I had that same goal for many years and was fortunate enough to get the 1989 edition (20 volumes) "on sale" for a mere $999. It came in four boxes of 5 volumes

I had that same goal for many years and was fortunate enough to get the 1989 edition (20 volumes) "on sale" for a mere $999. It came in four boxes of 5 volumes each. It was a chore just carrying them to my car outside the bookstore. The OED is a marvellous human achievement. The thing I find most amazing is the confidence it represents that the meaning of language, despite its mindboggling complexity and ambiguity, can be captured in writing and transferred to others. It seems very much of a piece with the Enlightenment view that the universe is fully susceptible to human reason. I still find that outlook admirable, however imperfectly achieved. Besides, the OED is great for games. My favorite is "find the oldest quote." It's not hard to find quotes from before 1000, for example.