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View Full Version : Quantity or Quality: What do you prefer?



Chris78
02-22-2008, 03:48 PM
Hi, I wanted to get everyone's opinion on this and I have not seen a topic like this posted recently.

When buying your game used items do you prefer to spend money, let's say $1,000, on 6 or 7 jerseys (or bats, etc.), or get 1 or 2 jerseys (or bats, etc.) for the $1,000? I have bought a few jerseys that have cost a decent amount, but I personally have been doing more of the quantity approach and may spread out the $1,000 that I am spending. I am curious on what other people do. I know that some of you collect for a particular team or player, while others may spread it out more.

Thank you to anyone that responds.

Chris

bigtruck260
02-22-2008, 03:54 PM
Quality over QTY any day.

D

medindians25
02-22-2008, 03:59 PM
I want to do quality, but every time I get money from selling stuff, a good deal pops up on cheaper stuff, so I buy that.

suave1477
02-22-2008, 04:00 PM
Well this is another topic as far as the way your asking the question that no one can answer honestly.

It would boil down too what's in your pocket and what's on the market at that moment.

If I have a thousand dollars and 10 bats are available that I want for a $100 each I would buy all 10.
Same thing if there is a Jersey available for a $1000 I would buy the Jersey.

I would think it boils down to availability of the item, money you have available, and the biggest one of all, what your looking for at that moment.

otismalibu
02-22-2008, 04:09 PM
I realize this is mostly a baseball board, but that thread title begs a Wilt Chamberlain reference.

kingjammy24
02-22-2008, 04:16 PM
I realize this is mostly a baseball board, but that thread title begs a Wilt Chamberlain reference.

greg, you've been on fire lately. another excellent zinger!

if only i could upload a midi file of a rimshot.

rudy.

Chris78
02-22-2008, 04:18 PM
No, that is not what I meant (in reference to Wilt Chamberlain).

I am also thinking in terms of what Web sites you may use in terms of buying your items. There are 3 different game used Web sites that I look at frequently and each one is different in terms of baseball jerseys that they mainly offer. One tends to have high-priced jerseys (basically no low priced jerseys), another has mainly moderately priced jerseys with some high end and some low end, and the other has more lower priced jerseys (does have a few higher priced jerseys). I would identify these by name but I am not sure if I am allowed.

godwulf
02-22-2008, 04:41 PM
I'd have to agree with 'suave' - it's very situational. I think it's a natural human tendency, particularly as it relates to the collecting instinct, to go for "lots of things", and so to lean toward quantity - but occasionally that once in a lifetime opportunity to own one very cool, very expensive thing arises, and you know that if you go for it, your budget is shot and you may have to forgo any other buying for awhile, but you just have to own that one thing.

I just had a thought, though. Permit me to rephrase the question...and I think that it remains the same question, if you think about it.

Think of the one item that would have to be the Holy Grail of your chosen collecting niche. I collect, almost exclusively, Arizona Diamondbacks stuff, so for me it would have to be the bat Luis Gonzalez used to bloop that single over Jeter's head in Game 7 in 2001 to win the World Series. (I believe it's in Cooperstown, so it's not going to be on the market any time soon, but assume that it is.) I can't think of any more important or iconic piece of DBacks memorabilia in existence. Picture what that one item would be for you.

If you don't have a large collection yet, assume that you do. Now...would you trade every game-used piece, every bat, jersey, stick, helmet, whatever...every autograph, photo, card, pennant, etc...for that single, very important item?

Chris78
02-22-2008, 05:00 PM
I would not trade everything I own for that one item. I am a Steelers fan and would not trade my collection (which includes game used, autographs, cards, etc.) for the Lombardi Trophy that the Steelers got when they won Super Bowl XL (or any of the other Super Bowls for that matter). Although, it would be tempting.

Thank you for some of the feedback that you guys are posting.

geoff
02-22-2008, 05:03 PM
To me it would depend on the Situation.But I would take more than less in most instances I guess.Unless its an item from a player that you collect and you need that item in your collection.

karamaxjoe
02-22-2008, 05:30 PM
Everybody's view of quality is going to be different. One mans high quality game worn jersey is another mans waste of time. My view of high quality is a perfect flannel. I would consider low quality a jersey from last few seasons since they are over produced. Of course, this is my opinion which can be drastically different than the next guy.

When I started collecting I was more focused on building a collection and most of the stuff I collected was inexpensive and may or may not have been the real deal. I guess you would call that low quality stuff. Over the years I have sold off most of the stuff I considered low quality and concentrated on higher quality items. Where I used to add a dozen jerseys to my collection per year, I now am lucky to add one or two since I'm not wasting my time or money on low quality stuff.

Less is more or more is less; it's up to you.

Mike

AWA85
02-22-2008, 05:46 PM
This is a tough one because I am looking at this problem right now. I could purchase 2 or 3 jerseys from the Reds or instead I get one with american flag patch and is a little more unique. Earlier I was leaning towards a few cheap ones, but maybe I should just go with the one.

joelsabi
02-22-2008, 05:55 PM
If you don't have a large collection yet, assume that you do. Now...would you trade every game-used piece, every bat, jersey, stick, helmet, whatever...every autograph, photo, card, pennant, etc...for that single, very important item?

Tough question. It depends . 1 item does not make a collection. It make a great start to a collection but most people spend a lot of time and effort to get to a point where they have a bat, jersey , helmet, etc. Guess it depends if you can start over again knowing that similiar items will come up for sale again. if yes then its very tempting.

b.heagy
02-22-2008, 05:57 PM
Both :D

gingi79
02-22-2008, 06:21 PM
Think of the one item that would have to be the Holy Grail of your chosen collecting niche. Would you trade every game-used piece, every bat, jersey, stick, helmet, whatever...every autograph, photo, card, pennant, etc...for that single, very important item?

What a great question. Considering Barry Meisel owns my grail (1994 Stanley Cup Finals Black Photomatched Vancouver Canucks Pavel Bure) I wondered what the selling price would be (He claims he'll never sell it. Damn Rangers Fan lol) I estimate that if I won the Powerball, I could offer him enough money to get it.

However, in my 10 years of collecting game worn items and 20 years as a collectors of cards, autographs, die cast, etc, selling everything to get that one item would make me happy.....until the fun of first owning in would wear off. Then I'd miss my current Bure which is rare enough seeing as he only won this style in Vancouver for one year. I'd miss the Linden, the Salo's, all my Braves uni's etc. More importantly, I wouldn't want to give up the memories that these items inspire every time I see them.

So I guess I answered both questions. I'd rather have my quantity collection than my quality grail. (But I still want it Barry!)

JasonBanz
04-15-2010, 03:54 PM
I think I've come to a conclusion. I've been into the game used hobby for over a year now. I would buy things because they were pretty inexpensive or because I was just having a buying withdraw. My conclusion is I would rather have quality over quantity. In the past week I have and am posting 10 items on ebay to help me get one item that is much better than everything else combined. While it may not be a "grail" per se, it is something that makes my collection better.

Is there anyone else who feels the same way I do? Are there some that don't feel the way I do? I have heard from some people on a previous thread, but I am wondering how everyone else feels. Thanks!

Mattapan03
04-15-2010, 04:09 PM
Duly noted. I agree its all about quality that makes the collection enjoyable

Sonny25
04-15-2010, 04:44 PM
Agreed 100%.

I've found that I'm the same way when I haven't purchased anything in awhile.

A month or so ago after I lost out on the NBA All-Star jerseys I spent around a $1,000 on a Jets playoff TD ball (Possibly Sanchez 1st career playoff TD, or Shonn Greene's) & a Brandon Marshall ball he caught a couple times from his record setting game against the Colts from JO.

I bought those two footballs because I lost out on the all-star jerseys. lol

And I'm not a big football collector AT ALL, so now I'm debating on whether or not I wanna keep them or let them go.

CampWest
04-15-2010, 04:53 PM
I think it depends on the definition of quality. Is quality a well used meaningful item or is quality implying high cost? When we see these discussions its generally cost, ie 100 bats @ $30 each, or 3 bats @ $1000 each?

Quality doesn't have to be expensive, its all a matter of who and what you are collecting and what you value in a bat/item.

As primarily a team collector of a small market team thats had a bad showing for about 20 straight seasons, there is not much expensive quality for me to get.

George Brett will cost a lot. Bo Jackson a bit. But not much else.

Personally, I get just as much enjoyment out of a $25 Mike MacFarlane bat (that went through the wringer for 80 games and is beaten and battered with custom tape, loads of tar and a hundred ball marks) as I do for a barely used bat that runs $400 of a guy I don't collect.

To me, a big factor in quality is the amount of use a bat received from the player and but the biggest factor in price is the name on the bat.

I'm not saying Quality is bad, just that its all in the definition of quality. Personally, I do not want any poor quality bats (but that doesnt mean I dont like the occassional inexpensive bat).

I think to your point, I have been doing pretty good in not buying bats that don't fit my collecting goals. I haven't purchased a trendy player bat with little/no use and paid a gob of money for something I do not enjoy - thats what I consider poor quality/poor value.

UGA-1
04-15-2010, 07:30 PM
I agree it a matter of perspective, and I have done both. At one point I had close to 30 jerseys and about 10 helmets. Within that lot was many memories and stories involved with the hunt. But I was missing that one or two items that really make a collector go "Wow!". It seemed like everytime a really nice item came up, I had spent my money on several nice but not great pieces. So I recently decided go the other direction and I have sold all but 3 jerseys from my original collection and used some the money to purchase 2 more "grail" items of my favorite player. I will admit that I do miss some of the other jerseys and helmets, but when I look at the quailty items I have now, that feeling dissapears. For me this was a good move.

Just to add... My definition of "quaility" has nothing to do with cost. It has to do with scarcity and what other people would like to have in their collection if we collected the same team,player,whatever.

geoff
04-15-2010, 09:48 PM
I would rather have Quality then Quantity these Days.Back when I first Started Collecting in 2005-2006 I wanted just to get Game Used Items from almost any Player.Now I like to have Nice Pieces to Display And for Investment Purposes.Like I got A Cal Ripken JR Game Used Bat A few Months ago via Trade And I had to give up some Quality Bats in return.But To get A Ripken Bat I thought it was worth it.I only Collect Quality Items now for The most part.Just A Example I am giving here.


Thanks
Geoff

scottanservitz
04-15-2010, 09:56 PM
I agree with everyone that quality is in the collector's eyes. But I also agree that I find myself buying common players bats and jerseys and then end up flipping those to purchase a star player bat or jersey. I feel better in the long run that a) star player equipment is easier to sell to fund other purchases and b) star player equipment hold their value better. So from now on I will only buy a common player if I really like that player and really am staying on target staying within my collecting goals. I collect HOF bats and NFL jerseys of 10,000 yard rushers.

stlbats
04-15-2010, 11:13 PM
I consider quality an item that has some provenance or is somewhat "unquestionable". For example, all of my Cardinals bats have the correct player # on the knob/barrel ends, player characteristics, ect. I have passed on many players bats that I needed because they were suspect. No or incorrect knob info, ect. I dont really figure cost into quality.

Just my 2 cents.

stlbats

legaleagle92481
04-15-2010, 11:28 PM
I think quality is the only way to go. personally all of my items are of allstar and legendary caliber players and come with top of the line authenticity backed up by my amateur photomatching skills and common sense. I try to save my money for as rare items as I can find and constantly search for them. i can see people going for quantity though like if you like a particular player or team and just want to accumulate as much related to it as possible. i just find that hard to do because 1. players move around so much so by collecting a team after a couple of years your stuck with jerseys of guys who are not even on the team anymore. 2. it would personally bug me if instead of say a tom brady jersey hit the market and i had spent my money on 200 jerseys of mediocre players and now had to pass on it. 3. space and storage are always factors and it is hard to store 100s of items in one's home 4. you will always be able to get something back for stars if you have to sell even if you lose a bit but most minor players in 15 years one will be lucky to get anything back at all.

Lokee
04-16-2010, 12:58 PM
Quality for the collection and Quantity to build the collection. :)

Mulligans
04-17-2010, 05:28 PM
Quality is always nice, but I just bought a box of 20 real nice gamers for $10 a piece and they are selling like hotcakes at $100+ each......So quantitiy is sometimes nice too if you are doing it to finance the hobby.

I know what you mean though.....I often find myself buying a bunch of stuff just for the Heck of it. Everything is point and click now and quite often our brain doesn't get a chance to really process what we are buying?.....We just buy it because......

JasonBanz
04-17-2010, 05:43 PM
Thanks for all the input.

Mulligans, I can agree with you on that. I've often seen several lots in auction houses. Especially this past Legendary Auctions. As a Dolphins collector it was heaven! Several lots went for way cheap too! There was one lot I was interested. It included 3 jerseys and went for $250 final price. I was only interested in 1. I could have sold the other 2 and made profit and basically got one for free. I've talked to my wife about the possibilty of purchasing lots on auction houses and selling them. She seems ok with it! :D

mariner_gamers
04-17-2010, 05:43 PM
I don't invest I collect. Everyone knows the PC term is to be a "collector" 90% of them are investors. I invest in things outside of baseball..... Baseball is my "happy place" where I can find joy from a forum member offering me a 1982 Jamie Allen gamer. I have already seen a collection better than yours so big items just don't do it for me.......

JasonBanz
04-17-2010, 06:03 PM
I don't invest I collect. Everyone knows the PC term is to be a "collector" 90% of them are investors. I invest in things outside of baseball..... Baseball is my "happy place" where I can find joy from a forum member offering me a 1982 Jamie Allen gamer. I have already seen a collection better than yours so big items just don't do it for me.......

I wouldn't necessarily call it investing. Atleast in my case. I'm looking to purchase a lot of jerseys that has one I want. By selling the rest you basically get the jersey for free. I call that smart collecting.

mariner_gamers
04-17-2010, 08:16 PM
Some people hunt in the wilderness, some on stocked farms and some not at all. I live for the rush so I want to hunt but I don't want sitting ducks. I can find you a real nice Jr. game bat can you find me a 1977 or 78 Jose Baez. He is just a scrub, just one of those nameless players that "only" made it to the majors but didn't excel. He is just more quantity but he is no sitting duck.......

jppopma
04-30-2010, 03:11 AM
I agree that there are many different definitions of quality. To some quality may mean the future HOF players, rookies, or hometown players. To others it may be a rare style, special patch, specific game, well used jersey, etc. I guess that's why we all have are own ideas on what to collect.

Personally, I love to go for quality...but often find my dutch blood winning out and buying quantity. Just too hard to pass up some of the cheap jerseys that are out there.

legaleagle92481
04-30-2010, 08:47 AM
The question to you "investors" is do you as a whole make back more than you spent to obtain the item when taxes, buyer's premiums and shipping costs are factored in? I don't mean the occassional time when you get lucky and get an item really cheap or the value of an item skyrockets from when you bought it I mean overall.

earlywynnfan
06-19-2010, 02:12 PM
I've been wanting to reply to this for some time, so let's bring this thread back to the top.

Regarding quality vs quantity, what about these 2 scenarios:

1) I collect GU bats, but am on a limited budget. I have Coach's bats used by Pee Wee Reese, George Sisler, Billy Herman, and Duke Snider. Do they compare to gamers from their careers? Absolutely not. But altogether I paid much less for all of them than it would cost me of any single one of their career gamers, which I absolutely can't afford. So I guess I'm taking "semi-quality" over nothing??

2) Another part of my collection is single-signed baseballs. I have hundreds and hundreds, from HOFers to guys none of you has ever heard of. Add my costs of these altogether and I could've bought one really nice Ruth ball, and maybe an off-grade Paige. I cannot imagine getting more pleasure from these two baseballs than I've gotten from the daily trip to the mailbox to get a Ken Heintzelman or Moe Burtschy. When my friends come over, I can't point to a ball and say "that's the greatest player who ever lived." But I can see their jaw drop when they see an entire wall filled with baseballs, all with their own stories.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

Jags Fan Dan
06-19-2010, 02:24 PM
Wow, Ken, those are a couple of darn good scenarios where quantity does have a case against quality.

gingi79
06-19-2010, 02:46 PM
I've been wanting to reply to this for some time, so let's bring this thread back to the top.

Regarding quality vs quantity, what about these 2 scenarios:

1) I collect GU bats, but am on a limited budget. I have Coach's bats used by Pee Wee Reese, George Sisler, Billy Herman, and Duke Snider. Do they compare to gamers from their careers? Absolutely not. But altogether I paid much less for all of them than it would cost me of any single one of their career gamers, which I absolutely can't afford. So I guess I'm taking "semi-quality" over nothing?? Ken, I think a HOF bat used to play t-ball or charity softball is still quality. I'd love a Chipper Durham Bulls jersey as everyone can agree, that would be a quality piece. But if he is a hitting instructor with the Braves or a 3rd base coach in 2013 lets say and his jersey comes up for sale, it's still a quality piece. Is it less "high quality" then a 96 Braves jersey? Sure, it's less valuable but the coaches jersey is still more of a quality shirt than say Bobby Joe Butthead's set 2 jersey from 2013.

2) Another part of my collection is single-signed baseballs. I have hundreds and hundreds, from HOFers to guys none of you has ever heard of. Add my costs of these altogether and I could've bought one really nice Ruth ball, and maybe an off-grade Paige. I cannot imagine getting more pleasure from these two baseballs than I've gotten from the daily trip to the mailbox to get a Ken Heintzelman or Moe Burtschy. When my friends come over, I can't point to a ball and say "that's the greatest player who ever lived." But I can see their jaw drop when they see an entire wall filled with baseballs, all with their own stories. This is a perfect rebuttal. Here you have massive quantity rather than one rare quality piece. Except your collection seems so massive that it's sheer size makes it a "quality collection" :D You also mentioned my favorite part of this hobby, going to the mailbox and seeing a package. It's better than a good beer buzz, just intoxicating. I agree Ken, that feeling say 150 times, beats one nice item every time.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

Great post!

Mark17
06-19-2010, 07:33 PM
For me it isn't either-or, it's a point on a scale that is closer to the quantity side.

There's no point in getting a bunch of stuff if it doesn't appeal to you or fit your collecting interests, just because it's cheap. There needs to be a certain quality level that makes the items desireable to you. If they meet that criteria, then I'd go with quantity.

For example, I collect 1960s Twins bats. As long as they were in decent shape (a couple batboy nails are okay), I'd rather have 10 common players I need, than one really nice Killebrew. I have a '64 Killebrew, with no use, and until I make my fortune that's good enough for me.

A very good question someone posed was, would you trade your collection for one spectacular item. Well, my holy grail would be a Ted Williams 1940s bat, impeccable provenance, Taube inspected and GU10. Suppose my collection was of roughly equal value, would I make the trade? No.

Reason is, if I did I would no longer be a collector. I'd have one bat to look at. And that would get pretty boring pretty fast...... So before long, I'd start picking up some commons here and there, getting back to where I had been in the first place.

beaglegypsy003
06-20-2010, 07:04 AM
My primary collecting focus right now is football and any player from the University of Hawaii. Most people if they were to see my collection would think of it as quantity since the jerseys would be of common players. I did find my Holy Grail jersey when I purchased a Gary Allen (all time leading rusher at UH) Cowboys jersey. He only played three seasons in the NFL.

Previously I collected basketball. In that collection I have a 1893-94 cabinet photo of a Philadelphia team; Michael Jordan's 1992 NBA all-star game worn shoes; game worn shoes of Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Pippen, Karl Malone, among others. Game jerseys of Barkley, Rodman, St. Louis Hawks, ABA Kentucky Colonels, etc. I also have a basketball ticket stub and photo from the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany. I also managed to get the signatures of four members of Naismith's first basketball team. So my basketball collection I think would be considered quality items. The funny thing is that I enjoy my football collection more because of seeing the players play in person in Hawaii and move on to professional careers.

One dealer told me a person once sold off his entire collection in order to purchase the ticket stub and program of Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game. After awhile, he sold it, not being satisfied with having just those items represent his collection.

spartanservitto
06-20-2010, 06:47 PM
Quality.

I collect, that doesn't mean you can't invest. I love my game used bats. I also want to know when I look back, these are some of the best players of all time, or at least from my age when I was around baseball 15-23 years old.