Your Thoughts Please on a Collecting Crossroads...

[gomaz]

Hey guys.

Quick background: I fell in love with Ultimate Memorabilia when UM9 came out. I completed several of the sets from the release.

I pretty much left UM10 alone as the designs didn't get me going very much.

Now I find myself really liking a few sets from UM11 but this post is specifically about the Complete Jersey ("CJ") set. UM11 has 12 CJ cards. UM9 had 18.

There are four players in UM11 that had CJ cards in UM9.

So my crossroads (if that is even the word to use here) is that I am thinking about ignoring the four repeat players and only going after the 8 who I do not already have CJ cards of.

The benefit of ignoring these four players is obviously that I save a nice chunk of dough. The extended benefit is the implied odds (to use poker speak) of continuing to do the set in future UM releases. I could just go for new players instead of accumulating repeats for the sake of finishing a set.

The con is that I will not have the complete set at the end of the day. I don't think this really matters to me though but still seek people's thoughts in case there is something I haven't thought of.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[99goals]

Gomaz/ Jer, collect what you feel is best. Maybe you can start it and make up your mind on the rest as you go along. If the cards fall in your lap, so be it, but dont stop because they are just repeat players bro..

 

[Hckyfan47]

I think the idea of just going for new players is a neat idea. Sure you won't always have a complete set from every year but turning the project into a running set might allow you a bit more flexibility. Say a nice upgrade comes along that you otherwise wouldn't have the extra cash set aside for, you would now if you aren't shelling out that money for "duplicate" players.

Adam

 

[99goals]

Funny that you bring this up, I am going through a similar cross roads myself on whether or not I should be hoarding all the Wendel Clarks I come across. Anyways good luck on your decision.

Ameet

 

[gomaz]

Gomaz/ Jer, collect what you feel is best. Maybe you can start it and make up your mind on the rest as you go along. If the cards fall in your lap, so be it, but dont stop because they are just repeat players bro..

Thanks for the opinions so far.

I'd prefer not to get any more of the "collect what you like" comments. I do that. Sometimes I am not sure about direction or how far to take things. But I am certain of what designs and players I like. This isn't another "who should I collect?" thread.

Rather, I am looking for comments that may shed light on an angle I have not considered. Sort of a brainstorm thing. I am also interested to hear what others would do in this case, both out of curiosity and to learn why others would approach this the way they would.

 

[Hama]

Only if it's a filthy improvement over what you have now, then go for the new one. If not, I'm sure you can live with that

 

[go_leafs]

Just start the set by omitting those 4 cards, and pick them up at the end or when you feel like it

 

[quincy]

I like the idea of extending the set as a live project. It's sort of like a player collection checklist except that your player is the set itself, and the checklist features only new cards for that player.

Does that make sense? And FWIW, I will forever be an advocate of "collect what you like".

 

[gomaz]

I like the idea of extending the set as a live project. It's sort of like a player collection checklist except that your player is the set itself, and the checklist features only new cards for that player.

This is an angle I have never thought of. Well, I suppose I thought of it but did not articulate it so nicely. I really like this approach.

Does that make sense? And FWIW, I will forever be an advocate of "collect what you like".

Me too. After 33 years of collecting I think I know what I like but sometimes bouncing an idea around can add clarity.

 

[Captain Canuck]

Jer,

you're obviously not a set collector, or this idea would never have occured to you. Set collectors MUST have a complete set.
Sooooo.... get one of every new player. Next year, the same thing... make your own 'Frankenset'

At the end of the day, you'll have a very cool collection of cards... and really, isn't that what we're all after?

 

[ZP9]

I really like the idea of a continuing set, just collecting the different players each year.

 

[gomaz]

Jer,

you're obviously not a set collector, or this idea would never have occured to you. Set collectors MUST have a complete set.
Sooooo.... get one of every new player. Next year, the same thing... make your own 'Frankenset'

At the end of the day, you'll have a very cool collection of cards... and really, isn't that what we're all after?

I guess I'm a frankencollector because I do collect sets but don't want to feel forced into collecting repeated cards that are basically the same every year but for a minor design tweak.

I agree though that this frankenset idea will leave me with a very cool collection.

 

[gomaz]

I really like the idea of a continuing set, just collecting the different players each year.

Me too. I think I am going to move ahead in that direction. Thanks for your input.

 

[c_bass22]

I seriously couldn't stop until I complete the set entirely every year. That's just me do it or leave it alone.

Again that opinion comes from a guy who only collect Habs from every subset and don't grab the other players so it doesn't have to be taken that seriously.

 

[bonnev659]

Only if it's a filthy improvement over what you have now, then go for the new one. If not, I'm sure you can live with that

I agree with this

 

[shams99]

Jeremy
As you know i like limited logos, but how many logos of the same player do i need. So i just add the ones that i don't have. Ie, last year was Yzerman and this year was Sakic and Francis.
Its pointless for me to have a bunch of doubles of the same player. And as for Ultimate they don't have any scrubs in those sets so you are not going to add some unknown rookie just to finish a set who will play one or two years and then disappear.

I would just add. and thats my rationale.

hope this helps.

 

[FrozenInferno]

Ignore the four repeats and pick up the new players, UNLESS.. One or more of those repeat players is featured in a different jersey. Personally I could handle picking up two cards of the same player if different jerseys were involved, for example a guy like Bourque who might have one CJ with Boston pieces and another with Colorado pieces.

 

[trekrun]

Jeremy,
Collect what appeals to you based on criteria - design and / or player selection.
One year versus another plays into whether to collect or simply pass.
I believe we had that discussion on Saturday.
norm

 

[cbjhockey61]

I like the idea of extending the set as a live project. It's sort of like a player collection checklist except that your player is the set itself, and the checklist features only new cards for that player.

Does that make sense? And FWIW, I will forever be an advocate of "collect what you like".

Agreed 100%

 

[Ferrian1]

Seems like I may be a bit late to the decision making, but thought I'd throw my input into the brainstorming.

My first thought was you can't just do part of a set - that's the OCD in me talking, I'm a set collector (and a huge fan of Completes) and while I don't finish all the sets, I am always at least attempting to. That's when I realized that I actually have a number of sets where I'm only chasing some cards (ie only the Canada versions of Complete Jerseys from ITG International Ice).

So all that said, I can certainly appreciate the idea of only chasing one version of each player as the set grows. That said, I'd likely also go retroactive to previous years and build the initial checklist with each player that's had an ITG Ultimate Complete Jersey, then just get whichever year becomes available. I also kind of like the extension of doubling up a player when the new item would be a second team - no issues with a Bourque from Boston and Colorado.