Im thru with t206s!!!

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Altho im jumping the gun a little as 8 of them are still in transit to my house,i officially finished my T206 set today 13 1/2 years after starting it.I originally planned way back when to just get 1 card of each player in the set and stop at that.My first card was a Bresnahan portrait bought from Larry Fritsch when he had a shop in Cooperstown back in 91. Paid $40 for it
After that i bought 4 cards from a local dealer,all 4 he had including a Home Run Baker and 3 commons,and a little while later bought 5 hall of famers at a card show in cherry hill.I went a little crazy with condition at first so the collecting went slow.I paid $300 for a real nice Jimmy Collins which would probably grade an 8.
I probably wouldnt have finished half as quick if it werent for ebay and of course some of the fine folks here.Also taking lesser condition cards helped too.When i realized how available they were on ebay i decided to get every card up till Elberfeld,washington portrait.That changed when i was able to buy a psa2 Demmitt and then i decided to get the O'hara too. When my dad won a Magie off ebay he changed my final goal for me. Now i love that he got a gd/vg copy for $1800 but when i was working part time back then and had to pay him back within a month i had mixed emotions about it
I also stopped collecting the fronts to concentrate on the backs for awhile and got every brand from drum on down,put them into a display and had to get the players that were on the front of each of them again.Since early 2000 ive been slowly buying the rest i needed,mostly one at a time which of course is more expensive but much more fun that way.I got into an error/printer scrap,etc collecting phase (when i got a rare upside down piedmont with parts of 4 backs) and i pick them up from time to time still.
If it werent for my hatred of Lee (he knows im kidding) i probably wouldnt have finished till sometime mid next year but i bought the last 15 this week in a holiday spending spree just to finish before him.Also the old judges collecting put a crimp in my t206 spending,but theyre so addictive too.I still havent started my xmas shopping btw but i still have 8 days for that.If anyone wants to know,the last 15 in no particular order were
Cobb,green
Evers,blue
Lajoie,batting
Johnson,port
Young,port
Tinker,port
Shaughnessy
Revelle
Rockenfield
White,houston
Smith,atl
Kiernan
Howard,savannah
Hickman
Hart,little rock

Id like to thank everyone here who helped me,tbob,Lee,Runscott just to name a few of the bigger helps and Bill and Elliot for the forum which was alot of help.I kind of lied when i said im thru with the t206s since i still collect 'errors' of all kinds.

On to the old judges,look out Kevin,now i can concentrate on taking your Mr OJ-NJ title

Anyone else wanna share t206 collecting stories feel free to turn this into that kind of thread.I know wonkaticket-John has been itching for one of those

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

John is that with or without the Tinker? I am holding hostage until I get my last 17 commons.

I'm glad I'm not in John's family because no one is going to get anything but a fruitcake for Christmas. At least you can show the rest of your family what you got your self for Christmas.

Congrats, John. You win no prize, but you did win the race.

Lee

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Posted By: Chris B.

Congratulations John!!!

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Sorry Lee i bought the Tinker portrait today,i couldnt wait for you because i know you were trying to get your 17 cards first

PS Thanks for the gift idea

PSS Thanks Chris,look for those scans i promised sometime today

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Posted By: Scott

Now I guess you will slowly start upgrading?

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

John:

I applaud an effort well done. Everyone knows that the Wagner is not a realistic addition, so you are as good as it's going to get for the T206s.

Even when you reign supreme as lord of the New Jersey OJ kingdom, however, your obsessive/compulsive disorder with regard to N172 Larry Corcorans will never let you sleep soundly until every last one is in your posession and you know I'll always have one! Pleasant dreams!

Kevin

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Theres a few cards id really like to upgrade but once i get all of them together im going to go thru and see which ones need to be upgraded the most.I know the Tom Jones i have is pretty bad as well as Kling,Jones(hands on hip) Donlin,batting and Lake,ny

Those seem to be the worst according to my list but none i would call poor.Ive upgraded some cards as ive gone along already.Probably if i see any big lots going cheap ill buy it and check for upgrades and resell but im in no rush.

I also meant to thank James Verrill who ive gotten a ton of cards from over the years.I figured id leave names out but ive probably got more cards from him than anyone else

edit: Thanks Kevin for the backhanded compliment,just remember who has a better Orator Shaffer still

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Posted By: jay behrens

Congrats. It's no small feat, no matter the budget or condition.

Jay- only 9634 away from completing his player set

The difference between genius and insanity is acceptance.

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Posted By: Nathan

That's an impressive feat - not something I would be crazy enough to do.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

This just in,all but 2 of the cards made it to my house today and those were mailed this morning so i didnt really expect them altho tomorrow is a possibility as they are coming from just under an hour car ride away

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Posted By: Trae R.

This is amazing! So you have every card but the Wagner? How many in total? Nice job, that takes some serious dedication from what I understand.

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Posted By: Scott

...

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Posted By: Julie

to ask if you have a Wagner?

Did I miss a big event?

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Wagner and Plank i dont have,one is possible in the future,one isnt,neither is likely.When i get the last 2 in the next day or so which are Cobb,green and Tinker,port ill have 624 total t206s.

521 different fronts
20 something backs
a bunch of errors
and some misc. ones which are basically just ones i upgraded from and never sold. I have 2 hanging on my wall framed with my Paddy Livingston autograph,one is Livingston and the other is just there for the back and im not sure who it is,just a card i had triples of

Id like to note i took it easy on you Cubs collectors the first 13 years since less than 6 months ago i was still missing 12 of them

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Scott,you knew i didnt have the Plank and last time i checked im still a delivery driver and not able to afford that silly Wagner card.If you want to see the Magie tho.....here it is with the drum and the Lajoie and Young i got today

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Posted By: Bill

John, congratulations on your accomplishment. I am 99% complete myself, but I never will be through. Always upgrading. Call me crazy, but T206's are the only thing I collect. Bill

http://www.sgccardregistry.com/index.asp

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Posted By: Jason Smith

Thank you for the inspiring story. I bought 2 T206 cards in 1990 (Joss Pitching $85 Polar Bear, turned out to be a PSA 4, and Owen Wilson $35 also became a PSA 4 when I had it graded), and then a few more over the years when I had some extra money, but over the last year I've been into it a lot more, finding this board in the process. I'm pretty obsessed with the set now, hence my handle on the PSA registry (Obsessed with T206). I collect mostly commons, and at this point indiscriminately, as there's no point in being choosy. Someone on this board wisely said something like "take it as it comes with 'The Monster'. I try to stay PSA 4 and above for the most part, unless there's something particularly beautiful about a low pop 3. I've got a penchant for Polar Bear since it was my first card and hard to find in great condition.
Since I don't collect anything else, maybe others can answer - haven't there been more "deep pocket" buyers on ebay lately, or is it just with T206? It can be frustrating when price isn't an issue for other people like it is for me. I've lowered my standards a bit, going for 4s more often, but those prices have shot up as well. I just crossed the 25% mark, but keep in mind most are commons. My most expensive card is a PSA 5 Speaker.
And, last night I got a card that I have been obsessing over for awhile now, the first card in the set, Abbaticchio Blue Sleeves!
At this rate I should finish in about 15 years...
Jason
PS - For a split second, when I first saw that Magie and Drum next to each other, I thought it was the front and back of the same card, like you'll see a lot on ebay. I was floored that you had a Magie Drum back, until it occured to me it was 2 different cards!

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Posted By: Elliot

I was going to make some smart-ass comment, but it really is an accomplishment to complete a 500 card set that is almost 100 years old.

Prices for 4's seem to have taken a jump up lately, but I think they were just catching up to the earlier rise in 5's and 6's.

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Posted By: Dave

John,

Congrats on this, it is something I'm still trying to do. I'm down to 45 missing cards, but some of the more expensive ones (1 Cobb and Matty, 2 Tinker and Marquard, 3 Evers). 9 of these are SL cards as well.

I don't even consider Magie, Wagner, Plank, O'Hara and Demmitt St L, Doyle NY Nat'l, or Nodgrass as needed to count as done. I know a few of these are on ebay right now, but graded 1 for $800 is truly a crazy thing.

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Posted By: John

John;

Way to go, so tell us how does that T206 set high feel? Maybe some day I’ll catch up. Until then congratulations

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Yeah John you got a long way to go to catch up to me,what are you 2 behind if you count the backs?

So far the only perks ive gotten from showing people the complete set are a quarter from a guy at the gas station who told me to call someone who cares,and the guy at 7-11 gave me a lb of old roast beef if i left right away.Another older womans only response was "what no Wagner?"

Im living the high life

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Posted By: Julie

a quarter?

Congtarulations!

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi John,
Congrats on completing The Monster. I'm glad I won't have to compete against you as I complete mine. Of course mine, (cards with only the tougher backs) will be impossible to complete, but will keep me busy for a very long time. Be well Brian





PS Nice Magie...............

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Posted By: John

Julie;

I’m not trying to be a but can you use just one animated gif at a time or at least find some new ones pretty please.




[edited to prevent seizures]

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Posted By: John

It’s not your politics, or your scans.....just the gifs.

Oh now were going to get nasty about that software no I was going to send it I told you I lost your email with your address.

I was planning on sending your software…. your gifs didn’t disqualify you’re your attitude just did.

To think a language translator for the person who puts numbers in words. No that deserves a smiley.

"It requires an hour of work for my to get a gif where I can upload it here."

Does that mean you have a little over six hours of work in your last post?

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Posted By: Robert A

Brian.
Is there a method to your t206 rare back collecting, or is it just any cards with rare backs for the set?
Robert

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Posted By: John

Just out of curiosity for the T206 set collectors out there (John you can’t play anymore your done) how long has everyone been colleting the set? Also how many sets are in existence today in the collecting world anyone have any ideas?

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Posted By: Julie

would be worth complaining about. What I meant about the "hours work" is that the gifs are supposed to be used by me only for e-mails, and I have to do about an hour's work to get each one recognized as a movable gif--so I just picked my favorite ones. But is one gif, repeated (they are SO small!) ot even 5 in a row, occasionally,
worth making a fuss over? I think they're kind of cute, though I am also getting tired of them. Or were you just looking for an excuse to parade your own?

Anyway, I'm sorry. Sigh. I'll cut way down on the gifs.

It seems like everything I do offends someone! I don't find my posts any more objectionable than any of yours!

And PLEASE send the software...

To answer John's question, T206s were some of the first early cards I collected (1985). I traded a set of '75 mini-Topps for the bat-off I have today (plus some of my cash). But a funny thing happened. When I had to sell almost all my cards because of a personal financial crisis(1989-90)--I kept the rare back Bender with trees and the Cobb, bat off, and Lajoie throwing, and Young glove shows, Johnson hands at chest, and the only other ones I had left were like vg-ex. The dealers I sold them to took the rest. I
have replaced very few! Matty dark cap, briefly had a Plank, but sold it to bid on wonderful 19th century stuff. It's not at the forefront of my attention. Oh yes--a lovely (lower grade) Cobb green background I bought, too (first time). But mainly, if I'm getting 20th century stuff, it's Fan Craze, E107, Ramly, Crackerjack, Colgans. My taste has become more 19th century.

I know someone who has two T206 sets, but only one Wagner.

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Posted By: Kevin O

Congratulations John!

I apologize if this is totally insane, but do you have any plan to display it as one? I would think the visual appeal would be incredible, even to those who don't collect.

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Posted By: Robert A

wonkaticket.
That's a good question concerning how many sets are out there!

I collected t206 hall of famers and uncommon backs for five years and now I've started to concentrate on the commons and SLers.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

To answer Kevin O.

I wouldnt be against displaying it all as one maybe at a show like fort washington which is close for me.I couldnt imagine how big it would be all laid out side to side.It would be better if i had them all in the same kind of holders,but some are psa,some sgc,some in top loaders,a couple ive had for awhile in snap tights and even have some in screwdowns.

The only major obstacle for me would be getting off a weekend from work since i work alot more hours friday-sunday than the other 4 days.

Maybe some dealer would appreciate the gesture enough to not charge me to set up at his table figuring it might draw a bigger crowd for him

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Posted By: Nick Martinez

John,
Great patience in building that bad boy!

After I finished building Topps sets I lost that loving feeling for set building. I tried building the T207 set and ran out of patience and sold it.
Quite an accomplishment, now what will you do with it? Frame it, Sell it or bury it in your back yard?

Envious,
Nick

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Hey Nick,thanks. I plan on doing nothing with it for as long as possible except enjoying it and slowly upgrade some of them.Im going full tilt into old judges now and not much else,altho i dont plan on coming close to finishing a player set of OJs

The funny thing is the last set i put together was the 1991 pga tour set,and i had to cheat after buying a ton of boxes by writing to pro set and complaining that i couldnt find the last 3 cards(which was true) They sent me the last 3 for nothing.Quite a jump in set collecting i must admit

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Posted By: Mike Pugeda

Congratulations!

As someone who recently completed his "set" (PX7-Domino discs), I can imagine your joy/relief at accomplishing such a task. Congrats once again.

Mike

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Posted By: tbob

Congrats to one of the nicest guys in the hobby and someone who has always had a kind word and a helpful hint. Now I need to get off my duff, quit trying to be a caramel card completist and get the last few 206s I need myself (and no I don't have a Plank either).

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Way to go, John!!

I just saw this post for the first time... and like you, I wonder how anyone EVER completed big set collections before EBay came along??

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Posted By: T206Collector

...one bite at a time.

That's been my approach with T206. In 1997, I purchased a Matty White Cap and Bender portrait for $500. The Matty graded out as a PSA 5 and the Bender a PSA 4. Then a few years later, I think 1999, on ebay I bought a lot of 11 PSA 5 and PSA 6 T206 cards. Ever since then I've been taking a more aggressive approach. I am probably with 40 or so of the end, I need mostly southern leaguers and some tough rare variations. I also only have one Cobb and one Young. But I'm slowly getting there...

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Posted By: Anonymous

I bought my first t-206 a matty white cap in f-g condition at a show about 25 years ago. It was $2. While they don't excite me as much as they once did, I still love to look for rare backs and variations for fun. Congrats on a feat I will never partake in!

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

Congrats John. Tackling the Monster is no easy task!

Patrick