Opinions about what to collect
BigDaddyBowman
Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭
Lately I have been thinking about what I collect and what I plan on collecting in the future. As my collection grows...and my space and cash becomes more scarce(especially with 3 young kids) I have considered two options.
Option 1: Keep buying many different cards in mid grade or
Option 2: Instead of buying many mid grade cards, buy only a few high grades instead (or sell off the many mid grades and buy high grade)
For example: I have the complete run of regular issue Jim Brown cards
The 1958 Brown Rookie is a SGC 6, all the rest are PSA 7's. I could sell of my entire collection of Jim Browns, use the cash from the sale and buy one high grade Brown rookie...maybe a PSA 8 for example.
What do you guys do? Any expereince with this issue? I know the common answer might be "collect what you enjoy." That is what I have been doing, but as I said before, I also have space and cash concerns that will become more of a problem as my kids get older. Another factor is resale investment.....if I ever decide to sell the entire collection....would it be more beneficial to sell lets say one high grade rookie over several mid grade cards.
any thoughts?
Option 1: Keep buying many different cards in mid grade or
Option 2: Instead of buying many mid grade cards, buy only a few high grades instead (or sell off the many mid grades and buy high grade)
For example: I have the complete run of regular issue Jim Brown cards
The 1958 Brown Rookie is a SGC 6, all the rest are PSA 7's. I could sell of my entire collection of Jim Browns, use the cash from the sale and buy one high grade Brown rookie...maybe a PSA 8 for example.
What do you guys do? Any expereince with this issue? I know the common answer might be "collect what you enjoy." That is what I have been doing, but as I said before, I also have space and cash concerns that will become more of a problem as my kids get older. Another factor is resale investment.....if I ever decide to sell the entire collection....would it be more beneficial to sell lets say one high grade rookie over several mid grade cards.
any thoughts?
0
Comments
I also enjoy collect my childhood here because he's not a big name and i can get his cards at a low price in a high grade.
EDIT ABOVE SENTENCE: collecting my childhood hero's cards,
Just some thoughts
I also buy most of my Mantles graded with a minimum of PSA 6 or 7 depending on the card.
There is just too much out there and too much I want in my collection to not attempt to get it. I know 6's and 7's some would not consider high quality, but its what I like.
Just collect what you like and what you desire to have in your collection within your financial means.
http://sportsfansnews.com/author/andy-fischer/
I do raw vintage baseball sets, but limit it to a few years when I was a kid. I then do graded for the stars.
to paul, definitely start with 1969 and go forward. Most people do it the opposite way and by the time they get to the last few years they are priced out.
Joe
So, why not set this up on a decision matrix and come up with a solution.
Considered factors:
a. Budget
b. Goals - can be more than one
c. Space
d. Future value/investment potential
e. Time-line; when you would like the goal(s) to be completed
It's amazing how much more fun you can have if you assign a time line that fits your budget - that eliminates the possibility of going OCD - running up the credit card - night sweats etc.
And stick to the budget/time-line - even if you see 10 items from your list - most likely there will be another 10 down the road.
And I know what's coming next - someone will say - it's 5 low pops - I may never see them again - the solution? Consider the pop of cards in a set before making it a "goal."
The key element is PATIENCE - something we hobbyists have a problem with.
If it's there - we want it!
Many will take quality over quantity - that's IMO, unless you're filthy rich, a great idea if you don't mind only having a few things to look at/display. And, if investment is your motive - quality always trumps quantity.
But from a pure hobby POV - no one gets excited over looking at that one Mantle PSA 10 card - and nothing else.
Finally - I think one can achieve a bit of quality and quantity at the same time.
E.g. the 63F BB set is achievable in PSA 8 - the T3 set looks cool in PSA 1 - a 52T set in PSA 2-4 is very nice also. Ahhhh - establishing balance - brings me right back to setting up goals and a budget.
Good luck and Merry Christmas
mike
For some, if they can pick that "one" set, or player, above all else they'd like to have - it sort of makes sense to buy it in the nicest shape they can find. Perhaps that means 8s and better. For my part, I like quite a variety of sets, and rotate the ones I work on. For 50-60s, for me, a quality range from 4-7 works well. A 4 next to a 7 sounds incongruous, but not so much if it's a "very nice" 4, etc.
Further, old type cards are great when worn, but still solid with eye-appeal. When it comes to getting a nice T3 such as Mike collects, imagine a really nice EX-appearing one, but with a tiny tack hole in the border, that doesn't distract (but results in a lot cheaper price.)
All the above is speaking as a collector - yet certainly if I can afford it, I "demand" and want high grades. Can't think of too many people working on VG-EX '83 Topps sets!
You just need to find the right mix for you. Mike's matrix is a good place to start!
Merry Christmas.
Myself, I would much rather own a full Brown run at 7, plus a 6 rookie than just a high grade rookie. I have fairly solid raws of a couple of Mr. Brown's cards and they're real favorites of mine. I have a very difficult time imagining parting with them, myself. Having said that, I don't think you would have any shortage of interested buyers for a full run of 7's for him, so that's something to consider.
Just my two cents.
For me, I like buying things..
-That I look forward to getting.
-I like the thrill of the hunt. Looking through catalogs or ebay is fun for me.
-Buying cards I once dreamed of owning. Buying cards that I saw when I was 11 or 12 hanging out in card shops, that's cool.
-Taking out a box of cards and looking through them. I'd rather have 50 PSA 8's than 3 PSA 1 of 1 10's to look at.
-Buying cards that don't come up for sale very often.
It'll take more work, but you can build a pretty nice collection of 7's that look like 8's for example (asking for larger scans, building a network of collectors/dealers that know what you're looking for). There's so much stuff available everyday, it's not hard to upgrade.
<< <i>
-Buying cards I once dreamed of owning. Buying cards that I saw when I was 11 or 12 hanging out in card shops, that's cool.
-Taking out a box of cards and looking through them. I'd rather have 50 PSA 8's than 3 PSA 1 of 1 10's to look at. >>
I'm down with all of your examples, but these two resonate especially, for me.
I will not buy under PSA 8 or the Raw equivelant....or to the best of my ability....
But it also depends on your budget and what you are targetting....
Even if I really really really want a card, if it is in poor shape, I will not buy it....
Just the way I see it I guess.....also, one must think down the line, when the time does come
if you do want to part with your collection , lets face it, High Quality will always bring out
the bidders so to speak....I mean, low quality or even mid quality cards for the most part are readily
available and most likely always will be.....High Quality...that obviously is a rare bird and probably
going to get rarer....
Good discussion though.....
Everyone agrees that quality will trump quantity. This is not, IMO, a debate about quality vs. quantity.
This is not quantity for sake of sheer numbers - hoards - mountains/heeps of stuff.
*BUDGET - should mandate quality AND quantity.
If someone is filthy rich - this discussion becomes moot.
But, most of us have to budget - so in that case doing a set in a solid 5, 6 or 7 may be do-able and an 8 or 9 impossible.
I thought this may be worth emphasizing.
mike
<< <i>Lately I have been thinking about what I collect and what I plan on collecting in the future. As my collection grows...and my space and cash becomes more scarce(especially with 3 young kids) I have considered two options.
Option 1: Keep buying many different cards in mid grade or
Option 2: Instead of buying many mid grade cards, buy only a few high grades instead (or sell off the many mid grades and buy high grade)
For example: I have the complete run of regular issue Jim Brown cards
The 1958 Brown Rookie is a SGC 6, all the rest are PSA 7's. I could sell of my entire collection of Jim Browns, use the cash from the sale and buy one high grade Brown rookie...maybe a PSA 8 for example.
What do you guys do? Any expereince with this issue? I know the common answer might be "collect what you enjoy." That is what I have been doing, but as I said before, I also have space and cash concerns that will become more of a problem as my kids get older. Another factor is resale investment.....if I ever decide to sell the entire collection....would it be more beneficial to sell lets say one high grade rookie over several mid grade cards.
any thoughts? >>
Your whole collection is worth the difference between a PSA 7 and an 8? Im not sure if thats really good or really bad. Anyways, good luck
with it
Kevin
I have a goal to complete several vintage football sets. I realized immediately that there's no way I could afford complete sets in PSA 8 in my lifetime. Next, I realized that many 5's, 6's, and 7's can have outstanding eye appeal at a fraction of the price. Regarding future value/investment potential, this is really low on my list. I am collecting the sets just to have them for a long time. Of course, I don't want to "waste" money, and I'd be quite irritated if the value went down, but in the end, I plan to have the cards for a very long time. Next, regarding space -- I'm still working on this issue, but I'm constructing a coffee table with drawers that will hold about 1600 slabs, and it will be a useful piece of furniture. The capacity should hold me for quite a while.
So, in my case, I go for 5's, 6's, and 7's to complete the sets that I want in a reasonable amount of time. I can enjoy all of the stars and the complete sets in very nice quality.
What ever you decide, enjoy your collection.
Doug