General Forum

There are only two reasons that I want a 2nd copy of any card: #1 - I have a complete set, but need an extra for my player/team collection AND/OR: #2 there are two players on the card of which I have specific player collections. My best example of #2 is that there have been a LOT of cards made with Ozzie Smith and Ryne Sandberg on the same card. I collect both players, so I need one copy for each collection. Another good example is Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson.

As for someone trying to complete a entire second set of cards, the reasons above are understandable. But I know another reason that hasn't been mentioned yet. I have a couple of friends that are case-breakers. They keep what they want and sell the rest. After they complete their personal set, they want to complete another one (if they're close enough) to sell it to help recoup some of the money they spent on the case. If they can trade for the missing cards to complete another set, they don't need to spend money on each missing card.

I used to be in the camp of "if I have that many duplicates, i might as well put together another set as it would be easier to sell a whole set than all these duplicates." My time here has changed that and I can unload my duplicates better here. I did consider following one of my collecting mentors (an old neighbor) and build two sets of Tigers  and complete base every year; one for each child. I have not done that...yet.

Dan

I like to hoard, it's a sickness I know, but I enjoy it. I am willing to have as many as I can get of some cards, it just depends on how it strikes me. Others I may not even want one copy.

As for sets, the same could be said as others have already said, having so many dupes. If I ever get around to finishing some of my vintage sets, like '82 Topps FB, I might do another, but totally ignore others like the ugly '83 set.

Best reply!  Exactly.  I have many duplicate sets (I think the set I have the most of is 1991 Donruss baseball - you really don't want to know how many sets I have).  Why? Because I have bought people's collections who were leaving the hobby just for the binders and the plastic sheets.  The cards just came with the binders.  Sometimes the "complete" set is not so complete. So, I dig into my 13,000 commons box or into my PC duplicates of 1991 Donruss and complete the set.

And yes Bob, selling sets from these years is near impossible.

I recently started putting together a second set of 1981 Topps baseball. There are a few reasons why. First, I came across a good deal on about 3000 of the cards so I bought it. It was the first year I really got into card collecting when I was a kid. Being from that period of time building the set was the goal that most of my friends had. The players in that set were the stars of my youth. And, these cards have probably bottomed out so I don't feel I would lose a ton of money on the set value. Now, I will overpay for the set paying shipping to trade/buy what I am still missing but it is a hobby. What will I do with it? I don't know.Maybe just put it on a shelf but I guess it's not much different than building something else and putting it on a display shelf. Maybe I will end up gifting it to my cousin who used to collect with me but sold his collection years ago? I'm also thinking about building a complete Brewers set from that year and making it into a display to hang in my office at work. I can say I have enjoyed logging and sorting all those 1981 topps baseball and just looking at the cards again and remembering back to how the last card I got for my set in 1981 while opening packs was Joe Charboneau.

Because I have 2 kids and do not want to cause a dispute after I am gone.  The only argument will be who gets the binders and who gets the boxes.  

I did the exact same thing....then ended up with two sons who were not into collecting.   So call me Noah.

My uncle put together at least 21 sets of 1991 Fleer baseball cards.  He didn't like baseball.  His wife left him.  I don't blame her.

To add onto my earlier reply, I’m not a set builder and probably won’t be for the foreseeable future. The only complete sets I own have been acquired by buying the factory set or getting the cards as gifts and accumulating a complete set unknowingly. I do have a couple of duplicates in my collection because I almost have 2 separate collections, my factory sets and my individual cards.