[butterworth1326]

I'm sure some of you guys do this as well but the last 2 years, especially these past few months, I've only been buying what I call "case cards" for my PC. I collect one guy, Brian Hartline. Even with only collecting one guy, with all the /1s and other very hard to find cards out there. I've only been buying those cards.

Cards that are auto, jersey, booklet, and /24 below I put in a magnetic with team bag (case cards) and /25 above get a sleeve, top loader, and tighter team bag that fits only one card.

So for 2-3 years I have only bought real rare cards. I counted my cards and it didn't seem right, well I am missing a lot of base cards lol. Even higher # cards too. So I have all these cards and a lot of them are high end. But Every now and then I'll hit up a show but no one ever has base of him. I'm not paying $4 on eBay for a topps base card, sorry lol. So I plan to try snagging up some base to make my rows look fuller and feed that hunger more haha.

I'm interested to how everyone prioritizes their PC. Granted I have a budget, if I have it I buy it.

[gocardinals]

I PC Jamaal Charles..and I take advantage of "steals" when I have an opportunity and funds available..during the "off time" i use comc to gobble up any base cards cheaply..and take advantage of the $3 S&H after I have a few hundred cards in there.

[djohn]

I have used COMC a lot to get a bunch of base or lower end inserts for my PC, plus some of the mid-end cards that seem to be good deals and better than paying individual shipping on eBay. In terms of priorities, I definitely prioritize rarer cards, but if the price is right I won't pass up a deal on low to mid end cards for my PC either.

[cgod26]

The best thing to do is try and find another Hartline/Miami collector and see if they have the lower end stuff. COMC is also good sometimes for mid level cards. The good thing about that site is that everything you buy, they hold until you are ready to ship. It's a flat fee of $3.00. So you can buy here and there until your ready. The bad thing is, you have to wait on your cards if you wait to ship obviously. The other option is to wait and hopefully run across a large lot of his cards on Ebay. It's difficult because not many people collect him or will pull his cards to sell.

I got alot of kaufman's base cards through a local card dealer who busted boxes all the time and saved all the kaufman's for me.

I don't bust many newer boxes, but if I do, I'll hold any I come across and you can just have them.

[butterworth1326]

I PC Jamaal Charles..and I take advantage of "steals" when I have an opportunity and funds available..during the "off time" i use comc to gobble up any base cards cheaply..and take advantage of the $3 S&H after I have a few hundred cards in there.

So you can combine all your cards to one shipping price?

[Marinocollector]

So you can combine all your cards to one shipping price?

yes.

[bbniner80]

I put one on trade for you, just accept and it is yours if you want it.

[butterworth1326]

I put one on trade for you, just accept and it is yours if you want it.

Thanks I appreciate it but i don't have the service.

[savagenate]

Yeah, COMC you can just buy up cards, they take them off the "market", and as long as you've paid, they'll hold onto them for you for quite awhile...not sure if there is a limit. I've bought some mid end cards, and base from them.
As far as PC, as I collect so many different people, and want to work out so many projects, I try to go for rare cards, /25 or under if I have the money. I miss out on a ton, as my budget is smaller, and I don't won't pay more than what I think a card is worth (I've missed out on a bunch of Franklin and Ball 1/1s). And I sometimes go on a player kick where I just want to go after someone different. Vontaze Burfict cards and Franklin 1/1s are my priorities, and then on down the line.
Base cards I hate buying on the auction site...I love it when guys on here save their base in their trade org...I've knocked off bunches of base or low end refractors that way. Comc is another. Or help from the community I try to keep a list of a couple users and what they collect, and store cards for them. I'll had you and Hartlines to the list
P.S. There's a few 1/1s I've seen on the auction site right now Good luck!

[no1dolphan]

First, great guy to collect. Off the top of my head, the ONLY great draft pick Ireland made. Likely the most under rated WR in the NFL.
For commons comc is by far the way to go, good pricing and you can see what you're getting very clearly. I do feel sorry for guys trying to put together a modern master set because it's going to be close to impossible to complete with the amount / cost of things produced these days. I love the idea of PSA registry sets for the older stuff, but I really can't see it for anything after 2000... the condition is too good for it to add value or intrigue. The Marino set is a different story, I looked for a decade before finding a psa 10 '90 hot card and I still don't believe I found one... they're ALWAYS jacked.
In the case of Hartline, 2009 and up means condition should be good so a raw set is the way to go. Since he's under rated he's also not in EVERY insert set which makes it a little easier... still a daunting task though. I take the same approach as what you outline, rare cards first. I have a list of "whale" cards that, when they pop up, they get bought... credit card max, refinance, sell the car type cards. Luckily for my wallet, they don't come up very often.