First post - Need help getting my collecting focused!
calgarycollector
Posts: 356
Hi guys a new member from the great white North. Grew up in Edmonton during the Oilers glory days, now based out of Calgary. But don’t judge me lol my first love has and will always be baseball.
After most of the 90’s spent in the hobby I’ve jumped back in a few months ago and unfortunately as have no specific direction apart from buying what interests me. That’s clearly too expensive to sustain! I’ve also had the typical hard lessons about ebay and grading by KSA and GAI ouch and this pesky PSA (N-5, M-6 stuff).
Been debating going after favorite players, vintage unopened wax (but I keep ripping it!) and now am consider focusing my attention to building a graded set.
Thus I need help with the direction I choose and was curious what the board members opinions were on the following. I haven’t really considered budget into play as over the long run each could be achievable for my situation; and I want this to be a marathon not a race. I would likely go for PSA 8 and up in these sets except for the finest refractor set which would be PSA 10.
1952 – 1980 Topps Basbeball Wax (not cello) Graded Pack Run. Pre 1960 almost non existent.
1933 Goudey Sport Kings – small and love the idea of all the greats from the day in one set
1951 Parkhurst Hockey – love the card size, 105 is doable, likely easier to complete via Canada
1954 Dan- Dee Chips – Perfect size set, however apart from Mantle not a lot of other players I’m interested in.
1954 Topps – Great design, rookie of Aaron my favorite. 250 cards may be bit large.
1955 Topps – 206 cards seems like a good size. So many great rookies and 2nd years.
1971-72 OPC Hockey – Wow design, just speaks 1970’s. Loaded with HOF rookies. 264 cards.
1993 Finest Baseball Refractor set – The one that started it all and something I collected back in the day. Not sure how this holds up long term value as an insert.
Feel free to comment on your experiences, investment value and difficulty.
Also what would you suggest is the best way to get a jump start on a 54/55 baseball set. Buying common by common via ebay will hurt.
Thanks folks nice to finally starting contributing here. Happy thanksgiving for my American friends.
After most of the 90’s spent in the hobby I’ve jumped back in a few months ago and unfortunately as have no specific direction apart from buying what interests me. That’s clearly too expensive to sustain! I’ve also had the typical hard lessons about ebay and grading by KSA and GAI ouch and this pesky PSA (N-5, M-6 stuff).
Been debating going after favorite players, vintage unopened wax (but I keep ripping it!) and now am consider focusing my attention to building a graded set.
Thus I need help with the direction I choose and was curious what the board members opinions were on the following. I haven’t really considered budget into play as over the long run each could be achievable for my situation; and I want this to be a marathon not a race. I would likely go for PSA 8 and up in these sets except for the finest refractor set which would be PSA 10.
1952 – 1980 Topps Basbeball Wax (not cello) Graded Pack Run. Pre 1960 almost non existent.
1933 Goudey Sport Kings – small and love the idea of all the greats from the day in one set
1951 Parkhurst Hockey – love the card size, 105 is doable, likely easier to complete via Canada
1954 Dan- Dee Chips – Perfect size set, however apart from Mantle not a lot of other players I’m interested in.
1954 Topps – Great design, rookie of Aaron my favorite. 250 cards may be bit large.
1955 Topps – 206 cards seems like a good size. So many great rookies and 2nd years.
1971-72 OPC Hockey – Wow design, just speaks 1970’s. Loaded with HOF rookies. 264 cards.
1993 Finest Baseball Refractor set – The one that started it all and something I collected back in the day. Not sure how this holds up long term value as an insert.
Feel free to comment on your experiences, investment value and difficulty.
Also what would you suggest is the best way to get a jump start on a 54/55 baseball set. Buying common by common via ebay will hurt.
Thanks folks nice to finally starting contributing here. Happy thanksgiving for my American friends.
0
Comments
-CDs Nuts, 1/20/14
*1956 Topps baseball- 97.4% complete, 7.24 GPA
*Clemente basic set: 85.0% complete, 7.89 GPA
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
Keep in mind that for the 1993 Finest Refractors, there are zero straight PSA 10 sets in existence. There have been no PSA 10 Bernie Williams uncovered yet.
WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
I forgot to mention those Bernie 10's are hiding in the boxes of Finest sitting in my basement waiting to see day light
No love for the Sport Kings oddities.....
I like the 55 set because...
The size is not overwhelming
The Clemente rookie is a HUGE card, not to mention the Koufax
The horizontal design is very appealing
I like the challenge of the high numbers as some are quite scarce
Big selection of HOFers...
If you can't decide collect them all...lol!
Jeff
Welcome and congratulations on making the first good step to collecting and having fun.
Establishing a "focus" - if you couple that with "budget"? - and mission accomplished!
What you collect is the hardest thing to establish.
After almost 30 yrs of collecting, I spend a good amount of my time, energy and money on baseball board games - but it took me many moons to come up on that as a focus I enjoy.
So - my suggestion - read CU to include the memor. and registry forum - and consider lurking around net54. Why? Check out what guys report on and perhaps it will spark something that will get your excited.
Depending on budget - I like the idea of collecting one set (at a time) along with a few other areas - pins? Pennants? Periodicals? Just some ideas.
I'm currently working on a 63F BB set - one of my favorite designs - I think what set(s) you pick may be dictated by size and affordability?
Take care - good luck - and don't be a stranger.
Whichever you choose staying focused is key. I decided on 1955 Topps with 1954 a close second.
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
54 set is a great one, but several pricey cards
55 also very nice stuff , also has quite a few pricey ones but is 44 cards smaller
ever think about starting with your favorite team and starting your set that way?
again there is no wrong way to collect, using the words focus and budget is something many of us have failed at
good luck
hank
2004 spx
1989 topps psa 10
1959 phillies
Phillies of the 70's
<< <i>Hi, hello, how are ya?
Whichever you choose staying focused is key. I decided on 1955 Topps with 1954 a close second. >>
My thoughts exactly.
Whatever set you decide to do I would start off small maybe with a subset or a team set of a particular year to see if it holds your intetrested and then if it does you can expand on it. If it does not hold your interest you did not invest a lot of time or money and you can try something else. As Mike (Stone193) said it can take many moons to figure out what you really enjoy collecting.
Whatever it is you decide to collect good luck with it and make it fun, that's what's imortant. Even though I used the word invest and money in my advice, it's not what's important. It's having fun with your collection, no matter how cheap or how expensive the set you chose is.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
sport kings or 51 parkhurst seem like a good option.
Anybody collecting unopened wax packs? I could see that being a blast but also torture, also seems quite liquid in event need to raise some capital.
all over the map right now and with the delivery guy showing up at our house daily for two months has the wife a little concerned lol!
Jeff
Lee
<< <i>Hey thanks guys appreciate all of your input. Seems getting a focus is a struggle for all of us and takes time. I'm thinking now start something small as mentioned and see how I like it before going after say the 55 set.
sport kings or 51 parkhurst seem like a good option.
Anybody collecting unopened wax packs? I could see that being a blast but also torture, also seems quite liquid in event need to raise some capital.
all over the map right now and with the delivery guy showing up at our house daily for two months has the wife a little concerned lol! >>
Personally I like the wax pack idea and while I don't have any 50's or 60's wax yet I hope to get a few someday. Someone on this board has a full set of 1952 and up wax packs and it looks amazing.
I tried to start a '93 refractor set in PSA 10 about a year ago, and I learned quickly that those collectors are fierce when it comes to bidding. I think I'm pretty aggressive bidding when I see something I like, but its going to be a hard fought battle to win those cards at current vcp prices. It was getting more expensive than I anticipated & I gave up after 5 cards. I would stick with '54 topps with all the HOF RCs, but you need to go with what you enjoy!