How did you decide which jerseys to collect?

[shilenj]

I'm at the point right now of just beginning to customize blank authentics in order to start building a collection.  I have a general idea of what I want to do but sometimes the more I think about it, a few more ideas come up and I consider changing my mind and going in a different direction.  So I ask you all who have already started, what kind of collection do you have and how did you decide which jerseys you'd include in it?

As for me, I'd kind of like to make a collection for each NHL team by jersey era.  I'd like to own at least one of every jersey worn by each team that I can get my hands on (home, away, alternate, ASG, Winter Classic, etc.) and customize all of them.  I'm a very organized person and I'd like it to have some flow and order.  I know it's entirely up to me and there's no right or wrong answer but I'd like to have a pretty even variety of home, away, and alternates and then any specific event ones maybe separate.

Most collectors I'm sure get jerseys of players they like, whether those players are on the team they root for or not.  So I definitely have players on a bunch of teams that I like more than others.  But I was also thinking of maybe getting players done who most fans of those teams would have in their collections - the teams' best players or most popular.  I mean, what is a Colorado Avalanche jersey collection without a Joe Sakic jersey in there?

Do some of you have certain preferences as to which players to get in the home, away, or alternate jerseys?  Obviously this doesn't apply to those of you who have specific player collections, but for those that don't, do you for example like having the star players in the home style?  For me, I might personally like my favorite players, stars, or high first-round picks in the home style.  For example, when I buy both Oilers and Sabres jerseys for McDavid and Eichel respectively, they'll definitely both be home ones.  I just like those high-pick, big-name players in homes much more than I would doing them in aways.  I've also thought about just going in order and starting with a home, then having my next be an away with the next player I like, then an alternate with another and so on, just randomly picking which ones I do.  Then again, if a team had a famous line, such as the Ottawa Senators' CASH line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson, I feel I'd like to get all three in the same jersey, most likely the home.

I know I want to organize them by era and by season.  I just haven't made up my mind as to how just yet and I was hoping to hear about yours and maybe get some opinions and ideas here.

I know this post is seemingly long and maybe a little ridiculous but I'm hoping it's not so crazy to others who are as passionate about the hobby as I am.  I'm open to any and all ideas so throw them this way.  I'd love to hear them and about how you all decided how you'd do your collections.

Edited July 30, 2016 by shilenj

[furiousd]

The main rule I guess I follow is that I have to like the design. I tried doing player collections but realized I have no interest in owning a jersey of a favorite player if I don't really like the jersey itself. Don't really feel the need to have more than one of a given design, either. It's fortunate that my team is the Hawks, then, because I can fill out a good chunk of the roster with all of the dang special jerseys they've worn.

[LouMarcon]

Two things come to find:

1. Availability, or lack thereof. I have more appreciation for jerseys that are hard to find.

2. Personal experience. My first exposure to live hockey was the American Hockey League, 1961-67, and the International Hockey League when I went off to college in Columbus, Ohio, 1966-69. 

When the various auction houses have a new sell-off, I look first at the vintage (for me that's approx. from 1955-75) jerseys, particularly the AHL sweaters from the years listed above. And, because I, along with many guys my age, grew up listening to Bob Chase do IHL games on the radio, I have a strong interest in Fort Wayne Komet jerseys.

Currently, I have four vintage AHL gamers from the 1960s, two Providence Reds, white and red No. 10s; Cleveland Barons, No. 9 Fred Glover, and a Quebec Aces No. 3, Noel Price and Bugsy Watson.

I have not yet been able to get my hands on a Komets jersey from the 1960s. In the last 6-7 years, I've only seen one on the open market, the No. 15 worn by Merv Dubchak, but the asking price was unrealistic ($4,000). Hence I've had to settle for several Komets gamers from the 1980s, 90s. 

I also have a very extensive collection of Pittsburgh Hornets, Komets and various other IHL replica jerseys from the 1960s. You never get your money back when it's time to sell replicas, but, nevertheless, I put a lot of time, effort and $$ into getting the Hornets and Komets jerseys right. 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2016 by LouMarcon

[TheKevinShow]

I buy replicas that fit my budget and that I want. 

I'm trying to buy every modern Blackhawks authentic for obvious reasons. Other authentics and gamers, I have a tight budget for larger purchases like those, so I basically settle for whatever I can find that isn't overly expensive. 

[mfitz804]

I did IThe easy way. Favorite team, favorite player. Try for one of each. Then I added in All Stars when that proved not to be enough. I do fairly well with just those three as my guide. 

[Hockey Bob]

I started out collecting the home jerseys of every team back in the early 90's 

I gained appreciation for the road whites when I picked up a few that looked really cool (sharks white is sweet) so then I had to complete that side, after I got most of the 6100's style and the Hawks came out with an Alternate I started getting into the Reebok and now I just have too much of every team. 

Now the task is to get them lettered correctly 

[Pens4ever]

I started with collecting Penguins authentics only, added heavyweight enforcers after a while and lately added awkward styles like e.g. Islanders Fisherman, Coyotes Dalí or Predators Mustard.

The last months I was thinking back and forth to switch to Penguins gamers, but I enjoy finding blanks in my size and getting them done up with customization and patches simply too much. Therefore I concentrate on my home team EHC Red Bull Munich regarding game worns. A good connection to the team and easier access to the jerseys, that I of course don't have to the Pens, helps a lot getting nice stuff.

[PensJerseys]

I started with collecting Penguins authentics only, added heavyweight enforcers after a while and lately added awkward styles like e.g. Islanders Fisherman, Coyotes Dalí or Predators Mustard.

The last months I was thinking back and forth to switch to Penguins gamers, but I enjoy finding blanks in my size and getting them done up with customization and patches simply too much. Therefore I concentrate on my home team EHC Red Bull Munich regarding game worns. A good connection to the team and easier access to the jerseys, that I of course don't have to the Pens, helps a lot getting nice stuff.

You know who to PM if you ever decide to sell anything and go for all gamers...

 

And I'm no help here.  Pens jerseys only - any and every.

Edited August 7, 2016 by blurryhaze312

[hausera]

I started off with gamers back in '84. Those little ads in SCD