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What's the most efficient way to sort cards?

zep33zep33 Posts: 6,897 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I'm working through about 30 boxes of Heritage cards trying to get them sorted and this is an absolute nightmare

The way I'm doing it is putting them in piles of cards 1-50, 50-100 and so on and then sort those piles.

how do you guys do it?

Comments

  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    depends on the size of the set and how many cards I have to sort.

    But, on a larger set...first by hundreds, then by 10s, and then into groups
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • SkinpinchSkinpinch Posts: 1,531
    You are bringing back nightmares!!

    I remember staring at cases of early/mid 80's topps vending boxes and knowing that I had to sort them into sets!

    I too got them all into 100's first...

    Then the hundreds into 1-9, 10-19, 20-29...and so on.

    Then I took the 1-9's and got them down to each card...a stack of #1's, a stack of #2's and so on....

    THen from there I would start making SET stacks and be on my way to building multiple sets. It always sucked when the last couple sets had a number that wasn't there, so I had to turn the card before it sideways in the stack so that I knew the set was missing a number.

    The short answer is that there is no easy way to sort. It takes time. But that system was pretty 'efficient' for sorting multiple sets.

    I remeber somebody made a box with compartments to just drop the cards in...it is no wonder when you look at your sets from 1984 that many cards have touches on a corner.

  • kcballboykcballboy Posts: 1,405 ✭✭✭
    I perfected my method one time while building my 88 topps set. I started by plugging the cards into a binder until I had a complete set.

    Then I threw the rest away.

    After a while I threw the set away too.

    Not sure if I have any recommendations for a set worth more than $5.
    Travis
  • zep33zep33 Posts: 6,897 ✭✭✭
    see I figured I had too many to get them into hundreds (only 495 in the set and probably over 5000 to sort now)
    so i started with 10 piles of 50s. Think I got about 4 more boxes to get in to that count then i can start breaking them down in to 10s

    I'm not building multiple sets with these. These are all my doubles from the 1 set I wanted (and still haven't completed LOL) I just want to be able to easily find all my SPs and variations and start recouping some of the money I blew on all this.

    thanks
  • TheVonTheVon Posts: 2,725 ✭
    This doesn't sound like it'll help for your situation too much, but my preferred method goes something like this:

    1. Open box.
    2. Insert cards.
    3. Close box.
    4. Label

    Then years later I can look through the box and rediscover all the gems I didn't know about before.
  • cjb1977cjb1977 Posts: 69
    I personally sort as follows: I set up stacks 0-9 according to the last digit. Then I resort those 0-9 via the second digit. After that I resort those via the first number. At the end you only touch each card 3 times and they will be numeric order.
  • meuandthelotmeuandthelot Posts: 183 ✭✭
    ^^^Is the way, except the last sort you start sorting with the 9 pile.
    Sig: Looking for a recent smr magazine, Please pm if you have one to recycle. Thank You
  • stitzenstitzen Posts: 1,771
    I, too, break them down into 100's, then 10s.
  • jerrywest45jerrywest45 Posts: 166
    I outsource sorting to India...It helps the world economy.


    JW
    Trying to complete 1960, '61 and '68 Topps baseball sets...raw
  • IlovebaseballcardsIlovebaseballcards Posts: 144


    << <i>I personally sort as follows: I set up stacks 0-9 according to the last digit. Then I resort those 0-9 via the second digit. After that I resort those via the first number. At the end you only touch each card 3 times and they will be numeric order. >>

    i like it. my next sort will be much easier now. thanks!
  • jerrywest45jerrywest45 Posts: 166
    Weather you do it 0-9 or hundreds, tens, ones...you still only touch the cards three times. Both ways are equal...

    Do I need to drop some equations on your asses????
    Trying to complete 1960, '61 and '68 Topps baseball sets...raw
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    OK, I can help you here. I have a system that will save you 50% of your time. Separate the even numbers and put them in order. Now take the odd numbers and put them in order. Now take both stacks, place them side by side and perform a perfect shuffle.

    Lee
  • metalmikemetalmike Posts: 2,152 ✭✭
    Wow- I tried Lee's method and damn it works! what would you expect of a guy who knows french canadian after all those pack busts? la grande metal
    USN 1977-1987 * ALL cards are commons unless auto'd. Buying Britneycards. NWO for life.
  • julen23julen23 Posts: 4,558 ✭✭
    i know some david blaine -ish.

    i can make a joe namath RC appear in your beer.

    julenn
    image
    RIP GURU
  • marzmarz Posts: 1,601
    let the old lady or kids sort em!

    that's what I do!

    image
    live each day like it's your last but don't count on it!
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