Building The 1986 Fleer Basketball Set: A Collector’s Guide

My Eight Tips To Building A 1986 Fleer Basketball Set

I just got back into collecting and have always wanted to complete this set.

It has taken me about six months and I am really close to completing a graded 1986 Fleer set.

While some of these tips are probably obvious to most, it was also a learning experience for me.

Maybe these thoughts are helpful, at least from a financial perspective.

1.  Be Patient. 

I know I have overpaid for a few cards. When I make purchases, I try to consider if I would I still happy if there was a 25% market correction. It keeps me from making impulse buys or getting into bidding wars.

And I haven't timed it all perfectly. There has been a significant drop in values over the last few months especially on Jordan rookie cards. I wish I had waited on some, but overall, the balance between buying some at a discount and some at a premium has helped dampen the softness in pricing of late. 

2. "Watch" A Lot Of Cards On eBay.

If you're not familiar with how eBay works, once you are logged into your account, you can 'Watch' a card. This will allow eBay to communicate any updates on the card in question and allow the seller to send any discounts to those watching the card. 

On a weekly basis, I search "86 Fleer Basketball cards" on eBay and watch anything that looks to be of interest to me, even if it priced above market value. This way, I can save the listing and the seller knows that I might have interest. 

You never know when a seller might reach out and provide you with a solid offer for a Buy It Now listing. Some sellers are more desperate than you might think.

3.  Message eBay Sellers Directly

I have messaged several eBay sellers directly and offered to buy lots.  I purchased thirty commons from a dealer with a retail location when I started. 

The dealers pulled the listings and everyone was happy; they saved fees, the hassle of shipping to multiple buyers, holding the inventory and I got a better deal.

You of course have to be careful and only buy from sellers with solid feedback.

The fact that the seller had a physical location with online reviews that were positive helped alleviate any fears of making such a large purchase. 

4.  Don't Be Afraid To Buy Doubles

For a few sales, I didn’t bicker about purchasing doubles of cards that I already had if the seller wanted to do one deal. I figured it was the cost of doing business.

I have traded the cards I already had towards ones I needed, while getting the average cost per card down substantially.

Sure the initial outlay of cash might be more than you want to spend, but if you're getting a good enough deal and can afford it, I say take in what you can. 

5.  Don't Get Picky On The Slabs

I’m not locked into a specific age of the slab or grade, with the exception of being PSA 8 or higher and without qualifiers. I focus on finding the best card for the best value.

By buying a few lots (10 – 40 cards at a time) I was able to get 9s for the price of buying individual 8s.

My PSA 8 set has morphed into primarily an 8.5 and 9 set. Personally, I think 8.5s from a value perspective are overlooked as 8s or 9s are easier to find and are in higher demand.

6. Buy The Card, Not The Grade

I have a PSA 8.5 1986 Fleer Patrick Ewing rookie card that is far nicer than my PSA 9 version.

The PSA 9 cost me 3x as much. I also put a bid on a PSA 9 Isaiah Thomas rookie card the other day.

 After I looked closer at the card, it was horribly off centered for the grade. 

Luckily, I got outbid.

7. Reach Out To Big Dealers

I have emailed companies like 4 Sharp Corners and Dave & Adam’s and threw out offers.

Sometimes they say yes, sometimes they say no. 

When they have said yes, shipping and tax has always been included, which saves me an additional 6% versus eBay.

8. Leverage Forums/Facebook

I have purchased a lot of cards on various collector forums and Facebook groups and have had virtually no issues with delivery, packaging, etc.

When mistakes have happened, they have all been resolved.

I hope this guide is helpful for anyone looking to build an 86 Fleer Basketball set.