Team Set Collectors Thread

[frankhardy]

I am new here, but am a veteran at CU/PSA and Net54. I have posted similar threads over there. I was just wondering how many of you guys are team set collectors? How many here focus on team sets of their favorite team?


I just thought I would start a thread about this topic and mention what I have and what I am working on. Maybe if I get the time, I might scan some things and post them.


If you collect team sets, what are some of your accomplishments and what are some goals that you are working on?


With me, I started out in the summer of 2002 wanting just to get all of the Topps base Cardinals team sets from 1952 to the present. I thought it would take forever with a limited income. However, I started buying up collections, keeping the Cardinals and selling the rest. Before I knew it, after about a year, I completed the whole run. I then started working on vintage Bowman and haven't looked back.


Here is basically a run down of what I have.


1951 to 2014 Topps (base and traded/update)
1948 to 1955 Bowman
1989 to 2014 Bowman
1960, 1961, 1963 Fleer
1981 to 2007 Fleer with Updates (2007 being the last year of Fleer)
1981 to 2005 Donruss with The Rookies (2005 being the last year of Donruss)
1988 to 1998 Score (1998 being the last year of Score)
1989 to 2009 Upper Deck (2009 being the last year of UD being MLB licensed)
2001 to 2014 Topps Heritage
2001 to 2007 Bowman Heritage (2007 being the last year of Bowman Heritage)
1951 to 1998 Topps Test Issues, Inserts, and misc (except what is listed in my want list below). This includes sets that are too many to list here.
1981 to 1993 Fleer Misc. (ie boxed sets, stamps, stickers, etc) This includes sets that are too many to list here.
1983 to 1995 Donruss Misc. (This includes a complete 1990 Donruss Aqueous plus 5 Blue/White including Ozzie Smith)
1947-66 Exhibits
1962 Exhibits Stat Back
1963 Exhibits Stat Back
1953 to 1955 Red Man
1952 Berk Ross
1961 to 1963 Post
1963 Jello
1970 to 1983 Kelloggs
1975 to 1979 Hostess
1996 to 2014 Topps Chrome and Chrome Refractors (all except for that pesky 2001 Retrofractors #146 Fernando Tatis that I have been searching for over 3 years!!!!!!)


I have (on purpose) not started issues like OPC, Leaf, Stadium Club, Ultra, Tiffany, Fleer Glossy, Pinnacle, etc. I will do those eventually.


Here is my current want list, which is basically from the SCD catalog and any other research that I have done.


1955 Topps Hocus Focus - Wally Moon (a nice impossible card to start it off) (I do have the 55 and 56 Haddix!)


1955 Topps Stamps - Joe Cunningham, Alex Grammas, Harvey Haddix (like I will ever even see one of these)


1961 Topps Dice Game - Stan Musial, Bill White (it's ok to dream isn't it?)


1966 Topps Punchouts - Curt Flood (pretty much impossible!)


1967 Topps Discs - Orlando Cepeda (it's not getting much easier)


1967 Topps Stand Ups - Orlando Cepeda, Tim McCarver (still not getting easier)


1968 Topps Plaks - Orlando Cepeda (finally, one that is doable maybe if I can find one in the next ten years!) (I have the McCarver and the Checklist!)


1970 Topps Candy Lids - Richie Allen


1972 Topps Candy Lids - Lou Brock


1973 Topps Comics - Joe Torre


1990 Topps Folders / Sport Shots / Portfolio / Duo-Tang Pedro Guerrero


1997 Topps ProShooters Marbles Ron Gant


2001 Topps Retrofractors 146 Fernando Tatis




Fleer Oddball


1967 Fleer Logo Emblems & Cloth Patches (tallboys; test) - Cardinals Logo Emblem (1966 w/l record; save all 19 cards), Cardinals Cloth Patch, Cardinals Trio Cloth Patch


1968-70 Fleer Cloth Patches - Cardinals (orange; blue bordered logo)


1969 Fleer Pennants & Stamps - Cardinals


1970 Fleer Iron Ons - Cardinals


1970 Fleer Team Logo Decals - Cardinals


1973 Fleer Team Logo Decals - Cardinals


1976 Fleer Iron Ons - Cardinals




I would be interested in your thoughts about team sets. People are always talking about not having a collecting focus. Well, if you have a favorite team, there is no better way to combine collecting along with keeping up with the history of your team and keeping current with your team. I have enjoyed it greatly.

 

[moxacaine]

Welcome to the site!

That's quite the list!! Best of luck checking those off your want list.

I dont actively collect team sets but I do keep all the Nationals I pull and give dupes to a friend.

 

[nevermore]

Welcome! Nice collection, makes me hopeful. I've been working on a similar Yankees project for the last 4 years. It's a great way to collect. Any thoughts on pre-war stuff?

I was looking to complete off 1970 to present Getting there, but the recent Topps SP and SSPs make it difficult.

Now I am starting on the vintage 50s and 60s stuff, but haven't made a dent yet. Looking to trade, haven't bought any vintage stuff from eBay yet. Buying/selling lots is a good option, wish I had more time for that.

Have a link in my sig to my lists. I have a bunch of 1999 Topps McGwire HR cards, do you need any?

 

[frankhardy]

Pre-war - I have a good start on a low grade T206 set. I have most in low grade. I have not really focused on it. One day I will finish the T206, and work on T205, 1933 and 1034 Goudey and go from there.

As far as the 1999 Topps McGwire HR cards, it is interesting that you mention that. From time to time, I think about trying to get them all. Here is what I decided to do a few years ago and it satisfied me for now. My wife and I went to the next to the last game in St Louis in 1998 when McGwire hit number 67 and 68. I thought that would end up being the record. Obviously, he hit 69 and 70 the next day. So, to complete my team set, I ended up being satisfied with number 67 and 68. How many of them do you have?

 

[moxacaine]

How strict are you with condition? Do you only go after graded copies?

On the vintage that is.

 

[subject to change]

Welcome to the board! I'm a Pirates collector, and I've always said the blessing and the curse of being a team collector is there will always be something else to chase. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Do you collect inserts/parallels, or just stick to the base sets?

I've been slowly working my way backwards. I think I have complete Pirate team sets for all the major releases going back to 1970, and am only missing a handful of high numbers and Clementes until '52. I'd love to work on the T205 and T206 team sets some day, but picking up autos and numbered cards from recent releases eats up too much of my card budget to ever really give much attention to pre-war vintage.

 

[nevermore]

That's a decent start on the vintage! I have 14 HR cards, all different.

I have thought about the Fleer, Donruss, UD, Score, Leaf, etc. But they don't span all years so I decided against it. I really like chasing the oddball Topps cards...factory set exclusives, fanfest, national convention, stadium giveaways, etc. I have considered Topps Chrome as a parallel set and haven't pursued it. What about Topps Finest? Didn't see that on your list. I am on the fence about starting that since it has been going on since 1993, over 2 years now.

 

[frankhardy]

How strict are you with condition? Do you only go after graded copies?

On the vintage that is.

On vintage, I am not very picky on condition. As I buy collections, I upgrade as I get them, but I don't actively upgrade.

For example, my 1948 Bowman Musial is Pr-Fr, and I am just fine with that. If I ever end up with a nicer Musial, then I might replace and sell the Pr-Fr. However, if I end up with a NM Musial, I would probably sell the NM example and keep my low grade one. It all depends.

To sum it up, my goal is quantity first, quality second.

 

[frankhardy]

That's a decent start on the vintage! I have 14 HR cards, all different.

I have thought about the Fleer, Donruss, UD, Score, Leaf, etc. But they don't span all years so I decided against it. I really like chasing the oddball Topps cards...factory set exclusives, fanfest, national convention, stadium giveaways, etc. I have considered Topps Chrome as a parallel set and haven't pursued it. What about Topps Finest? Didn't see that on your list. I am on the fence about starting that since it has been going on since 1993, over 2 years now.

Don't have any Finest. That will come later, probably.

 

[frankhardy]

Welcome to the board! I'm a Pirates collector, and I've always said the blessing and the curse of being a team collector is there will always be something else to chase. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Do you collect inserts/parallels, or just stick to the base sets?

I've been slowly working my way backwards. I think I have complete Pirate team sets for all the major releases going back to 1970, and am only missing a handful of high numbers and Clementes until '52. I'd love to work on the T205 and T206 team sets some day, but picking up autos and numbered cards from recent releases eats up too much of my card budget to ever really give much attention to pre-war vintage.

On post war vintage Topps, I go after everything. For modern, I do go after parallels, but it is sort of limited. I do Chrome and Refractors. I also do the annual Factory team sets and minis.....anything that resembles the base set. I have to draw the line somewhere with modern. If you don't, you will go crazy. I don't have a single manufactured auto or jersey swatch in my Cardinals collection.

Now, if you are talking signed Topps base cards (not packaged inserts).....that is a different topic. I have over 1,000 signatures on Topps base cards from through the mail and buying from different places.

 

[TNP777]

Hi, Shane!

You already know what I collect!

T205 Brooklyn Superbas - complete
T206 Brooklyn Superbas - complete
1933 Goudey Brooklyn Dodgers - complete
1948-1955 Bowman Dodgers - complete
1951 Topps Dodgers - missing 1
1952 Topps Dodgers - missing 3
1953 - present Topps Dodgers - complete

working on :
1952-1956 Red Man Dodgers
1958-1962 Bell Brand Dodgers
1961-1963 Post Dodgers

 

[corockies]

I collect Colorado Rockies parallel card team sets. Some of the more prominent sets I work on are:

2003-2014 Topps Black team sets
2013/2014 Topps Camo team sets (2013 is complete 1/2/update)
2013/2014 Topps Pink team sets
1999-2005/2014 Donruss Career / Season stat line team sets
1997-2005 Fleer Ultra Gold Medallion team sets
1997-2005 Fleer Ultra Platinum Medallion team sets
1997 Fleer Tiffany team set (complete)
1996 Leaf Signature Platinum Press Proofs team set (complete)
1999-2001 Upper Deck Exclusives Level 1 team sets
1996-1998 Circa Rave team sets (1996/1997 complete)
and many, many other parallel sets from years 1993-2014.

Collecting my team is much easier since they have only been around since 1992, and on cardboard since 1993. It's actually very challenging trying to checklist a set and then complete it.