Would you rather have a low grade complete set or a high grade star card?

Snowman · #1 09-27-2022, 12:54 AM

For me, it's neither. I don't really like low-grade cards. I hate creases, wrinkles, tape, and stains. But I also don't really have an interest in paying for anything above a 6 grade usually. Most everything vintage that's in a 9 or 10 holder has been altered/trimmed or is way over-graded, and I just have no interest in playing that game. I want mid-grade cards with strong eye-appeal. As far as sets vs stars goes, it entirely depends on the set for me. If I love the design of the set, then I'll build it out, otherwise, I only want the key cards.

icurnmedic · #2 09-27-2022, 11:39 AM

Single high end for me , but can agree both are nice.

jchcollins · #3 09-27-2022, 12:29 PM

I would have to go with the single nicer card, but that is just because of how my vintage collecting evolved since childhood.

In 1988 or so when I really first got into "old" (nobody started calling them vintage to my knowledge until the 21st century....) cards, I couldn't afford much at all - so single card pickups here and there became the norm simply because that was the sustenance I was allowed. A '66 Koufax, later a '58 Mantle / Aaron. I cherished the cards individually, and the idea of putting together something like a complete 1956 Topps set (my favorite) would have sounded as silly to me as hand collating a current Topps set - which though some of my friends were into that, I never was.

As an adult collector who has bitten back hard into the hobby on at least 2 separate occasions - I just kind of continued with this mentality. I've always been a sucker for the stars, for good or bad - Mickey Mantle interests me a lot more than Mickey Vernon. I can get a lot of utility out of the Aaron card here and the Mays and Clemente there over having say, 100 different commons from the same set as one of those, if that makes sense. I did earlier this year rather uncharacteristically for me buy a complete '71 Topps set that was just too nice to pass up. But that is not my norm, and I don't see that happening again really - at least buying all in one fell swoop. I am slowly working on '67 and '72 sets by hand as well right now, just because I love the designs enough to want all of them. But that too is a fairly new mentality for me - and one that has only come with goal setting / direction planning / other boring adult-only aspects of the hobby - many of which I never considered as a kid.

I'd be willing to bet had I started with all of this during a time where much less actual monetary value was put on the cards - say in the late 50's or early 60's - that I probably would have wound up more of a set collector. But I was born in 1977, and by the time I was shelling out quarters and dimes for my first wax packs almost a decade later, the handwriting on the wall tying cards to dollars was already well established. Who knows...

1954 topps · #4 09-27-2022, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowman

For me, it's neither. I don't really like low-grade cards. I hate creases, wrinkles, tape, and stains. But I also don't really have an interest in paying for anything above a 6 grade usually. Most everything vintage that's in a 9 or 10 holder has been altered/trimmed or is way over-graded, and I just have no interest in playing that game. I want mid-grade cards with strong eye-appeal. As far as sets vs stars goes, it entirely depends on the set for me. If I love the design of the set, then I'll build it out, otherwise, I only want the key cards.

I mostly agree with this logic. I wanted to build my favorite set out in as high grade as I possibly could. Fortunately I started 10 years ago but building out a '54 Topps set in PSA 8 focused on centering turned out to be a much more expensive endeavor than I initially expected as the hobby took off. Once I'm done with this set I likely won't be building another. I'll focus on particular players so I don't have to store thousands upon thousands of cards. I believe any collector should build out at least one set in as high grade as they can. It's a journey and quite an accomplishment. It's an investment in time, money, and if done right, your set with stand apart from any other.

perezfan · #5 09-27-2022, 12:57 PM

I hate creases, wrinkles, stains and poor focus. So the low grade set is not for me. But neither is the overpriced high grade star card (which could very well be altered, despite whatever number a 3rd party has assigned).

In this poll, I would like to have seen a third option for collecting mid-grade HOFers. That option comes closest to my collecting preference.

StraightRaceCards · #6 09-27-2022, 01:06 PM

Great topic that got me thinking!

I think that while it would be nice to have a really nice high grade of a star, and certainly less space taken up, in my opinion you miss out on a lot of the fun that set building offers. Learning about obscure common players in a set and their stories has been a great way for me to learn about baseball history and appreciate the little details. I never would have explored Doc Powers, Gabby Street, or countless other stories that are overlooked.

It would be a miss for someone not to get to appreciate all that set building has to offer. I�ve loved my T206 journey. But if a collector already has built a set, then single stars of a specific set makes sense if they have experienced the joys of set building beforehand.

Zach Wheat · #7 09-27-2022, 01:23 PM

I am mainly a set collector but I have to vote with getting the high grade star card. I have started most of my sets that way and then finishing out the set with the HOF'ers, commons and variations. I think it makes it easier to finish a set when you have the star cards first

Rad_Hazard · #8 09-27-2022, 01:50 PM

I wish there was a "low grade star card" option lol. I don't have the space or want for sets and I like the star cards but I tend to go for the cheapest, nicest looking, and best centered copy that I can find which ends up being anywhere from a 1-5 usually.

Snowman · #9 09-27-2022, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1954 topps

I mostly agree with this logic. I wanted to build my favorite set out in as high grade as I possibly could. Fortunately I started 10 years ago but building out a '54 Topps set in PSA 8 focused on centering turned out to be a much more expensive endeavor than I initially expected as the hobby took off. Once I'm done with this set I likely won't be building another. I'll focus on particular players so I don't have to store thousands upon thousands of cards. I believe any collector should build out at least one set in as high grade as they can. It's a journey and quite an accomplishment. It's an investment in time, money, and if done right, your set with stand apart from any other.

That's such a great set! I'm building a 54 Topps set as well. Or rather, I'm upgrading my 54 Topps set, as it's already "complete". I'm building a perfectly centered set, which is extremely difficult to do, but I'm about 95% finished. I only have a few more random commons to find dead centered. I'll try to post pics of the set once it's done. It really is fun to see this set all together in the way that they intended the cards to look. My conditions vary from VG-EX to NM-MT, but all are dead-centered with no creases or wrinkles or any other eye sores.

JackR · #10 09-29-2022, 09:11 PM

Through buying, selling, and trading over the last 35 years, I�ve worked my way down from 4000+ cards to about 80 high end graded cards. At this rate, I�ll wind up with a collection of one Super Card.

Casey2296 · #11 09-29-2022, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackR

Through buying, selling, and trading over the last 35 years, I�ve worked my way down from 4000+ cards to about 80 high end graded cards. At this rate, I�ll wind up with a collection of one Super Card.

I endorse this message.

sycks22 · #12 09-29-2022, 09:21 PM

1 Great card

Casey2296 · #13 09-29-2022, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycks22

1 Great card

1914 Texas Tommy Joe Jackson

Vegas Cards · #14 10-01-2022, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackR

Through buying, selling, and trading over the last 35 years, I’ve worked my way down from 4000+ cards to about 80 high end graded cards. At this rate, I’ll wind up with a collection of one Super Card.

You've inspired me. I've had about 40 cards from my 1965 Topps set out to be graded for a year and a half as part of a group sub here. Now that I'm getting them back, I'm realizing I only really want a handful of the HOF players. I think I'm going to sell my 1965 set and then replace the cards I want long-term in decent enough condition to live with.

MVSNYC · #15 10-01-2022, 07:01 PM

1 great/special card over a low grade set for me. I�ve never been a set builder.

LEHR · #16 10-02-2022, 01:56 PM

I voted for the high grade Gehrig over the low grade complete set.

I made the conscious decision around 2015'ish to pursue quality over quantity and have never regretted it. Now my collection only takes up 1/5th the space, is easier to store/sort/display/catalog, has better eye appeal (IMO), is easier to resale.
I'm still in my 40's but as I age the desire to own everything is greatly diminished.

View Poll Results: Complete low grade set or high grade star card from the same set?
Complete low grade set	101	44.30%
High grade star card from the same set	127	55.70%
Voters: 228. You may not vote on this poll

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