Anyone ever attempt a complete Topps vintage run?

[G1911]

I'm doing it right now, 22 years into the project that I started with my Dad when I was 9 years old.

1948-1955 Bowman - 95.75% done
1950's Topps - 96.37% done (1952 highs are most of it)
1960's Topps- 96.11% done
1970-1975 Topps (+1974 Traded + 1975 Mini) - 94.05% done (mostly 1975's to go)
1976-1979 I'm not doing.

1973 is the end of 'classic' Topps in my eyes as the end of series distribution provides at least some significant change to draw the cutoff line at.

On top of these base sets I'm building all variations, stock varieties, and recurring print defects.

I will never finish because I'm unwilling to pony up $25K+ for a second year double printed Mantle card.

[BRoberts]

Ted Z. can confirm, but I think he has completed every major baseball set from 1933 to the late 1970s.

[Scott L.]

Jim Crandall used to be a frequent poster here. Wonder what happened to him and his quest for 100 sets in PSA 8 or whatever it was. It was pretty incredible.

[hawaiian bam bam]

That’s Awesome!

Also, what size binders do you guys recommend for storing vintage topps sets a 1” or 3” D ring binder? Thanks

[jayshum]

I've got everything except the 1951 All-Stars. I still need about half of them.

[5-Tool Player]

Jay, Keep on Truck'in.....don't give up the fight

[kmac32]

I have a 1951 to current Topps run of the Chicago Cubs. Takes up 3 binders and will be starting my 4th binder. Wonder what will happen since Topps has lost the MLB contract for cards in 2024?

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Scott L.

Jim Crandall used to be a frequent poster here. Wonder what happened to him and his quest for 100 sets in PSA 8 or whatever it was. It was pretty incredible.

Jim's doing fine, We chat about music on Facebook quite a bit.

Rich

[Scott L.]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Jim's doing fine, We chat about music on Facebook quite a bit.

Rich

Glad to hear he’s well. Does he still collect and does he still have his amazing collection?

[parkerj33]

Are you including all the test sets and limited runs (like 71 greatest moments)? or just the flagship major sets? I know there's one board member here that has a nearly (if not fully) complete run including all test issues.

[midmo]

I've had complete Topps regular issue sets 1953-1987 but have sold most off. Never attempted '52 and never will.

[Griffins]

Originally Posted by Scott L.

Glad to hear he’s well. Does he still collect and does he still have his amazing collection?

He sold most of it off. He’s got two new grandkids and is happily retired.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by BRoberts

Ted Z. can confirm, but I think he has completed every major baseball set from 1933 to the late 1970s.

Hi Bill

I will confirm......

In the past 40+ years....I have completed all these sets......

1887 ALLEN & GINTER N28
1888 ALLEN & GINTER N29
1888 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS N162 (2 sets)
E90-1 AMERICAN CARAMEL set
T201 set
T205 set
T206 (521-card set, plus MAGIE)
T206 (520-card set)
T206 (all PIEDMONT)(519-cards....missing Wagner, Plank, Joe Doyle)
T206 (all SOVEREIGN)(408-cards COMPLETE)
T206 (all SWEET CAPORAL Factory #30)(468-cards....missing only Wagner)
1927 W560 set
1933 GOUDEY
1934 GOUDEY
1939 PLAY BALL
1940 PLAY BALL
1941 PLAY BALL (2 sets)
1947 BOND BREAD
1948 BLUE TINT Set (R346)
1948 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1949 LEAF
1949 BOWMAN (24 sets)
1949 BOWMAN PCL (2 sets)
1950 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1951 BOWMAN
1952 BOWMAN
1953 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1954 BOWMAN
1955 BOWMAN
1959 FLEER Ted Williams set (2 sets)
1952 TOPPS....525-cards (need 30 Gray-backs to complete a Master Set)
1953 TOPPS > > 1965 TOPPS, 1966 TOPPS (2 sets)
1967 > > 1987 TOPPS

1981 > > 1987DONRUSS and FLEER sets.

Plus 1948 BOWMAN Football (108-card set), 1952 BOWMAN FB (near complete), 1948 LEAF Boxing (49-card set).


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Casey2296]

Holy crap Ted! Amazing.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Bill

I will confirm......

In the past 40+ years....I have completed all these sets......

1887 ALLEN & GINTER N28
1888 ALLEN & GINTER N29
1888 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS N162 (2 sets)
T206 (521-card set, plus MAGIE)
T206 (520-card set)
T206 (all PIEDMONT)(519-cards....missing Wagner, Plank, Joe Doyle)
T206 (all SOVEREIGN)(408-cards COMPLETE)
T206 (all SWEET CAPORAL Factory #30)(468-cards....missing only Wagner)
1933 GOUDEY
1934 GOUDEY
1939 PLAY BALL
1940 PLAY BALL
1941 PLAY BALL (2 sets)
1947 BOND BREAD
1948 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1949 LEAF
1949 BOWMAN (24 sets)
1950 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1951 BOWMAN
1952 BOWMAN
1953 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1954 BOWMAN
1955 BOWMAN
1959 FLEER Ted Williams set (2 sets)
1952 TOPPS....525-cards (need 30 Gray-backs to complete a Master Set)
1953 TOPPS > > 1965 TOPPS, 1966 TOPPS (2 sets)
1967 > > 1987 TOPPS

1981 > > 1987DONRUSS and FLEER sets.

Plus 1948 BOWMAN Football (108-card set), 1952 BOWMAN FB (near complete), 1948 LEAF Boxing (49-card set).


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Holy crap. That is an insane resume. Whenever I feel like my collection is entering bad-ass territory, there’s always someone here to cut me down a size

What’s sad is that this kind of collection will never be possible again for the non-billionaire. Whenever I see feats like this I have to remind myself that these collections were put together when cards were much cheaper than they are today.

[homerunhitter]

Does anyone know if there is a list anywhere listing how many cards are in each years topps sets (without having to google search every single year one by one to find out) any help appreciated. Thanks

[Leon]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Does anyone know if there is a list anywhere listing how many cards are in each years topps sets (without having to google search every single year one by one to find out) any help appreciated. Thanks

One of the Beckett guides ? I think Krause SCD might have gone the way of the Dinosaur.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...BoC1p8QAvD_BwE

Or maybe the PSA registry....
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/

.

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Does anyone know if there is a list anywhere listing how many cards are in each years topps sets (without having to google search every single year one by one to find out) any help appreciated. Thanks

https://www.tcdb.com/ViewAll.cfm/sp/Baseball?MODE=Years

click the set you want, it will tell you.

example:

https://www.tcdb.com/ViewSet.cfm/sid/29/1953-Topps

[homerunhitter]

Thanks guys!!! I appreciate your help!

Does anyone remember a member here that had his own topps set collection website where he tracked his collection. I think it was Kevin’s topps cards? Or something like that

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Does anyone know if there is a list anywhere listing how many cards are in each years topps sets (without having to google search every single year one by one to find out) any help appreciated. Thanks

If someone has a complete run of base Topps cards from 1951-2022 they have a total of 46,027 cards.

The more you know........

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Bill

I will confirm......

In the past 40+ years....I have completed all these sets......

1887 ALLEN & GINTER N28
1888 ALLEN & GINTER N29
1888 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS N162 (2 sets)
E90-1 AMERICAN CARAMEL set
T201 set
T205 set
T206 (521-card set, plus MAGIE)
T206 (520-card set)
T206 (all PIEDMONT)(519-cards....missing Wagner, Plank, Joe Doyle)
T206 (all SOVEREIGN)(408-cards COMPLETE)
T206 (all SWEET CAPORAL Factory #30)(468-cards....missing only Wagner)
1927 W560 set
1933 GOUDEY
1934 GOUDEY
1939 PLAY BALL
1940 PLAY BALL
1941 PLAY BALL (2 sets)
1947 BOND BREAD
1948 BLUE TINT Set (R346)
1948 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1949 LEAF
1949 BOWMAN (24 sets)
1949 BOWMAN PCL (2 sets)
1950 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1951 BOWMAN
1952 BOWMAN
1953 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1954 BOWMAN
1955 BOWMAN
1959 FLEER Ted Williams set (2 sets)
1952 TOPPS....525-cards (need 30 Gray-backs to complete a Master Set)
1953 TOPPS > > 1965 TOPPS, 1966 TOPPS (2 sets)
1967 > > 1987 TOPPS

1981 > > 1987DONRUSS and FLEER sets.

Plus 1948 BOWMAN Football (108-card set), 1952 BOWMAN FB (near complete), 1948 LEAF Boxing (49-card set).


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Still have all those, amazing

[JCRedbird]

An amazing collection. I have a Topps run since 1955 but still working on the 63 and 66 sets. Have a 52, 54 and 55 bowman. Some of these collections are simply amazing. A "happy place" to go to...and we all need that some time.

[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Bill

I will confirm......

In the past 40+ years....I have completed all these sets......

1887 ALLEN & GINTER N28
1888 ALLEN & GINTER N29
1888 GOODWIN CHAMPIONS N162 (2 sets)
E90-1 AMERICAN CARAMEL set
T201 set
T205 set
T206 (521-card set, plus MAGIE)
T206 (520-card set)
T206 (all PIEDMONT)(519-cards....missing Wagner, Plank, Joe Doyle)
T206 (all SOVEREIGN)(408-cards COMPLETE)
T206 (all SWEET CAPORAL Factory #30)(468-cards....missing only Wagner)
1927 W560 set
1933 GOUDEY
1934 GOUDEY
1939 PLAY BALL
1940 PLAY BALL
1941 PLAY BALL (2 sets)
1947 BOND BREAD
1948 BLUE TINT Set (R346)
1948 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1949 LEAF
1949 BOWMAN (24 sets)
1949 BOWMAN PCL (2 sets)
1950 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1951 BOWMAN
1952 BOWMAN
1953 BOWMAN (2 sets)
1954 BOWMAN
1955 BOWMAN
1959 FLEER Ted Williams set (2 sets)
1952 TOPPS....525-cards (need 30 Gray-backs to complete a Master Set)
1953 TOPPS > > 1965 TOPPS, 1966 TOPPS (2 sets)
1967 > > 1987 TOPPS

1981 > > 1987DONRUSS and FLEER sets.

Plus 1948 BOWMAN Football (108-card set), 1952 BOWMAN FB (near complete), 1948 LEAF Boxing (49-card set).


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Great job Ted. Do you still own all of those? What a collection that must be!

[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.

[homerunhitter]

Lately I’ve been think the id rather have four quarters versus one hundred Pennies theory might be the smarter move meaning I’d rather have maybe 100 really cool expensive HOF cards versus 48,000 topps commons!(collecting completed sets) example having a 1955 topps Clemente versus a complete 1970 topps set or having a 1954 topps Hank Aaron vs having complete sets from 1975-1979 or having a 1968 Nolan Ryan vs a 1968 complete set. You get the point! What do you think? Quality vs quantity wins?

[gonefishin]

I've been working on the base sets for well over 30 years (yes I'm slow). About 10 years ago I gave my daughter the master sets from 70-79, and I continued to work on the 48-69. Unfortunately, I sold my 51 Bowman set and my 52 #311 Mantle about 6 years ago. I wish I had kept them now, as I probably won't be able to ever afford another 52 Mantle.

Upgrading and set completion keeps me busy in retirement! I probably will never get them all done as I'm constantly upgrading and chasing commons. That's a GOOD thing!

Yes, I still collect a few of the newer cards as it kind of keeps me in touch; Pujols auto rookie, Verlander Auto Rookie, Molina, Cabreara, etc. I can't just live in a vintage bubble entirely as there are some fantastic modern players that could compete with anyone of any era.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by G1911

I'm doing it right now, 22 years into the project that I started with my Dad when I was 9 years old.

1948-1955 Bowman - 95.75% done
1950's Topps - 96.37% done (1952 highs are most of it)
1960's Topps- 96.11% done
1970-1975 Topps (+1974 Traded + 1975 Mini) - 94.05% done (mostly 1975's to go)
1976-1979 I'm not doing.

1973 is the end of 'classic' Topps in my eyes as the end of series distribution provides at least some significant change to draw the cutoff line at.

On top of these base sets I'm building all variations, stock varieties, and recurring print defects.

I will never finish because I'm unwilling to pony up $25K+ for a second year double printed Mantle card.

Hats off, that is awesome! And even cooler that you started at 9 as a project with your dad. I hope you compete the run

[jefferyepayne]

Very impressive fellas!

I was planning to finish a baseball run of vintage leaf, bowman, topps after completing my run of nationally distributed, mainstream football cards produced between 1888-1988 - 101 years of football cards - but got so addicted to pre-war and vintage football that I never got around to finishing the baseball run. I was probably 1/2 way there when I stopped.

At this point, I think I'll just live vicariously through you all on the baseball side of things.

jeff

[Casey2296]

I dipped my toe in pre-war set collecting, it's a brutal business. Hats off to any set collectors no matter the era.

[cardsagain74]

For the Topps:

All of my '50s is complete, and the '70s complete (except for the '74). For the '60s, only have the '67. At some point I'll try to complete that '52 to '79 run.

For the Bowman, have the '48, '51, '53, '55 complete, and a big start on the '50. Might finish the rest too someday, but not itching to.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

I have all the complete sets of Parkhurst, Topps and OPC hockey from1951-1990-91.

[Bigdaddy]

I think I'm probably going to bow out of the set collecting gig after finishing up a couple that I'm working on now. I'm just tired of paying up for common players that happen to be high numbers or SPs. Anyway, I've completed:

1952 low numbers (-2), 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1964 (-2), 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971 (2 sets), 1972 (2 sets), 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 (2 sets), 1978 (2 sets), 1979 (2 sets), 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989. And several other sets after that.

One day I'll get them all in color-matched binders and tucked away nicely in a bookcase like some of the photos I've seen on here.

Kudos to folks who have run the gauntlet and have the complete run.