I've pinched this quote off Beamer regarding another topic:
"I have thousands of sets and out of them, less than 10 are true masters. I know what my limits are and I know which sets I have to have in master form"

Now I don't have 'thousands of sets' but I have completed (currently) 887 of them to base card level. However, since I only collect from 1970 to 2000 about 90% of them become complete once I have the base set the accompanying stickers, sometimes 6xfoils, an unopened pack and a wrapper. Sets of that vintage rarely had more than one fairly common promo, sometimes had a single auto and rarely if never had prop cards, costume cards or sell sheets. More than half of these sets never even had parallels.

So what constitutes a master set then? Just picking three random sets for example, Topps Baby, Cornerstone Avengers 1 and Comic Images Olivia 1, none of them had an auto, one had 11 stickers but no promo.One had no stickers and no promo and the third just had 6 foils.

Are these Master sets once collected? If so I must have at least 2-300 Master sets.

This comes around every so often, and here it is again...

We all get so hung up on labels. Master Set? Different things to different people.

To some, it's just what you could get in packs.

To some, wrappers and promos too.

Some must have a binder, if made.

Some must have sell sheets, empty boxes, even full boxes.

You get the idea.

THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO COLLECT

Collect what makes you happy. If you cannot be happy without "Everything" then I understand not wanting to start a set. Who am I to tell you how to collect?

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
This comes around every so often, and here it is again...

We all get so hung up on labels. Master Set? Different things to different people.

To some, it's just what you could get in packs.

To some, wrappers and promos too.

Some must have a binder, if made.

Some must have sell sheets, empty boxes, even full boxes.

You get the idea.

THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO COLLECT

Collect what makes you happy. If you cannot be happy without "Everything" then I understand not wanting to start a set. Who am I to tell you how to collect?

Ed

Yes, well as much as I agree with your last sentiment and "collect what makes you happy" will always be my credo, why is it so difficult to quantify what constitutes a Master set?
For mine, the base set, all other cards pertaining to the set, definitely a wrapper or better an unopened pack, promos and a sell sheet must be it. You couldn't seriously consider an unopened box to be part of a Master set surely??

It's hard to quantify because collecting is a passion. And people are passionate about passions
There are a few of my customers who consider a master set as including a sealed box, a sealed pack, empty versions, sell sheets, etc.
I myself, consider only cards as part of a master set. The other stuff as *fluff*.

quote:

Originally posted by btlfannz:

Yes, well as much as I agree with your last sentiment and "collect what makes you happy" will always be my credo, why is it so difficult to quantify what constitutes a Master set?
For mine, the base set, all other cards pertaining to the set, definitely a wrapper or better an unopened pack, promos and a sell sheet must be it. You couldn't seriously consider an unopened box to be part of a Master set surely??

I wouldn't, but some others would.

I have heard some card collectors refer to there stacks of unopened boxes as their card collection also. I would disagree. As far as I'm concerned it's just inventory, open it and it becomes part of a collection.

Yet there are people who buy boxes and even archive boxes just to gather dust and never see the cards. Personnally I can't hold on to a sealed box for more than two days before I have to open it.

quote:

Originally posted by btlfannz:
Yes, well as much as I agree with your last sentiment and "collect what makes you happy" will always be my credo, why is it so difficult to quantify what constitutes a Master set?
For mine, the base set, all other cards pertaining to the set, definitely a wrapper or better an unopened pack, promos and a sell sheet must be it. You couldn't seriously consider an unopened box to be part of a Master set surely??

Not my place to tell someone that they are doing it wrong if they want a sealed box. That was my point.

I collect cards. I don't collect packs, wrappers, boxes, etc. But I don't judge those that do.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Personally I can't hold on to a sealed box for more than two days before I have to open it.

Two days!!!! OMG!! Such self control!! For mine if it makes it from the letterbox to the house unopened it's probably raining!