One Expensive Card or Several Cheaper Cards?
 

Would you rather have the one "BIG" card in your collection or several items of lesser value?

For me, the big card isn't PC but kinda cool to own. Now I only collect 90s Broncos and Demaryius Thomas. Feels like I only have this is to say I have one.

I guess it depends on rarity for me. If that big one is one you really want, and you may not see it again. I'd go that way. If the big one pops up often, then I could go either way

I own several "BIG" cards. Some PC, some non-PC. I just like the knowledge that I have cards other people want and if it means I can use it as a bargaining chip towards a card I want to own, then all the better. Little cheaper cards don't move the needle as much for me personally.

I like the Big Card approach for the simple matter of that if ur ever in a pinch it’s easier and quicker to move.

If it isn't PC, then a feeling of regret or resell will become palpable sometime in the future, often more near term than far.

I buy football the least out of the 4 sports, but as a card collector, several cool PC cards will always trump one big one unless you're debating a Brady lol Your PC is already entrenched so it depends on how many on your current wantlists. If not much, and your funds are workable without blinking, then the big one maybe a good call. Straying from your focus gets attractive from time to time so hopefully one big card doesn't cause a tangent.

I’m in the process of converting my cheaper cards into bigger cards, kind of.

I’d rather have one big card. I wish I could get rid of the bulk of my cards for a few larger ones. Seems hard to do.

I like the bigger cards

One jumbo card or many mini cards?

Depends what that “BIG” card is and how rare it is compared to the couple lower end cards are ,

90% of my collection is just big cards

Without naming the cards this is hard to judge.

Really, just depends on cards. I have purchased many Marcus Allen cards that are /5 or /10 for under $5. At the same time, some of his cards, like a Black Gold 1/1, might be priced closed to $100. I would take the 20 random /5 cards over the Black Gold 1/1. Bigger in this case is just some random person wants more.

Likewise I would take a Walter Peyton PSA 7 rc over that hot rookie auto...which would likely cost more.

Or as best stated by someone famous, "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

[QUOTE=mike1498;13729112]Without naming the cards this is hard to judge.[/QUOTE]

10x $100 semi-rare PC cards or 1x $1000 Brady RC auto

I agree with both sides. I enjoyed acquiring the Brady but I love going through the 90s Broncos.

[QUOTE=daviswr7;13728333]I like the Big Card approach for the simple matter of that if ur ever in a pinch it’s easier and quicker to move.[/QUOTE]

It's less work to sell one big card, but far easier to move cheaper cards. On eBay you never know if the bidder will pay on anything over $300.

[QUOTE=rittdk01;13729191]It's less work to sell one big card, but far easier to move cheaper cards. On eBay you never know if the bidder will pay on anything over $300.[/QUOTE]

Is this true? I’ve sold several high end graded comics and never had issues, never high end cards...

Big.

Never trade a five-carat diamond for five one-karat diamonds.

-Jerry Buss

[QUOTE=49erRCCollector;13729364]Is this true? I’ve sold several high end graded comics and never had issues, never high end cards...[/QUOTE]

Kind of just common sense. A lot less people That will pour $1,000 into a card vs someone that will buy a $10 card. Expensive cards have a smaller audience that can afford it.

[QUOTE=seabass97166;13729392]Big.

[B]Never trade a five-carat diamond for five one-karat diamonds.

-Jerry Buss[/B][/QUOTE]

Ah-great quote, re: Kobe

I like the fewer, but better card(s) idea.

+1 , i rather have 1 x 52 topps mantle

A big card to me is $100 - $150 lol, I've moved on lots of smaller stuff so I could get a few Elways and Mannings all on card and limit myself to specific Broncos flawless or National Treasures, Champ Bailey, DT and TD

I decided rather have an Elway auto as above than multiple smaller cards of other players

One thing to remember is some big cards didn't start off as big cards......

[QUOTE=daviswr7;13728333]I like the Big Card approach for the simple matter of that if ur ever in a pinch it’s easier and quicker to move.[/QUOTE]

Flip that upside down. If you are ever in a pinch, you have to sell your one big card. If you had a series of smaller cards, you could sell some of them and still have cards left over.

quality over quantity all the time, every time.

[QUOTE=rainmaker;13730580]quality over quantity all the time, every time.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't say "Every Time". Just depends on where you park your money.

If you collect QB's, just for fun, and you wanted to buy something in 2014.

Right out of the gate you could have bought a nice high end Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel auto RC. Those were "Big" cards from the #1 & #2 QB's taken.

You could have picked up a high grade Topps Chrome auto of BB or Johnny Football for say $300 each. OR, if you were looking at Quantity, you could have skipped those two, that sold for so much, and picked up the next 3 QB's taken (One High End auto of each) instead
Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr & Jimmy Garoppolo

Sure, Teddy B is not worth very much now. But zero question that a High End Auto of those 3 would have been better than just one auto of BB or Johnny Manziel.

One Johnny Football for $300 or one Teddy B + one Carr + one Jimmy Jesus for the same $300 at the time.

Depends on the card, id rather have several lebron chrome rookies or trout updates as opposed to one parallel.

[QUOTE=jason122883;13728320]I guess it depends on rarity for me. If that big one is one you really want, and you may not see it again. I'd go that way. If the big one pops up often, then I could go either way[/QUOTE]

I did this earlier in the year. I bought a BGS 10 Ken Griffey, Jr. UD rookie simply because the pop is insanely low and they don't pop up very often.

I knew I'd see one again, but the likelihood of the price being at least doubled the next time would've been extremely high. That's not to say I don't have other "big" (at least for me) cards in my collection, but this was one of those I just [I][B]had[/B][/I] to have.

[QUOTE=Siberian13;13728552]I’d rather have one big card. I wish I could get rid of the bulk of my cards for a few larger ones. Seems hard to do.[/QUOTE]

Donate them to a children's hospital.

[QUOTE=Grid;13730828]I wouldn't say "Every Time". Just depends on where you park your money.

If you collect QB's, just for fun, and you wanted to buy something in 2014.

Right out of the gate you could have bought a nice high end Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel auto RC. Those were "Big" cards from the #1 & #2 QB's taken.

You could have picked up a high grade Topps Chrome auto of BB or Johnny Football for say $300 each. OR, if you were looking at Quantity, you could have skipped those two, that sold for so much, and picked up the next 3 QB's taken (One High End auto of each) instead
Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr & Jimmy Garoppolo

Sure, Teddy B is not worth very much now. But zero question that a High End Auto of those 3 would have been better than just one auto of BB or Johnny Manziel.

One Johnny Football for $300 or one Teddy B + one Carr + one Jimmy Jesus for the same $300 at the time.[/QUOTE]

This applies to 2012 as well with Wilson.

[QUOTE=bamafan3559;13731282]Donate them to a children's hospital.[/QUOTE]

I'm only referring to cards I would need to sell to help with my own health issues and other needs. Just meant there are so many of them. I'm sure there are some base cards I could donate, somewhere in the closet.

[QUOTE=RYBOWSKI97;13730987]Depends on the card, id rather have several lebron chrome rookies or trout updates as opposed to one parallel.[/QUOTE]

This.

It always depends on the card... and if you are selling or keeping... and what you consider big.

One $500 card or 10 $50 Cards? Probably the $500

LeBron SPX RC Auto (which I think is an incredibly ugly and overrated card) for $7,000 just making up a number... whatever it goes for these days

Or a LeBron Chrome PSA 10, LeBron Finest PSA 10, Brady Chrome PSA 10, Trout Update PSA 10, Rodgers Chrome PSA 10 with $1,500 left to spend still...

I’ll take the PSA’s. I have no interest in having $7,000 invested in a singular LeBron SPX

Lots of factors

Usually I would take 1 better card.. the exception would be a full rainbow of a lower ended card. The rainbow is harder to do, more satisfying, and sometimes looks better than just 1 big card.

I would rather own few high dollar blue chip cards.

[QUOTE=Grid;13730510]Flip that upside down. If you are ever in a pinch, you have to sell your one big card. If you had a series of smaller cards, you could sell some of them and still have cards left over.[/QUOTE]

That is true... I'm on both sides...

I've sold well over half the number of cards in my collection, I had numbers wise, over the past few years, but put that cash back into buying higher valued cards. (100 $5 cards into one $500 card etc)

However, I'll give an example from the quote. I currently have 9 Michael Jordan Autos. I could sell them all and maybe get one nice Exquisite one. Now exquisite cards are gorgeous, but I like looking at the various cards and I could sell some and still have Jordan Autos in my collection. Sell that 1 and it's gone...

The key to this thread is what you consider expensive

Less is more.

[QUOTE=asujbl;13731424]The key to this thread is what you consider expensive[/QUOTE]

Why would that matter? I get what you're saying...But it's all relative isn't it?

Say $100 is expensive to someone. Would said collector rather have 20 $5, 10 $10 cards or that one $100 card of the player they collect...

Similar if 10K is about your level of collecting, then just use 20 $500, 10 $1,000 etc.

[QUOTE=Beavers98;13731441]Why would that matter? I get what you're saying...But it's all relative isn't it?

Say $100 is expensive to someone. Would said collector rather have 20 $5, 10 $10 cards or that one $100 card of the player they collect...

Similar if 10K is about your level of collecting, then just use 20 $500, 10 $1,000 etc.[/QUOTE]

It absolutely matters

$100 vs 10 $10 cards isn’t the same as a $5,000 card vs 10 $500 cards

Not to me at least

Would I rather have a couple $75K cars or a $750K car isn’t the same as a $50K car or 10 cars at $5K each

Again it’s not a “rule” but it’s a huge factor

The fact we completely disagree is proof

[QUOTE=asujbl;13731610]It absolutely matters

$100 vs 10 $10 cards isn’t the same as a $5,000 card vs 10 $500 cards

Not to me at least

Would I rather have a couple $75K cars or a $750K car isn’t the same as a $50K car or 10 cars at $5K each

Again it’s not a “rule” but it’s a huge factor

The fact we completely disagree is proof[/QUOTE]

Yep, agree to disagree.

I absolutely see it as relative to your situation. I thought about the car example, but cars, houses, and the like I don't quite relate as much to collectibles.

Where as $100 may be a lot of money for cards to one collector, another may buy cards in the thousands on the regular. Totally different ideas on what's expensive etc. For a PC collector, I can see the argument of 10 $500 cards vs one $5,000 card. or 10 $10 vs $100 as mentioned.

Buy what you like man. Are you going to be happy only having one card of said player? If you are then great. This is a hobby, it's supposed to be about having fun and doing what you want to do not what others tell you. Everyone's budget and circumstances are different.