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.

[jgannon]

Hey, I'd say don't rush things. Enjoy the journey and take your time. Take the time to enjoy the ones you already have too. I keep a lot of my cards on top of the piano, and every now and then just go and look at them, sorting through them looking at the photos and reading the backs. Getting new cards is always fun, but savor the ones you already have too!