Anyone here building a complete 1952 Topps set?

[Zone91]

If so in what grade or grades and how many cards do you have so far out of the 407 cards in the full set?

I have decided to build the set since I already have the Mantle in PSA 4 (looks much more like a 5...very strong for the grade). I will go with PSA 4's, PSA 4.5's and PSA 5's. So far I only own 13 PSA graded cards (All 11 are well centered for the grade). This will be a long project and I need that in my life why because it feels good!!

The cards I purchase have to have nice centering as well!!!

Post # 15 last one for today

[Brianruns10]

I'm building the set. Been at it since late 2010, and I'm just shy of 100 cards. I'm going slow though, cherry picking cards in the PSA 6-8 range (I'll dip to 5 for the high numbers), and I'm going for perfect centering.

I don't have the Mantle, but I've got the Pafko and the Matthews both in PSA 5, and the Robinson in 5 as well. Got 20 high numbers in all, the rest mostly commons with a couple of minor HOFers. Also have the Sain/Page error cards.

It's a fantastic, beautiful set, rivaled I think only by the t206 in both scope and aesthetic appeal. Definitely not for the impatient, this is a set that demands to be assembled with care and an eye for quality.

Good luck with the rest of your set. The Mantle card will likely be the last one I obtain, so I envy you.

[Zone91]

Brianruns10

You have some nice cards for sure....the # 407 is tough!!! In what grade do you want to get the Mantle in?

I am kind of worried about the high numbers they seem to be selling for way more than what they are valued in the SMR.

I have been changing the amount of 52 Topps cards I own in my opening statement because I am currently buying some almost every day.

Post # 1

[bobsbbcards]

they seem to be selling for way more than what they are valued in the SMR.

Ignore SMR and get yourself a subscription to VCP (www.vintagecardpricing.com). It will more than pay for itself over time.

[Zone91]

bobsbbcards

Thanks!!:)

Post # 2

[Zach Wheat]

Adrian,

I am completing a set of 1952 Topps. I am about 18 high numbers short of a full set.

This set and all of the print variations has been covered extensively - and there are a lot of collectors trying to complete different portions of the set. Some of the unique & intriguing facets of collecting this set include 1) the tough Canadian gray back series 131-190 (Ted Z is the specialist on this series); 2) The Campos Red Star, black star & partial black/red star variations (Al R has all 3 variations); 3) the red back/black back cards, as well as 4) all the high number cards.

You will have particular interest in collecting all of the tough "Canadian" gray back mid-series cards. Ted Z will tell you just how tough this accomplishment will be! In fact, I am not sure if Ted Z has even completed this yet.

Adrian are you going for a Master set? I am traveling and would post some pics of the partial Campos Red star/black star variation which I acquired from a fellow Net 54'er, but it will have to wait.

Maybe Al R will post the 3 variations of the Campos card.

Zach Wheat

[Zone91]

Zach Wheat

Thanks this information helps me a LOT!!! As far as the grey backs I am not going after them at the moment most likely will once the set is complete...but that is far, far away.

Take care.

Post # 4

[ALR-bishop]

I have finished the basic set, 407, plus many of the cards needed for a "master" set, although as you can see from earlier threads in this forum, there are some disagreements about what actually should comprise a master set. I have the first 80 cards in red and black back, the Page and Sain variations, the 3 variant double prints ( Mantle/Robinson/Thompson), 4 different Campos ( black star, partial black star, missing front border and normal), the 2 Houses (yellow tiger), and 14 of the "Canadian" grey backs ( there are 59 or 60). I also have border irregular variants for Snider, Woodling and Scheib. Also a back name misprint for Campenella. Some say there are color variants for Feller and Crandall, but I have never seen what I think are clear differences.

There are several clear front variations in the first 80 cards, but most are tied to the red versus black backs. But there are at 3 noticeably different Boones.

It is an iconic set but loaded with many nobodies since it came out during the height of the Topps/Bowman player contract competition.

The gray backs are harder than the high numbers to complete these days, and as expensive, if not more so.

There are several 1952 collectors hereabouts

[ALR-bishop]

On CU/PSA we "built" a 52 set by posting all the cards in the thread in order. It was a group effort and kind of fun

[Brianruns10]

Brianruns10

You have some nice cards for sure....the # 407 is tough!!! In what grade do you want to get the Mantle in?

I am kind of worried about the high numbers they seem to be selling for way more than what they are valued in the SMR.

I have been changing the amount of 52 Topps cards I own in my opening statement because I am currently buying some almost every day.

Post # 1

I think the Mathews is THE sleeper of the whole series. He is a perfect storm of rarity...single printed on the sheet. A HOFer. It's his one and true Rookie card, he was the last card in the set, meaning he comes up with the same problems as the Pafko in terms of wear and tear, and because of his location on the sheet (I suspect the corner) finding a truly centered example is practically a snipe hunt. The one I bought is dead centered on all sides, and I paid a healthy premium over SMR for it...and I don't regret it, as I've yet to see another like it come up on ebay or auction in the two years since I bought it.

As for the SMR, I use it, and I find int pretty handy. The trick is when buying any set, but especially the '52s, quality impacts the value. I've seen mediocre high number cards sell for significantly less than SMR. And I've seen dead centered ones go for almost double SMR. People will pay for that eye appeal that comes with a centered example, and as I've said elsewhere before, if I was offered the choice between a PSA 8 slightly off center, and a PSA 6 dead centered, each for the same price, I'd take the PSA 6 in a heartbeat.

As for the Mantle...I'm gonna hold out for a good one. I share the sentiments of many who feel it is an over-valued card, especially in the lower grades. I'm not a speculator looking to turn a quick profit, but should the need a arise, I want to be able to recoup my money, and I'd hope the card's values would keep pace at least with inflation. So you gotta go with quality, and when I buy the Mantle, it'll be a dead centered card, and I'm gonna aim for a PSA 6.

[Zone91]

Brianruns10

The 52 Topps Mantle to me is always going to be a good card I have been collecting cards mostly hockey since 1989 and the Mantle has always done well when it looks nice for the grade be it a PSA 1 or a PSA 10. I would not buy a ugly looking Mantle just to say I own one...that would be a bad move in my opinion for any collector.

People talk down on the Mantle sometimes (but those are the same people most of the time who would die to own one and can't afford it and simply wish the price went down so they could buy one...and truth be told Mantle has millions of fans that collect his cards...not to many players in ANY sport can claim that....OK maybe Babe Ruth) but truly Mantle is king of the post war cards and has always been....no new player will eclipse Mantle in popularity when it comes to card collecting...Barry Bonds has 762 home runs almost no one cares about him same can be said about 99,99% of the new players.

Your Matthew card is also a very good card to own again only if it looks nice for the grade like yours seems to be.

People ALMOST always talk down on cards deep down they most want....the nature of humans to try to get a deal!!! But the day a collector actually has one in his hands that he actually owns believe me that collector will be super proud to own the 52 Topps Mantle....that goes for 99,99% of collectors....and maybe 0,01% who are always unhappy no matter what good fortune happens in their life.

Post # 6

[ALR-bishop]

Boy do I ever hate that ugly 61 Mantle Dice card. Can not believe Bob and Larry would spend much on that thing :)

[Zone91]

ALR-bishop

Hahahaha same here God do I hate the T206 Plank card....truth be told I would love to own one of those babies and of course of of those 2 known Mantle cards as well!!!:)

Post # 8

[Zach Wheat]

Boy do I ever hate that ugly 61 Mantle Dice card. Can not believe Bob and Larry would spend much on that thing :)

lol.

[Bestdj777]

Boy do I ever hate that ugly 61 Mantle Dice card. Can not believe Bob and Larry would spend much on that thing :)

Agreed. And, from what I recall, neither of them have the dice that goes with it. What's the point without that?

[Brianruns10]

ALR-bishop

Hahahaha same here God do I hate the T206 Plank card....truth be told I would love to own one of those babies and of course of of those 2 known Mantle cards as well!!!:)

Post # 8

Good point. I would love to own the Plank, but it is rather ugly card in a beautiful set. I think it's apparent that some players received a little more care and attention than others when it came to the design of the card. Compare to the Honus Wagner, a premiere player of his day...the portrait is intricate and lovingly detailed, and it truly is a beautiful card to behold.

Now the '52 Mantle, while I think is a tad overpriced in the lower grades, is unmistakeable iconic, which is probably why it is so coveted. It transcends baseball to really be a piece of pop-art. It's pure Americana, right up there with the imagery of Norman Rockwell or Coca Cola. Simply gorgeous. Such a shame the original artwork wasn't preserved. THAT would be an extremely valuable item for sure.

[Zone91]

Brianruns10

I have decided to build the set in 5 grades: 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6 Just much easier to find a well centered card than only using 2 grades 4's and 5;s only.

Picked up 16 cards so far and 3 very nice high numbers all 3 VERY well centered....expensive do!!!

You are right the 52 Topps Mantle has become legendary and will remain so just to BIG to take a fall. Yes the original art may actually be somewhere but not sure...that would be worth most likely millions of dollars....way out of my league.

Post # 1

[ALR-bishop]

Why not 6.5 ?

[Zone91]

ALR-bishop

Trying to keep my set a a minimum of grades.

Post # 3

[ALR-bishop]

Well, 5 is a nice round number of sets to build

[Zone91]

ALR-bishop

My whole 52 Topps collection is revolving around the grade of the 52 Topps Mickey Mantle I own that is graded PSA 4 (Looks much more like a 5 very very strong for the grade). If my 52 Topps Mantle was say a 7 I would go after 6's to 8's.

Using only one single grade say 5's would take me forever to build (I can't even imagine the high series all well centered in only 5's) with nice centering hence why I going with 4's to 6's.

Post # 4

[ALR-bishop]

If you start with one like the one on the left you could build the whole set OC, which are easy to find and cost less... ;) only kidding. I had fun building my 1952 set, even though it does get expensive, especially if you try for a master set as discussed earlier

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img126.jpg

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img089.jpg

Good luck and go slow to avoid any over extensions :)

[Zach Wheat]

Al,

Is that your partial black/partial red star Campos? Do you have a scan of the back?

Which variation is the most difficult to obtain? Isn't it the variation with partial red & partial black (as opposed to the one red & one black star on the back)?

ZWheat

[ALR-bishop]

For now I think the hardest of the 4 is the missing front border. It was written up in SCD some time back, and I have seen two others, but since it is an obvious front print defect, and does not show up much, makes me think it is pretty scarce.

I don't know if the partial black star occurs more than the full black star. It is not easy to spot, even if you are actually looking for the black star. It is mostly red with some black. There may be different degrees of it as well. I will try to get you a scan of the back of mine. The black is easier to see if you are holding it