Player Collectors ... Completion vs. Condition

ThoseBackPages

When you guys are building your player set(s), do you go for Completion or Condition, or perhaps both?

Would you rather "finish it up" and put it to rest (within reason condition wise) and possibly upgrade later or wait it out and go for a certain grade level?

Dialj

Condition comes first for me.

JoeBanzai

Started out condition, and really won't change. However, I am on a budget. Ultimately completion is the goal in collecting a set.

My set, (Harmon Killebrew Master) has so many hand cut cards like Bazooka and Post as well as some tough to find test issues and of course the Venezuelan's. When found, these are often in barely gradable condition, a 5 might make your day! You never forget about quality, but as my set gets closer to completion, it's dropping in condition as I grade and add the tougher cards. My "basic" set is really nice! It is entirely possible that I will never come across some of the more obscure stuff. Anyone know where I can find a 1968 Topps Venezuelan Minnesota Twins Team card?

Recently bought a 1967 Pin-up PSA 6.5 while passing up a PSA 8 that was $200.00+ more. It does get to the point where that's just too much money to spend for that particular item. Your "Weighted GPA" isn't going to be affected very much. If I win the lottery that will all change. LOL Imagine starting a Mantle set. That would be pricey!

I am sure that with the newer stuff, 9's are about as low as one can go!?!?!? I would guess that the older the set the harder it would be to complete it in high grade, unless you have been doing this for a long time, and been a "high grade" person long before it became fashionable.

Great topic. This is a great hobby!

Joe

Stooge

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I wonder what someone does when they tackle a Derek Jeter master set that is currently about 2700+ and counting as the years go by. What about a Nolan Ryan master set. That gets to be a life long pursuit. 2000+ cards and constantly adding new stuff that hasn't been requested yet. You could find yourself complete at 100% and 6 months later, you need 44 new cards that have just been added, that you may not even known existed.

Is there someone out there that is worth devoting the time and money to collect just their cards? I really don't have a "Favorite" player like that.

just my thoughts at 3:45am,

Paul.

CharleyBrown

Ideally, condition first.

Realistically, completion first.

As a Jackie Robinson collector, there are cards that are simply impossible to find in any condition, and I would take them however I can get them. On the other hand, the mainstream set cards - I aim to get them in PSA 7 or better, and will wait on those until I find the right price.

MBMiller25

Eric, I place my priority on condition, over completion, which is most likely why I never complete any large set that I embark on. That and a lack of $$$$$!

johnny1976

johnny1976

Sorry about that.

I feel completion is the key for me. Yes I would like to get the highest grades but, I don't get into the I have to have the highest graded set wars because like some others I am on a tight budget. I look for better priced 9's over 10's because as everyone knows you can save a huge amount of money. However with that said I will not put fillers into my set to complete it. To me, I think, that is a waste of time and money.

PowderedH2O

I want to complete the sets, but I set minimums on condition that I will accept. It generally comes down to this: Pre 1956: 6 if I can, but less on the pricey ones. 1957-1967: 7 or better 1968-1980: 8 or better. 1981-present: 9 or better. That is for baseball. Football kind of loosely follows that as well.

ThoseBackPages

a lot of great input, i appreciate it. i feel that its important to have certain goals to aim for, but of course you can bend here and there as well

Paul, i have no idea how the Ryan/Jeter guys tackle those HUGE sets! lol

i really like this area of the boards, just wish it had some more "action"

PowderedH2O

Yes, kinda disappointing. I've got several PSA awards on player sets. Most of them are not because I have such great cards, but because I was the only person with a complete set. In some cases, I was the only person with a registered set at all. And these were HOF players too.

NickM

Time is your friend when it comes to set completion. I have dozens (probably over 100, when you count all 4 sports) of player sets registered, most in the 5 to 10% completion range. Even on the ones I am seriously trying to complete, I wait until I find a good buy on the card (and when it comes to things like Venezuelans, I may have to do self-submissions for low-grade ones).

Don't buy a card you're not happy with. You will want to upgrade it later.

As for the huge sets, the Ryan is an exception in that a group of dedicated collectors got just about everything on the Set Registry a couple of years ago - including the hundreds of cards in the Pacific Ryan sets. Most of the other sets are far more works in progress.

Nick

PowderedH2O

Exactly. And nobody says that you have to collect Master Sets. I prefer basic sets. Some people like going after oddball stuff. I prefer to stick with the tried and true. And when I go to sell it, if need be, there are more buyers for that item. Even somebody like Nolan Ryan, you could collect a Basic Topps Set and have only 27 cards to go after. Want to see some really amazing player registries? Look at the pre-war cards. Mel Ott Basic Set - nine cards. Two people on the registry. Jimmie Foxx - eleven cards and five people on the registry. Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Rogers Hornsby, etc... same thing. Hornsby has only two collectors on the registry. None of these cards are cheap, but they can be obtained.

ThoseBackPages

i too prefer the "Basic Set". But i have a MAJOR issue with O-Pee-Chee Cards NOT being included when Leaf Cards ARE included. Very hypocritical imo.

PowderedH2O

That's really a more recent phenomenon. Most vintage players don't have all of the odd issues. Leaf football was only around for a couple years. Leaf baseball had a set in 1960. Fleer in 1963. Otherwise, players that retired before 1980 are mostly Topps and Bowman in the Topps era.

favoritethings

So I collect the Clemente master set. Fortunately I have been collecting Clemente WAY before PSA ever existed. I concur with a combination of opinons already offered. At the end of the day completion is the goal. Even better, finding items not yet listed in the set and adding them (have done a bunch and have more coming). That said, for me there is a clear line of difference for a card in greater supply (example - 1957 Topps) compared to a card that is truly scarce (examples - complete bazooka box or Venezuelan card). I think it is reasonable to set a budget and buy the highest grade you choose to afford for the cards in greater supply. They are no big deal and readily available. When the scarce stuff comes up - forget the grade and do what you can to try to own it. There are a "couple" that got away ( 1958 Kahns and 1962 Sugardale - both in stunning condition about 20 years ago) before I had a handle on what I was doing and thankfully numerous ones that I "pulled the trigger" on - thinking at the time "how could I be stupid enough to spend this much money on this 1 card - today not only are they worth exponentially more than I paid for them, but many of them are either the only one graded, 1 of 2 or 1 of 3 graded (in any grade).


Ps. I am still desperately looking for a 1960 complete Bazooka box (I would pay DEARLY for this one) and 1960 Harmony Milk 8x10 - any help?

jeffcbay

When I was completing my Ripken Basic Set, I was going for completion first, but wouldn't settle for anything less than a PSA 8. Once I completed it on February 11, 2009 (wow that's a long time ago), I've been working on the upgrades. I never thought it would be this difficult to upgrade modern cards, but it's a lot of chasing and subbing. I just recently got rid of my last PSA 8.5, so now I only have (13) PSA 9s and the rest are PSA 10s. It's been a crazy run, but I still love doing it.

JasonM32

I go for Condition over completion. I'm collecting only PSA 10s unless there is no 10 available. Fortunately for me I collect player sets no older than 1980. I hate buying a 9 and then having to upgrade it so I usually wait for a good deal for a 10. I don't have an unlimited amount of money so bargains are important to my collection. I almost never buy raw cards anymore. It will take me years to finish a lot of my sets but I'm not in a hurry.

mikesimo88

<< <i>i too prefer the "Basic Set". But i have a MAJOR issue with O-Pee-Chee Cards NOT being included when Leaf Cards ARE included. Very hypocritical imo. >>



simple explanation...0-pee chee are FOREIGN cards and LEAF cards are not...

wasnt that simple

jradke4

as someone that is working on one of those modern mega master sets (brett favre) its both. with some cards that are only numbered to 5 to 50 or so you cant be too choosy when it comes to condition. but also overall with PSA when it comes to the grading the small levels of differences betweens 8-9 and 9-10 is more a random nudge by the grader in my mind. so i am happy to have most of even my modern stuff above an 8.

ThoseBackPages

<< <i>

<< <i>i too prefer the "Basic Set". But i have a MAJOR issue with O-Pee-Chee Cards NOT being included when Leaf Cards ARE included. Very hypocritical imo. >>



simple explanation...0-pee chee are FOREIGN cards and LEAF cards are not...

wasnt that simple >>



Nope. LEAF cards ARE from Canada. They were Donruss' "answer" to Topps' O-Pee-Chee licensing in the 80's

AISAVDBBALLINPHILLY

In the early stages of my LT Master Set condition took precedence when available, but completion was paramount. In its advanced state, upgrading is most important as I may never see the few cards I need to complete the set.