Supercollector Opinions

[baseball24]

I was thinking about this the other day. Is there a certain percentage that needs to be attained before I should even consider sending in a supercollector application?

And while we're on this topic. Does collecting a current player get more "leeway" compared to collecting a lesser known retired player. Current players have a lot more 1/1s and low-serial numbered inserts that are nearly impossible to find. I think the last time I checked for Cabrera, he had nearly 1000 1/1s alone!

I am not sure exactly where I am with Cabrera right now, but I was at around the 12-15% mark. But when you take out GU, autos, and serial numbered, that number is much closer to 40%

I'm kinda thinking I don't have enough to get the supercollector tag. If you feel the same way, help me out my trading me some I need.

I know this supercollector thing is just a badge in your profile, but I am more getting opinions on how to improve my collection. I'm thinking maybe if people associate my name with "Miguel Cabrera collector" maybe I could get more trading traffic.

 

[Rarthur]

For reference,

I applied for a Rich Harden super collector title here a couple years back with around 15-16% and was told I essentially wasn't close. At the same time I think with all numbered cards, AU, and GU removed I'd be around 60-70% of his stuff. It obviously matters how many cards you have and such. Where would you be at sheer numbers wise?

 

[slavlite]

Technically there is no fixed percentage.

Generally the Lower the number of total cards a player has, the higher percentage we look for.

I will use myself as an exapmle.

When I first applied and got the tag I had around 20% of Maddux cards ( at the time that was right around 1800/8500 at the time.)

Looking at my numbers now, Maddux total card number has nearly reached 11K and I have just under 4K So in a little over 3 or 4 years, I have only gone up in percentage about 10 Points but have amassed over 2k more maddux cards when I first got the tag. (numbers in my signature are out of date, In the middle of an entire recount of Maddux I have in hand)

There really is no leeway. All collections are voted on as an individual basis. Having non card items always helps.

Not sure how many cards Miggy has total...

 

[baseball24]

Miggy is at 7,632 so I am around 13.1% of his total cards.

I did misspeak earlier. As far as base and inserts go, I would assume I am near 50-60%.

I do assume I need to raise my percentage for consideration. I do have some decent non-card items though.

I will go through your Maddux and Harden lists respectively to see if I have anything you guys need and thanks for the input.

 

[valediction]

I was thinking about this the other day. Is there a certain percentage that needs to be attained before I should even consider sending in a supercollector application?

And while we're on this topic. Does collecting a current player get more "leeway" compared to collecting a lesser known retired player. Current players have a lot more 1/1s and low-serial numbered inserts that are nearly impossible to find. I think the last time I checked for Cabrera, he had nearly 1000 1/1s alone!

I am not sure exactly where I am with Cabrera right now, but I was at around the 12-15% mark. But when you take out GU, autos, and serial numbered, that number is much closer to 40%

I'm kinda thinking I don't have enough to get the supercollector tag. If you feel the same way, help me out my trading me some I need.

I know this supercollector thing is just a badge in your profile, but I am more getting opinions on how to improve my collection. I'm thinking maybe if people associate my name with "Miguel Cabrera collector" maybe I could get more trading traffic.

I would think as long as you have the 'easy' cards pretty well covered, and a good start to the others, you'd at least have a shot. I talked to a few player collectors I know and it always amazed me how they'd go after gu/auto/low # stuff with so much enthusiasm, but they'd be missing a good portion of the base, non SP'ed cards. Seemed to me kind of like trying to build a pyramid from the top down.

 

[baseball24]

I would think as long as you have the 'easy' cards pretty well covered, and a good start to the others, you'd at least have a shot. I talked to a few player collectors I know and it always amazed me how they'd go after gu/auto/low # stuff with so much enthusiasm, but they'd be missing a good portion of the base, non SP'ed cards. Seemed to me kind of like trying to build a pyramid from the top down.

I have been amazed by that as well. It gives their collections the more of the "wow" factor for sure though.

I have always focused more on base, inserts, parallels because they are easier to obtain (and afford). I do have a decent start on the autos/GU/etc. as well, but it seems like I am always fighting an uphill battle with the whole percentage thing. Every time a new set comes out, it seems like there are 2 or 3 base and insert cards along with 5 or 6 autos/GU/parallels that are numbered 100 or less (plus 4 or who knows how many printing plates). Even if I pick up one of the tougher to get cards, I am still missing a huge chunk from the set.

 

[cjay101]

It's variable due to many factors. I submitted my Jerry Rice collection at least 3 times over 5 years and just got in last year.

The bigger the name, the more impressive it needs to be. That being said, the smaller, low-product players need to be VERY impressive.

I myself consider ALL issued cards on my votes. People that subtract 1/1's and other things from their percentage will not get sympathy from me.

Then again, I own exactly 1 Jerry Rice 1/1 out of the hundreds/thousands there are.

I tend to vote towards not just sheer numbers, but look at the value/rarity of what the person has (quality over quantity - would I rather have 1 Rice auto /10 or 100 base cards from a list?) I also am very impressed when people have a lot of sought-out non-card extras as well (memoribilia, figures, etc)

Having said that, you're looking at 10+ people voting on each collection. Everyone has their own criteria. Submit it once and see where it goes.

Cory

 

[PitofSteel]

I do believe that the "unique" factor helps. I have a Winfield shrine in my bonus room where my wife had framed magazines with Winfield on it and cards surrounding it and then there are two shelves with 3000 hit ticket stubs a hat, bobbleheads etc. This all along with the collection of cards I have of him helps with the whole process. Im not saying go out and paint a mural of Miggy on your car But you know what I mean.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Dilferules]

If you take out all GU, autographed, and serial-numbered cards then you're removing almost all of the expensive cards and the majority of what's left is base cards and easy to find inserts/parallels. To be a supercollector I would imagine somebody would have to have the vast majority of those cards, well above 50-60%. Plus of course a nice selection of GU, autographs, low-numbered cards, and some non-card items help.
Richard

 

[Dilferules]

I tend to vote towards not just sheer numbers, but look at the value/rarity of what the person has (quality over quantity - would I rather have 1 Rice auto /10 or 100 base cards from a list?)

I replied before I saw this. I see your point that a collection definitely needs some of those WOW cards and obviously a /10 auto is a lot cooler than 100 base cards. But to me part of being a supercollector is fanatically devoting yourself to finding all the cards you can of that player. So if you have a nice collection of rare autographs but are missing hundreds of "cheap" cards to me that means you just check eBay and have some money to spend, you're not a supercollector. To be a true supercollector you need to search all over the place to find the cards you don't have.

But maybe that's just my opinion, coming from somebody who collects a cheaper player who amassed the bulk of my collection while I was a broke college student, heh.
Richard

 

[Dilferules]

Oops double post!

 

[baseball24]

Guess I'll probably have to hold off on sending anything in then. I just don't like how he has near/over 1000 1/1s alone (I was told this last year I think, not sure if it is true/still true or not as I don't have Beckett).

 

[Rarthur]

By my count on Beckett.com Cabrera has roughly 2050 1/1 cards out of 7646 total recognized cards

 

[slavlite]

By my count on Beckett.com Cabrera has roughly 2050 1/1 cards out of 7646 total recognized cards

Same with Maddux. However I have been able to scrounge up near 40 1/1's (a good half of them Moments and Milestones Red cards) But that still leave about 3000 Cabrera cards that should be attainable if not all "easily" obtainable.

If you submitted an app with 3000 Miggy cards/ 7646 You'd get my vote

 

[DaClyde]

In some cases, you can get by on the "somebody actually collects him?!" factor (though having 90+% of his cards at the time probably helped).

 

[Dilferules]

In some cases, you can get by on the "somebody actually collects him?!" factor (though having 90+% of his cards at the time probably helped).

Ooh does that mean I can get double supercollector status with my 199/200 plus full GU jersey and shoes Todd Van Poppel collection?

Richard

 

[tribefan]

By my count on Beckett.com Cabrera has roughly 2050 1/1 cards out of 7646 total recognized cards

That is obscene.

I can't recall what percentage I had when I landed the Thome SC badge but I'm certain it was over 30% plus I have autographed memorabilia, stadium giveaways, etc. Soon after, 2008 Topps M&M came out and it's been an uphill battle since. I've been closing in on 45% for a long time but the following keeps happening to me (no different than the problems others have already mentioned)...

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots JT
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini JT
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Black JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Cyan JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Magenta JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Yellow JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Black JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Cyan JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Magenta JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Yellow JT #1/1

First two in hand. The others? Little chance.

1/1s used to be unique. Not any longer, especially when I hold two identical #1/1s of the same card, same player, same color. Just saying.

 

[baseball24]

That is obscene.

I can't recall what percentage I had when I landed the Thome SC badge but I'm certain it was over 30% plus I have autographed memorabilia, stadium giveaways, etc. Soon after, 2008 Topps M&M came out and it's been an uphill battle since. I've been closing in on 45% for a long time but the following keeps happening to me (no different than the problems others have already mentioned)...

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots JT
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini JT
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Black JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Cyan JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Magenta JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Mini Printing Plates Yellow JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Black JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Cyan JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Magenta JT #1/1
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Moonshots Printing Plates Yellow JT #1/1

First two in hand. The others? Little chance.

1/1s used to be unique. Not any longer, especially when I hold two identical #1/1s of the same card, same player, same color. Just saying.

I agree! These 1/1s are getting ridiculous. In your case, 2/10 of the cards you listed are non-1/1s... it seems to be happening with every set as well. One base card or insert comes out, then 4 1/1s come with it.

Topps M&M was a killer as well (07 hurts, but 08 is rough as Cabrera has 3 cards in the set).

 

[KCLJ520]

As long as Topps and Bowman keep printing cards, players are going to continue to be hard to super collect!

 

[mrmopar]

The theory here is that those easy cards will always be easy and you have to nab the rare and low print run cards when you have a chance.

There may be a few commons I might be missing, but it is probably only by mistake. However, I am still seeking some serial numbered cards that in today's market don't seem that rare (#'d/50 for example) and they just have dried up.

My player collection is impressive and fairly complete from a "known cards issued" standpoint, minus the 1/1s (although I have my fair share of those even), but the "other" category clinches it for me. I would rather find something unique that is a photo, postcard, button, can, poster or some other oddball item than to get yet another boring card with the same recycled photos. I just landed 2 wax boxes, one regular pack and one cello pack that featured him on the box. The boxes are red and blue. I didn't have either, now I have 2 variations!

It's all in fun of course, but real super collectors don't need no stinkin' badge! I have no doubt that I would get it hands down and if I didn't, I would question the voters and/or the process, but I just don't feel the need to apply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaxURLFn6jU

I talked to a few player collectors I know and it always amazed me how they'd go after gu/auto/low # stuff with so much enthusiasm, but they'd be missing a good portion of the base, non SP'ed cards. Seemed to me kind of like trying to build a pyramid from the top down.