Quantity or Quality: What do you prefer?

[karamaxjoe]

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]

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]

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]

Both

[gingi79]

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]

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]

Duly noted. I agree its all about quality that makes the collection enjoyable

[Sonny25]

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]

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]

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.