Set Collectors - Report in your progress!

[carlsonjok]

I'm mainly a set builder and have finished the Topps sets from 1956 and 1971 through 1979. I'm currently working on (with various levels of seriousness) 1955, 1960, 1965, 1968, and 1970 but am only close to completion on the last two.

I am only 3 away from completion on 1970, but haven't been to a show in a while to try and knock them off. In the past, I had bought a lot through Greg Morris on eBay, but his sale prices have gotten way too rich for my blood. As an (extreme) example, I need card 550 (Frank Howard.) Beckett puts it's book value at $6. Based on my personal bidding rules of thumb, I'd bid up to $2.50 for that card in EX+ or better condition. I might go as high as $3 given that it is one of the last few I need. I was watching an GM auction for this card earlier this week. It ended up selling for $48.89. The card was NM/MT, but it wasn't perfectly centered. It just makes no sense to me.

I'm only 6 cards away from finishing 1968, but one of them is the Nolan Ryan rookie card which has also gotten pretty pricey. I may consider that set complete when I have everything but that card and just wait for this bubble to burst before I go after that one.