I started collecting again late 2019, mainly focusing on Modern with an emphasis on Sword and Shield Master Sets. I’m still finishing Chilling Reign, (it’s been a rough one). I try to make sure I get all the cosmo holo and non holo variants, might have missed one or two. I wanted to touch base with anyone else accomplishing this as well and see what binders your using, how you make sure you get all the variants, etc. I didn’t notice another thread with this same topic, but I fear there already is one. I fell in love with Vault X premium 4x4 zip binders. They look clean and have some nice color ways. I was hoping that they would add new colors as I’ve cycled through all of them and used a few twice. I have no intention of selling, but out of curiosity is there a premium for master sets over the raw card value, or is that my really a thing.
I used to use the etb sleeves on all the ultra rares prior to the switch to matte, but I don’t like the as aesthetic anymore. I sleeve every single card with perfect fits and for ultra rares + I double sleeve and use ultra pro platinum sleeves. Their very rigid so they hold their shape and place in the binder very nicely. I try to pull as many of the cards as I can but as the sets have been getting bigger I find myself on TCGplayer more and more often. On the back page I’m include the 4 prerelease cards, which adds a nice touch imo. Fusion Strike is the first set that I will need two binders as all the cards will not fit. I set it up with the regular then the reverse beside it. The 4x4 leads itself really nicely to this set up until you hit a v card with no vmax and it throws everything out of whack for a little.
The newest cosmo cards of thundurous, landurous, and tornadus look amazing in cosmo. Add a card to three sets is cool, but damn is it annoying moving every card forward one when a new card comes out. Or worse yet when you miss count when your first setting up a binder and have to go back and adjust all the cards.
My favorite original idea is I use Velcro tape and tape the players guide from the ETB to the inside of the front flap. I would love to design a binder that had a window slot for the players guide you could see from the front.
Let me know what you guys are doing with your master sets, love to hear from the community!!
Good luck on the master sets @pokeburgh! Always happy to hear someone else doing the same
I don’t think I use a perfect method to be honest, but I just use 3x3 360 Ultra Pro Pro Binders with standard Ultra Pro sleeves. I don’t leave spaces in between sets either, so I always wait until as late as possible before adding the set to a binder because if they add another variant afterthefact (which they always do!) then I have to move a LOT of cards - like I say not the best method and I may change it, but it looks better IMO when you see all variants of the same cards together.
In addition to my Erika/Cameo collection, I’ve been collecting ‘master sets’ of Evolving Skies and Chilling Reign. I really think Chilling Reign is a hugely underrated and beautiful set. One that I most certainly not have finished!!!
If you’ll forgive me talking a little generally without derailing your thread, I think modern is a super fun place to be and have absolutely loved collecting ES and CR. I however, did make a conscious effort to skip Fusion Strike. However, I may decide later I want to collect all of Sword and Shield…
Couple of things:
I absolutely second Vault X, amazing folders and am certainly sold on them atleast for now. Zippable for dust protection and sideways entry to pockets are fantastic. I also really like 4x3 rather than 3x3.
I double sleeve EVERYTHING… Though, not all done yet (I ran out of perfect fits XD)
I played around a fair bit with Evolving Skies. Call me a heretic, but I don’t display in pure numerical order, I much prefer having moved the alt arts / secret rares / rainbows next to their family as shown below (I know I’m missing a Glaceon…) I feel that having such an order at the beginning, then at the end when you get into the secret rares it becomes a tangled mess, hence I mixed them in.
I’ve been collecting everything as a reverse holo, so I suppose it’s not a master set, I mean It wouldn’t be too expensive to get all the rest as non RH, but I haven’t as of yet. I have however got both holo / reverse holo of each rare.
I think modern master sets are such a fun way to collect. While it’s not the most financially advantageous, who cares? If you have fun doing it, and/or get a sense of pride and accomplishment from doing it, I say go for it. The engagement in modern online and at your friendly neighborhood LCS is so strong too, it’s a great way to find local community.
I love collecting master sets especially back in XY before the sets were so hard to complete. I just wish there was more investment value put on them in the market especially considering how difficult it is to complete and how many packs/boxes/cases you have to open and then not to mention still usually having to hop on TCG Player Or Ebay to finish them out lol. Seems for the amount of time, effort and difficulty there would be higher returns on them. Still really cool and enjoyable to own and that feeling of accomplishment every time you complete one!
