Seeking set building + storage/display guidance

[Suitntieguy]

Greetings,

I mostly collect just vintage hall of famers. I have never built a set. I just never saw the value in paying money for commons.

That being said, I have backed into a few budding sets. I have picked up a large number of stars from certain years and in some cases a healthy starting point of commons (by accident). I guess I am moving towards the idea of completing a couple of sets.

With that in mind, my goal would be to complete the sets raw. The biggest value to me of a complete set would be to thumb through it in pages/a binder.

However, in many cases, the stars I have acquired are already slabbed and I do not see me breaking them out. Also, I would feel uneasy buying some of the key cards (IE mantle and high dollar rookies) raw.

What do you guys do? Do you just leave those graded cards separate. Do you buy poor raw versions as place holders. What suggestions might you have?

Any words of wisdom to ease me into paying money for commons?

Thank you all in advance.

[redalpha7]

I place my commons in a binder. For my graded cards I make a color copy on my Canon printer. I cut the copy ( which is quite good) to make fit into the binder page.

It terms of commons try buy lower graded cards

[VintageVinnie]

Great question. Here is what I do. Like you, I enjoy keeping my vintage sets in a binder. I keep the commons and semi stars in regular pages. For the big money cards/graded cards, I still keep them in the binder. I use 4 pocket sheets and place the graded cards in each pocket. I use a graded card sleeve with the sticky adhesive and fold it over the page pocket so they don't fall out. I place the 4 pocket sheets in the front of my binder, or you can place it at the end of your set. Your choice. You may need to purchase a larger binder to account for a few pages of slabs. I think it works great! I use binders that have a slip case as well.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

^^^^This^^^^ with www.archivalmethods.com

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I currently have everything in binders though I have considered the previous mentioned option of using a 4 position sheet for graded cards at the beginning of the set for "key" high value cards. I generally begin to be cautious with cards >$500 in sheets.

All of my sets currently contain many cards that "were graded" which I removed from slabs. I bought them graded for the same reasons you mentioned in that it is more certain way to be comfortable with the authenticity and lack of alteration.

I dont think you can go wrong with any of the mentioned options. However, I really enjoy looking through the pages in anticipation of getting to the high end stars.

[bswhiten]

Originally Posted by VintageVinnie

I use 4 pocket sheets and place the graded cards in each pocket. I use a graded card sleeve with the sticky adhesive and fold it over the page pocket so they don't fall out.

+1
I do this for slabs i don't want to take out and hold on a regular basis and for larger slabs. Comic book resealable pages work great for larger slabs. I use sealable pages from staples for postcard/sim. sized slabs.

I use the PSA graded card pages (no longer in production) for slabs i like "playing" with

[commishbob]

I enjoy reading folks' ideas about this. As for me, I am strictly a 'binder guy', at least as far as my complete set builds go. The graded stars I buy are broken out and placed in their slot. I know it's isn't a sound move value-wise but my goal is to just flip through the pages and enjoy them.

I do keep my more fragile cards like T and E cards in their case, as well as one-offs like my 53B Musial, bought simply because it's so beautiful. But if I ever get around to collecting the 53 set, Stan will get 'freed'!

Originally Posted by commishbob

I enjoy reading folks' ideas about this. As for me, I am strictly a 'binder guy', at least as far as my complete set builds go. The graded stars I buy are broken out and placed in their slot. I know it's isn't a sound move value-wise but my goal is to just flip through the pages and enjoy them.

I do keep my more fragile cards like T and E cards in their case, as well as one-offs like my 53B Musial, bought simply because it's so beautiful. But if I ever get around to collecting the 53 set, Stan will get 'freed'!

That has been my practice as well. Glad to see I am not alone.

[LuckyLarry]

I have a few binders but they just take up so much room. Most of my sets are in boxes.

[steve B]

I moved most of mine out of binders a few years ago. Sometimes the pages droop and bend the cards, unless you store the binders flat. Or at least they did for me. I generally use the shoebox sized boxes and put the cards either in sleeves or in a sleeve in a toploader depending on condition. A lot of my older Topps are in vg or worse, so I don't even bother with sleeves for them. (Also on budget, and whether I feel like putting a 700+ card set into sleeves. )


I keep the graded cards in their own storage area, a table I built with storage sized specifically for regular size slabs.


I use spreadsheets as checklists, mostly just a grid for the numbers, marked with h if I have the card and H if it's fairly nice. Graded ones are marked with the grade. That lets me check on stuff if I'm looking online, or lets me go through new cards quickly. Three piles, extras, possible upgrades, and ones I need.