Tuesday, January 29, 2013

This is Why I Should Only Collect Vintage...

Now that Phase I of Uncle Doc’s Card Closet is completed, I am now in the process of beginning Phase II which is to organize each card by manufacturer, year, card number, etc.  Each box has a label sticker on it with a designation, say A1 through A8 for the first shelf, B1 through B8 for the second shelf, etc.  Within each box, I make a divider that has the year, manufacturer name, set name for each different type of card.


Looking above, you’ll notice a clipboard hanging on the wall.  Here I plan on having a paper directory of card types in each box.  I’m doing this because it’s much easier to print out a new directory than having to redo stickers on the box when I get new cards that aren’t already in the catalog.  You get it?
 
Anyways, one massive side effect/pain-in-the-ass with newer cards is all the freaking variations, inserts, etc.  Check out the directory so far for Boxes A1, A2 and A3.  Box A2 takes up TWO PAGES and has 75 different dividers for a 3,000 count box that isn’t even full!!!


This is just sad.  I know it will happen again when I get to Donruss, Fleer, Nu-Topps and Upper Deck.  Imagine if it was just vintage, the box would just read E2: 1979 Topps.

No 1979 Topps Golden Diamond Refractor Cognac Variation.  No 1979 Topps Mini Parallel Chrome Prospect Sticker.  No 1979 Topps Cards Your Step-Mom Threw Out Because You Wouldn’t Clean Your Room. 

IT WOULD JUST SAY 1979 TOPPS.  Ahhh…

4 comments:

Wilson said...

The paper directory is rather brilliant, and I think I'll steal that idea. I was thinking of gluing a penny sleeve to the outside of each box, so I could swap in a new trimmed index card every time I got enough of something to bump a set to the next box. I like your way better. I'm only at 5 monster boxes and 2 5000 counts for now, so I don't quite need a closet yet.

Interesting that you sort by manufacturer then year, whereas I sort by year then manufacturer, and just stick the insert sets in after their main set. That'll at least let my directory pages be slightly shorter. My way's a little inflexible, though, and I kind of like the idea of seeing the full run of Allen and Ginter or Gypsy Queen all together in one spot.

beefman said...

Wow, that's some huge collection, Uncle Doc! Do you know how many baseball cards you have in total? I need to start making plans for my modest hoard of just over 120,000 of them...

Doc said...

Wilson - I'm glad my idea is going to help you out! Before I used a label maker and put stickers on the box. Inevitably, I had to keep putting new stickers on the box, or ran out of room! Hence, the paper directory!

Beefman - I have no idea how many cards I have, but you're welcome to come over and count them (as well as sort them!). Short answer though is more than I need.

Dan said...

I also sort by years first....there are some sets I don't know where to put in my system....and once I do, I'll probably forget....that is quite the comprehensive set type checklist....i suggest big lettering on the boxes.

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