What sets exist that have never been completed?

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Posted By: Brian McQueen

Thought I’d start a thread about set-difficulty in general as I was curious as to what pre-war sets have never (to public knowledge) been finished. N172s and e107s come to mind for sure, but those issues are more readily known. What other issues exist that have eluded completion up to this point?

One example of a set I thought had never been completed is the 1918 Zeenut set but I recently found out that there are two complete sets known. So I guess I’d cross that one off the list. Anyone know of any other sets that have never been finished or are difficult enough that they have only been completed once or twice?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Plenty of 19th century sets, such as Kalamazoo Bats, Four Base Hits (nobody even knows what constitutes it), Yum Yum, G&B, S.F. Hess (regular and California League both) and I am sure there are plenty of others. In fact, every set I mentioned can conceivably have a new find added to the checklist which makes completion even impossible to ascertain.

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Posted By: Steve M.

I would be interested in knowing whether anyone has completed any of the following postcard sets:

1906 Ullman New York Giants

1906 Sporting Life (W601)

1908-09 Rose & Company (Including the Scranton cards)

Barry, I agree that there may be many sets for which new found players may be discovered. I think though for this discussion that we would be interested in knowing what sets, for which there is an existing checklist, have not been completed. I agree with e107 and N172.

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Posted By: Joe_G.

What Barry said plus N172 Old Judge (either as a pose set or even just player), the N173 cabinets, or the lovely N175 Gypsy Queens.

Best Regards,
Joe Gonsowski

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Posted By: David Vargha

R304 1934 Al Demaree Die Cuts

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Erick Lewin

From what i know no one has a complete set of D381's , not even including variations etc... Me and 2 people i know of are less than 10 away or about 10 away, but i dont think we'll ever complete it

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

No one has a complete set of Darby Chocolates. Alan Hager's book in 1993 claimed that there were two complete sets known and Dennis Purdy challenged that claim in VCBC. Since that time there have been a few additions to the checklist, making completion of the set even more unlikely.

I have a complete set of N526 Number 7 Cigars. I have never heard of another. Does anyone out there know of another? I imagine that someone in the last 100 years put one together before the hobby grew in prominence but I can't really imagine why anyone would want one! I did it because the idea appealed to my contrarian nature.

I wonder if anyone has a complete set of the baseball N566 Newsboy cabinets?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Bruce- I think the Newsboys is another of those sets where new cards may still be found. I think it's impressive that you completed N526. No, you would never call it the most colorful set (least colorful perhaps) but it is a very substantial trade card issue and if you have the only complete one that's pretty good by itself. Didn't you mention that there was one card in the set that you were looking for a real long time?

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

T.T. Brown was the last and toughest card for me. I have no idea why. Most of the cards were under @250 each. Kelley was the most expensive @ $690.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

......

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Posted By: fkw

More obvious set

T214
T215 Pirate
E222
1921 Herpolsheimer
Ullman postcards (w/Cubs team)
Allegheny
J=K Candy
JuJu Drum
E125
T4
T5
D303 Mothers
Schapira Big Show
T216 Vir.Extra

Tango Eggs??
Holland Ice Cream??
Cabanas??
Diaz??
W504 (with Washington players)??

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Posted By: Rich Klein

Has to be part of a set which no one has ever completed. Especially since the only other known card is a photo copy -- good luck getting that other copy

Rich

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Posted By: Joe D.

I have heard a rumor that a full set of the Orange Borders cards was out there somewhere.....

but - since chances seem to be seldom of finding any single card from the set - I wonder if this whole set can possibly be in the hands of one person?

And if it is... I am going to guess that that set is the only possible set out there (thinking much of the set is 1 of 1).

Would love to see it if it is out there.


edit: boy my writing is aweful when I try to rush through a response.

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Posted By: Brian McQueen

I heard at one point that the Allegheny set was discovered complete and then broken up. I suppose that counts as "public knowledge of a completed set" right? Does anyone know HOW it was found? As a part of a game? In a shoebox, etc..? I guess it could have been hand-coalated at one point before it was lost, re-discovered, and then broken up.

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Posted By: Wesley

Same can be said for the 1921 Herpolsheimer set. All the cards came from one source until they were broken up and listed raw on ebay.

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Posted By: fkw

Hi Joe,

There are a few collectors with large groups of the Orange Border, Base Ball Bats, J=K cards. I know of a couple that specialize in them. Until recently you used to see them on ebay once every couple months or so. I have bought about 15 common players (+ McGraw and at least 5 team cards) over the last 7 years on eBay and never paid more than $200 for a single card. In eBays early days you used to be able to pick them up for very cheap ($50-$100). I have also owned 3 of the Cobbs bought at different times all for under $700. But this was all before the big jump in value for these rarer type cards that we see today.

Dan McKee may have a complete set, he buys ever card Ive had, and out bids me on the others.

PS you guys are right on the Allegheny and Herpolsheimer cards. I was thinking more inline of can they be completed or are they complete today.

If you go back far enough, many of these sets were complete at one time, especially by an employee right after they were printed

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Posted By: Bob

T210, all 8 series?
1911 Zeenut master set with all pose variations and box variations?

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Posted By: Lyle

the 1912 Boston Garters .

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Posted By: Andy Cook

I think there may be a complete W504 Senators set because at one point I was very close and I suspect someone may have finished it.

Andy

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Posted By: Zach Rice

I've heard of a complete T210 set existing. There are also a small group of collectors who are "close" to one, one of which only needs one card. I'd be interested in hearing if a complete T209-2 set exists. There was a board member who owned nearly all of the cards from the set (missing I think 8) but I haven't heard of anyone else being that close or even closer.

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Posted By: Richard

How about just the mainstream t and e sets:

e92 nadja back
e94 master color set
e105
e107

t214 victory
t215 red cross or pirate
t216 mino or virginia extra

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Posted By: zeenut

How about T211's? I know of one collector with about half of the set... Anybody else close on this set?

Matt

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Posted By: Anonymous

When was the last time anyone has even seen an E222? Would love to have just one of these in my collection...
Also can probably add
E123 Curtis Ireland
E221 Bishop
E223 G & B

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Posted By: barrysloate

I can confirm that there is a complete T210 set known.

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Dammit!

-Ryan

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Posted By: George

I have a few Orange Borders. I have looked for others for years, but they are very hard to find. The ones I have are as follows:

1909 AL Champs
1909 NL Champs
Criger
Sam Crawford
Plank
Lord
Doolan
Wagner
Ty Cobb

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Posted By: Paul

Everyone has overlooked the obvious -- the background set on this webpage -- E125 American Caramel.

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Posted By: leon

I think Mark M might have complete sets of E221 and E222...or be one shy in E221.....we just never see either of these, it seems.....now if we want to talk about complete "back" sets .......

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Posted By: Marc S.

A complete checklist is still not known....

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Posted By: Joe D.

George,

Very cool to hear that you have that many orange borders....

I would love to see scans if you would be so kind to email them to me

joe@internetville.com


and if you are ever looking to sell or trade away any of the individual players - please let me know.

Regards,
Joe

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Posted By: Bruce Babcock

I saw at least 3-4 E222s at the National. Steep prices may have scared off some people. A complete set of these - wow. If Mark M. has one I would not be surprised, though.

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Posted By: George

Joe D. asked for a scan of my Orange Borders. I will attach it if I can:

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Posted By: Bob

Not aware of a complete E94 master set yet, but I am giving it my best shot. The problem is the further along you get, the more frustrating it becomes- you need one background color of, say, Sam Crawford and every Crawford card that ever rears its scarce head is always the wrong color.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I doubt anyone has reassembled my complete run of Wheaties boxes from the 30s and early 40s. Many of the boxes were not in great shape as they came from a lady who said she used to use them to support her tomatoe plants. I was amazed at the total lack of interest in this group when I was moving my collection adn ended up selling it off, set by set, since on one wanted the whole thing.

Jay

I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: Scot York

I have never seen or heard of an E210 York Caramel type-2 set complete.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Wow the Wagner and Plank orange borders are two cool looking cards!

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Posted By: dan mckee

Not quite Frank, I have a bunch but not all. I don't have that Ornage bordered Plank that is pictured! Too cool! I do have both poses of Wagner though. Also, pop sold a complete Holland Creameries set in 1985 for $175. Man he killed that poor guy! I don't know how he sleeps at night. Anyway, he bought the creameries, a bunch of maple crispettes and a near set of Honey boys out of one of the first SCD's from a guy in Canada. I think Lew Lipset was his only competition on that deal at the time. Dan.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I've never even heard of one existing. Maybe Mark M has one??

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Posted By: Joe D.

great cards.

I think that is my favorite wagner card of all wagner cards.


The set does frustrate me because I was only able to get one card.... but seeing your cards shows that there is hope yet - and I probably shouldn't throw in the towel when thinking of collecting orange borders.

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Posted By: fkw

Dan, I knew you were close on the Orange Borders, but wasnt sure.

Did your Dad have the Holland Peckinpaugh (#16)? I know the complete set was always listed as #16 unknown for many years. I thought the one I found 7 years ago was the only one known. I showed it to Lew Lipset and it was news to him that it existed. Its the only one Ive ever heard of or seen. BTW I sold it a few years back for good $$ (equivelent of about $12,000 NRMT value) at the time, but dont know who has it now.

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Posted By: Joe D.

If you have a link or scans handy of the orange borders... I would love to see them.

joe@internetville.com


Regards,
Joe

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Posted By: Brett

Those orange borders are cool. I'd take the Plank off your hands