Collecting focus - how many collections? and what types?

[predatorkj]

I focus in this order:

1. Jeff Bagwell(every single card made)
2. Unfinished sets(3 different sports from various years)
3. Jerry Stackhouse(every single card made)
4. A slew of other player collections.

On number 4...I don't add all the time but I do add something at least once a month. This month it might be a rookie of a random guy I collect while next month it might be an auto or patch card from another random player. I also add base and inserts as well as they come along.

I plan on changing the list around like this though...because I have now reached 3,000 different Bagwells so I am focusing a little more on some of the other stuff to catch up. The Bagwell collection took a lot of steam out of the other areas of my collecting.
1. Unfinished sets
2. Jerry Stackhouse
3. Jeff Bagwell
4. other pc's

 

[darrend505]

1)Topps set collection. Complete 1973-present, working on 1972.
2)2003 Topps 205 Relics- down to 5
3)1954 Bowman - recently broke around 90% for the set!
4) Few other sets I have been trying to finish

 

[Superfractor]

Rockies:

Anyone from Jake Postlewait, Wilin Rosario, Jeff Baker to Todd Helton.


1/1 "RCs" take priority over all (if applicable).

I have some fringe player collections in Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Joe Koshansky. I stick to Sterling Letters for the former, and whatever catches my eye for the latter.

 

[jszczech]

Kirby Puckett---Everything I can get

Justin Morneau--- I was going for as much as possible for a while but lately I have just been putting together rainbows and picking up other cool cards(1/1's, Plates, Auto's). If possible I try to trade for anything that is newly released.

 

[oiccup41]

Wow, I didn't realize how much I was collecting until I started writing it down

Jim Rice - everything
2004 Fleer Greats Master set
Luis Tiant - (haven't been buying much lately)
2007 Sweet Spot Memorabilia - not the patches (just started - about half done)
2009-2011 Topps Legend SP Variations - (just started)
2007 Pedro Martinez Moments & Milestones (/150, /29, /1)
1959 Fleer Ted Williams (haven't done anything with this in quite a while)
Baseball HOF autos (cheap ones that I find on Ebay) and baseball HOF base (not sure what I am going to do with this but I enjoy picking them up at card shows for $.10-$.25)

TTM - 1981 Fleer Set - HOF (all sports) - HOF baseball postcards - first cards (all sports + non sport) - Sports Illustrateds

 

[ffgameman]

Great topic!

Here are mine. Some are thriving, others are dormant.

Sammy Sosa
When I found the online trading world in late 2005/early 2006, this was my first collection. Since '98 I've always enjoyed watching Sosa, despite his issues with cork and probably steroids. I already had plenty of base and inserts from my younger days (as a kid collector in the mid-90s, I kept all star base and inserts in binders). The collection thrived for me; the last time I had an accurate count, I had over 600 total cards. However, lack of organization severely hurt my collection. I never took the time early on to sort my original base/inserts (they were in binder pages in no particular order). I had a working checklist going, but it fell apart as I failed to update it on a consistent basis.

Today, I would guess the collection sits somewhere between 800-1000 cards with around 85 game-used cards. I'm reluctant to add many pieces unless it's a rare or unique game-used card.

Tennessee Titans

This collection began a few years ago. I've been a fan since the '99 Super Bowl run, but generally shied away from football cards until recently. My main focuses are Vince Young, Eddie George, Chris Johnson, and Steve McNair; I'm beginning to make a small player collection of Vince Young. I also collect autographs and game-used of other notable Titans.

Mickey Mantle

I've been interested in Mantle since being a fan of baseball. My father passed away when I was only six months old, but my mother told me of the baseball collection he once owned. One of his prized possessions was the 1952 Topps Mantle #311; however, his entire collection burned in a house fire.

Earlier this year I decided to start a small Mantle collection; I already had several inserts and a couple of 1952 reprints. My key piece is a 1961 Topps, but my main wants are refractors and reprints (primarily of the 1952 variety).

Rookie collection

As a young collector, rookies were a key part of my collection. Every rookie I pulled was placed into a binder. That was a good habit; after all, who knew that David Arias would became Big Papi?

Today, my rookie collection spans the three major sports. I focus on established stars and veterans from the early-90s and up, although I do have a few notable rookies from the 1980s (Ripken, Boggs, Mattingly, etc).

David Wright

This began with my return to the hobby full-force in late 2005. After my brain surgery in June 2005 I had plenty of spare time stuck in the house; for the first time, I discovered online retailers and the hobby box. Two of my first boxes (2005 Reflections and 2005 Fleer Authentix) gave two big David Wright pulls (dual autograph with Reyes /99 and GU /10). Prior to this, I knew nothing of David Wright and was surprised to see that the autograph booked $80 at the time. I looked him up, became interested, and later started a player collection.

Currently my interest in the collection is dropping; part of the collection is available for trade, but I'm keeping several cards (gifts and some of my pulls).

 

[Slette]

It has re-focused a bit lately, but #1 will never change for me.

1. Chad Greenway - everything, except for plates/Topps Vault 1/1's.
2. Tim Dwight - everything with not quite as much ferver as #1
3. Iowa Hawkeyes - pictured in Iowa uniforms - no sticker autos, except for Donruss Elite; no multi-player cards unless both are Hawkeyes
4. Topps Heritage - piecing the sets together slowly, without caring about SSPs, tints, different colored backs, etc. Just 1-500 with the inserts.
5. 2010 Topps Heritage jersey/auto cards. I have the Ryan Howard and Bob Gibson, and am watching the other expensive ones on eBay, waiting for the price to drop
6. Minnesota Twins on-card autos and patches - Jim Thome is the exception in this; I just picked up his Ultimate Patch which is Sox uni, and need to get his A&G auto too
7. Gypsy Queen and A&G sets, along with minis. Hat tip to JoshHamilton for sparking my interest in minis - fun to look at, pain in the ass to sort.

There's other random stuff I pick up (Vikings, Brock Lesnar, Big 10 alum), but these are the main focus for me.

 

[WoundedDuck]

haha this has been enlightening. After seeing how everyone else focuses their collection, I may have to broaden mine a bit

 

[ffgameman]

haha this has been enlightening. After seeing how everyone else focuses their collection, I may have to broaden mine a bit

Just be sure not to broaden it too much, especially if you have limited resources (for buying or trading).

I buy very little, and my tradebait is rather limited. This was part of the rationale for downsizing my Wright collection. I'm losing interest, so why not save my trading material for my other collections? Plus, this helps add better cards to my tradebait.

 

[BunchOBull]

Main Focus:

Frank Thomas Player Collection; everything, but most of the cause goes to rookie and early paraphernalia, 1990s inserts, Sample/Promo/Prototypes, and oddballs.

Minor Foci:

Bob Clemente Player Collection; mostly vintage, but modern as it comes to me.
1990 Topps Blackless Set
1956 Topps Baseball Raw Set
1995 Pinnacle Pins Redeemed (need Puckett only)
1996 Collector's Choice Crash the Game Gold Redeemed
Complete Run of OPC Baseball Wax in PSA 9
Braves Autos

Collections of Opportunity (rather than focus):

Chipper Jones PC
Tim Lincecum PC
Greg Maddux PC
Pete Rose PC
Random Samples and Promo Sets
Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity & Freemason Member Athlete Autos

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Main player collections (Always working on these collections):
Hanley Ramirez
Paul Pierce

Mid level player collections (Pick up fairly often, but lose interest and then gain it back frequently):
Chad Billingsley
Kelly Shoppach
Jerod Mayo
Rodrigue Beaubois

Lower level player collections (Always search for new cards, but just pick up new items occasionally):
Delonte West
Bill Walton
Damon Stoudamire
Rajon Rondo

Sets:
Crown Royale BKB Master Set
Topps Gold Label Master Set

Just started picking up 90's basketball inserts and Brad Marchand cards.

 

[JoshHamilton]

Vince Young
Texas Longhorns cards (UT uniform only)
Florida Marlins cards
Complete sets. I'm starting to get in to insert sets now
N162 Goodwin Champions

And every lenticular/motion and mini card ever produced

 

[ronzo]

Top focus:
2002 Topps 206 Master Set
2003 Topps 205 'Master' Set, excluding Bazooka 1/1's.

Mid focus:
Andy Pettitte

Lower Focus:
Derek Jeter Base/Inserts
Brett Gardner
1999 Ultra Master Set
2003 Topps Pristine GU/AU's


Most of my funds go towards my 205 and 206 sets, with a little going to Pettitte. The last group is generally just add-ons to trades or picked up in lots when/if possible.