards in my newly purchased Roop album and thought I'd find peace.
It was such a thrill, I pondered the idea of putting together the 1961 or 1962 sets, other favorites. So when my wife played tennis on Saturday morning, I found my way to a card show looking for a deal. I wanted to purchase a lot of '61 or '62 commons. I had a couple of hundred dollars in my pocket.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the card show. I found a dealer selling some pretty nice 1958s. I thought I'd upgrade one card. My No. 9 Hank Bauer had a major crease in it. Well, I went through the dealer's stack of 1958s and I found my Hank Bauer.
Problem is I found about 43 other cards that were sweet, better than the cards I had in my set. I couldn't resist. I spent my money improving my set. I got home, put them in my album and then made a list of every other card that has the smallest imperfection so that I can improve on those cards, too.
Does it ever end? Will I ever be happy?
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Comments
Always Buying & Collecting 1957 Topps Baseball 1914 cj,s 1978 bb and any Hof bb
<< <i>Does it ever end? Will I ever be happy? >>
No, hopefully it does not end. The joy is in the journey, in the hunt, in the discovery. Happiness builds as your collection grows. Satisfaction is there every time you stop to review your conquests. To me, the real depth of baseball is in the rich history and tradition. The cards we collect represent that history and the players are the tradition.
Funny that some people call it a "game".
<< <i>Does it ever end? >>
Heaven knows?
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
<< <i>The only way to get it to end is to never look at the set again. I put together a sweet 1966 Topps Football set. Woodgrain boarders. I found a few upgrades and added to the set. while putting them in I notice these were a little nicer than the ones I had in the pages next to it. SO, I upgraded again, and so on and so on. the set is truely NM and many Mint but, I just gotta find the rest of those Mint ones. Is there an upgrade from there? >>
BVG 10 Pristine my man.
congrats on building the set. it is definitely not a rosie o'donnell. you have a 48 year set. she is a 48 inch waist loud-mouth. (i'll never forget the segment on "the man show" where a loser had to wear rosie's panties. the things looked like a parachute)
anyway check back to my post and your reponse just three weeks ago.
The best way to build a set
my contention is shoot for the stars. it may take a lot longer, but the buying and paying for shipping and then relisting drives me nuts.
just my opinion. AND STAY AWAY FROM ROSIE. too many of us are eating breakfast
You are absolutely dead on when it comes to putting together a set. Shoot for the stars. I have about 200 extra cards in the vg-ex (and some a lot worse and some a lot better) from the 1958 set and I'm just trying how to figure out the best way of marketing them on EBay to cut my losses and whatever money I make, you know, will be thrown back into upgrading the set. It's a vicous circle.
As for the Rosie O'Donnell comment. It's just that it follows some many great sets. I've always cherish the 58s because they were my first.
Once one starts a set - the cat's out of the bag - I think there may be a constant "itch" to improve it?
<< <i>But it was the first set I collected as a youngster and it brought back memories. >>
Pharber - the "quality" of your set was in a fond memory; the "quality" may now shift to something that comes natural - wanting to improve on the esthetics of the set. Nothing wrong with that.
Any set I do - is probably never truly finished.
mike
<< <i>
<< <i>Does it ever end? Will I ever be happy? >>
No, hopefully it does not end. The joy is in the journey, in the hunt, in the discovery. Happiness builds as your collection grows. Satisfaction is there every time you stop to review your conquests. To me, the real depth of baseball is in the rich history and tradition. The cards we collect represent that history and the players are the tradition.
Funny that some people call it a "game". >>
Very well said.
Some of us will sell high-priced GEM MINT 10 stars just to buy a handful of raw commons for sets we are completing.
My wife will never understand this passion!
Best of luck, man!
<< <i> Does it ever end? Will I ever be happy? >>
No, it never ends
Yes, you will be happy ...... for a little while anyway
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Take my collection for example. I can't afford high grade stuff. I make trades, cruise the local card shop, and have accepted what I feel is a decent level as far as grade goes. I also like having my vintage slabbed. I like the way it looks and knowing that it hasnt been altered (according to my grading company of choice). Now some of my cards grade out at VG or VG/Ex which is fine for me. I like cards that are well centered with little to no major corner wear and little or no creases. Once I set that criteria for myself, the numeric grade doesnt matter. Sometimes I get lucky and pull a NM card for a buck at a shop and sometimes I just accept what comes my way. Either way, I'm just as happy.
Jim