Any Topps Post War Completionists out there?

[PowderedH2O]

I would love to work the 52 Topps, but I am a school teacher married to a school teacher, so I am never going to convince my wife that we should drop the equivalent of a house into a baseball set. I will settle for 53 Topps up. I am also doing the same for the 56 Topps up for football. I don't have a percentage, but baseball from 1970 to the present is almost complete in Ex-Mint or better, and the football is the same. I am now bouncing around with baseball sets. I am working the 53 Topps (about 20% so far) in Vg/Vg-Ex, 54 Topps (down to Aaron, Banks, and Kaline) in Vg/Vg-Ex, 1956 Topps (20% through), 62 Topps (85% done), 63 Topps (about the same), and 67 Topps (also about the same). I just can't do one set at a time. It drives me nuts. So, working on 8-10 sets keeps me interested, and if a set starts to bore me (like when I can't find cards I need to finish), I can just switch to the others.

Sam

[darkhorse9]

I'm definitely a completist, but my goal is to have a set from every available year back to 1941.

Right now my run goes from 1954 to today with only the 1957 set (4 cards) and 1958 set (43 cards) unfinished.

Before those years I have a 1951 Red Back and (mentioned in another thread) I just completed the 1943 M.P. & Co. set.

I'll probably work on the 1940's for a while That should keep me occupied

1941 Play Ball
1939-46 Salutation Exhibit
1947 Bond Bread
1948 Bowman
1949 Bowman

[ALR-bishop]

So, one set per year from 1941 to 2013, and beyond ?. Why 1941 ?
What is your criteria for picking which set for each year ?

[darkhorse9]

I arbitrarily picked that year since that's the year the war started.

I wanted a major league set for each year that includes player distribution across the league.

I picked 1941 Play Ball over double Headers or Goudey because they just look better

There were no sets in 1942 (unless you believe the Play Ball set was re-issued without copyrights in 1942)

1943 had only the MP & Co

No major sets were issued in 1944 -1946 so I'm using the Exhibit set to fill that gap. Truth be told I'll probably not include the Gehrig, Rizzo and other 1939 cards since they're real expensive and were issued prior to my parameters.

1947 I could have used either Bond Bread or Tip Top and decided on the easier Bond Bread

1948-49 I went the easy route with Bowman

When I get to finishing up the 1950's I'll probably use 1952 Bowman instead of Topps because of the reasonable ability to complete it. I've got the 1955 Bowman set for that year. everything else is Topps.

[parkerj33]

I build the same way...buy lots, keep ex/ex-mt centered cards, selll off extras and keep building. Anyone have recommended sellers? i have had great luck with mickey's sports cards (in CO) for singles, but hit/miss on lots. I have extra lots in 70-76 right now. Finished all my sets 67, 69-90. Need to pick up some new lots to re-energize the chase, been dormant for awhile.

[baseballfan]

im trying the same crazy idea topps run 51- to present just the regular issue from the new stuff. i have from 73 up to like 05 and then i need like 2-3 in the 00's up to 2012. going back i have 51 red-52-53-55-56-57-59-62-69-70-71-72 all started.

i try to get a good deal on a lot of commons and stars and try to put the set together from there. my sets are usually VG+-EX-EX+ ( i hope) or better except for the 52-53 their all over the place. just have the low numbers started right now on these 2, but i hope to get to the hi's sooner or later.

having all of these sets started gives me a lot of years to collect. i too try to sell off my doubles but find it hard to part with them. now i'm looking to be more intent on getting rid of cards i no longer want or need. gotta do something with all this stuff.

i am down under 20 on a couple of sets and some are real nice so i only fill the holes with cards that are equal in condition (55-56-57). i got good deals on the starts (very sharp cards) of these sets and didnt think it through, now i want those same real nice cards for the set and they are a lot more $$. oh well i guess i have time.

i have doubles of the 50's sets if anyone is interested in trading. i also have done well with mickey's cards top notch seller IMO.

good luck

[dodgerfanjohn]

I really don't think I'll ever get there. I have 1976-present Topps sets. 1980-present just because 1980 was the first year I got cards(my grandfather started buying them for me and I just loved them), and the prior years because they were not expensive. 1974 and 1975 aren't really expensive either and I'll eventually get those. I am almost complete on a 1960 Topps set. When I finish that I was thinking 1969 or 1956. I'm willing to go down to ExMt for 1959-1972. And then down to Ex for 57-58, and Vg-Ex for 1953-1956....assuming I ever get there. Those mid 50's cards are so big that they look really nice, even with slightly rounded corners.

Well see though. I don't think I'll ever really get this all done. Some of those 1960's sets are kinda tough to do in ExMt or better in the high numbers. And the Mantle cards are pricey and problematic if not TPG.