It is time for me to sell my 1956 Topps Master set to work on another quest

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Posted By: neil b. downey

Hi Guys! Now that I have started to narrow down the list of pre-war sets that interest me, it has become painfully clear that I need to sell my beloved 100% complete 1956 Topps Master set. I don't have the type of budget that would allow me to keep it along with going after any of the great pre-war sets. This set consists of 3 PSA 8s, 339 PSA 7s and 12 PSA 6s. None of the cards have any qualifiers. All of the PSA 6s are checklist variations that are needed to make it a Master set. Anyone that has seriously tackled this set has quickly learned that it is a super tough set to get in high quality, even in a PSA 7 or even a PSA 8 holder. Just some of the challenges with these cards are rough cut edges, chipped edges, off centering, diamond cuts, wax backs and print streaks. All this before you even decide if you want to collect cards #1-#100 in white back or gray back form. My set has 97 of the first 100 cards as clean white backs. I also have 10 of the 12 checklist variations as white backs. Many of you know that I have spent years putting this set together with the intention of minimizing most of these manufacturing defects. I don’t want to say that all of my cards are the best PSA 7s ever slabbed. There are almost no 1956 Topps cards ever printed that don’t have some minor flaws to them. I will say that I have bought and sold over 1,500 PSA 7 1956 Topps cards over a 4 year period in search of the best cards that I could find for my set. Anyone who knows me as a collector or any seller that has gotten one of my thousands of emails with questions about the cut and how clean the cards are can attest that I am a pain in the butt when it comes to wanting the best that I could find. Needless to say, I have worked hard and long to get cards of this quality and it would be my pleasure if I could help the many 1956 Topps friends that I have made along the way fill some of the holes in their sets. It would also be nice if I could give a jump start to anyone would has been on the fence about starting one of the most beautiful sets ever printed. I’d like to do this sale on a first come, first served basis. My Basic and Master sets are on the PSA set registry under the name Neil B. Downey and Sons Collection. I have posted scans of all 354 cards. If anyone is interested in any of the cards from my set, please email me at nbdowney@msn.com with your wish list, questions or inquiries. Thank you for your time, Neil

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Posted By: Bob

Neil- I know it will tough to sell this set. I put together 2 1956 sets, card by card, both master sets so I know what a labor of love it is. The last one was finished in 1995 and sold in 2002. It was exmt-nrmt throughout. I look back now and marvel at how much more the set sells for now. One thing I would suggest to think about is to sell the cards individually as I found out the hard way that the break price exceeds the set price because all the work, trouble, tears and time count for nothing anymore.
tbob

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Posted By: neil b. downey

Hi, Thanks for the advice. I am going to sell it card by card. You may not know me like they do on the CU boards but I'd like to think that I have a rep of only putting top quality cards into my sets. Perhaps some of the collectors on this board will learn this as well. Thanks for the email. Neil

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Posted By: Shanon

e-mail sent on a few.

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Posted By: Dave Donofrio

Neil, How it goes? I'm interested in the Ted Williams, Yankees Team and Braves Team. LMK when and if you are breaking them up. Thanks.

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Posted By: neil b. downey

Hi Guys, I finally completed the master list of what 1956 Topps cards I have left for sale and their prices. If anyone would like to recieve a copy of the excel file, email me at nbdowney@msn.com - Thanks, Neil