What are some reasons why people don't put sets together?

[mrwhitesox30]

I don't usually go for rare sets because you end up paying more for the serial number than for the card. For example, my last 2005 Sweet Spot Classic Brooks Robinson patch cost about $225, and looks like a letter. If I was collecting the set and bought an Andre Dawson /3, I would pay several times that even though it might just be a boring 2-color patch that isn't anywhere near as rare as a Brooks Robinson letter. One of my favorite sets is 2001 Fleer Genuine Names of the Game jersey autographs. They're tough to find, but all cards are numbered to 100 so nothing gets too expensive.

 

[brouthercard]

The advent of being able to purchase a complete set as you check out at Target or Walmart for the cost of one or two hobby boxes of that product.

No real challenge anymore.

Looking back at the sets of the 1990's and knowing that the entirety of the value of the set comes from the one big rookie from that set. (anyone want to buy a nearly complete set of 1994 UD SP. Only missing ONE card?)

worship of the all mighty dollar.

WIth only star players in most sets the desire to find a card of a John Koronka is dissipated.

What about the very challenging sets?

I'm talking about stuff like a 2005 bowman chrome draft gold refractor set, or perhaps a 2007 topps heritage black refractor parallel set? These sets would have been impossible in the pre late nineties, though the prevalence of the internet has finally made these "possible".

Anyone ever consider anything like that? What would prevent you from doing so? How about a 2009 bowman draft orange refractor set? It was just released, so the singles are really easy to find right now...

The black refractor sets are awesome, but they will challenge the budget. Between player collectors and set builders, even though the cards are numbered to a little higher than 50, usually only about 5 show up on ebay. I think if even only 1 or 2 more people decided to start building these sets, they would immediately get a lot spendier.

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z142 ... ?start=all

That is a sweet accumulation of cards, I love those sets!! and singles!!

I think you made a good point about cost. When set collectors and player collectors collide for rare cards, it can get really nasty to the wallet, and I think that would prevent most people from being able to afford really limited sets.

For the exquisite flashback set, I would notice that most players sell for around five to six times more than a normal exquisite auto card would. It's gotta be a clash between set and player collectors.

I've noticed that set collectors are willing to pay more than player collectors most of the time, though i'm not exactly sure why...

 

[brouthercard]

I don't usually go for rare sets because you end up paying more for the serial number than for the card. For example, my last 2005 Sweet Spot Classic Brooks Robinson patch cost about $225, and looks like a letter. If I was collecting the set and bought an Andre Dawson /3, I would pay several times that even though it might just be a boring 2-color patch that isn't anywhere near as rare as a Brooks Robinson letter. One of my favorite sets is 2001 Fleer Genuine Names of the Game jersey autographs. They're tough to find, but all cards are numbered to 100 so nothing gets too expensive.

That's a good point too. I noticed that i'll avoid any set that has a super rare shorter printed card in it, UNLESS I ALREADY OWN THE CARD. I think that's a huge factor. If I don't have a key card in a set, I'll usually avoid it. Though, already owning a key card and liking the design, I would be more likely to pursue it.

 

[gonzagacubs]

I am going to use myself as a really good example.... Since I got back into the hobby (06 ish) I have tried to finish/ or started working on 3 auto sets, (06 Bowman Chrome, 06 Chrome Draft, and 04 SP Prospects) but with each one, I have hit a wall. The wall is mainly the cost. In both 06 sets, I am down to 2 cards on each, but with both sets there is a card that I can not afford. Sure I could save up the money to purchase the cards, but as soon as I do reality hits. Honestly I can never see myself spending 150-200 on a single card (Longoria). In the 04 SP Prospects set, I knew it was a huge set, but I didn't think the cost to put it together would be so much.

 

[brouthercard]

I am going to use myself as a really good example.... Since I got back into the hobby (06 ish) I have tried to finish/ or started working on 3 auto sets, (06 Bowman Chrome, 06 Chrome Draft, and 04 SP Prospects) but with each one, I have hit a wall. The wall is mainly the cost. In both 06 sets, I am down to 2 cards on each, but with both sets there is a card that I can not afford. Sure I could save up the money to purchase the cards, but as soon as I do reality hits. Honestly I can never see myself spending 150-200 on a single card (Longoria). In the 04 SP Prospects set, I knew it was a huge set, but I didn't think the cost to put it together would be so much.

Cards of prospects in general get really cheap with time as they don't pan out, so I wouldn't be too discouraged with the 04 set, you'll probably be able to buy the rest of autos for $1-$5 some day.

Longoria, though, may not ever get cheap again. He's looking really legit and the best time to pick one up is during the off season.

 

[zookerman182]

there are some players i just absolutely hate. And thre is always one in every set i think about trying to collect.

 

[George_Calfas]

I am a proud set collector

 

[gonzagacubs]

I am going to use myself as a really good example.... Since I got back into the hobby (06 ish) I have tried to finish/ or started working on 3 auto sets, (06 Bowman Chrome, 06 Chrome Draft, and 04 SP Prospects) but with each one, I have hit a wall. The wall is mainly the cost. In both 06 sets, I am down to 2 cards on each, but with both sets there is a card that I can not afford. Sure I could save up the money to purchase the cards, but as soon as I do reality hits. Honestly I can never see myself spending 150-200 on a single card (Longoria). In the 04 SP Prospects set, I knew it was a huge set, but I didn't think the cost to put it together would be so much.

Cards of prospects in general get really cheap with time as they don't pan out, so I wouldn't be too discouraged with the 04 set, you'll probably be able to buy the rest of autos for $1-$5 some day.

Longoria, though, may not ever get cheap again. He's looking really legit and the best time to pick one up is during the off season.

You are right, and I have not decided to quit on the sets. Just at a standstill for the moment. It's just one of those things..... I don't make a ridiculous amount of money, so spending a large sum of money on a single card isn't something that I can do in my mind.

Shipping cost has a lot to do with the lack of set collecting as well. I think I am only about 100 autos short of finishing off the 04 set, which has 247 autos. If the average card costs abetween $2-3 for shipping, I am looking at spending another $200-300 without even adding in the acutal card cost.

 

[brouthercard]

I know what you mean about the s/h costs, it really adds up.

Set collectors have been know to pay up to $10 for cards they really need to complete their sets when they would usually be in the quarter boxes at shops and shows, if you can find them.

 

[sportscardtheory]

I think the main problem is there are no sets worth putting together. All the base sets are like 90 to 200 cards and there is no scarcity in the sets. Plus, factory sets make putting together a set pointless. You can just buy the factory set. I think Topps is making it a bit more fun with the SPs, but they aren't part of the regular set. Why is that? Why not just SP cards that are actually IN the set? And enough with the factory sets. Factory sets should be DIFFERENT from the packed out sets. That would keep people interested in putting together a packed out set rather than simply buying a factory set.

 

[brouthercard]

I think the main problem is there are no sets worth putting together. All the base sets are like 90 to 200 cards and there is no scarcity in the sets. Plus, factory sets make putting together a set pointless. You can just buy the factory set. I think Topps is making it a bit more fun with the SPs, but they aren't part of the regular set. Why is that? Why not just SP cards that are actually IN the set? And enough with the factory sets. Factory sets should be DIFFERENT from the packed out sets. That would keep people interested in putting together a packed out set rather than simply buying a factory set.

There's gotta be some insert or autograph or parallel set out there that would be interesting to you. You collect baseball cards!!!

 

[011873]

Heres why.

The Hobby pre /early mid 90's was heavy into set collecting. What started the downfall? Insert cards.

Base cards became just "baricades" in packs until you got to the insert card. No one had interest in base stuff as only inserts were being bougt and sold at crazy prices.

As inserts died, along came GU and autos and numbered cards and SP's, further killing base cards.

Only Hobby vets make sets now for the most part. Im talking base sets not refs etc.

I have zero interest in it but I rarely made sets as a kid anyways. If I did get back into it I would only try for those really hard sets like Heritage and especially this years SP Authentic. Basically sets with crazy hard short prints.

Ive only tried to make two sets in the last ten years and those were 2000 Omega numbered rookies and 2004 EEE autos soley because I had a HUGE amount of them for a very little cost.

 

[rsmath]

This was the foundation of card collecting from the start- collect them all!

What are some reasons why you avoid putting together sets- not just base sets, but ANY sets, even the most challenging ones?

I am a set collector with base set standards. I usually don't go for the complete sets because of the cost of short printed cards, but I will make an exception if I really like the design enough to spend the money on SP cards.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

Set collecting is still the cornerstone of the hobby, its just that the people here (the modern 'elite' collectors?!) are generally not as much into it. The main reason why more people don't put together sets is because you're guaranteed to loose money when you do it - its just not a good short-term investment...however many sets would probably be good long-term investments, particularly with regard to rare sets. The second reason probably is that set collecting requires work.

Even 25 years ago you'd loose money when breaking apart a set - but people collected more back then and didn't really care because people actually enjoyed the cards (yes, including the BACKS of cards!).

IMO set collecting requires an advanced collector. The least advanced form of collecting can be picking up a single card, its the opposite of set collecting. Maybe this is why I usually feel that prospecting isn't particularly interesting - its, well, the simplest form of collecting if you actually intend to keep the card - the aim here is just making money, and IMO its not very interesting.

 

[brouthercard]

That's a great point as well.

It's simply not profitable to build a set and sell it, it never has been. Anyone who has ever put a set together for X amount of dollars knows that when you come around to selling it, you will rarely get your money back, and the vast majority of the time you will lose a significant amount of money.

Only true collectors would actually try to build sets, and they aren't quite as prevalent as they used to be.

When you select a set to pursue, you have to intend on keeping it for the long run.

 

[rico08]

Multiple set releases and inserts (someone already mentioned) screwed up set collecting.

Why do people say set collecting is still a cornerstone? It can't be--especially with so many offshoots of the hobby: player collecting, prospecting, team collectors, etc. I doubt set collecting is what attracts new people to this hobby.

I worked at a card shop for 6+ years and the only customers making sets were the guys "trying to put back together the old set from '56"--or some other variation of the year--and the people who've bought a factory set of Topps every year and wish to keep doing so. Where's the chase in that? Luckily we had a great selection of low-mid vintage from 1960 on including stars. Anyway, now you see the hybrid set collectors: sets PSA 7 or better, etc. But classic set collecting as a cornerstone is long gone. It probably comes down to the financial part of it.

 

[200lbhockeyplayer]

I still put sets together...but it has to be a set that I can chase. IE: Not easy to complete.

To me, chase set building keeps the hobby fun for me.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

Which is more expensive to build - a 2009 Topps Heritage Chrome Black Refractor set or a Topps 1960 set...? Pepole still put together modern sets (George Calfas, others) and the better sets of today WILL be put together by set collectors in the future. The people that put together rare sets today aren't likely to brag about it, and, if I may be blunt, probably have more money than you do.

Today one of two things will generally attract people to the hobby - the potential for the short flip (prospecting), or collecting. Twenty five years ago, people only collected unless they owned a B&M store. As far as attracting new people to the hobby - I don't see why people who are primarily interested in real COLLECTING would not be drawn to set collecting as much as they are to player or team collecting. Prospecting is clearly a selling activity.

Its easy to loose perspective today because collecting and selling become so easily blurred; its tougher to feel like collecting when part of you is always thinking about selling.

Multiple set releases and inserts (someone already mentioned) screwed up set collecting.

Why do people say set collecting is still a cornerstone? It can't be--especially with so many offshoots of the hobby: player collecting, prospecting, team collectors, etc. I doubt set collecting is what attracts new people to this hobby.

I worked at a card shop for 6+ years and the only customers making sets were the guys "trying to put back together the old set from '56"--or some other variation of the year--and the people who've bought a factory set of Topps every year and wish to keep doing so. Where's the chase in that? Luckily we had a great selection of low-mid vintage from 1960 on including stars. Anyway, now you see the hybrid set collectors: sets PSA 7 or better, etc. But classic set collecting as a cornerstone is long gone. It probably comes down to the financial part of it.

 

[rico08]

Which is more expensive to build - a 2009 Topps Heritage Chrome Black Refractor set or a Topps 1960 set...? Pepole still put together modern sets (George Calfas, others) and the better sets of today WILL be put together by set collectors in the future. The people that put together rare sets today aren't likely to brag about it, and, if I may be blunt, probably have more money than you do.

Today one of two things will generally attract people to the hobby - the potential for the short flip (prospecting), or collecting. Twenty five years ago, people only collected unless they owned a B&M store. As far as attracting new people to the hobby - I don't see why people who are primarily interested in real COLLECTING would not be drawn to set collecting as much as they are to player or team collecting. Prospecting is clearly a selling activity.

Its easy to loose perspective today because collecting and selling become so easily blurred; its tougher to feel like collecting when part of you is always thinking about selling.

It's clear in virtually all your posts that you think you "collect" better than the prospecting part of the hobby. It's really pitiful, sickening, pathetic, etc. Do you feel like you need to fit it in whenever possible?

The bottom line is if you know anything about the hobby you know you can't make generalizations. I like to think that my job at a place that bought, sold, and traded cards provided me with an interesting perspective into the hobby. The question was "What are some reasons why people don't put sets together?" People don't collect sets because there's other stuff do to with cards.

The packaging doesn't say "Do Not Try to Make Profit." That's just your opinion.

 

[subpop77]

I used to collect sets when I was younger. But I am mainley a player collector now.