Anyone ever attempt a complete Topps vintage run?

[IndyDave]

I guess when I discovered this hobby in the early to mid 1970's at 14-15 years old and bought my first checklist book that started with 1948 Bowman, that was always the goal. Try go get all of them. My childhood collection started with 1966 Topps. Those first checklist books had me loving some of the older cards.

I mostly picked away at that for a few decades, kind of stepped away for about 15 years when I got married and had my son. I still went to the occasional show and tried to buy cards, but didn't actively search for them. About five years ago when my son graduated college I got a lot more serious about getting back in to the hobby.

At this point what I don't have complete are:

BOWMAN

1948 - never really tried. Only have a few. Don't even have a want list.

1949 - bought a huge lot at the National in 2021. Still need 47 cards including Paige, Doby and Musial

1950 - need Spahn, Jackie, Newk, Yogi, Campy and Ashburn.

1953 Black and White - need Stengel

TOPPS

1951 - need most of the Blues and have only one All-Star. Reds are complete.

1952 - finished the low number run this week (or will once Willie arrives). Have maybe 4 of 5 high numbers. Not sure I ever see this one getting done.

I've turned to the 1955 doubleheaders as my next challenge. Have always liked those cards. Need most of the 1964 standup single prints.

I don't think I would ever try to take this project on now, especially building all of them individually without buying any complete sets.

I was fortunate to graduate college in the early 1980's and was able to build my collection then (even off my starting salary of $15k per year), I could buy lots of 100 cards of most of the older sets at shows. I've told the story of needing to be convinced by a dealer at one of the Troy Hilton shows to buy a 100 card brick of 1958 Topps (wrapped in saran wrap) with Hank Aaron on top for $20.

Like anyone who has been this hobby for decades, I have regrets about not buying some of the star cards earlier, but I also recognize I got a lot of cards purchased for what are now bargain prices. Until I jumped back in the hobby in earnest 5 years ago, I had not paid more than $200 for any single card in my collection. That's changed since then - thinking rookies of Rose, Wilt, Bill Russell. 1951 Bowman Mantle, 1952 Topps Mays, 1954 Bowman Williams, one of the T 206 Cy Youngs (for my Cleveland collection) and I'm sure others I've forgotten.