How do you build sets? Start with a cheap lot...

I'm going to miss my monthly mall card show.  It really is nothing big to be honest, about 20 tables, but the dealers for the most part are first rate, very friendly and willing to chat you up about anything sports related.

Small wonder I look forward to it huh?

Zach from the Underdog Card Collector blog actually left me a comment recently, wondering if I could write a post about how I collect sets.

As far as older sets go, I usually get lucky.   Case in point, my "big" purchase from the last show.

The sticker that was next to it?  "Boxed starter sets, 1/2 price"

300 1974 cards for $7.50??  Duh...yes!!  It was from Ray's table (my vintage guy) as well, so I knew that this was a no brainer.

First card inside of the box that I see when I open it?

Not too shabby.

How about the card right underneath it?

After going through the box, it certainly didn't contain 300 commons, with names such as Singleton, Lopes, Luzinski, Pinella, Torre all in there as well.

The cards were also in great shape, not the beat up tired looking cards you usually find in boxes such as these. 

There were quite a few of the "Traded" cards in there, which are part of a separate set, but still will be something worth collecting.  The traded cards were interesting to look at, having only seen them pictured on other blogs in the past.

For the most part, any of the older sets that I've started to collect have begun with "starter sets" such as this.  I even use eBay with the search term "starter set" to go through older cards, looking for cheap lots to get a heads up on building these sets.

I've also been lucky, I've had other great bloggers out there help me out with some great trades/donations towards my '73, '75 and '77 sets. 

Newer sets are the exact opposite, usually built through packs and trades.  Maybe I'll try and find a way to build one from scratch without buying any packs.  We shall see....

Thanks for reading, Robert