What's Next Dilemma...
 

As most of you know, I finished my 1953 Bowman color set, and I have now added the black & white set to go with it. I bought the entire set of b&w all at once due to a ridiculously low price from a friend who had three complete sets! Well, it really was my birthday present. I also have a mixed binder of the cards I really like, which covers everything from an 1887 Gypsy Queen George Gore to a T206 Christy Mathewson to 1933 Goudey Ruth #144 and Gehrig #160, some 1933 DeLong cards, 1934 Goudey Gehrig #37, other 1939-40-41 Play Ball cards, a smattering of Topps cards from 1952, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, and two 1972 Topps (my two 1972 are Aaron and Clemente). Really, all the cards I would ever want from all of those various sets. All the Mantles and other stars from those sets. Heck, I somehow wound up with three very nice 1960 Mantles. I traded one, and some other duplicates, that got me started on the 1953 Bowman color set, and gave one to my daughter and told her for God's sake hang on to it and keep it safe!

So that leads to my dilemma...what cards to begin collecting now? There really isn't anything I really want, and I have dealt almost all my valuable duplicates away. I have no interest at all after about 1974. What be worth starting cold at this point, feasibly, when everything seems to be priced way high, through the roof? Just be happy with what I have? Feel free to suggest.

Although our collecting directions are somewhat different, I do feel after completing my Topps 60-69 sets I'm feeling the same as you. I am working to finish my 57-59 sets, but most of the hard work is done and I feel like I just took a big sigh...a good sigh, but a sigh non the less. And certainly not ready for 52-56 mentally...lol (Although I have a decent start)

I'm not a graded card collector, but I am doing a "total chip job" of putting together a PSA 7 & 8 1969 set together, but hardly a focus. Fun to just grab a few here and there.

I am thinking right now I want to focus on cataloging, better binder presentation...just meticulously organize and enjoy what I got for a while.

A little hard to do with your collection, but part of the fun of having binder sets is to grab a beer or two in the evening and thumbing through upgrading commons online. Keeps it fresh, nothing better than getting rid of that card that slipped through your shape expectations, and cheap fun. Ive pulled my 71 Topps set out a dozen times and ALWAYS find a few to upgrade, is that set ever done??:)

John, I do that all the time. My wife says I am OCD, how can I look at same guys over and over. I am not looking at same guys, I tell her, it's the cards. And I just within the past few weeks upgraded my 1962 Yankees (Boyer, Balnchard and Gibbs) and a slew of 1968 Cardinals.

Maybe you have hit the nail...just upgrade what I have from time to time.

Take one of the sets from the 60's or 70's that is really nice to look at, and try to build a complete set from scratch. It's frustratingly fun! The grading thing is getting crazier and crazier, pricing everyone out, but you can still find ungraded starter sets in decent condition at a fair price. My advise, as always :D, is to go after the drug-induced 1972 set. A ton of superstars, and some pretty tough high numbers to find, but it is still relatively 'easy' to get your hands on what you need.

If you go this route (with whatever set you decide), start a thread in the B/S/T looking for starter sets. You'll probably be able to knock out a significant portion of it in due time.

That is a great idea! I am looking right now at 1972 Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente. These cards are in real nice and centered condition. I know I had a Red Sox Rookie Stars with Carlton Fisk, but now I remember trading it away about a year ago. THIS will keep me busy for a while!

Collect all the cards of your favorite player from his playing days

Kahn's

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