Some questions for Team Collectors

As most know, I collect Marlins cards. Before a few months ago, I didn't really have a direction for my collection. Sure, I had some player collections, high end inserts and team sets, but I didn't really pay attention to how I was collecting. I recently got a new laptop and I've gone crazy making various checklists. It's a helluva lot easier doing it in Excel than an iphone notepad. While organizing and notating everything, I realized I had NO IDEA what direction my collection was going, if any. I'm pretty horrible at organization as it is, but this helped me focus and decide which way I wanted to take my collection.

It's a blessing and a curse collecting a team that started playing in 1993. There's no such thing as vintage Marlins cards, but 1993 was the year premium brands, inserts and parallels really took off. I'm kind of glad I avoided the junk wax Topps/Donruss/Fleer era, along with the rare regional and test issues of the late '80's. But with that comes a TON of sets and inserts.

While sorting everything, I noticed I've never really paid attention to team collectors and their habits. Sure, player collectors go after everything. But what about team collectors? For simplicity's sake, I'm more interested in how people collect from the early 90's-present.


1. Do you focus on certain players?

I assume most do, since I've never met a collector who likes all players equally. What if you had a chance to pick up a semi-rare card of your favorite player vs an ultra-rare (think Crusade Red) card of a player you don't particularly like?


2. Do you build team sets?

Team sets are cool and cheap, but holy hell there are a TON of products out there. And recently, many sets are small, making a team set consist of only 6-8 cards (3-4 for crappy teams like Miami). I enjoy 15-30 card team sets, but the ones with 4 cards aren't really worth the postage. Which sets do you build? Large comprehensive ones or smaller ones?


2. Do you build insert team sets?

I'm in the middle of building several - 97 Leaf Limited Exposure, 96-97 Finest Refractors, 98 Donruss Collections Prized, and a few others. As long as the set is different than the base set (IE, not just a gold foil stamp), I enjoy them. I also focus on stuff from the two years they won the World Series, and avoid random years. There's nothing special about a year they lost 102 games. Not really worth commemmorating


3. Do you collect type sets?

This is the main question I have. With so much stuff out there, not to mention so many low numbered parallels, it's impossible to collect everything. I've been trying to focus on type sets. For example, I'm collecting one of every Marlins mini. I don't care about the backs or border color, just one of each. I also collect Tek (every pattern), dufex, acetates, die-cuts, and refractors. Doing a Refractor type set is a pain in the ass. I have around 200 out of 650.

I just started a type set which seems easy, at least for the 90's - one card from every set a Marlin has appeared in, including subsets and inserts. I'm too poor to build a Crusade Red set, but just one card? That's doable. It's easier on the wallet to pick up cheap players from expensive sets, instead of buying Stanton and Cabrera stuff all the time. Plus, I plan on putting everything in a binder. It'll be a neat representation of most sets from the glitzy modern era.


4. How do you collect game used and autographs?

When I started collecting Stanton, I decided to go after only one version of each auto and relic card. There are just too many parallels to justify paying $40+ for different colored borders, but one of each is feasible. I think my next checklists will be type sets of game used and on-card autos. Just one from each set, and I'll probably include any parallel versions to count as one from the set.

Feel free to share any other tips or ways you enjoy team collecting.

FYI, baseballcardpedia.com is a LIFESAVER. I don't really know what's out there other than what I have. I certainly don't know the names of all the 1995 Fleer Insert sets, let alone who's in them. In my free time, I usually have baseballcardpedia, COMC and Ebay tabs open trying to make sure Quilvio Veras is pictured in a Marlins uniform. Without those checklists and visual verification, I'd be lost. Not to mention it'd be 2105 by the time I finally got to notating stuff from 1995

Always love to see posts about team collectors - seems we are few and far between these days.

We're obviously in the same position franchise-wise - we both collect teams that are from the expansion era, and I have it even easier since the Diamondbacks didn't start until 1998.

I will say, when I started collecting when I was 9, it was anything and everything. I had zero focus and just picked up everything I could. There weren't too many 1/1's or GU/Autos when I started in 1998, so it was pretty easy to do. I probably collected this way until what I consider the boom year, 2004. So many freaking cards were produced, and I couldn't handle it anymore. That's about when I decided to focus on one player (Brandon Webb) and just pick up other stuff less frequently. For years I bounced between the Webb collection and the overall D-backs collection and could never really find a balance. It's really only in the last 2 years (especially this year) that I've narrowed my focus down.

1. Do you focus on certain players?

I definitely do now. I have too many cards of no-names from earlier Diamondback teams (Mike Gosling, Jerry Gil, Casey Dangle, Corey Myers, plenty of names no one remembers). I couldn't care less about those players now, and though it was all pretty cheap at the time, I pretty much regret having them. So lately I've created a list of players I actively want stuff of (from 1998 all the way until now) and just focus on those players. I'll still pick up one or two of other players I'm less interested in just to have representation, but for the most part I'm done with them at that point.

I have a few other rules - for the most part, no prospects. I enjoy watching the young guys, but unless you have an impact in the majors for a couple years, I don't really need a card of you. It does put me behind the curb sometimes since i'll miss the first couple years of someone's cards, but it's helped narrow the focus down.

Same goes for veterans who don't make much of an impact. Sure, I have a couple Mark Trumbo cards, for example, but he really added nothing to the team and it's history in my eyes, so I'm not interested.

2. Do you build team sets?

I generally build all the base sets - though I, too, prefer the larger ones like Topps Total and UD 40-Man. But regardless, I'll buy pretty much all the base. I'd definitely recommend a site like JustCommons - a lot of base are $0.15-$0.30 and you get free shipping after spending like $15. I'll generally do one or two massive purchase of base on there a year just to catch up on base I've missed, and I never really spend more than $20.

This is how I get lesser-known players into my collection as well. I don't need a great card of certain people but still want them represented, and base is a good way to accomplish that.

3. Do you build insert team sets?

Not particularly, I'm more in the type set arena. Though like you, I'll focus on years I really enjoyed the Diamondbacks and liked watching them play - that's generally 1998-2003, 2007/2008ish, 2011 and 2015, in my case.

4. Do you collect type sets?

This is where I've really been able to narrow down my collection. I used to get EVERYTHING - every parallel, from print run of 1,000,000 to 1/1. I've really started just focusing on Refractors (Blue, Red and Superfractor, specifically) and other rainbow-type cards. Generally, I'll just get one of a certain parallel type and call it a day now - I don't need the 1/1, /5, /25, /50, etc. versions.

5. How do you collect game used and autographs?

Pretty much the same as above now as well. I just pick one of each parallel from a set and go with that. Generally, I will look for the lowest numbered one of the parallel set, but I won't kill myself and I'll stick with whatever version I can find. And again, I've been limiting the amount I have of each player - I don't need 37 Chris Owings autographs, I'm good with 5 or so.

BaseballcardPedia is definitely great - I got really lucky and found a site that was just a checklist of all the Diamondbacks cards ever - couldn't believe someone went through the effort for that for the Diamondbacks, but it's been a great source. Not perfect, but still helpful.

1. Do you focus on certain players?

Not particularly. I've been collecting Colorado Rockies team sets since the team came into existence in 1993. I pretty much focus on any and all players wearing Rockies unis per set.

2. Do you build team sets?

I don't really do base card team sets - I enjoy the challenge of rare parallel team sets. I'm close to a complete run of 1998-2005 / 2014-2015 Donruss Career / Season stat line Rockies team sets, but there's a few super rare low #ed cards I've yet to see ever. Other notable mentions include Ultra Platinum Medallions, Topps Black (surprisingly challenging and very condition sensitive), colored Bowman Chrome refractors, Stadium Club serial #ed parallels, and Topps Pink/Camo (have only been a parallel since 2013 so it's been much easier finishing newer sets - however they are still challenging to complete).

I really go overboard on my Rockies players in certain sets such as 1998-2000 Tek and 2014/2015 Tek. I just love acetate cards.

3. Do you build insert team sets?

See above answer.

4. Do you collect type sets?

See above answer.

5. How do you collect game used and autographs?

Depends on if I like how it looks. I impulse bought a Charlie Blackmon 1/1 Triple Threads wood / jersey / auto. card and I love it. I never have really tried doing a game used or autograph team set, but I'm sure if something grabbed my attention I'd go for it.

Here's a couple of team sets I have scans of:

1996 Leaf Signature Platinum Press Proof Colorado Rockies team set:


2014 Bowman Red Colorado Rockies team set:

1. Do you focus on certain players?

I don't typically but being a Cubs collector I do pick up more Sandberg, Grace and Sosa cards than other players.

2. Do you build team sets?

I do off and on. I have my Cubs team sets done for Topps back into the 60's. I have most of the 80's Donruss run done as well.I have been working up checklists for other team sets as well.

3. Do you build insert team sets?

I keep what I run across or get in occasional trades but I am not actively after them yet. Maybe after I finish my base team sets I will go after parallels and inserts.

4. Do you collect type sets?

Not at the moment. I have went after a rainbow or two here and there.

5. How do you collect game used and autographs?

I do have a small autograph collection for the Cubs and I have a list for the All Time Roster. I have some from TTM and others that were pack issued. I prefer the player be in a Cubs uniform on the auto unless they where never on a card in that uniform. I have a few game used cards but not many. It is a project I would like to work on eventually.

Good time to bring this up. Seems I've gone back and forth between being a team and player collector more times than I can count over the years. But both can be overwhelming and I think I'm finally getting to a point where my collection is personally rewarding and yet manageable and balanced within my life. I have disbanded several side player collections keeping my Jeff Cirillos and Dale Sveums of course. Those are at a point where I can work on other things, ie my Brewers collection:


1. Do you focus on certain players?
I think most of us can attest to the fact that most modern sets and inserts/autos in general lean toward the same small handful of players being used over and over. So sometimes you end up with many cards of one player you're not even trying to focus on. Similarly, I enjoyed watching guys like Podsednik and Sexson play and when their cards get listed dirt cheap it's harder to pass them up than those players I wasn't as attached to like Fielder. Those instances factor in but I don't actively try to focus on any as part of my self imposed team focus


2. Do you build team sets?
Currently just a run of Topps team sets


3. Do you build insert team sets?
Not anymore. I did. And I loved collecting things like that. Tons of fun and challenge but ultimately gave up on that area of collecting because I would get way too obsessive with set building and as soon as I completed a set I never took the time to enjoy it and just moved on to the next. Had to limit myself more and insert sets didn't make the cut


4. Do you collect type sets?
Not actively


5. How do you collect game used and autographs?
Game used: don't really collect them anymore. If I get them in a random lot or something I might try to get them signed or I give them to my nephews
Autographs: I collect at least one pack issued autograph of each player who has been issued one in a Brewers uniform. After that I am trying to obtain a signature in some form (IP, TTM, etc) of every player who has appeared in at least one game for the Brewers.



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I'm a Giants fan. I have a run of Topps sets (most of them) from 1973 to the present. It's harder to go back further because of high numbers and players like Mr. Mays. Right now I am doing base sets but I will pick up the oddballs here and there. I'm not interested in the parallels and inserts.

I am not fanatical about team collecting, but have been collecting Dodger stuff pretty much since the beginning. Because of their long history, premium pricing on a lot of sets/singles, plus a heck of a lot of oddball sets, I just try to get what I can but will chase anything at the right price. For example, I have maybe 3 1952 Topps high numbers out of something like 18 Dodgers!

I'd love to have full insert sets when I can and have tried to track down a lot of the current oddball sets, and by current I mean 70s or newer. I have most of the Topps team packaged sets, Mothers/Keebler Cookies, Police, SGA, minor league and sets like that.

As for players, aside from an extensive Steve Garvey collection, I don't specialize in any other Dodger player to the extreme. All Dodger cards are welcome in my collection. I even count those that show the player in a Dodger uniform but show a different team and those that show a player in a different uniform, but indicate on the card that he plays for the Dodgers (such as those recent trades where the photos weren't timely enough for the sets).

I feel like focus is the hardest part of being a team collector. There's so much out there that everything is drawing your attention. I started collecting basketball around '94 (middle school) and was a Patrick Ewing fan, reaching up to 400+ different cards. Kinda separated from the friends I was collecting with and post high school when I got back into it kinda gravitated more to baseball and sticking with all Cubs.

My rule is pictured and labelled as Cubs, although I do collect Panini and others that don't have logos when labelled as Chicago (NL) and looks like they're in Chicago jerseys.


1. Do you focus on certain players?

My favorite Cub is Sammy Sosa, I don't really have a good collection of him although the button card in my collection is one of my favorite cards. There are a handful of things I focus on, 1st obviously being button cards. I have also been grabbing 1/1's as well as pre-1915 stuff lately. I've also been trying to get certified auto cards of as many different players as I can, around 115 right now.

2. Do you build team sets?

It hasn't been at the forefront of my direction, but I do have most of the 84-00 Topps sets complete and keep telling my self I'd like to finish the Topps run. I've also started picking up minor league sets as well.

3. Do you build insert team sets?

I haven't focused on this yet.

4. Do you collect type sets?

Nothing of this either.

5. How do you collect game used and autographs?

I have a handful of balls that I got signed back when I was younger, mostly just random Cubs on a ball from when they played in Arizona or when the Iowa Cubs came to Tucson. I don't have any game used items yet, although I have placed bids on some auctions that I see randomly.

When I started my Twins collection back in 2006, I was just trying to acquire as many Twins cards as I could. (Being a part of a team collectors trading group also helped me add so many cards to my collection.) Now, I've become more selective in what I buy.

As I have become more selective, for the most part, I tend to add cards along a priority scale:

1. Base Team Set - For sure, I build out the Topps and Topps Heritage team sets. I'll try to build out other team sets (Topps Chrome, Finest, Bowman, etc.) based on availabilty and cost. I also get the packaged Topps Team Sets that show up at Target each year.
1A. Inserts - I consider inserts as extensions of the base sets and, in recent years, they are as available as the base cards so I try to add them along with my sets.
1B. Short Print Variations - I also consider the SP variations as extensions of the base set, but I accept, because of scarcity and cost, I cannot always add them. For example, there is 2014 Topps Heritage Joe Mauer Throwback variation that is well out of my budget.

2. Game-Used and Autos - I like going after cards that are somewhat related to a set I'm building, such as Clubhouse Collections or Real One Auto for Topps Heritage, but I tend not to go after others so much.

3. Parallels - I like having parallels, but I usually don't go out of my way to add them.

However, many times I do break this mold to shake things up a bit. Sometimes I focus on certain players; I'll do an eBay search for Joe Mauer just to see what's out there.

I also have a few mini-projects I'm working on: 2008 SP Authentic Scott Baker By The Letter, 2002-2005 DLP Torii Hunter patches only with a certain type of patch, 2010 Topps Chrome Red Refractors, just to name a few.

Still, I tend to fall back on my priority scale above.

Main goal is all the base cards for the Cardinals (includes league leaders, highlights type cards). Right now focused on 1960 to present, but pick up earlier cards if the price is right. Pick-up anything else I come across in bargain boxes at shows. Part of the Team Collectors and we send cards to each other. A bunch of us are here on FCB as well. We have a number of open teams if anyone is interested in becoming part of our group.

I am mostly known on this board as a Sandy Alomar Jr. player collector, but I am also a big-time Boston Red Sox team collector. I have nearly 20,000 different Red Sox cards. I have been collecting the team since I started collecting in 1991.

1. Do you focus on certain players?
I generally try to keep things spread out and I love it when lesser-known, utility players, and guys who spend a short period of time with the team get cards. I was excited to see cards of Josh Rutledge, Carlos Peguero, and Jean Machi in Update this year. That being said, I go through periods of time where I really focus on one particular player. Jackie Bradley Jr., Felix Doubront, Mookie Betts, and many others have been subjects of short binges. But for a long time I really focused on Jason Varitek, to the point that I have more Varitek cards than any other Red Sox player. And of course it is hard not to get tons of cards of the star players.

2. Do you build team sets?
Sometimes. It is not really a priority, but I just generally try to get as many cards as I can. I don't frequently focus on building team sets, but sometimes I will have a wantlist and completing team sets is often part of that wantlist.

3. Do you build insert team sets?
Again, sometimes. Parallels have not been a frequent goal to build but if an insert set has a number of Red Sox players, I might try to get them all. Again, it is not a priority beyond just trying to get as many cards as I can.

4. Do you collect type sets?
Not really. I don't consider this question much different than the insert and team sets questions. It certainly is not a goal.

5. How do you collect game used and autographs?
I generally try to have one game-used or autograph of each player that is available. For star players I may do more. For instance, I have a huge number of Varitek GU/AU cards, quite a few for Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and the like, but then comparatively few of most semi-star or common players. I don't go wild chasing after them, but if I find one of a guy who did not previously have one, I like to try to get it. My most recent example is coming across a jersey of Sean Casey with the Red Sox. I never knew there was such a thing, so I had to have it.