Wanted to share my experience putting together an M116 chicago Cubs team set. I purchased my first card (a 300 back pastel Frank Chance) on 03/08/07 and just bought the last card I needed (A black back Johnny Evers) today. Here are the pics and prices I paid:
Chance pastel - $76
blank back - got in a trade of a $100 value
blue back - $114
chance fronts.jpg
chance backs.jpg
Brown pastel - $165
blank back - $80
blue back - $100
brown fronts.jpg
brown backs.jpg
Evers Pastel - $$128
black back - $201
evers.jpg
Tinker pastel - FREE (for obvious reasons lol)
black back - $168
tinkers.jpg
Pfeffer - 120
Kane - $50
Zimmerman - 27.50
Schulte - $44.23
commons graded psa.jpg
Scheckard - 40
Reulbach - $40
Needham - $40
Overall - $30
commons graded.jpg
Archer - 17.72
Beaumont - trade about $40)
Hofman - free after lot sale
Kling - 45
Korh - 20.50
McIntire - trade (about $15)
Pfiester - 20.50
Richie - $10
Steinfeldt (trade of about $40)
commons raw.jpg
Chicago Cubs original envelope $75
envelope.jpg
3 different back combos for display
Kroh - free after lot sale)
Sheckard - $6
Reulbach - $12
back combos.jpg
Total spent : $1632.23
most expensive card: Johnny Evers black back SGC50 $201
Least expensive - Jimmy Sheckard with name gone (used for back example) $6
Hardest card to get at an affordable price - Mordecai Brown pastel
Easiest card to get - Ed Reulbach (I have had 5 in my life)
Best deal: Mordecai Brown blank back in near mint condition for $80
notes:
After totaling up the prices I paid I find it cost a lot more then I thought it did. However I am very low budget and spreading that out over 5 years and 4 months then I dont feel as bad about that price. I will say this was an incredibly hard project and even if I had unlimited funds I probably only would have finished in about half the time short of buying a complete set. I do think that (Orval) Overall I got good deals on the majority of the cards.
I plan on having all of them graded by PSA and will mat them with a Cubs Sporting Life magazine cover if I ever get one. I figure probably another $400 to invest still. Also there is a blank backed Steinfeldt out there that i hope to have someday but other then that and possibly an upgrade or two, my m116 cubs card buying days are done. I had originally thought of getting them all in the same grade (2's) but I am glad I have all different grades as I can them display them in order from authentic to a 7 (or 8 if I get lucky). That will be a long time down the road but when I finally get that project done I will post pics. Definetly a very satisfying mission accomplished. I highly recommend it!
