OK you have just won the lottery and now have unlimited funds. What set of cards would you want to collect? It does not have to be a rare or expensive set, but lets start with R-sets and then list whatever else you'd go after; I'll start. I would probably try to get one of these Gum, Inc. sets - Lone Ranger, Superman or Horros of War. I have some HOW but don't actively collect them cause I know I could never complete it.

I'd go with Lone Ranger, high grade cards, and the premiums.

Jeff - I gave this one some considerable thought and came up with a questionable answer.

In my case, the one set would be R714-24, the Topps "Wheels" set.

Yes, the artwork could be better. However, in my case:
(1) It is an automotive set (what I collect).
(2) It was produced over 3 years, therefore some cards are MUCH scarcer than others.
(3) It has variations (both red and blue backs) on some cards.
(4) It has a corrected error (card number 7).
(5) Each card has automotive trivia on the back.

And while I don't know if anyone else found and published the information on the corrected error card before me, I did find it independently of any reference, and started telling others about it.

I have completed two of the 191 card sets.

Jon.

Sticking to nonsports, I'd go for these:

N36: IMO best looking 19th century set of all.
T68: I like the breadth of figures presented and great art.
R90: Whimsical and fun set.

I'd also go after everything I could find from the 1976 Star Trek set--boxes, wrappers, advertising, uncut, proof, etc.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

Jon What is the error on card 7? Seems I heard of this before but I've slept since then and can't recall. I have this set thru 160 cards plus both wrappers and drool over the last 20.

Jeff - card 7 is a Norton motorcycle.

The original printing stated it was a German motorcycle; which probably caused some Britishers to chew off the end of their mustache, don't you know.

The revised printings correctly labeled the motorcycle as British.

To my knowledge, neither card is scarce; and there seem to be about as many of the error (German) as corrected (British).

And no need to drool over the last 20 cards, just win the lottery :grin: and give me a call :biggrin:

Jon.

http://www1.coe.neu.edu/~dan/wow/j7.html
.
.

Dan Thanks for the pics of the 2 cards. Now I need to look for the corrected card to make my set complete to 160 again.

And you are correct Jon. When I win the lottery I'm going to finish all my original sets - get the flag stickers for the Pirates Bold, finish the Confederate money for Civil War News, get the high number Home Defense, get the high number for World on Wheels.

Maybe I need to win 2 lotteries.

Topps Wings-need to upgrade four.

Yep. #1 is one of them,

Topps Rails and Sails-need to upgrade two.

I like the cards from the early to mid-fifties, when I was a grade school kid.

IF I could only find it a R21 Wolverine Gum BION display box would be at the top of my list. Then minor items like a Strongman No. 4 or maybe a Crime Does Not Pay John Dillenger. Of course complete unopened boxes of R60 G-Men & Heroes Of The Law & R69 Horrors of War would be nice.

IF I could just find them & money was no object. OH SIGH - I can dream.

If money were no object, I'd probably jump the fence and collect.........

(1) N172 Old Judge Baseball cards
(2) N173 Old Judge Cabinets
(3) W600 Sporting Life cabinets

But, you say, 'you have to pick nonsports, you jackwagon'...........
Then....I'd pick.......

(1) R73 Indian Gum master set of 432
(2) Finish up my set of N36 A&G Indians in really nice shape

I would assemble a set of the 1949 Bowman Wild West, all 180 cards in PSA-9, with bone-white borders, perfect registration, and wonderful centering. But I doubt even unlimited funds could achieve this dream, I doubt that such cards exist. Best in collecting, Bill Bengen

I'd just upgrade
Although my tastes seem to change a bit based on all the usual factors - I'd have to say that I'd collect the Goodwin Champions set in NMT (more than that would scare me) - I'd love the round album - and finally the Indians banner. Oh yeah - I would certainly complete the T206 set as I'm half way done and doesn't look promising for the near future. Sure hope this is a secret way my wife has of finding out what to give me for the holidays.....

Great topic. If I had unlimited funds, I'd want a 1937 Wild West #25 premium card in at least EX condition. That's probably one of my top (and certainly the most expensive) "dream" cards right now.

Otherwise, it would probably be the same sets I'm collecting now only in the best possible condition I could find.

The Superman Gum set in particular is very difficult to collect in high-grade right now because so many Registry guys are going after it (on top of its usual popularity) so I find myself basically priced out of the market unless I want to lower my grading goals (which I don't). Same thing with Sea Raiders. I only really want the cards if I can get 'em in high-grade and they're just too expensive.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'd buy some of those Superman and Sea Raiders uncut sheets. That would be the dream.

Some of you guys sound miserly..."not that there's anything wrong with that...no, not at all!"

If given a lump sum of say 500K or so...most of the above save for the T set could be accomplished.

With UNLIMITED funds..well, does it really matter at that point?

If I were so inclined I would just flood ebay,the web,dealers and all major auction houses with offers or "top all bids"..
Then when my Fed ex,Ups dudes got finished filling my storage barn.
I would spend weeks/months going through cards,card sets,displays,boxes and artwork. Decide what I truly like..keep it...and send everything else back to said places for sale.
That's "UNLIMITED FUNDS" folks.

Then again, perhaps I would just specialize in TEST issues and Uncut Test Sheets, Artwork. Leaving me still ahead of the Buffets,Gates of the world with my leftover funds..since they are "unlimited"?

Ok, I'll play nice: 1930's hi grade sets and any test sets which would then be promptly donated to a museum for all to see and enjoy and of course be preserved for future collectors a la jefferson burdick.


"tellin it like it is since 1965"

Not like Burdick! No one gets to see his cards, except with a darned good reason (research). Otherwise they languish in a vault except for a few hundred at a time that the Met exhibits.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

There are many tobacco card sets I'd love to have if I had unlimited funds (T45 Boy Scout Series, T49 College Student, Flag, Seal, T50 College Pennants, T90 Nature Cards are some of my favorites). However, the fascinating thing about this hobby is that in many cases even with "unlimited funds" I'd still not be able to complete them! I don't know of anyone who has a complete set of any of the above four series, let alone many other tobacco card series on my want list.

If you can't find them, you can't buy them no matter how much money you have!

As I am in a good mood if I won the lottery I would just buy all of you the cards you wanted and be happy I had helped people.
Then if I had any money left I would get a tip top set of Horrors of War. I have never been greedy (stems from being extremly poor as a child)