Question for the signed set collectors

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I've never worked on the 52' set or studied it closely, but I've worked two dozen other signed sets and "within the realm of physical possibility" and "possible" are two very different terms in regards to signed sets. 1981 Topps is within the realm of possiblity to be completed fully signed. That being said, it's not possible to complete IMO.

Why not? Are there guys in the set that died in 1981 or 1982?

[roarfrom34]

The only signed set I've completed in full is the 1983 Donruss Action All Star set (only 59 cards; one checklist)...

In 1991, the Orioles came out with a Crown Gas/Coke sponsored set of every player to have played with the team 1954 through the '91 Opening Day roster...

I believe that set had 502 cards and would be impossible to complete because at the time of issue 450 of them were still alive. Over the years, I've had 444 out of those 450 signed...

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by roarfrom34

The only signed set I've completed in full is the 1983 Donruss Action All Star set (only 59 cards; one checklist)...

In 1991, the Orioles came out with a Crown Gas/Coke sponsored set of every player to have played with the team 1954 through the '91 Opening Day roster...

I believe that set had 502 cards and would be impossible to complete because at the time of issue 450 of them were still alive. Over the years, I've had 444 out of those 450 signed...

To my way of thinking 450 would be "complete". If you are dead when a card is released that pretty much seals the deal.

I understand that if you say "I have the complete set signed" people who don't know any better would be looking for a signed cards of the dead guys, but you could say "I have all possible cards in the set was issued signed".

"Possible" being defined as "player was alive when the set was issued".

In regards to the 1952 set, I find it hard to believe that anybody on a card is "impossible". But, I could be wrong.

[egri]

I've been working on a signed 1953 Topps set for about six and a half years now and am at 259/274. At first I wanted to see how many I could get TTM, then the bug bit me and I've been trying to get the whole set done since. I got blown out of the water on the REA lot that would have knocked out more than half of my wantlist. From looking at PSA/DNA's population report, there is at least one example of each card signed, though there are four I have yet to see at all (Fox, Bickford, Fussleman, Norman).

[ubiqty]

I've been working on this set for about 10 years. I have 227 of 240. Seems reasonable that I'll get a little bit closer but it's very slow going. I've identified 8 of the ones that I'm missing but they aren't available now. Every now and again a surprise find surfaces.
Scott.

[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

Why not? Are there guys in the set that died in 1981 or 1982?

Steve Macko passed in late 1981 so the Cubs Future Stars card is very difficult to complete or find completed, but not impossible and a couple examples are in the market.


The Mariners card is impossible to complete IMO and doesn't exist in the known market. Rick Anderson passed in 1989 and was reclusive after he left baseball in 1981 although legend states he was sorting fan mail at the moment of his death. The number of copies in the market with his signature roughly equal about 20-25, but in the past couple of years I've come to believe that the majority of copies in the market including authenticated examples were either signed by current Tigers' pitching coach Rick Anderson - or more likely - forged using the model of the wrong Rick Anderson's signature. The card is impossible to complete because despite almost 15 years of searching I have never seen, nor met someone claiming to have seen, the Mariners card with both Anderson and Rodney Craig. Craig didn't pass until 2013, but dealt with many personal issues after baseball. The closest I have ever seen the card to be completed is someone had a copy signed by Anderson and Biercewicz (although I believe the Anderson to have been a copy I described above) and was able to get the card to Craig's family in LA to be signed, but Craig was murdered the same week.