Quality versus Quantity

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Posted By: david Poses

Not sure if the title explains the concept, but i've been noticing a trend in my card buying habits and wanted to hear some other views- I seem to spend about the same amount of money every month on cards, but the cards seem to be at odds with each other- meaning- in any given month, my purchases could include a few relatively scarce, relatively high-grade cards, or a giant pile of raw common cards.

While I do remain within the self-imposed confines of only collecting cards of NYC teams, (initially I was focusing on Yankees/Highlanders, but have expanded to Dodgers and Giants), I sometimes feel like my collection is a mess.

Some days, I talk myself out of bidding on a $400 card, but that same day, rack up $400 in mid-grade Goudeys.

In the end, I'm not sure if I'll be happier with a collection encompassing a ton of cards across a wide spectrum or a small collection of exactly the cards I want. One of my new years hobby resolutions is to pick one of these very different directions, as its hurts my brain knowing that anytime I buy a $500 card I am stopping myself from adding to my Diamond Stars Yankees team set, and conversely, anytime I spend $500 on a bunch of Goudeys, I'm stopping myself from buying an e94 Dougherty in good shape.

Surely someone can relate. Talk myself out of the quantity of crap, or pursue the crap with considerable gusto?

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Posted By: Rick McQuillan

I think many of us have the same "problem". I love the crap, but I also love the good stuff. Do I buy 20 beat up T206 commons to add to my collection or do I buy a Cobb?

What the hell! Buy it all!

Rick

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Posted By: leon

This is the exact question I asked John Spencer (the originator of this chatboard's predecessor) about 10 yrs ago. Should I do fewer really nice cards or more of average ones? I think it is really personal preference. I took the 2nd route and went for more but then got addicted and bought everything. Plus, being a passionate type collector some of the series are (relatively) quite expensive in any shape. If I had to give advice it would be to buy cards that, though technically might not be high grade, have a great eye appeal. For me personally I like the rare and obscure stuff more than set building...except for my master D303 set, 1916 Big heads, and T209-1 sets.....hint hint .....If you do what you enjoy you won't regret it.....happy collecting!!

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Posted By: JimCrandell

I would restrict myself to PSA 8s and 9s. Go low pops and Hall of Famers. Definately quality.

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Posted By: Doug

I prefer owning a small group of key/HOF cards over a larger group of commons myself.

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Posted By: peter ullman

As leon says...if you do what you enjoy, you won't regret it. I have struggled over the same dilemna...time and time again. Realizing I can never complete a type collection...like Leons...I've decided to go for a run of T, E, and D cards..a la the old price guides from my childhood depicting Barry Halper's cards. This is proving expensive and challenging enough. In addition I like to collect variations in colors, team, back variations, yankees and hof'ers. So still not terribly specific...but moreso than it used to be. I got really sick of buying cards that didn't appeal to me visually just because of a super rare back or obscurity I "needed" for my type collection.

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Posted By: B O\\\'Brien

I have asked myself the same question a few times over the past year or so. I switched from a well rounded post war collection that I started when I was 10, in 1986. Since I have been married, I would buy stuff, sell enough to break even and keep the rest/good stuff for me. As long as it didn't effect the household money and loans were repaid before the CC payment was due, the wife was OK with it and I was happy.

Last year I bought a T206 Lenox Johnson and decided that he needed friends, very specific friends. I have since trimmed my collection of 500 or so cards and junk sets to 40 cards (20 T206's and 20 of my childhood favs) in an effort to buy Mr. Johnson some nice friends. It does make me a little sad when it doesn't take me nearly as long to look at my cards as it used too.

Since I don't really put new money into cards, I am getting a little sad about not being able to buy lots from funds generated from other sales and add to my collection, because all the cash goes to the HOFers with different backs. I also can't make myself sell my big lot, due to my OCD and it not being "complete".

I have decided to play smallball with the lot for a little while. I need a Young and Johnson port, but decided to buy a couple handfulls of low end HOFers instead of those two cards, and round out some series backs instead of agressively rounding up a Carolina Brights.

This is my conflict. Complete the HOF backs line to the best of my ability (30ish cards) or have piles of T beaters or stacks of nice post war.



Excellent question that I also fight with on a regular basis.

Take care,

Bob

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Posted By: boxingcardman

that's the key to it all. There is no "right" answer.

I figured it out by looking at the cards side by side and asking myself which way I would rather go. For me, I have come to know that I prefer to own 10 midgrade T206's to one high grade card. I definitely agree with Leon's emphasis on eye appeal, regardless of anything else.

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