ARTICLE: Guide To Collectiong a Complete Set

[MarvinGardens]

ARTICLE: How to Collect a Complete Set

By Nic (MarvinGardens)

This article is about how to begin and collect a complete set. First of all, a complete set is all of the base cards in a set. A Master Set includes all inserted cards- such as game used cards, autographed cards, serially numbered cards, and randomly inserted cards. What your trying to do by collecting a complete or master set is to get each and every single card in that set- whether it is from Upper Deck, Topps, Donruss, Fleer, or any other type of brand. There are many steps that should be followed while attempting to complete a set.I If anyone else can think of more steps to follow, feel free to post.

Step 1: Chose A Set To Collect

The first step is to choose a set that you are trying to collect. Things that you should consider are the amount of cards in that set (Depends on how long or hard you would want to work on the set to complete it.) Another thing to consider is the price of single packs and/or boxes of this set. A less expensive brand such as Topps or Victory is an example of that.

Step 2: Find a Checklist of That Set

The next step would be to find a checklist of that specific set, so you can know which cards you need or do not need to still get. A checklist can be found on the Beckett webpage, or by asking another member on this page to get one for you if you can’t find one. I suggest either printing out the checklist, or copying and pasting that into a Word Document so that when ever a new card comes your way, you can check it off.

Step 3: Getting Ready To Store Cards

Next, you should prepare a 3 ring binder and 9-card sheets to store them in. After each sheet is secure in the binder, put each one of you cards in the right space according to the number that is usually in the corner on the back of a card. It is up to you if you want to put each individual card in a penny sleeve for better protection. That is a great way to make sure your cards are organized and easy to find.

Step 4: How To Start a Set

Now that you have your binder ready to put cards in, you should begin to get the cards. A great way is to either buy a Box or Jumbo Box of the necessary set to start it off well. Also, hobby or retail packs can help you out. Towards the end of the set, if you are looking for specific cards, most of them can be found on eBay for quite cheap.

Step 5: Be patient

Sometimes, collecting a set can be a very time consuming task. It is not always as easy as it seems to put all of the cards together in order, and at some periods can be a hectic or stressful time. Just don’t give up, and eventually you will complete the set

Step 6: Storing Complete Sets

Once you are all done getting all the cards you need to finish a set, you may wonder where to put them. First, you should somehow get a label on them so you know which set it is. After that you should put them in a safe place where they will not be damaged such as a closet or under your bed.

Step 7: What to do After You Finish a set

First of all, you should congratulate yourself on a great accomplishment! Collecting a set (especially a master set) is not an easy thing. If you are up to it, you should keep trying to complete sets. In the next 5-10 years, it will be fun to look back and hopefully find some value in the cards and sets you put together,

Well, that is the end of my guide to completing a set. I hope that you will follow these steps, and that they are useful to you in any way.

MODS- If you feel that this a great post, I would appreciate it if it was stickied.

*Note: Thank you to Deadshot- as I used his format of writing an article, as this is my first.*

[Deadshot]

Great article!

[minew_m]

Very nice article. Thanks for the contribution!

[SEA Mariners #003]

I think this is a concept that should be enforced in the hobby. As a kid, many of us would try to collect the complete Topps set, but those days are pretty much over.

[soxfan445]

Wow, a nice pop-up of good articles now! Great post.
I gotta write one to keep up!
Regards,
Mike