focus of collecting

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Posted By: scott

i know board members collect a large variety of vintage material.what is everybody focusing on at this time?

scott

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Thinking of diving into E75 American Caramel Boxing and E95 Philadelphia Caramel Baseball (although I have type cards, my first attempt at an E baseball set ).

Keith

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Posted By: identify7

Well, a non-collector recently provided me input regarding my focus, which I plan to act upon. His comment was that he would like to have/see cards of the best players in baseball. By that he meant the top pitchers in wins and era, the top hitters and sluggers.

He was surprised that I did not collect them first. So am I.

The 1913 National Game set contains Johnson, Mathewson, Young, Alexander, Cobb, Jackson and Walsh; all of whom are part of the "best". This set also includes many others of interest including Wagner, Tinker, Evers, Chance, Mack, etc. Most everyone of note except Ruth and Hornsby, who weren't around yet.

I am considering this set as a potential source for most of the noteworthy players from that era. The set is relatively inexpensive, perhaps because game cards are not popular among collectors.

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Posted By: Bryan Long

I think I'm going to move towards the e93 set as I have most HOFers from the set with exception of the Cobb and Wagner - I know, big holes to fill. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a few at the Nationals.
I'm also looking to start collecting e103 cards - if I can find them

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Posted By: Jimi

My prized collection lies within my HOF group. I'm trying to get the earliest possible card (and it must actually be a card) of each HOF. I've even recently added a Future HOF collection, too just for kicks and giggles, so I have like Clemens RC, Bonds RC, etc.

I also have a Topps run going for my 7 month old daughter with anticipation that she may actually like cards herself! Hey, a dad can hope right?

Finally, as for the future possibility, I thought about going for an E set as well, but I haven't thought about which one yet. I'm even considering going for the top 9 of all-time in each batting and pitching stat. Why 9? I thought about putting them in a binder. This would be a cool project as at least it would change some as players break records.

Jimi

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Posted By: Bryan Long

He changes his collecting interest more than I change my underwear
much love jimi - much love

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Gil:

I hear you, brother!

I discuss my baseball collection with a lot of NON-collectors, in order to always try and determine what EVERYONE is interested in....

and the answer is ALWAYS: "The best players of all time."

The people who know NOTHING about baseball say:

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Cy Young
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Mickey Mantle
Barry Bonds
Hank Aaron


The people who have heard a tiny little something about baseball card collecting history say:

Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Ty Cobb
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Babe Ruth
Mark McGwire


The people who are true baseball fans but not card collectors say:

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Cy Young
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Hank Aaron
Jackie Robinson
Sandy Koufax
Nolan Ryan


The people who REALLY love the vintage history of the game say:

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Cy Young
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Honus Wagner
Cap Anson
Lou Gehrig
Jimmy Foxx


BUT...

once I explain to ALL of them how GREAT certain players were (Lefty Grove, Rogers Hornsby, Ed Walsh, Grover Alexander, Warren Spahn, Sam Crawford, Bob Feller, Mel Ott, Tris Speaker, Eddie Mathews)...

and how their stats are so much better than modern players...

then they ALL agree that THOSE are the players whose baseball cards they would be interested in seeing.

----------------------------------

And if the general public is interested in seeing them...

then someone will always be interested in paying to own them.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

My focus is paying off some Old Judge cards i have on hold and then im going to collect the 1956 topps set but still look for players on my OJ wantlist and some type cards and hall of famers i dont have.I saw a 53 Bowman Enos Slaughter the other day,and i really liked the card so i might buy one soon as well as a Catfish Hunter rookie

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Posted By: scott

as for myself i'm focusing on hof deadball era pitchers...mathewson,young,plank on caramels and 1930's gum cards of dizzy dean and lefty grove.UPS will be delivering the lattest addition to my pitching staff,1915 CJ joe wood,today.

as my budget permits i'll expand into the battery mates of the pitchers i have.

scott

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Posted By: Josh A.

I'm working on a 1933 Goudey set, and also some Topps sets from 1954-59.

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Posted By: Chad

I'm really focused on the Latin issued cards of Negro Leaguers, especially those without cards in American issued sets. It's fun, but it's probably more expensive than I can afford. There seems to be a lot of good guys who collect in this same niche, tho, and it's been fun corresponding with them. I don't have many friends, even hard core baseball fan friends, who get as excited about a Dick Seay or an Andy Cooper card as I do. In addition, I'm trying to collect as many professional players as possible from the 1949 season. This inlcudes players from the Puerto Rican league, the Cuban league, Japan, any minor league issue and any other country I can find--hopefully there's some Mexican and Venezuelan stuff, too.

--Chad

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Posted By: Paul Griggs

I've always focused on Ruth, Gehrig, & Cobb. However, I'm now working on the deadball era postcards. I just purchased a Tris Speaker Boston American Series Postcard to start that part of my collection.

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Posted By: J Levine

My interests are currently pre-1980 Phillies that I do not own, and yes guys, there is plenty I still do not own.

T-205 Gold borders...coming up on another cycle (no pun here) for my gold border report...some interesting moves this year in scarcity and a clearer picture is emerging of how many print runs there were.

Obaks...slowly building my collection of these in off-condition.

Any other oddball or pre-war issue or card that catches my fancy that I can afford.

Joshua

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Posted By: Jimi

...when exactly WAS the last time you changed your underwear?!

Actually, I think Bryan's been pretty impressed with me and my collection over the last 6 months, so I'll let him make fun of me!

Jimi

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Exhibits, interesting prewar stuff, Lefty O'Doul, L.A. regionals, postwar Topps and Bowman, boxing. I never really finish anything so I never really change my focus.

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Posted By: Tim Newcomb

My focus has always been on complete sets--

but failing that (and it does fail in many cases, thanks to all you HOF collectors)--

I like to collect players that are new to me. I keep an alphabetical list of all players I have prewar cards of. At the moment it has 1797 names from Abbaticchio to Zwilling. Eddie Collins is currently in the lead with cards from 18 prewar (WW2) sets. Someone else on the board does something like this--who is it?

I also have:

a type collection (currently at 385 distinct sets)

a Cincinnati Reds collection (now focusing on Reds prewar postcards)

HOF collection (one per player is plenty-- I already know what the HOFers look like--)

a team-set collection (one player per team from sets I can't hope to complete, like Cracker Jacks)

a year type collection (surprisingly difficult to find a card from 1924 other than Zeenuts)

So give me all those rubbishy old cards of journeyman that you guys don't want-- I'll give them a good home.

Tim

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Posted By: jay behrens

I set with the intent of trying to get one card of every major leaguer that appeared on a card from 1908-45. This seemed like a still feasible task 4 years. Now that t209 and t210s have skyrocketed in popularity, this has pretty much become an impossible task now. I need 48 cards just from the t210 series 8. When cards were selling for around $100 each, it seemed doable, but given current prices and my limited budget there is no way I have any hope of acquiring these cards.

I will keep plugging away at this since I've already completed many of the vintage sets back in the 80s. This is the only real challenge for me. Who know, I might win the lottery some day. Which reminds, I need to start buying tickets, lol. I will most likely be focusing my buying on Batter Ups for players from the 30s and Colgans for the Deadball Era since I never did those sets.

Jay

My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.

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Posted By: Brian

Obaks -- just trying to find some 1909 and 1911s...

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Posted By: Julie

it will be impossible.

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Posted By: DJ

I'm focusing in on:

1) N172 Hall Of Famers in ANY condition and a few players I like.
2) Scrapps VG or better
3) T206 (tough backs in any condition)...292 to go.
4) e107 (I would like to continue to collect these)

DJ

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Posted By: Scott Thompson

My main focus is on my incredibly low grade T206 collection, everything else is a way down on the list.

Other interests:
1955 Topps All American Football
Nate Colbert cards


Scott Thompson

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Posted By: Zach

My father and I collect Hall of Famer and have 163 to go. We hope to pick up a good amount more at the national....it's a slow process but we'll get there....someday lol.

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Posted By: Rob

I'm focusing on any King Kelly tobacco issues I can afford. Recently, I just got sniped on eBay out of a graded SGC EX-MT N28. That hurt, but not as much because I already have that one. Still, it would have been nice as I could use the double for trade bait.

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Posted By: eric p.

i am focusing on:

1) t210's
2) t211's
3) t215's
4) t212-1's
5) 1937 opc

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Posted By: Dave Williams

Lou Brock and Bob Gibson.

Pre War - T206 - But they're getting real expensive.
Anything affordable that has to do with St. Louis Cardinals.
Affordable boxing cards, when I have the time to look for them.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Just began a HOF Complete set. Started it off with a T206 Matty, a T206 Cobb and a 34 Goudey Gehrig. Of course still working on a Mickey Mantle Master Set.

Frank

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

Working on T207 and D359, plus the odd type card.

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Posted By: William Brumbach

I'm trying to get back on the T202 train but seem to just put bids in on stuff and never win anything right now.

Otherwise my focus is having no focus at all and going with competely random stuff that looks cool and falls within the budget. I have finally resigned myself to the idea that I have zero attention span and patience required to build sets and will just pick up select singles from here and there and everywhere.

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Posted By: Glenn

T207 and N28

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Posted By: John

T205's, Cracker Jacks, and M101-2's. I also have been picking up a few HOF 1930's Diamond Matchbook football and any R311-2's that become available.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

Focus? We're supposed to have a focus???

Well I still focus on fan taken photos. Just picked up a nice bunch from Scott Gaynor that includes an Eddie Collins. My second focus is on anything related to the Lincoln A's/Chiefs (haven't found anything in six months now).

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Posted By: davidcycleback

My collecting focus is so off topic that the President of an auction house once said (respectfully) that he wouldn't auction my material, irrelevant to its value (I wasn't looking to consign or sell).

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Posted By: Mike Tucci (18colt)

Pre-war areas of focus:

1) T-206 (low grade; roughly 89% complete; 58 to go, or 54 not counting Wagner, Plank, Magie, and Doyle).
2) E-96 (36 2/3% complete)
3) T-3 (17% complete)
4) T-205 (about 14% complete)

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Posted By: JimCrandell

In pre-war, my current focus is 33 Goudey Sports Kings in psa 8 or better, 34 Goudey, 34-6 Diamond Stars and 41 Play Ball. Currently I need two cards to complete the Sport Kings( upgrade the Holman in 7 and the Sarazen). With the 34 Goudey set need roughly 30 to complete in 8 or better, for the 41 Play Ball 10 cards including the DiMaggio and for the Diamond Stars have 90 of the 108 in psa 8.

Dav

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Posted By: Anson

Hmm, I'll give you three guesses!

But, after the E101s, I plan to take a stab at the E91s.