Hardest prewar sets that have been completed

[Leon]

Has a W572 set been completed? I doubt there are many Lone Jack sets around, as Jay has shown. And of course there are a whole lot of super rare sets that will probably never be completed, such as these.. I think this could be an 8 with those borders (or just a little less). LOL....

[Rhotchkiss]

T215 pirate- I don’t think a completed one exists; only a very almost one and then a few one offs.

[philliesphan]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

T215 pirate- I don’t think a completed one exists; only a very almost one and then a few one offs.

Rhys - when Legendary sold off the near set in 2007, there was one card missing (it was listed as being 96 of 97 cards). Do you recall what the missing example was? And has that example actually been confirmed to exist?

m

[Al C.risafulli]

My favorite collecting stories are Dan McKee reassembling the Alpha Engraving set, and my friend Jim Blumenthal finishing the N167 baseball set. In the case of the Alphas, the cards were all one of a kind. Some day I want to own one of them, only because the story is so great.

-Al

[Bugsy]

I know that these aren't cards, but the 1913 Cravats are a set of 27 (as of right now) and many in the set only have one known example. I'm guessing there are more unknown examples that will surface at some point.

[Bugsy]

This set of Tobin trade cards is pretty impossible too. There are 9 known in the set. I know that Frank Keetz was really close to completing this set too. Last I heard, he was at 8 of 9.

[robertsmithnocure]

Originally Posted by Bugsy

I know that these aren't cards, but the 1913 Cravats are a set of 27 (as of right now) and many in the set only have one known example. I'm guessing there are more unknown examples that will surface at some point.

Yes, those Cravats felts are tough. Are you saying that a complete set of known Cravats exists or not?

[Bugsy]

Originally Posted by robertsmithnocure

Yes, those Cravats felts are tough. Are you saying that a complete set of known Cravats exists or not?

I have the set of 27. It just wouldn't surprise me if more uncataloged examples emerge.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

T215 pirate- I don’t think a completed one exists; only a very almost one and then a few one offs.

Ryan

A complete PIRATE set (96-cards) exists. The 97th card is missing....Byrne variation (either Pittsburgh or St. Louis).


No doubt about which sets are the toughest.... the aforementioned 19th Century sets which have been mentioned in this thread.


I will include the 1910 COUPON (T213-1) set, which has been completed by a Net 54 member.


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TED Z

T206 Reference
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[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by Leon

Has a W572 set been completed?

Not yet. Although one of our members, Patrick, has the most complete set out there missing just three cards I believe.

[the-illini]

M101-6 Felix Mendelsohn although one collector is very close.

[Joe_G.]

I'd like to nominate Jay's N370 (Lone Jack) set that he recently posted in the 19th century thread.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by Joe_G.

I'd like to nominate Jay's N370 (Lone Jack) set that he recently posted in the 19th century thread.

There are lots of collectors who are close to completing some of these ultra-tough sets, but very few are 100% complete. As we collectors know, those last few cards to find in sets like these are brutally difficult.

I agree with Joe - Jay's N370 Lone Jack set and Jim's (RIP) N167 Old Judge set are incredible.

Sticking with 19th century, there is also a board member who has a complete N321 Hess California League Set of 40.

With caramel cards, there are also a couple of collectors who have complete base sets of E107s. Not sure if they all of the team variations, but I am pretty sure that they at least have one of each player.

In tobacco cards there are also complete sets of T208 Firesides, T211 Red Suns and T227 Series of Champions (HLC/Miners Extra) in advanced collections.

[darwinbulldog]

E107 has been completed I believe. That's gotta be up there.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

We auctioned 19/23 T227 Miner's extras and while two of them are brutally tough it's gotta be doable.

I personally have the 23/25 T220 (Boxing) Silver Borders and I actually know someone who has the James Corbett (one of three) and the Mike Donovan (one of one) and he's willing to sell them fairly reasonably, I'm just not in that rent district.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

We auctioned 19/23 T227 Miner's extras and while two of them are brutally tough it's gotta be doable.

Aren't all 24 cards available with the Miners Extra backs?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

We auctioned 19/23 T227 Miner's extras and while two of them are brutally tough it's gotta be doable.

I personally have the 23/25 T220 (Boxing) Silver Borders and I actually know someone who has the James Corbett (one of three) and the Mike Donovan (one of one) and he's willing to sell them fairly reasonably, I'm just not in that rent district.

Just noting that there are at least 4 Donovan's out there, I have scans of at least 3 of them and own 1 (the first that surfaced). Still hunting for Corbett to complete this one

[puckpaul]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

We auctioned 19/23 T227 Miner's extras and while two of them are brutally tough it's gotta be doable.

I personally have the 23/25 T220 (Boxing) Silver Borders and I actually know someone who has the James Corbett (one of three) and the Mike Donovan (one of one) and he's willing to sell them fairly reasonably, I'm just not in that rent district.

T227 should be doable... must be a few complete out there. I have been searching for a Brown and Rodgers for years since buying a great lot from the Sotheby’s Halper auction. Anyone wants to help out, I am a buyer!!

[SMPEP]

Originally Posted by CobbSpikedMe

Not yet. Although one of our members, Patrick, has the most complete set out there missing just three cards I believe.

I believe it to be true that I have more W572s than anyone else has ever assembled - but I honestly don't know if I need 3 cards!

No picture of the Walt Barbare card has ever been seen. Does it exist? Bob Lemke said it did when he added it to the Standard Catalogue. When I asked him about it years later though, he admitted he didn't remember why he added it, and thought it was because someone sent him a faxed photo. Could a faxed photo fool him?

If Lemke was right and there are 121 different cards, and the cards were produced in strips of 10 cards, then does that mean there are 9 undiscovered cards waiting to be found? Recall Lemke only added Barbare in 2006.

My best guess (at the moment) is that I still need 2 cards - Wambganns which is known to exist (Hi Brian!) and Duncan (which I've never seen a photo of - but which was graded by SGC). I'm not sure what to think on the Walt Barbare card, but it wouldn't shock me if it was a misidentification by Lemke because 120 cards make more sense than 121 cards.

Cheers,
Patrick

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by Leon

Has a W572 set been completed? I doubt there are many Lone Jack sets around, as Jay has shown. And of course there are a whole lot of super rare sets that will probably never be completed, such as these.. I think this could be an 8 with those borders (or just a little less). LOL....

I had 116 out of 121 of the W572 set before I sold mine in Heritage. The T205 front/ reverse set took priority and it is now 148 out of 151 possible cards all graded SGC. On W572 sets, I believe Patrick Prickett is maybe 2 cards off from completion. Definitely was a fun set to collect.

[sando69]

we should not forget, nor underestimate the t206 set.
as far as we know, publicly, i believe there is only ONE complete set of 524 separate examples, that include some very expensive, scarce and rare cards!

[MR RAREBACK]

Has anyone completed
t206 broadleaf 350
or hindu brown set

[Ricky]

Does the N167 set still exist in its entirety?

[nineunder71]

Originally Posted by MR RAREBACK

Has anyone completed
t206 broadleaf 350
or hindu brown set

I like this question, maybe we should start a whole thread re-T206s

To answer your question: 10-12 Broadleaf 350s are still unconfirmed, therefore No one has completed the BL350 subset

While I have not seen one, I have heard that a few people have completed the Hindu Brown subset, and I believe a few of those subsets are still intact.

But what about the Cycle 350 & American Beauty 350 subsets? All cards in both sets have been confirmed for over 10 years now, but does anyone know anyone that has completed either set of 190 ? Interesting Topic! Looking forward to responses

[nsaddict]

Many of the same opinions. I’ll throw one in not yet mentioned.
Tango Eggs....aren’t there a few with only a single example known?
It’s been a few years since I checked.

[Yoda]

The T216 Mino perhaps?

[Griffins]

Originally Posted by nsaddict

Many of the same opinions. I’ll throw one in not yet mentioned.
Tango Eggs....aren’t there a few with only a single example known?
It’s been a few years since I checked.

Both Cobbs, Plank, Evers, Felsch and Oakes are all unique, at least at this time. That makes 20 known, I'd bet there were 48 on the press sheet and who knows if anymore will turn up. We've been averaging about 1 new one every 5 years or so.