What are your specific quirks and habits with collecting?

[SyrNy1960]

Myself, if a card is graded a 9.5, I won't buy it unless all subgrades are 9.5 or better. If it has one 9, I won't buy it. I want perfect centering. If not perfectly center, I won't buy it. I tried to overcome both, but it just didn't work. Have you passed up on something you really wanted, because it didn't meet your expectations?

[Leon]

Most of us on this side (pre-wwII) don't collect by 9s and sub-grades as very few of our cards meet that grade level. However, the second part of your question is what collecting is ALL about to a lot of us. It is finding the right card that meets OUR expectations, at a price we are willing to pay. That is almost all the fun for me. And to answer your questions specifically, I pass on cards almost every single day as they don't meet my expectations. This card will be making its way to me very soon as it should ship in a few days. I wouldn't have gone for it had it not had centering, borders and scarcity I look for. I am not focused right now except on cards I like with great centering and borders.....to each their own. And by passing on a lot of stuff it makes the journey longer and better. (to me)

Originally Posted by 3arod13

Myself, if a card is graded a 9.5, I won't buy it unless all subgrades are 9.5 or better. If it has one 9, I won't buy it. I want perfect centering. If not perfectly center, I won't buy it. I tried to overcome both, but it just didn't work. Have you passed up on something you really wanted, because it didn't meet your expectations?

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Leon

Most of us on this side (pre-wwII) don't collect by 9s and sub-grades as very few of our cards meet that grade level. However, the second part of your question is what collecting is ALL about to a lot of us. It is finding the right card that meets OUR expectations, at a price we are willing to pay. That is almost all the fun for me. And to answer your questions specifically, I pass on cards almost every single day as they don't meet my expectations. This card will be making its way to me very soon as it should ship in a few days. I wouldn't have gone for it had it not had centering, borders and scarcity I look for. I am not focused right now except on cards I like with great centering and borders.....to each their own. And by passing on a lot of stuff it makes the journey longer and better. (to me)

But Al was left of center most of the time.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

But Al was left of center most of the time.

I hope you weren't looking at his pants!!

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by Leon

Most of us on this side (pre-wwII) don't collect by 9s and sub-grades as very few of our cards meet that grade level. However, the second part of your question is what collecting is ALL about to a lot of us. It is finding the right card that meets OUR expectations, at a price we are willing to pay. That is almost all the fun for me. And to answer your questions specifically, I pass on cards almost every single day as they don't meet my expectations. This card will be making its way to me very soon as it should ship in a few days. I wouldn't have gone for it had it not had centering, borders and scarcity I look for. I am not focused right now except on cards I like with great centering and borders.....to each their own. And by passing on a lot of stuff it makes the journey longer and better. (to me)

Thanks for sharing! I can see by most of you (pre-wwII) collectors, it would be insanely expensive, also rare to find I'm sure, the best of the best condition. I admire the pride many of you take in your cards. I don't know enough about early cards, but am learning a lot here. Don't want to jump in too quickly at this point. Great stuff everyone!

[SyrNy1960]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the goal for many (pre-wwII) collectors? Collecting individual cards? Completing sets? Modern day collectors like to collect Star players. Don't believe that is the case for (pre-wwII) collectors (other than the big boys Ruth, Gehrig, etc. etc.). Thanks!

[packs]

I like to collect low grade examples with nicer eye appeal. It allows me to get a card I've always wanted at a price I'm comfortable with and it still looks great. I am not a "grade" guy. I don't even look at high grade pre-war because I either can't afford it or I assume the card was trimmed. I prefer cards that look like they belonged to a kid like me once:

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by packs

I like to collect low grade examples with nicer eye appeal. It allows me to get a card I've always wanted at a price I'm comfortable with and it still looks great. I am not a "grade" guy. I don't even look at high grade pre-war because I either can't afford it or I assume the card was trimmed. I prefer cards that look like they belonged to a kid like me once:

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by 3arod13

If you don't mind me asking, what is the goal for many (pre-wwII) collectors? Collecting individual cards? Completing sets? Modern day collectors like to collect Star players. Don't believe that is the case for (pre-wwII) collectors (other than the big boys Ruth, Gehrig, etc. etc.). Thanks!

I am not a set builder. I don't have the patience or focus for it. I collect pre and post war. For pre war I go after cards of big names guys that I like, and for post war it's HOF rookies. Centering has become a major focus for me as well, although it wasn't at first. The cards just look so much better centered. I do allow for slight variance as it's hard to find truly dead centered cards, especially the older you go, or on certain cards notorious for centering issues.

[Snapolit1]

I am drawn to the artistic quality of certain cards. Realize that is of course entirely subjective. The first card I fell in love with was the 49 Leaf Jackie Robinson. Just took my breath away. Looked like something Warhol would have painted. Love the entire Leaf series for the bold colors. Just leap off the card. Goudeys the same. Just bought a Zach Wheat strip I found on eBay. Amazing colors. Having said all that love many of the older Exhibits which of course are black and white. Those suckers just tell a story. Bought a banged up John McGraw last week and love it. Guy's face looks like a catchers mitt. Some cards just reach out and grab you.

[Leon]

Reading, learning and taking your time can't be over emphasized.

Originally Posted by 3arod13

Thanks for sharing! I can see by most of you (pre-wwII) collectors, it would be insanely expensive, also rare to find I'm sure, the best of the best condition. I admire the pride many of you take in your cards. I don't know enough about early cards, but am learning a lot here. Don't want to jump in too quickly at this point. Great stuff everyone!

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Leon

Reading, learning and taking your time can't be over emphasized.

Unless you're already old...right.

If you truly cannot take 'it' with you, then you hope and perhaps strive for more time to enjoy 'it'.

I guess I'm just trying to explain some of my less-than-wise purchases, huh?
..
I never buy graded cards with qualifiers or cards where the picture looks nothing like the actual player i.e. some American Caramel issues, a lot of 'strip' cards, and the George Miller set.
.
.

[Thecafewha]

I usually take any card in any condition if I'm working on completing a difficult set and worry about upgrading later. That being said, I hate any writing on cards (mustache's included).


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[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 3arod13

Myself, if a card is graded a 9.5, I won't buy it unless all subgrades are 9.5 or better. If it has one 9, I won't buy it. I want perfect centering. If not perfectly center, I won't buy it. I tried to overcome both, but it just didn't work. Have you passed up on something you really wanted, because it didn't meet your expectations?

Tony, I collect all three eras, pre-war, vintage and modern. When I started out buying modern cards again (pretty much exclusively Bowman Chrome prospect autos), I picked up the best cards I could find, but if the centering was off slightly, I still bought it. Now, I have a few cards in my collection that are slight off, like my Manny Machado auto, and I want to sell it, and buy another with perfect centering.

I have to blame Matty C for this. When he began on his Mickey Mantle run, every card was perfectly centered. The centered cards looked better, to me, than examples technically a grade higher (or more), but with lesser centering. I think that, of all the subgrades, is the one I'm now most picky about.

If I buy a Beckett graded card, yes, I want all 9.5 subs. My Bryce Harper Chrome auto is perfect, and it commands a premium. However, my ungraded Mike Trout Chrome auto has a scan line down the middle, and that would likely lower it to 9. Everything else is perfect, and it might still get a 9.5 overall. But the surface grade would bother me. I would literally sell mine, and then buy another with all 9.5 subs.

So, I understand where you are coming from. With vintage, centering is really important. I've been working on the 1975 Topps set for a while, and I'll take a PSA 8 with superior centering over an off-centered 9 any day of the week. The '53 Bowman set I am (slowly) working on, centering is much more difficult to deal with. But it's the first thing I look at now.

Damn you, Matty C!

[ajquigs]

I tend toward single cards, admittedly more post-war thus far. A few things that may be a little quirky.

The cards I like the most now are the ones I wanted as a teenager but couldn't get (1933 Ruth, T206 Dark Cap Matty, Aaron rookie, Jackie's cards).

I also like cards that capture little pieces of baseball (or baseball card) history that I find interesting. For instance ... 1915 CJ Branch Rickey (i.e. "before they were famous"), Jimmie Foxx Diamond Stars depicted as a catcher, 1970 Curt Flood depicted on the Phillies, 1954 Bowman Piersall #66, all the guys who desegregated MLB starting their careers in the late 40s, etc.

Who knows, but I anticipate keeping all the cards I collect now until I die. Thus, I guess you could say I think of them as assets (I care about their value if I needed to claim insurance or sell them if times got tough) but not as investments.

On condition, paper loss is a big problem for me. Beyond that, centering is most important. I find I care more about left-right than top-bottom ... to me left-right has more impact on eye appeal. Also, I guess I'm glad for minor wrinkles and other small flaws that can't be seen from more than a few inches away (at least by me, who has worn glasses his whole life) as they bring cards that I find really attractive into my price range.

Thanks for the topic and posts. Good stuff.

[Exhibitman]

Oddball issues.

Absolute rarity (few known examples in any grade).

Real photo or halftone rather than drawn images.

Postwar mainstream is all about reproducing my childhood collection in similar condition. Perfectly pleased with a g-vg early Mantle if that's what I owned back in the day.

Boxing, I try for a type of every set produced worldwide and at least one card of every HOFer.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

My only deal breakers are heavy creases and paper loss on the front.

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[drmondobueno]

Finishing up a high grade 201 set, completed a mid grade 1965 Topps ungraded, toying with a few others. Moved away from the graded card game for obvious reasons after selling my version of the monster. The criminal activity in the hobby is just, for me, unacceptable, to say the least.

So I moved much of my focus to picking up Japanese Menko, none of which are graded and many of which are uncatalogued. Good luck finding stuff pre-war!

[Joshwesley]

Red background on cards.... I don't necessarily mean to get them but I always end up with them...
Red back ground t206's

Don't have a red Cobb, go figure