Is it worth the trouble to build vintage sets?

[Volod]

In the last thirty nine years of my set collecting, lack of focus has never been a concern of any kind. Perhaps that is an insidious result of ageing, but the enjoyment of finally holding a completed set of unslabbed cards that I might have first flipped through as an eight-year-old unfocused delinquent is greater than most other pleasures still left to me. Most of us who have worked on completing less than gem mint vintage card sets have probably had their focus falter occasionally during the process.

[Bigdaddy]

I enjoy putting together sets, though not so much when I have to shell out $$ for a high number or SP Joe Schmoe. It's certainly not the most economical way to own a set, but it is less painful - one small drop of blood at a time.

What I've always wondered about is the life cycle of sets that we put together. I'm sure many of us building sets have bought individual or groups of cards that became available because of a 'set break'. So those particular cards are in constant flux, being assembled with their brothers and then having the family torn apart. And each time, money changes hands. Some people will make money (usually the dealer or 'breaker-aparter') and others will spend money (the 'set builders'). We'll keep our sets for a while, and then sell them, likely to be broken up individually, resold and then assembled again to make another set.

I try to reconcile how this cycle can not only be self-sustaining, but that people can actually make money inserting themselves into the cycle. I guess as long as card values continue to rise, then energy (money) is being put into the system and someone can tap into it to siphon some of that money off. Or the constant buying and selling is exploiting some inefficiency in the market - say I sell a set for less than I put into assembling it. Someone then can make that money back by breaking up the set and selling it for more individually than they paid for the complete set. Somehow, the energy has to balance.

Now, what was the original question???

[OsFan]

This is a great thread. I’ve been thinking about this exact same topic while putting together a ‘70 set and cringing having to pay 8 to 12 bucks per card for the seventh series numbers 634-720 for player like Al McBean, Adolfo Phillips or Mike Fiore.

So I’ve been weighing the pros and cons of buying a set outright for $1400 to $2000 and selling off any doubles or cards I’m not satisfied with the condition or continue to pick them off a few cards at a time. I figured it made more sense economically to buy the complete set but it was great reading everyone’s opinions and experience on the topic.

[Jwkeen]

I build the vintage sets because I enjoy it. I don’t look on it as an investment. I am also hoping that eventually my son will share this interest with me. You can’t put a price on that.