Building a set from scratch

[commishbob]

I finished the set in December. My last additions to the set were the Kubek and Richardson rookies. Very much a fun build. I did it in about a year having had a head start... I owned the Orioles, Frank Robinson, and a few others.

When I build my vintage sets from that era I go for what I suppose is VG+ as an average. There is a 'sweet spot' for me that is determined by cost and the condition I can live with. I avoid obvious creases and cards with paper loss and writing on the front. An ink mark on the back, a 'checked' checklist, soft corners are generally fine.

I added a few cards from that tough 4th Series that were a bit more off-center than I'd prefer simply for pricing reasons. The one rule I have is that as long as a neighboring card on the sheet isn't visible I can live with it. That's mostly for tougher cards. With commons, I'll just pass on very off-centered examples since a better one is likely at the next table.

I don't buy very low-grade examples of star cards just to have them. I try to keep to cards that are at least as good as my standard for the rest of the set. And I do buy mid-grade slabbed cards of stars if I don't get one raw from a dealer I know and trust. They always get cracked out and go in the binder.

My rule on variations is simple. If my 9-year-old eyes would have noticed the difference then I will add it to the set (think '62 green tint/alt photos). Something as small as added or missing 'Traded to' lines of text or corrected stat errors? I don't bother in most cases.

I always like adding some 'spice' by including a wrapper and the inserts when I can afford them. The checklists in the '57 set (at least a couple of them) are a pain to find in decent shape at a cost that is not budget-busting. At least that was my experience. The contest cards are easier and make a fun inclusion.

It's a wonderful set. Build it in a way that makes YOU happy and enjoy the journey.