Quit the 1949 Bowman set?

OnlyThe10s · January 25, 2008 12:57PM

Hey all,

As many of you know, my main collecting focus is the 1949 Bowman set. I started it last July. This was my first set ever. Actually, it was the very beginning of my card collecting.

I'm now at 27.92% complete, 67 of 240 cards, 5.21 GPA. Not bad for seven months I guess (and my very first venture into card collecting)

Here's what I'm getting at... I think I've literally lost interest. I feel like I'd rather do a HOF RC set or an all-time Red Sox set, or something. I just dont feel like I want to continue this...

Dillemma: I'll probably lose a ton of money and time and effort on this.

What would you guys do? Just dump it all on the bay? Stick with it due to money, effort, and time? I mean, you should be "into" what you're collecting, right?

If you'd like to see the set right now, please click the link in my sig line.

Thanks for any an all input on this.

tcbphd · January 25, 2008 1:12PM

It's a beautiful set . . . maybe just set it aside for 6 months and see how you feel?

bigfische · January 25, 2008 1:14PM

<< It's a beautiful set . . . maybe just set it aside for 6 months and see how you feel? >>

Thats what i do. I work on two or three sets at a time. When i get bored with one, i work on the other for a while until i feel the need to go back. But, if you feel like you dont want to waste your money on it, as opposed to just being bored with it, you should probably let it go.

perkdog · January 25, 2008 1:14PM

Alan, I completely understand your dilemma. Unfortunately I would think if you decide to sell these cards to fund another collecting goal most likely you will take a loss, although I dont know how much money you have invested in this so far, that seems to be my experience.

I have started a 1956 Topps Baseball set got to about 30+ % and got bored, sold and took a loss. I started a 1952 Bowman Football set and got about 20+ % and got bored AGAIN...... Sold and AGAIN took a loss. After that I gave up collecting for about a year and a half and here I am once again, this time around I refuse to get heavy into a "set" I buy cards that I like and dont worry about tough to find commons ect.. ect.. I find it that I dont get bored this way. If you have lost interest why keep going? If money is not a major issue why not hold on to the set and go after some different cards for a change of pace? Best of luck and enjoy what you collect!

CowboyDad · January 25, 2008 1:19PM

Everything is exciting when it's fresh and new

Your going to get tired and bored eventually doing a HOF Rc set and a Red Sox set also

Do what others said and put it to the side for now ( 48 set ) and start another set. You'll be glad in a year that you didn't sell your 48 set IMO

Dave

WinPitcher · January 25, 2008 1:19PM

Alan the same thing happened to me when i was doing the 65 set and it has 598 cards.

You are what i call at a plateau, building a set takes time. The 65 set took me 3 years to build and that is considered fast. Something brought you to start that set and that is where you now must get back to. Registry set building has its ups and downs and in betweens. cards that are low pop one day may not be low pop the next. The keys are expensive. My strategy must have changed 10 times when i was building that monster set. Your set is only roughly half the size. If it was me, I'd step back, take a break and not do anything hasty. You can always sell them later if that is in fact what you want to do. i would give it at least a few weeks b4 I made any definate descision. If you bought wisely you should at least get your dough back.

In my case I was able to do just that.

Steve

vintagetoppsguy · January 25, 2008 1:24PM

I also agree with the others about taking a break from the set and then see how you feel in a few months. If you do decide to sell the set, I don't know why you would lose any money. If you sell the cards individually, shouldn't you be able to get out of them what you have into them? You might even want to keep some of the cards that are special to you - like the Bobby Doerr - I think you said this was the first one you ever bought.

OnlyThe10s · January 25, 2008 1:41PM

Hey all, I was thinking of a break too.. so I took one... I've only bought one 49 Bow in about 2 or 3 months, and that was off of Elemenopeo on the BST boards.

I've been doing Manny Ramirez PSA 10 RC's and I started the 1979 Topps. I'm ESPECIALLY interested in the Manny set, it's fun! And he's got like 30 rookie cards! 79 topps will take me till I'm 137 years old, but it's a fairly easy set from my birth year that is a nice time filler...

So yeah, I took a break... and I still dont want to go back to it... It's horrible..

And to answer another question that someone asked, yes, I was smart with most of these. I'll *probably* make my money back on most of them, while others will sell for sheap (like some of the "fillers" I have in PSA 4, etc).

So basically I havent taken a long enough break? This is something that's common in this hobby?

WinPitcher · January 25, 2008 2:02PM

geez Alan I did not say anything of the sort. I simply said "if you bought wisely" you should get your money back. And if you have in fact already stopped for a few months then yes it may be time to unload them.

you could then use that money towards your other quests.

Steve

OnlyThe10s · January 25, 2008 2:04PM

<< geez Alan I did not say anything of the sort. I simply said "if you bought wisely" you should get your money back. And if you have in fact already stopped for a few months then yes it may be time to unload them.

you could then use that money towards your other quests.

Steve >>

Hey Steve, I think you misunderstood me, I didnt think you were saying anything bad, I was just answering you... meaning yes, I think I bought smart and I *should* be able to at least make my money back.

No worries my friend :-)

rube26105 · January 25, 2008 2:13PM

alan-id just put it aside like steve said, with my 50 bowman fb set- i know what ya mean about reaching a plateau,where you feel ya cant find anything you need for months,then all the sudden , bam -somebody busts a set or something-i only have one set on the registry,i was doing the arod master and hof fb, i just deleted my set s but still got the cards, just chill on it for a while,they dont make beautiful cards like 40-50s painting style stuff anymore,and its not like theres a whole lot more of it out there to be found in packs or anything

take a break and work on your birthyear set or the manny set
randy

TheMcgwireMuseum · January 25, 2008 2:16PM

<< Alan the same thing happened to me when i was doing the 65 set and it has 598 cards.

You are what i call at a plateau, building a set takes time. The 65 set took me 3 years to build and that is considered fast. Something brought you to start that set and that is where you now must get back to. Registry set building has its ups and downs and in betweens. cards that are low pop one day may not be low pop the next. The keys are expensive. My strategy must have changed 10 times when i was building that monster set. Your set is only roughly half the size. If it was me, I'd step back, take a break and not do anything hasty. You can always sell them later if that is in fact what you want to do. i would give it at least a few weeks b4 I made any definate descision. If you bought wisely you should at least get your dough back.

In my case I was able to do just that.

Steve >>

SOLID advice. Take a break, and Im sure it will renew your interest at some point. Its kind of like 'losing' a cool piece of your collection by being put away for some time. When you find it again, it seems to spark the passion/appreciation for it once again.

gemmintrarities · January 25, 2008 2:23PM

You have to do what you feel like doing. I have changed collecting focus many times, and I have never had any regrets. You can't go wrong w/ a HOF RC focus.

kingraider75 · January 25, 2008 3:22PM

sell it and move on. I know the feeling, you feel "pot committed" to finish something. But you have a long way to go on the set, so better to quit now, then say at 60% complete.

OnlyThe10s · January 26, 2008 2:57AM

<< sell it and move on. I know the feeling, you feel "pot committed" to finish something. But you have a long way to go on the set, so better to quit now, then say at 60% complete. >>

I'm a poker player, so I know what you mean with that analogy.

I've only got a couple grand into it (between 2 and 3k)...

I'm going to try a longer break I guess. I really like the set, and it's not one that a lot of people around here are trying for...

We'll see what happens.

mrpeanut39 · January 26, 2008 4:46AM

I'd vote for taking a break too. I started collecting my 1956 set in 2001. Here's a breakdown of my purchases by year:

2001: 6
2002: 40
2003: 16
2004: 7
2005: 5
2006: 30
2007: 65
2008: 5
Unknown: 2 (forgot to put in the date on my spreadsheet)

So you can see there's a definite lull in there. There was no reason for me to back off financially. And my card collecting focus didn't shift in 2004 and 2005. I just temporarily moved on to other interests. I also agree that it's a good idea to collect other sets to divert your attention when your interest in the 49's wanes. Ultimately, you should know in your heart whether or not you want to continue in the future.

fiveniner · January 26, 2008 6:29AM

Hang in there.Give it a rest for a while.I have been working on a 1959 topps set for ever it seems begining with raw then upgrading and upgrading then finally doing it 100% PSA.I have probably had my hands on a few thousand 59 topps in my journey which is nearly at the end.Its been a great ride and very satisfying.

clydecoolidge · January 26, 2008 6:42AM

Stick with taking a break for awhile. I've sold many cards that I now hugely regret. If I understood your post correctly, you've only been collecting cards for about a year or so? Yeah man, most of us here have been collecting since the late 70's or early 80's or even waaaay before that. You really have to focus on many different aspects to stay interested. Once you have many different areas and projects to work on, it's impossible for the fun to stop. Plus you always add new ventures as time goes on. I would definately not do anything hasty, hang on to that '49 set and focus on some other projects for awhile, especially if you plan on collecting well into the future. Take care and have fun!!!

DrJ · January 26, 2008 7:21AM

I hate to say it Alan, but quitting seems to be in your nature whether it is the hobby, this board, or now your Bowman set. For your long term health it might make sense to stick with something once and awhile.

DataDriven05 · January 26, 2008 9:24AM

The set I collect only has 75 cards, and sometimes that seems like a lot. I give all the credit in the world to the set collectors who have the patience to put into the larger sets.

I think your Manny RC's and 1979 set pose a nice distraction. Perhaps, you may consider collecting the 1979 set raw. You can do it cheaply and still put together a set you can be proud of - it would look great in an album as well.

Personally, I wouldn't get rid of the Bowman set. As long as you have some collecting dollars left for other interests, odds are you will get back into the 49 Bowman's someday and you will be glad you kept them. It's a great set, full of HOF rookies, and it isn't so big that its will be impossible to finish.

Good luck to you

- Chris

perkdog · January 26, 2008 9:38AM

<< I hate to say it Alan, but quitting seems to be in your nature whether it is the hobby, this board, or now your Bowman set. For your long term health it might make sense to stick with something once and awhile. >>

Man your right! Those are major life decisions huh?

OnlyThe10s · January 26, 2008 11:45AM

<< I hate to say it Alan, but quitting seems to be in your nature whether it is the hobby, this board, or now your Bowman set. For your long term health it might make sense to stick with something once and awhile. >>

I think DrJ just doesnt like me. He gave me sh*t on another thread too.

Cool man, I respect your opinion. Just to be clear though, I never, ever said I was quitting the hobby. And even if I did "SWITCH COLLECTING FOCUS" (is that a better word than quit? Does that one work for you?)... I still wouldnt be quitting the hobby.

For your long term health it might make sense to not jump on everyone elses thread (especially the givaway thread I just did) and be negative. Just my two cents bro, no big deal.

So yeah, thanks for all the imput from everyone on this. I agree that the 79 Toppswill be a nice distraction, and they're relatively easy to pick up in 8 or better.

So that's what I'm going to do... take a break from the 49 Bowmans. Unless I see the deal of the century on the Bay or soemthing.

Thanks again to all! I appreciate everyone's input on this.

Take it easy

OnlyThe10s · January 26, 2008 11:49AM

I thought this was funny, HAHAH

Quit the 1949 Bowman set?

Comments