Beginner "must have" list?

[sprchik]

I know that this can seem like a silly question when worded like that, because of course, everyone's preferences will be different. But I think it would be nice for beginners like me to see a list like this from everybody... to see an amazing variety of beautiful marbles that are your own must-haves!

So it's not telling beginners what they must have, lol... it's more like your personal opinion on what marbles you consider to be "must haves" in your collection. What you think is the best in some way, or most beautiful, or rare, etc. In any/all brands (I'm hoping for examples from every brand!) -- I guess I'm personally most interested in hearing about machine mades, but handmade types are welcome too!

So, what would your list be?  What's your own list of fantastic marbles you think would make a great addition to any collection, that you would say that "Everyone must have"? List as many as you want! I imagine it could be hard to choose, lol.

I wonder if there will be a huge variety in the comments, and if there will be a few that nearly everyone suggests...

Pictures not required, but definitely encouraged!!! 

[Steph]

Supermen:

(pelt and akro)

(not my marbles -- just on my wishlist)
 

[greg11]

Focus on one thing, one manufacture and get the best you can afford instead of buying bulk

 

i would recommend akro Popeyes and silver oxbloods , get all the colors and then go to the 3/4 inch size 

Must have list to start 

corks

popeyes

oxbloods

slags

Pettier comics

 

[sprchik]

Haha, it seems impossible for me to focus on one thing right now! I mean, definitely good advice, but there are just so many marbles for a beginner to look at and love... you should see my ebay purchase history over just the past 3 days -- Alley, Akro, Peltier, Vitro, Champion, CAC, MF Christensen!!! A little of everything! But most of those have been small purchases: $2-5 per marble. But a few have been $50-$145 purchases -- 1 Alley, 1 MF Christensen, 3 CACs. OMG I cannot WAIT for these to show up in my mailbox!!! Now I'm eyeing some beautiful Popeyes... lol, yep, lacking that focus! 

[VTAndrea]

Les Jones, aka "Great Marbles", advised me to try always to buy mint examples of whatever I craved.  That's pretty hard to do, especially when collecting the vintage handmades.  I do keep it in mind however.  I once asked him which type he was holding onto for the future and thought they'd become more valuable with time and he said Vitro.  As for the answers above, somehow the Peltier comics never rang my chimes.  I do still look for unusual hybrid popeyes and would buy more CAC striped transparents and/or guineas if the price and condition were right.

[BobBlock]

15 minutes ago, VTAndrea said:

Les Jones, aka "Great Marbles", advised me to try always to buy mint examples of whatever I craved.  That's pretty hard to do, especially when collecting the vintage handmades.  I do keep it in mind however.  I once asked him which type he was holding onto for the future and thought they'd become more valuable with time and he said Vitro.  As for the answers above, somehow the Peltier comics never rang my chimes.  I do still look for unusual hybrid popeyes and would buy more CAC striped transparents and/or guineas if the price and condition were right.

Absolutely correct. Buy the best possible example you can. It's better to have a small collection of truly outstanding examples than a mass of mediocre ones.

 

[jeeperman]

I for a long time was that guy.....couldn't pass up an example in marbles and any condition of anything I did not have. Years  went by and I realized I had a great number of marbles and few I wanted to show. Did I like them, sure, but the time and money I spent doing it.....well, I could have had a case of beauties in my living room to look at and show guests when all I had was a few lucky finds and jars of stuff I now continue to keep in jars. 
I started buying nicer examples and continuing to look for lucky finds of all companies and passing on poor condition. Still the quality of my collection suffered for the numbers I had acquired. It took me moving to a smaller dwelling to realize just how much room was being taken up by stuff I had as examples only. 
I now focus on one company in my searches and purchases and add to a few other companies threw lucky finds. Quality and beauty at the top of the list and while I have fewer new things to show I am far more proud when I do. I only wish I had began earlier, those nice examples are not getting easier to find and the one company I fell in love with seem to be getting more and more expensive. I think of the nice examples that I passed on because my money had been spent on the groups of mediocre examples and now will cost me double or triple what I passed on earlier. It is tough being newly excited and having to hold back, but will be so worth it in the end.  

[jeeperman]

My current must have list is any Alley marbles which strike my fancy. 
 

[Royal3]

Must haves? That’s an especially tough and relevant question for me. I’m in the process selling off the vast majority of my collection and I’m trying to figure out what I want to keep - what marbles make me the happiest when I look at them. I’m still undecided on many after pondering that question for a long time, but I know the answer on this one, a really unusual faceted pontil 7/8” onion - it stays forever, as I never get tired of looking at it:

As for advice for a beginner? I have never regretted buying any mint marble for a fair (or reasonably fair) price that I loved. I did buy far too many near mint examples that were darn lovely but just took up far too much space and far too much money. The advice given here by experts and more experienced collectors than I to buy the best examples you can find and afford is very wise indeed. Your collection will grow more slowly than by acquiring lots of lower cost lower quality marbles, but in the long run you’ll have a collection that you’ll be much happier with and one you’ll be proud to show off. 

Last thoughts - every manufacturer has what I think of as “keystone” items, marbles that are always in high demand. In Akro I think of 3/4” egg yolk oxblood. In CAC it’s the guinea. Vitro? A four-color parrot. Those items I’m not sure are still  “must haves” - though I must admit I owned all three at one time - but they are at least pretty safe to own as they are very easy to sell.