Quantity or Quality: What do you prefer?

[JasonBanz]

Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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

[Sonny25]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

Quality for the collection and Quantity to build the collection.

[Mulligans]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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!

[mariner_gamers]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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]

Re: Quality vs. Quantity

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.......