Mini Milestone

[familytoad]

I had to share this, as I was putting away the last stack of cards on my desk from recent mailings.

My version of the Topps Run is down to 99 cards to complete !

This is a modified run since I am not collecting 1952 Topps high numbers, and the run stops at 1980.

I also am not collecting every variation along the way, one version is good enough for me (except 1962 green tints, I have those)

It's about 16,700 cards or so in my version from 1952-1980.

I never thought I'd get this close, and the best thing to me is that I really don't need that many of the biggest cards. I have all the Mantles , Aarons etc...I do need Ryan and Rose rookies which will probably be the last ones that I get since I am not a big fan of those guys.

1967 is the one that hurts the most, I need 30 high numbers. Aargh , I will go after those before the year is out.

Anyway, it felt good to be down in double digits after all these years!

[ashes13]

thats an impressive feat. How many years have you been working on the topps run?

[LuckyLarry]

That is huge Brian, congrats!!!

Larry

[Mountaineer1999]

That's a nice run! How did you go about it? Did you buy complete sets for some years , starter sets, childhood sets you made whole? I've started looking at my 70s sets from my youth and maybe finishing them out thru 1989 but 50s-60s seem unattainable.

[ALR-bishop]

That is not a mini run Brian, that is a major run. Very impressive. I like others would be interested in how you went about it and over what period of time.

You should not have done the greenies because that virtually requires you to go back later and do the catalog listed vatriations for all those sets . I think it is the law.

[familytoad]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Three letters describe how I did it... OBC .
I can pretty much guarantee that I wouldn't have anywhere near this quantity if I was collecting "alone".
OBC is a family to me, having joined in 1997
We encourage each other, help each other and pass cards via "postal karma".
It just works!

Now, trust me...I have spent a fool's fortune on baseball cards for the past 46 years, beginning at age 8. I was lucky that my original cards from the 70's were mostly intact when I found them again in the mid 80's. I bought lots, singles and more lots to jump start all of the older sets and complete holes. But OBC has filled my mailbox with cardboard for nearly two decades!

My strategy has always been to try and acquire the bigger stars along the way.
I secretly want to end each set with easy commons, or reasonable stars like my 64 Niekro RC that would finish me off for that year.

Additionally, The thrill of the chase exceeds the fact that I could go on eBay and buy up the whole group of 99 cards I need tonight and be done.
I have bought starter sets of a hundred cards or so, but no complete sets.
I put them all in binders and read the backs before crossing them off my spreadsheet

So as I look forward to finishing the run, I have added some of the Bowman sets, Kellogg's , Red Hearts & a bunch of football (always seeking 1971 Topps FB) as well as completing my T205, E95, E96, E210-1 and denting C46, E90-1, T212 and E210-2 along the way. Then my real passion is HOF collecting.
My favorite collection is in my signature link. I've got the disease, boys!

Thanks for reading and certainly enjoy your own collections as much as I do mine...tell me YOUR story!

[Harliduck]

Brian....you...are...my...hero!!!