[kailes2872]

In 2014, I was looking for, and found a 1957 Topps set on the board. The person that I bought it from also had a 1953 Topps set with a PSA 5 Mantle for $3,000 - the set, not the Mantle.

I had a plan of three sets per year moving backwards and I wasn't ready to buy '53 yet. I thought about it all the way home - but I didn't want to break my plan. I have regretted not pulling the trigger ever since, because now, the Mantle would cost that - so it was a buy, Mantle, get the other 273 cards for free deal that I missed.

However, my biggest regret was last year's REA. The '33 Delong Lionel Carter set - his very first set - was available and went for a very reasonable price - around $4500 before BP. I thought and thought about it it - even tried to figure out what I would unload to make my wife happy - as she wouldn't want me digging into cash reserves. Again, I was regimented in my process and did not want to break my annual plan of what I wanted to get so I did not make a run at it. Who knows if $4500 becomes $6000 or higher as the person who bought it might have wanted it as badly as I did - but I really regret that one. There will be other '33 Delongs, but there is only 1 Lionel Carter set and it has such a special place in collecting lore...