General Forum

I agree with you about some of that Vytas. I put up my previous examples as a player collector. Here's one I didn't mention: I would take ANY Stan Musial RC that I can get my hands on in any way. I know I can't afford a pristine version of that card or even a mediocre one. I would take a POOR card JUST to have it in my collection. Personally, I can't say the same for a Nolan Ryan RC. If I'm chasing it, I want a pretty good card (not the condition qualifier), but one without writing on it and with as few creases as I can find. Creases are my biggest no-no for cards I want to own. I don't mind off-center, rounded corners or rough edges on cards older than about 1970. If it's creased or has writing on it, it better be much older.

The oldest card in my collection is a 1910 T-206 card that I won in a contest. There was a mail mix-up and the card got lost (temporarily). Then our very own "T206" sent me a different one. Shortly after that, the 1st one arrived. He told me to pick the one I liked and send the other back to him. So my choices were b/t 2 cards that had no reason to be in my collection except for their age. I kept the replacement that was missing a corner and sent back the 1st card that had several creases all over it. I just liked the less-creased card over the very-creased one, even though it was missing an entire corner. No matter what, I was getting my first 100-year-old card. I went with the one that pleased me more visually. I still have that card nearly a decade later and am not letting it go (unless someone offers a comparable Cardinals card from the same set in the same condition). I don't chase the T206 cards (or even anything pre-1950 really), but I'll continue to treasure that card.

I'm with Commish when it comes to the pre-1981 cards.  Of course I rather have a NrMt card than a Pr one but I also rather have the card in poor condition than not have it all.  For those that are really bad, I keep them on my checklist but on the excel sheet, the box is grayed so I know I am looking for an upgrade.

I collect for the enjoyment, not the value.  I have never looked at a card as an investment so if I find a card I don't have, and it is a fair price, I buy it.  I will most likely never sell my colelction; my youngest son will inherit it. What he does with it won't matter to me.

As mentioned by some previously having a "lesser" card rather than no card at all is preferred. That also speaks to why many if not most are here in the first place, for the enjoyment and not the "bottom line per se". Naturally if given the choice we would probably all like to have a PSA 9 Topps '52 card #311 but that is for the majority "not a very high likelihood!" , again deferring to the collecting for pure pleasure aspect of the hobby.

I would put forth that when you are collecting a set and there are some expensive ones, you have time, while you shop for the expensive ones on a good deal, you can hunt for and find the others in the set.  But once you are down to the last cards, and feeling the pressure to complete, you might want to get a beaten up verison to complete the set.  What it does mentally is allow you to use the most valueable asset you have to continue to shop.  Time.  You now don't feel the pressure to complete, and can if your eyes discover a great deal, upgrade at will.  You won't over pay.  You think you will never come back, but the truth is, it was the last few cards you needed, and you will never miss that card as it flys by your eyes.  Only when it happens you can make logical, rather than emotional decisions on it cause you have a bird in the hand per say.  

On expensive cards, I will compromise on condition/technical grade, but not eye appeal.  I'll happily take a pinholed card (Poor) that looks ExMt otherwise at a fraction of the cost.  There can be a huge variance in eye appeal at the lower grades, it's worthwhile waiting for one that satisfies your eye and is a defect you can live with.

Yeah, I for one don't rate condition vs. having a certain card very high. I naturally like NRMT cards in my collection but it's rarely a deal breaker. When trading I always mention the condition of my cards, hardly ask about trade condition. On some vintage cards any upgraded card allows you to list/trade/sell the one being replaced. 

I have so many vintage cards that fall  below NRMT but not poor, that I have to trade. Members should always ask, especially '60s and '70s.

I'm a set collector and most of my collection is vintage. I don't like to sacrifice on condition on the more expensive cards. Eventually I want my collection to consist of visually appealling cards with no creases, paper loss, etc. Basically EX or better. For example, I don't want to pay $25 for a Jim Brown RC in PR condition knowing that I will have to upgrade eventually. IMHO, it's better to pay up initially and get an acceptable card and avoid having to buy the card twice

However, I will buy cheap commons as fillers knowing that I can upgrade for a buck or two.

Adding my 2 cents on this discussion of vintage cards and set collecting.  i am trying to complete the 57 and 61 Topps sets and have about 60 of each left to complete.  I have been hand collating these sets for about 20+ years and since they are in binders i am looking for consistency in the condition of these cards which i think look great but PSA may only grade as 6 or higher.  so i will hold out for the right cards so that my set will look nice on the page and not have any glaring eyesores.  through sales here and on COMC i have been able to fill in some of the more expensive cards over the last month or two like a 57 Banks and a 61 Aaron  which to me is almost like trading for the cards since no money came out of my pocket.

I like lower condition vintage alot

some of the sets I have built are ex and better, some vg and better, and some that are really bad (poor/fair/good).

I try to upgrade later depending on the overall flavor of the set.

I have a want list, and an upgrade list where applicable.

in some sets I am trying to upgrade from poor to good, and some I am upgrading good to very good..

I like the lower condition mostly because of the cost savings...but I will buy a nicer one if cost is similar....like on comc, I will buy a 75 cent card when it looks better than the 50 cent card...but given the choice of a 5.00 really bad one, and a 12.00 mid grade, I will usually go wtih the cheaper one..

nice discussion, there is no real wrong way to collect, each of us has our own goals/likes...the main thing is to have fun and collect what you like- however you define that..

mark 

Been following this and gets pretty interesting with each ones take on Vintage conditions on which cards they will take and won't take, For the most part alot of us are of that same group who collected these cards as new and we didn't store them like we do now and had different ways and wants of collecting. I have bought cards in poor shape to get the team sets I wanted and update whenever I had a chance and alot of members on this site and others have benifited from me doing so. I know as I have traded with some as I once had an almost complete 97% percent of cards for a 57 Topps set all with a pen marking of someones initial that not even minibbcards wanted one in VG once. I try to improve my PC in time, but as many have said cost can get unreal, so I still hold on to my Poor Kalines or Howes even when I do upgrade as more for the memory of where that card has been than what someone would pay for it. I am ok with just a card of my favorite in rough shape.