Should I start a 1951 Topps Complete Set
 

Right now, my 11 year old son and I are trying to put together the 1971 Topps Baseball RAW set.

After that, I am thinking about doing the 1951 Topps RAW set with both Blue and Red back.

Reason being, their are not a lot of cards, and not a lot of high dollar commanding cards. To me, from the outside looking in, it looks like a relatively easy set to put together and fairly cheap.

Has anybody put this set together? If so, around how much $ was it, and how hard was it?

it looks pretty tough, I would stay away personally because they are hard to find (even many dealers don't have them in stock) and most people consider the 1952 Topps set the "first Topps set" right or wrong. Its one of those forgotten sets in the card collecting world

I really like the 51s, especially the red backs. It is full of hall of famers and relatively cheap due to a large unopened find in the 1980s. I also like that it is the first, baseball only, card set produced by Topps.

Edited to add, I have put the set together multiple times and it all depends on condition. No more than a few hundred for a very presentable set, and maybe less if you can get a group lot. It all depends on how much condition matters to you.

Alan

The '51s are not a great investment, IMO; however, from a purely collecting standpoint, I think it's a great set, for reasons you mentioned. Because they are generally well-centered, are thicker (less likely to crease) and have rounded corners, they easily make a presentable set. Even the HOFers are doable, and you can still find unopened red-back "packs" for relatively cheap, if you're looking for a neat companion/display piece. A great way to get a handle on the stars of the day. The blue backs are tougher and in some ways less desirable (not a great player selection), and blue-back panels are difficult if you're looking to add one for overall completeness, but I think you will find chasing this set enjoyable. Good luck.

1951 Topps
 

I have collected all five of the 1951 sets. The red and blue backs are the easiest, with the blues being the harder of the two. The other 3, the Current and Connie Mack All Stars, and the Team cards are all tougher, and more expensive too. The latter 3, being scarcer, are also more likely to increase in value, if that is a factor for you. I agree that the red backs would not be that expensive to assemble over time, but it is not a very exciting set. The blues a little tougher and a little more expensive

Judging by current ebay listings for both, I don't think finding them will be tough

Two similar sets in terms of size, but easier and less expensive, would be the 69 Topps Deckle set or the 68 Topps game set,both of which have more star players

here is an article about the set
http://www.psacard.com/Articles/Arti...d-war-ii-issue

Even though he said the full set it looks like he only meant the full red and blue back cards not the All Star cards. The 51 blue and red, as mentioned, aren't that hard to find.

I have never built the set but as often as partial sets come up for sale it seems to be a fairly easy set to put together and relatively cheap.

you maybe right, considering there are no huge players like Williams and Dimaggio in the set. Looks like the top player is Yogi. Just from my experience at shows I don't see many dealers with them. Ones that do have them generally have 1 or 2 and they are always beat to hell where they are in the $4 vintage bin

GREAT!!!

I think me and Zack will go ahead and do it then!

We do not collect for the resale value, but only for the fun of the hobby and the father - son time, so the condition of the cards are not a consideration really. Just no pin holes, writing of any kind, no paper loss and no other intentional damage. Creases and soft corners are not a big deal for us.

Now, we need to finish the 71 set first, and then IT IS ON!!!

thanks so much guys!!

At the end of the day that's the idea of the hobby, its more fun to share it esp with a son. My dad was never into cards or collecting so I always did it with my brother

If you can, buy a good lot of them to start and you will get better value than piecing them together one by one. I like the Red better than Blue because of player selection which was mentioned earlier.

exactly.

My son and I have tried buying sets completed already and they were not near as fun for us as the pieced together ones, because we didnt get the joy of seeing and studying each card individually, and me telling stories about the players and spreading knowledge to my son. Heck, I never saw Bob Feller or Warren Spahn pitch, but because my GrandPa and Dad thought they were the best they had ever seen, they are my all time favorites. So likewise, the stories Zack hears me tell about my favorites that I did get to see, he likes them...Willie McCovey, Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench & Brooks Robinson.

We usually buy "lots" of Ebay then go thru local card store, then go to sportlots.com, then back to ebay for the remainder.

shoot, I am so pumped now, i want to start it now. Got to stay on track thou (71).

Good luck on the 71, I finished mine not too long ago. Its a great set to put together raw and it wont cost an arm and a leg. Another great set is 1965. Again not too bad on the wallet and in my opinion it is the nicest Topps set from the 1960's

I would say go for it - depending on where you go to collect.

The red back set is no problem at all. You can find those at shows and on ebay at good prices. You can even find unopened packs at a low price. How cool for your son to open a 60-year old pack of cards.

The problem will be the blue backs. There just aren't any dealers out there who have them. They're an afterthought set so none of them bother to stock it. When they do the cards sell quickly.

If you dealing on ebay you can find them (mostly graded or beaters) but you just can't find them at shows.

Make life easy...collect the red back set and call it good.

1951
 

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...539/img071.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/...539/img072.jpg

Just got a shipment of 23 high's from the 71 set from Mickey's Clubhouse.

Plans right now are to budget $50 per pay period until 71 set is done.
Then start the 51 set. I will have to finish the 71 first as my son is really into that set right now.

I have a feeling the 51 set will be one of our funnest to do. right now we only have one, Early Wynn. I see that Mickey does not have 51's on his web site:(
Might have to do that solely thru ebay.

The first set I ever started collecting way back in 1981 was the Red Back set and it's one of my favorites. You can find nice conditioned raw Red Backs with ease, the Blue Backs not so much. While the blues are available prices are often high and it's much harder to find them in nice condition. I believe there were two and possibly even three Red Back print runs vs a single blue back run. While some blues were found along with hoards of reds in the late 80's, there were many, many more red backs involved. Doubles packs can still be found, although they are going up in price.

There are two types of Red Backs, cream/tan stock and brilliant white stock. The latter is much more attractive as the cards printed on the better stock have stayed white and have killer gloss. The Zernial (Philly) and Holmes (Hartford) variations are on the white stock whiles Zernial (Chicago) and Holmes (Boston) are found on the cream version. The difference between the two card stocks is obvious once you see them side by side. Blue Backs only came on the white stock.

The Doubles packs were a 1952 reissue without candy and contained primarily but not exclusively red backs. These packs likely sold off some returns from the previous year.

Here is an interesting couple of Red Backs with Team card backs that I got last year:

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps132339e8.jpg
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps3e780532.jpg

So is the Zernial and Holmes, are they variants, cause when we do sets, we do the "error" cards too. Are their 2 Zernial and Holmes?

Red Back Variations
 

Yes there are 2 variations of Holmes ( Boston or Hartford) and Zernial (Philly or Chicago). No variations in Blue backs

Dave - those are great error cards

K-Nole,
Not sure, but I think sometimes the availability of both 51s can depend on what area of the country you live in. I am a vintage collector in Ohio (which has a motherload shows) and I go to at least a dozen vintage shows a year. Size of at least 60 tables or more. Like Strongsville, Cinci Moeller, Columbus Veterans, Dayton Nutter Center, etc. I have typically found that hardly any dealers can find or carry 51s for their tables. Obviously one could speculate "why" in this region they are so rare, but I would go on a limb and say it has nothing to do with "choice." Dealers spend their time doing what ever they can to get their hands on early 50s issues, as they obviously hold their value.

As for the blues? Well, tell me where in Ohio to find them. Evilbay, ya ya ya. They still hardly exist. Short of dandee, red heart, etc., 51 blues are the hardest "50s set" to complete in regards to price/availability ratio.

A very fun set. If you see any blueback for under $10, buy it no matter what. Lol, then come see me in Ohio if you wanna double your money for the dupes! Great thread, thanks for reading:)

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Ohio
 

Wes

The blues are definitely harder to find and more expensive than the reds. But with ebay and dealers on line this set is still fairly doable.

The Topps Current and Connie Mack All Stars, and the related 51 Team cards are all tougher and more expensive sets. And, the toughest Topps baseball related set issued at retail in the 50s was the 55 Topps Hocus Focus baseball subset. The 56 Hocus Focus baseball subset set is a close second. At least that has been my experience.

Thanks, I've heard little or nothing of the hocus focus. Will have to find out some more about them.

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Redlegs,

that is great and usefull advice on the $10 blue backs. Sounds like a good "go by" rule when we do the set.

And also good to know you would buy the dups too :)
Problem is on that issue, when me and Zack put SETS together, all the duplicates go into our "regular" collection.
All the "name" dups from sets we put together all go in Zack's "valueable" binder.

We are trying to finish the 71 set (having a hard time, as they are more $$ then we thought). But I have told him after we finish the 71, we will be doing the 51 set. He liked the idea a lot!!