hackadeandre
OzCardTrader
Long story short, after being out of the hobby for a couple of years until the beginning of this year and starting from scratch, I had to come up with a strategy of collecting that:
Pick a list of players and stick to collecting cards of those players only
After previously having a list of about 400 players, I got it down to 29. I realised that whilst Bill Russell, Kareem, and Wilt were all-time greats, I had never seen them play as a kid so all the old guys got ruled out until Bird & Magic who I do remember seeing as a kid. Then I just picked HOFer's that I liked and some new potential HOFer's. I also have had a points ranking system for as long as I can remember (because I've got OCD haha), so the list below is who is in the collection and their ranking. Obviously the current players can rise up the ranks depending on how their career goes.
Collect only 1 on-card auto (blue ink only) and 1 patch (no plain jerseys) of each player
This can be made up of a maximum of 3 cards (a patch auto, auto, and patch), all the way down to 1 card (a patch auto). Technically there is allowance to have more than 3 cards of the above of one player, as some cards are variations of a base, subset, or insert card. These will be represented in those categories instead of the patch auto, auto, or patch category. I've also got Tags and Logomen as different categories, however I don't have a Logoman so it isn't yet a category!
Collect only 1 insert with the same name and of the above players
This is where the A-Z of inserts comes in. Rather than trying to collect a copy of every single insert ever made (remember the collection needs to be less than 3000 cards), I decided to have (for example) one 'Scoring Kings' insert to represent them all. I believe there are about 11 different Scoring Kings inserts produced over the years, so I made the obvious choice to grab the 1993-94 Jordan one to represent that insert. To be an insert, there needs to be more than 1 card in the set and be sequentially numbered (whether that be by numbers or letters). If cards are similarly named, such as 'Superstars' and 'Super Star', only one will be used to represent that name. Also, if an insert looks the same as another one, only one will be used to represent that insert. Best example I can come up with here is the 1999-00 Topps All-Matrix set and the 1999-00 Topps Chrome All-Etch set. Essentially they are the same card called something different.
Collect only 1 subset with the same name and of the above players
Same rules as above. Subsets (for this purpose) are cards that don't look like the standard base cards but are part of the base set. Any rookie cards that are different to the base set will be included in the rookies category and not the subset category.
Collect 1 of each base card released for each year and of the above players
As there are so many base cards, to try and lower the number of cards needed the following applies:
Collect colour match variations of the above players
So before I go into the whole point of the thread (the inserts), we'll tick off the autos, patches, and stickers first. This thread is sort of going to double as my 'wanted' thread; so if you have a card that you want to move that I either don't have represented or is better than the card I have represented then let me know!
Patch Autos
Patch (game used) Auto - Exquisite Auto Patches - Exquisite - 2005-06 - Michael Jordan /199
Patch Auto - SP Authentic - 2005-06 - SP Extra Limited Patch Autograph - LeBron James /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Glass Cleaners - Limited - 2012-13 - Autograph Memorabilia Prime - Kobe Bryant /10
Patch (game used) Auto - Greats - Flawless - 2014-15 - Larry Bird /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Horizontal Patch Autographs - Flawless - 2018-19 - Gold - Hakeem Olajuwon /10
Patch (game used) Auto - Patch Autographs - Immaculate - 2014-15 - Kevin Durant /75
Patch (game used) Auto - Clutch Factor - National Treasures - 2014-15 - Prime - Stephen Curry /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Precious Swatch Signatures - Opulence - 2017-18 - Silver - Nikola Jokic /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Lasting Legacies - National Treasures - 2013-14 - Prime - Scottie Pippen /25
Patch Auto - Immaculate - 2018-19 - Rookie Patch Autographs - Luka Doncic /99
Patch Auto - Spectra - 2017-18 - Rookie Jersey Autographs Neon Green Prizm - Jayson Tatum - Colour Match /49
Patch (game used) Auto - Clutch Factor - National Treasures - 2016-17 - Bronze - Devin Booker /25
Patch Auto - Spectra - 2019-20 - Rookie Jersey Autographs Wave - Zion Williamson /39
Patch Auto - Cornerstones - 2017-18 - Rookie Cornerstones Crystal - Donovan Mitchell /75
Patch Auto - Impeccable - 2021-22 - Elegance Rookie Jersey Autographs Red - Cade Cunningham - Colour Match /88
Autos
Auto - Ultimate Signatures - Ultimate - 2003-04 - Michael Jordan
Auto - Ultimate Signatures - Ultimate - 2006-07 - LeBron James
Auto - Autographs - Topps Tip-Off - 1999-00 - Tim Duncan
Auto - Signage - Threads - 2012-13 - Magic Johnson
Auto - Opulent Autographs - Opulence - 2017-18 - Kobe Bryant /35
Auto - 75th Team Signatures - One and One - 2021-22 - Larry Bird /49
Auto - Autographs - Revolution - 2020-21 - Fractal - Shaquille O'Neal /50
Auto - MVP Winners - Upper Deck Chronology - 2006-07 - Hakeem Olajuwon /50
Auto - NBA Champions Signatures - Spectra - 2019-20 - Marble - Kevin Durant /5
Auto - 1983 Tribute Autographs - Contenders Optic - 2020-21 - Kevin Garnett
Auto - Black and White Autographs - Noir - 2020-21 - Silver Holo - Stephen Curry /25
Auto - Franchise Graphs - Signatures - 2013-14 - Giannis Antetokounmpo /149
Auto - Hall Selections - Select - 2013-14 - Purple Prizm - David Robinson /30
Auto - Timeless Treasures - 2012-13 - Glass Rookie - Kawhi Leonard /499
Auto - Preferred - 2015-16 - Autographs - Nikola Jokic /99
Auto - Sign of the Times - SP - 2000-01 - Dirk Nowitzki
Auto - Game Changers - National Treasures - 2013-14 - Dwyane Wade /60
Auto - Immortal Ink - Impeccable - 2020-21 - Gold Holo - Jason Kidd - Jersey Numbered /10
Auto - Exquisite Enshrinements - Exquisite - 2005-06 - Scottie Pippen /25
Auto - Momentous Autographs - Flawless - 2019-20 - Gary Payton /25
Auto - Preferred - 2014-15 - Rookie Revolution - Joel Embiid /49
Auto - Origins Rookie Autographs - Chronicles - 2018-19 - Luka Doncic /99
Auto - 10th Anniversary Autographs - Absolute - 2018-19 - Level 5 - Jayson Tatum - 1of1
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Revolution - 2019-20 - Infinite - Ja Morant /25
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Absolute - 2018-19 - Level 1 - Trae Young /125
Auto - Rookie Roll Call - Certified - 2019-20 - Zion Williamson
Auto - Donruss Optic - 2017-18 - Rated Rookie Signatures Purple Prizm - Donovan Mitchell - Colour Match
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Origins - 2021-22 - Red - Cade Cunningham - Colour Match /99
Auto - Contenders Optic - 2020-21 - Rookie Ticket Variation Red - Anthony Edwards /99
- Was fun
- Ensured the collection didn't go past 3000 cards in total
- Ensured I didn't want to buy anything and everything (which was on old habit of mine)
- Ensured I didn't bust (now) stupidly priced boxes (I've basically stopped); and
- Allowed me to never really finish the chase, i.e. still being interesting 10+ years from now
Pick a list of players and stick to collecting cards of those players only
After previously having a list of about 400 players, I got it down to 29. I realised that whilst Bill Russell, Kareem, and Wilt were all-time greats, I had never seen them play as a kid so all the old guys got ruled out until Bird & Magic who I do remember seeing as a kid. Then I just picked HOFer's that I liked and some new potential HOFer's. I also have had a points ranking system for as long as I can remember (because I've got OCD haha), so the list below is who is in the collection and their ranking. Obviously the current players can rise up the ranks depending on how their career goes.
- Michael Jordan
- LeBron James
- Tim Duncan
- Magic Johnson
- Kobe Bryant
- Larry Bird
- Shaquille O'Neal (Magic, Lakers, Heat only)
- Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets only)
- Kevin Durant
- Kevin Garnett (Wolves, Celtics only)
- Stephen Curry
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- David Robinson
- Kawhi Leonard
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Dwyane Wade (Heat only)
- Jason Kidd (Mavs, Suns, Nets only)
- Nikola Jokic
- Scottie Pippen (Bulls, Rockets only)
- Gary Payton (Sonics only)
- Joel Embiid
- Luka Doncic
- Jayson Tatum
- Ja Morant
- Devin Booker
- Trae Young
- Zion Williamson
- Donovan Mitchell
- Cade Cunningham
- Anthony Edwards
- Chet Holmgren
- Stickers - The only exception is if they are same size and thickness as a standard card, which actually rules out every sticker ever made except for the 1986-1989 Fleer ones. As there are only 4 years of these cards, I have included stickers as their own category (categories explained below).
- Cards that aren't standard size - This includes mini cards that are framed in a standard sized card
- Multiple player cards
- Team cards
- Non-NBA cards - No college, USA, etc.
- Unlicensed cards - Cards need to come out of an NBA licensed pack
- Box set cards - Cards need to come from a randomised pack
- Game cards and their subsequently redeemed cards - Such as Predictor, Crash the Game etc.
- Promo cards - Cards given out pre-release
- Checklists
- Cards you have to 'do' something with - Examples being puzzle cards (e.g. 1997-98 UD3 MJ3), cards within cards (e.g. 1998-99 Ultra Exclamation Points), trivia question cards (e.g. 1993-94 Hoops Scoops), any cards that involve an activity other than looking at it basically
- Cards made of metal, glass, or perspex
- Cards that have dark film - e.g. ones that you can't see very well like the awful 1996-97 UD3 Superstar Spotlight
- Cards that have non-player used relics in them - Such as gold, diamonds, floors, film, manufactured patches, etc.
- Cards from singular player releases - Such as the 1998 Upper Deck MJx release
- Multi-product cards - Such as 2012-13 Kobe Anthology
Collect only 1 on-card auto (blue ink only) and 1 patch (no plain jerseys) of each player
This can be made up of a maximum of 3 cards (a patch auto, auto, and patch), all the way down to 1 card (a patch auto). Technically there is allowance to have more than 3 cards of the above of one player, as some cards are variations of a base, subset, or insert card. These will be represented in those categories instead of the patch auto, auto, or patch category. I've also got Tags and Logomen as different categories, however I don't have a Logoman so it isn't yet a category!
Collect only 1 insert with the same name and of the above players
This is where the A-Z of inserts comes in. Rather than trying to collect a copy of every single insert ever made (remember the collection needs to be less than 3000 cards), I decided to have (for example) one 'Scoring Kings' insert to represent them all. I believe there are about 11 different Scoring Kings inserts produced over the years, so I made the obvious choice to grab the 1993-94 Jordan one to represent that insert. To be an insert, there needs to be more than 1 card in the set and be sequentially numbered (whether that be by numbers or letters). If cards are similarly named, such as 'Superstars' and 'Super Star', only one will be used to represent that name. Also, if an insert looks the same as another one, only one will be used to represent that insert. Best example I can come up with here is the 1999-00 Topps All-Matrix set and the 1999-00 Topps Chrome All-Etch set. Essentially they are the same card called something different.
Collect only 1 subset with the same name and of the above players
Same rules as above. Subsets (for this purpose) are cards that don't look like the standard base cards but are part of the base set. Any rookie cards that are different to the base set will be included in the rookies category and not the subset category.
Collect 1 of each base card released for each year and of the above players
As there are so many base cards, to try and lower the number of cards needed the following applies:
- Only brands that have 5 or more different years will have a card represented for every year. The brands with 4 or less years will have only 1 card to represent them all; and
- Brands that feature base cards that don't fit into a 55 point top loader (or smaller) will only have 1 thick stock card to represent all the thick stock cards from that brand.
Collect colour match variations of the above players
So before I go into the whole point of the thread (the inserts), we'll tick off the autos, patches, and stickers first. This thread is sort of going to double as my 'wanted' thread; so if you have a card that you want to move that I either don't have represented or is better than the card I have represented then let me know!
Patch Autos
Patch (game used) Auto - Exquisite Auto Patches - Exquisite - 2005-06 - Michael Jordan /199
Patch Auto - SP Authentic - 2005-06 - SP Extra Limited Patch Autograph - LeBron James /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Glass Cleaners - Limited - 2012-13 - Autograph Memorabilia Prime - Kobe Bryant /10
Patch (game used) Auto - Greats - Flawless - 2014-15 - Larry Bird /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Horizontal Patch Autographs - Flawless - 2018-19 - Gold - Hakeem Olajuwon /10
Patch (game used) Auto - Patch Autographs - Immaculate - 2014-15 - Kevin Durant /75
Patch (game used) Auto - Clutch Factor - National Treasures - 2014-15 - Prime - Stephen Curry /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Precious Swatch Signatures - Opulence - 2017-18 - Silver - Nikola Jokic /25
Patch (game used) Auto - Lasting Legacies - National Treasures - 2013-14 - Prime - Scottie Pippen /25
Patch Auto - Immaculate - 2018-19 - Rookie Patch Autographs - Luka Doncic /99
Patch Auto - Spectra - 2017-18 - Rookie Jersey Autographs Neon Green Prizm - Jayson Tatum - Colour Match /49
Patch (game used) Auto - Clutch Factor - National Treasures - 2016-17 - Bronze - Devin Booker /25
Patch Auto - Spectra - 2019-20 - Rookie Jersey Autographs Wave - Zion Williamson /39
Patch Auto - Cornerstones - 2017-18 - Rookie Cornerstones Crystal - Donovan Mitchell /75
Patch Auto - Impeccable - 2021-22 - Elegance Rookie Jersey Autographs Red - Cade Cunningham - Colour Match /88
Autos
Auto - Ultimate Signatures - Ultimate - 2003-04 - Michael Jordan
Auto - Ultimate Signatures - Ultimate - 2006-07 - LeBron James
Auto - Autographs - Topps Tip-Off - 1999-00 - Tim Duncan
Auto - Signage - Threads - 2012-13 - Magic Johnson
Auto - Opulent Autographs - Opulence - 2017-18 - Kobe Bryant /35
Auto - 75th Team Signatures - One and One - 2021-22 - Larry Bird /49
Auto - Autographs - Revolution - 2020-21 - Fractal - Shaquille O'Neal /50
Auto - MVP Winners - Upper Deck Chronology - 2006-07 - Hakeem Olajuwon /50
Auto - NBA Champions Signatures - Spectra - 2019-20 - Marble - Kevin Durant /5
Auto - 1983 Tribute Autographs - Contenders Optic - 2020-21 - Kevin Garnett
Auto - Black and White Autographs - Noir - 2020-21 - Silver Holo - Stephen Curry /25
Auto - Franchise Graphs - Signatures - 2013-14 - Giannis Antetokounmpo /149
Auto - Hall Selections - Select - 2013-14 - Purple Prizm - David Robinson /30
Auto - Timeless Treasures - 2012-13 - Glass Rookie - Kawhi Leonard /499
Auto - Preferred - 2015-16 - Autographs - Nikola Jokic /99
Auto - Sign of the Times - SP - 2000-01 - Dirk Nowitzki
Auto - Game Changers - National Treasures - 2013-14 - Dwyane Wade /60
Auto - Immortal Ink - Impeccable - 2020-21 - Gold Holo - Jason Kidd - Jersey Numbered /10
Auto - Exquisite Enshrinements - Exquisite - 2005-06 - Scottie Pippen /25
Auto - Momentous Autographs - Flawless - 2019-20 - Gary Payton /25
Auto - Preferred - 2014-15 - Rookie Revolution - Joel Embiid /49
Auto - Origins Rookie Autographs - Chronicles - 2018-19 - Luka Doncic /99
Auto - 10th Anniversary Autographs - Absolute - 2018-19 - Level 5 - Jayson Tatum - 1of1
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Revolution - 2019-20 - Infinite - Ja Morant /25
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Absolute - 2018-19 - Level 1 - Trae Young /125
Auto - Rookie Roll Call - Certified - 2019-20 - Zion Williamson
Auto - Donruss Optic - 2017-18 - Rated Rookie Signatures Purple Prizm - Donovan Mitchell - Colour Match
Auto - Rookie Autographs - Origins - 2021-22 - Red - Cade Cunningham - Colour Match /99
Auto - Contenders Optic - 2020-21 - Rookie Ticket Variation Red - Anthony Edwards /99
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