Type collecting criteria

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Posted By: WAW 

I was just wondering as a new type card collector, what do those of you that have type collections use as your criteria in selection? Is there a particular date range that you look for, or a certain team? Also, does the condition or grade of the card matter, and do you have them graded? For those of you with large type collections, what were the most fulfilling additions to your collection and how many different types do you currently have/need. Also, how long have you been putting your collection together? Wade

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Posted By: leon

Welcome to futility. The reason I say that is because I do a little type collecting myself. It will be impossible to complete "the set" but I think it's a lot of fun. The best thing about it is it is whatever you want it to be. I like pre-'41 HOF'ers. I have cards that range from poor to nm-nmt+.....The only thing bad about this collecting is for some cards, especially 19th century, you will need to have a lot of disposable income. It's hard to find any Lone Jack's or Peck and Snyders that don't cost a small fortune. There are a whole bunch of cards to collect though so you will never run out of things to enjoy. you can email me personally, if you wish, and I will tell you some more....best regards

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Posted By: WAW

I appreciate the response. I post questions on this board from time to time and for the most part they go unnoticed and unanswered. It is nice to know someone is reading them. Wade

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Posted By: runscott

I'm trying to mix it up so I have players from different sets: CJ Baker, Coupon Speaker, Unknown Cobb, Dockman Matty, e95 Wagner, Miner's Marquard, Unknown Krusty the Clown...

I've just started a pre-1900 HOF cabinet type set, and only have one card so far: Newsboy Ward.

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Posted By: rod

I started type collecting about ten years ago when I decided to collect every card of a Cleveland player I could find . Naturally this quest opened my eyes to the amazing nuber of types issued. In reality this will never end.It doen't matter .I'm not a completist. In order to keep it fun and affordable, I don't care much about grading., just nothing real ugly.You can really learn a lot about a team and cards in general by type collecting. Now if I could just get my hands on a couple of "Just So " cards.Only problem is ,I'd have to sell my house.

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Posted By: Brian H

I just wondered what eer happened to SGC creating a type "set" registy option in its registry ?
I guess this is directed primarily to Leon who was spearheading that project.

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

Hi Wade:

A number of excellent articles on type collecting have been written in The Vintage & Classic Baseball Collector magazine. The most important thing is to have fun with your collection. As your knowlege of what's available increases, your collection will evolve.

My collection then grew with examples from most of the sets from the era. It evolved as I accumulated more and more examples. My focus turned to collecting 7 of my favorite catchers from that era. Why those seven catchers? They had varied examples from many sets. Those examples were visually appealing. Many of them could be found in the major sets such as T3 Turkey Reds, T201, T202, T204, T205, T206, etc.

Like most collectors I know, as your knowledge grows your tastes get a little more refined. You sell off cards that don't quite fit your vision. You ungrade your examples. Unfortunately, like most collectors, you try to purchase the rarer types, which cost more and more money.. so you sell off other less desirable items that don't fit "the collection."

I have reached the point now, where I have started collecting photos of these players as well as autographed items. I expect post cards will also be next. I have also started collecting color varieties of S74 Silks of one of these players as a sub-collection.

I've been putting this together for over ten years, and hope I'll be still collecting for many years to come.

The key is to have fun! If you enjoy learning about the history of the game, and enjoy the excitement of "the find," and if you take the time to talk to fellow collectors, and make new friends- then it's a great hobby.

If you want to make money, and you purchase cards for an "investment" then Good Luck, because you will need it.

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Over the years, I've finally started completing the sets I started out after. When buying started to become a few purchases here and there, I had to make a decision whether to start another set, or take a different approach to buying vintage cards.

Last year I started my type collection. My goal was to get a nice high end example of every 19th and early 20th century baseball N, T, E, W, D, etc. card I could get my hands on. Aggressive yes, but it left me with a wide range of cards from which to choose.

I concentrate on SGC 80 or better cards, always have a long ebay watch list, always try stealing them which makes it more fun, don't care if its a common or Hall of Famer, allows me to upgrade when I can to a better card, or a Hall of Famer and I had a very moveable card then to sell.

Just a lot of fun to say the least. I've tried to limit myself to E121 or older, but I'd love to get my hands on a Goudey Sport Kings Cobb or similar, so who knows where it will lead, all I know is its a lot of fun.

Only have 15 so far (all the common ones - T206, E145, T207, M101, M116, T201, E254, T5, the game cards, etc.), but really expands my collection and exposes me to cards I normally wouldn't look at or see.

I highly recommend it, . Keith

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Posted By: Glen V

Wade,
The great thing about type collecting is that you can collect what you want. What other people collect doesn't matter. Also limit your collection at first. Its impossible to get one card of every type, so start with something more realistic, then change over time. Some ways to limit the collection is to choose certain players, teams, or years, or not collect pins, cabinets, postcards, different backs, W cards, etc.

As for me, I focus on D, E, N, T, & W cards - lower condition, ungraded, ignoring backs - but will collect any type card. I would be getting close to completing the above letters, if it wasn't for the N cards, which cost too much. The fulfilling part for me is finally acquiring a rare type I've been looking for, like the E221 Bishop & Co. or T208 Fireside. Anyone have an extra T214 Victory around?

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Posted By: leon

Hey Wade,
Glen makes good points. While I do focus on a lot of things, especially backs, it is good to blow off other things so as not to be too widely dispersed. Right now I don't collect w cards, international cards, cabinets, or CDV's.....and everytime I see a cool one I just look the other way. I have also sold several items (T205 Johnson in a PSA 7 and Kalamazoo team card among them) so that I could further my focused collecting habits. For those, and others and money, I was able to acquire my T208, T207 Red Cross, Washington Times- Collins, and E104 Nadja-backed Plank.....good luck and happy type collecting.....

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Posted By: Eric Eichelkraut

Hey Wade,
As two well-in-the-know "type collectors" such as Glen and Leon have already provided great answers about "type collecting", I wanted too lend my two cents on the topic, and possibly another way to look at vintage card collecting. Type collecting is one of the hobbys most refined sort of collections, and also as previously mentioned, very very expensive! To me, I don't much care about predetermined letter designations (w,t, n etc..), but rather on rare vintage cards that visually appeal to me, which come from a timeframe that I prefer. Along with the many rare issues that I hunt for, my biggest thrill are for cards that have not yet shown up in publication, and are considered "uncatalogued".
In determining what sort of cards you want to collect, you're best off deciding whether or not you want every single issue that falls under a "type letter" designation, or if you want to create your own checklist, and collect the issues that appeal to you. Another possibility is to work on a vintage card set, which offers possibly one of the most rewarding experiences. Whichever you choose, always buy the cards that you like, you'll never go wrong.
Good luck with your collection!

Eric