Keeping your focus
 

I often find it hard to keep my focus when collecting cards. I will start a set and after awhile, I will see something else I like and want to start a new one. Does anyone else struggle with this as well? I enjoy the monthly pickup thread but I think I need to stop looking at all of the great stuff people bring in because it undoubtedly opens my eyes to something new. What do you do to stay focused when you hit a lull and start to have wandering eyes? Do you take breaks and walk away from the auction sites and your cards for awhile?

I also suffer from card collecting ADD. :p

Collecting Focus
 

Completing a set is one type of challenge. However, some of the pre-war sets can never be completed (unless we win the Lotto and have unlimited $$$). So I collect the old cards in a less organized way where I add cards I like and ones I feel I can get a fair price on. It's more 'organic' than 'organized'. At least that's how I justify it to myself...

The answer for collecting ADD was easy for me — I decided to become a type card collector ...

Have a really BIG focus!!

I collect Yankees cards, ALL Yankees cards, so I am obtaining cards from the early 1900's thru now, and that gives me so many to go after, its a never ending quest full of a ton of interesting different cards, and how do you lose focus when you have that available to you to be looking for?

When I first started I was all over the place. I had to make a choice on what direction to go. It was easy and very inexpensive. I now only collect T206's with a F.F. Baker stamp on the back. Thanks to a board member alerting me about the auction I landed a Joss on e-bay last week. A lot of collectors want their cards in top shape without any marks so going after marked cards can be a fun way to collect and easy on the wallet. The Joss portrait went for $66.

Always looking to add more so guys keep an eye out for me.

Thanks, Joe

When I got back into collecting about a year ago I tried starting several different sets (T205, 1934 Goudey, 1948 Leaf), but much like the OP I would lose interest as another set or subject would capture my interest and attention. Collecting the common cards of the common players just didn't interest me as I got involved in a set.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a traditional set collector and I have since shifted my focus to simply a HOF collection. I loosely focus on trying to complete a HOF set for certain issues like E90-1 and T205 currently but my overall focus is simply HOFers. Gives me a lot of flexibility in my focus.

The only exception to my HOF focus is I am working on a T209 b&w set, but given the enormous challenge of the set, the rarity of the cards...it keeps it interesting and exciting for me.

I do real well when I focus on small sets like 1921 Exhibits, R309-2 and W575-2. Whenever I try to tackle something large I tend to lose interest as it drags on. I basically morphed into a HOF type collector and a Philly A's collector over time.

I have great admiration for folks that can stay the course and assemble larger sets.