Yes, I found this and your other videos useful. I am currently putting together a 1970 set from scratch. Procured many of the cards from 100+ lots. Like you, I want all the cards to be in similar condition. A few will have to be upgraded. This is the most fun I've had collecting cards since I was a kid in the 70s.
Excellent video, and great advice. I'm building a 1960 Topps baseball complete set with all cards graded PSA 6 or higher. Costly, to be sure, but it's so fun. Some of the cards I sent in for grading myself, and others I bought off EBay or Facebook card groups. Keep collecting and posting videos!
@@vintagecardcurator I will certainly do a video once the set is complete. Can't wait to finish it. Then I want to do a complete PSA graded set of 1975 Topps baseball.
I’ve been putting together a 1969 Topps baseball set from scratch during the COVID pandemic. Yes, it’s been an expensive process. However, I’ve had lots of fun searching for cards and it’s helped me relax during a stressful time. I’ve also learned a lot about modern grading practices (and scams!). This more than makes up for the money I’ve spent putting the set together. Horray!
Congrats Gene! Since I made this video I too have put together a complete 1969 raw set. I really enjoyed the experience and pretty much every card is the way I wanted it. (I do have to go through and upgrade some of the badly off-centered ones I originally bought.) Building this set card by card was pretty much the only way I could do it. It's too expensive (for me) to buy a complete one and upgrade it. It wasn't cheap either. I'm into it for $1,800, but that's a lot cheaper than buying it in this condition and the Mantle, Clemente, Bench and Ryan are really nice. How did you handle those high dollar cards? I bought PSA 5 graded examples of some cards (Mantle and Ryan) and broke them out for the binder.
Love your videos and hope more are made though I know it takes a long time to research and produce (hence only 2 real videos of my 3 kids who are now college age). But I have done all three ways you describe but do get more of an emotional connection when I build them via lots and upgrades vs. getting a complete set "day 1" as I did for 56, 63 and 72. These 3 made financial sense however. Anyhow happy 2023!
Been reading most of the replies for insight. I have started the 1963 set, but it will be expensive. I have huge love for the 74 set being a Braves and Aaron fan. My old set is in shambles so will start fresh. When you review the full sets for sale, what are you looking for? How did you build your price model for the sets and the cards? Your expose on the price of cards jumping has me worried about overpaying.
Hi JC, thanks for the comment. I think we are in a buyer's market for cards right now. The economy will probably be soft for a while, sad to say. When I look to buy a complete set, I do my research first to learn beyond basic information about it. The key cards for a set are well known. But I want to know about other cards that might be condition sensitive or scarce. For 1974, for example, you have the Washington Nationals cards and three variations of the Friesleben rookie. There's also the Traded set. You should decide up front if you want to go for those and get some photos of them. You might decide those variations don't matter or you might be more lenient on the condition. The biggest issue I run into with vintage sets is the high number cards. eBay listings will frequently have the HOF players pictured, but rarely the high numbers. And often these high numbers cost as much or more than many HOF'ers. If you can, get pictures of those cards too. I would add that team cards and checklists can get expensive too. For the 1968 and 1969 sets I've found the Tigers are priced much higher than in other sets. In most sets Yankees and Mets cards are at a premium, even for commons. I have modified my strategy a bit over the past year. I have collected both the 1968 and 1969 sets by buying singles and lots. I looked at buying complete sets, but couldn't find anything good under $2,000. I'm 5 cards away from the 1969 set and I'm into it for about $1,200 so far. I probably need to spend another $450 to finish it off, so I'll be ahead of the game. The 1968 set was about the same. I discovered that there comes a point where it makes more sense to buy sets in pieces than complete. Maybe that is around 1970...before that, buy in lots and build it to your liking. After that, buy it complete. Just my experience. Your other question was about price modelling. I would use the Beckett Vintage magazine (price guide) as a rough estimate and then do a lot of research on eBay for the range of prices for these sets. I had a rough idea in my head what they should cost and would adjust it up or down depending on the condition of the key cards. I hope this is helpful!
@@vintagecardcurator Thanks for all the detail in your reply. I am now looking through auctions and trying to set spend amounts based on the set. it's been interesting looking at the auction sites you mentioned to one of the other commenters. Looked at some closed auction to get an idea of pricing and why bids ended up where they did. the 1960 auctions have huge variation based on the mix of grades. How reliable are those grades? I guess the proof is in the pictures.
I feel like there's so much variation in set prices. In addition to the condition of the key cards, you factor in the stuff that impacts singles as well: the seller, day of the week, scarcity, etc. Right now Robert Edwards Auctions is auctioning off 5 different 1972 sets. I expect there's going to be a wide variety in the hammer prices, with some real bargains there.
Are there any better ways to store sets & for viewing besides the 9 pocket sheets? I recently got back into collecting and my dozens of binders looked fine (but stored in garage) and notice when i took a card out of the pockets, some cards had an unrealistic smoothness and shine on them.
Thanks! Set collecting is pretty much what I have retreated to after the scandal with PSA cards. I'm less worried about authenticity. I've sold a lot of my graded cards already and will be selling most of the rest soon.
I've had mixed luck with all my sources. Of the two sets that worked out the best, I bought the 1975 set on eBay. I got the 1971 set from Heritage Auctions. But I also bought a 1970 set from Heritage for $500 and I've had to put a lot of money into that one. It's tough, most auctions are not going to put many (if any) pictures of the high numbered cards and if a set has hundreds of them you are taking a leap of faith. It's rare for me to see complete sets at card shows, but that might be the best way to go, if you could inspect the cards personally. Would you rather spend $1300 for a 1972 set that needs few upgrades or $800 for a lower grade set that needed $500 of work? The sets I've enjoyed the most were the ones I had to put the most work into upgrading. Thanks for the comment!
Great narrative. You really got a great deal on the 71T set. I need the 77T which I will buy as a whole even wife suggested that! Just finished my 69T n 70T less than 25 to go. Will buy star cards at the AC National. I had most cards from collecting as a kid. I buy cards at a show or ebay where their is no shipping for individuals or several cards at one shipping cost or at a card shop. Upgrade cards a little at a time like upgrading my 73T Yaz which is terribly miscut.
Yes, I couldn't believe that deal on the '71 Topps. It really didn't need many upgrades either. The high numbers were in pretty good shape. I'm still trying to upgrade my sets, but only am buying at card shows anymore. Prices are cheaper than Greg Morris at this point. I'm still trying to find a decent '73 Yaz too!
Thanks a lot Ray. I built the 1980 and 1981 sets as a kid. You should be able to find them pretty cheap, with the exception of the Rickey Henderson RC. Those sets haven't really appreciated in value much.
Just discovered your channel and highly commend you on the quality of your videos! I am a set collector myself. Collected as a kid during the 80s and 90s and got back into the hobby about 8 years ago. Started putting together 60s and 70s sets bc these were cards that were unobtainable for me when I was young. Started by buying 50-100 card lots off eBay and then bidding on individual cards thru Greg Morris. Didn’t consider at the time the way shipping costs would add up. And now im at the point where most of the cards I need are expensive high numbers. In some sets im guessing the cost of the high number series is more than the entire rest of the set combined - ‘67 for example. Its hard to motivate myself to complete the sets bc the high numbers are a pay wall. I WISH I had started by buying the sets outright and then replacing cards like you suggested
Thanks for the great comment Kelly! I totally understand where you are coming from. I started completing the sets and working my way backwards. The earliest I have is 1968 and I would like to get 1967 and 1966 (my birth year). But the high numbers stop me. I see some of these commons going for $100+ and I can't do that. I found that for sets before 1970 it was more cost effective to build the sets card by card, lot by lot, rather than buy them complete to start with. I couldn't afford to buy a decent complete 1969 set, but I could afford to do it a little at a time. I built a nice EX 1969 set for about $1,800 and that was actually cheaper than buying the set complete. Different techniques are needed. Have you tried card shows? That's where I've picked up a lot of vintage commons. The way prices with Greg Morris have been, I do better going to a show and buying them there, getting a volume discount, no shipping or sales tax...only the gas and entrance fee. It can be more cost effective.
Thanks Al. Since I made the video I'm only down to 2 cards and they are a bit tougher to find. One's the #695 Rod Carew and the other is the Jim Hickman variation (only yellow letters), #543. I haven't been looking too seriously though. The set is more or less done.
at 9 years in 1980 is when i fully embraced baseball cards. my brother had gotten 78s but i was too busy with my Star Wars and KISS cards to notice :) i was super into cards from 80 to 83, oh the thrill of ripping open wax packs that we'd buy 3 or 4 at the time, or my personal fav, the rack packs sold at the market and Wards. by 84 i was slowly getting out of it and just ordered a complete set from Renatta Galasso, infuriated that the first few cards were damaged. 85 i didn't buy a thing, but from 86 to 89 my dad would get me a wax box and then in the 90s Upper Deck factory sets. i didn't have the heart to tell him i wasn't much into cards anymore. early 90s i did get back in but the cards i always loved, 70s, seemed out of reach for me, so i bought all the modern crap that is worthless today. fast forward to 2013 and i happened upon a local card shop and quickly became hooked again. bought a near complete 74 that needed lots of upgrading then i went after 72. card by card. i wasn't even thinking i was going to complete it just started buying cards, along with 73s. then i'd buy lots and hit all the card shows every month. i was left with a very nice set. albeit some crap centering. 75 i bought as near complete and happily filled that one up quickly. 76 and 77 i bought complete and nm-mnt . same for 78 and 79, although 79 needed work but i got it for like 20 bucks. sorry to be rambling here, haha. i think the best approach is to buy in nice lots or near complete, hopefully with the key cards included. it's always fun to upgrade and hunt but i will say buy the nicest looking lots or near complete sets you can because if you buy crap all you're going to be doing is upgrading the whole thing. also, as nice as it is to get a complete Nm set in one shot, you totally lose the 'bond' to the cards. without handling several cards from any one year, you don't really get to know them, as weird as that sounds
I get all that...good stuff. The set that got me was a '74 set I bought complete. It wasn't in as good shape as I thought and it needed a lot of upgrades. And even now I go through it and realize that it needs a lot more. (This was early getting back into the Hobby and getting too many OC cards.)
Great price on the 1975 set, I haven’t seen it anywhere close to that. I built my ‘75 set via purchasing 3 sets ($350-$600 range) a couple large lots ($100 total) and a handful of singles. Sold 2 sets and the lot, building and keeping a very nice EX-MT/NM set for myself. Looking at building a ‘69 set which is much more difficult- heavy competition for ‘69 lots.
Thanks for the comment and info on how you built your set. I like your method. With my '75 set, I bought it in 2017 and still am surprised how little I paid. Compared to other sets I've bought, it needed very minimal upgrades (maybe I need to go through it more carefully). The last set I finished was 1969...done over the summer of 2020. Because of the higher price of complete sets I couldn't afford to buy a set, so I pieced it together with lots and single card purchases. That set cost me $1600 after selling off $77 worth of duplicates when I finished. I didn't think that was too bad. I bought the Mantle, Ryan, Fingers, Palmer and Frank Robinson cards as mid grade PSA slabs and broke them out. That includes the card variations, except for the white letter versions.
Correct ! The odd parts of sets , checklist , leaders, Record/highlights, team, world series cards should all ways be gone after ? I'v build many sets & near sets & these can be a pain in the butt , HOFers & stars are much easy to come by in most sets . .. semi / highs are also hard to finish out in some years .Trading to build sets is also fun , too . I would agree with you building sets & trading are becoming a lost form , now ...
Thanks for the comment Robert. Now I'm working on the 1968 set; I'm doing it lot by lot. I'm about done with the low hanging fruit and I have a feeling it's about to get really expensive.
@@vintagecardcurator I'm looking for nice cards , they CAN be OC , while there is a boarder on them ? Cards needed are 466, 558,565,573 ...need to up grade these cards 529 , 564 , that is it , I'm also going for the ROUND PLAYING game set , but have a lot of needs in it ? Thanks for asking !
Thanks, I don't have doubles of any of those cards. I hope we aren't bidding against each other for them with Greg Morris. lol. There are Facebook vintage groups out there and you might get some help with those high number commons there.
I am 59 years old. I still remember buying my first packs of Baseball Cards. It was 1970 topps baseball. Wes Parker was the first card I pulled. I hot back into the hobby 2 years ago. I have a complete 1970 set. In ex mint. most near mint. Also I got crazy and bought an additional 82 psa cards for 1970. Every hall of famers is there and many semi stars in psa. I wish with that extra money spent I would have just started a new set. In addition I have the 1970 topps football set complete. It is prestine. Currently these are the only complete sets I own. But hey there both 1970. I love the hobby.
Thanks for sharing that. I noticed that your youtube user name is the same as a player on card #603 in the 1970 set. Coincidence or were you a fan of his? I understand he had a cult following when he played for the Pilots. I recently finished up my own 1970 set. As a kid it was an aspirational set for me. The set I bought had a lot of issues and it took me months to upgrade the cards to and EX/Mt standard. I know a lot of people dog on the set for being bland. I see it as a very uncluttered aesthetic. When you look at the pictures you get a sense of what MLB was like back then. I think you did alright buying those PSA graded cards rather than starting another set. I don't have a good handle on what the market for sets is and whether prices are rising/falling. But a decently graded PSA card of that vintage should retain/gain value over time. I've done the same thing with the 1971 set. I have the complete set but when I find deals I pick up graded commons in PSA 7 or 8. I have a couple dozen now. When I'm ready to sell the set it will be a nice bonus.
Vintage Card Curator Ray Oyler could not hit his way out of a wet paper bag. However he was the Best defensive shortstop Ever. My baseball career who similar. I was kept on teams exclusively for my defensive skills. Some people dog the 70 set. I love it's simplistic look.
I didn't know that about him...thanks. There is a great documentary on youtube about the PIlots and they mention Oyler and how much the fans loved him. I wish I had a time stamp for that part of the video, but you can see the whole thing here: ruclips.net/video/K3kyCwTit9Q/видео.html
Vintage Card Curator thanks , I watched that a while back. In the early and mid 1960's the Detroit Tigers farm system started to click. Ray Oyler was a slick fielding not hitting infielder who primarily played shortstop. The main shortstop was Dick McAuliffe. Rat's defensive was so outstanding that the Tigers eventually moved McAuliffe to 2nd base to accommodate a spot for Oyler in the lineup. Don Wert usually played 3rd base , Oyler usually played shortstop , McAuliffe played 2nd and of course Norm Cash played 1st. In 1968 Tom Matchick and Dick Tracewski also played shortstop and other infield positions. Oylers bat was so pathetic that Manager Mayo Smith did the following in the World Series. The Tigers carried 6 outfielders on their roster. Wayne Comer , Gates Brown , Willie Horton , Jim Northrup, Mickey Stanley and Al Kaline. Comer hardly ever played. On a side note , Comer got 1 at bat in the 1968 world series and got a hit. Therefore his postseason batting average is 1.000. . Willie Horton was the main left fielder. Mickey Stanley usually played centerfield. Jim Northrup played all 3 outfield positions. Al Kaline played right field . Kaline was often injured in 1968. The Tigers had a dilema. Kaline needed to be in the lineup. He got healthy at the end of the regular season. Horton was the main long ball threat. So manager Mayo Smith did the following. He inserted Kaline in right field , Jim Northrup in center field and Willie Horton in Left field. He put Mickey Stanley at shortstop. All 4 were good to great hitters. So skinny Ray Oyler sat on the bench. In late 9th inning situations for defense. Oyler went to shortstop, Stanley moved to center field , Northrup shifted to left. Horton was removed. In the 1968 expansion draft , after the World series ended. The Seattle Pilots selected Wayne Comer and Ray Oyler off the Tigers roster. On a side note , Comer finished 2nd on the 1969 pilots with 15 homeruns. Don No Cher led the Pilots with 25. Ray Oyler was the main shortstop. After the 1969 season the Pilots traded Oyler to the He's. He appears on a 1970 topps card in a A' s card. However I believe he was then traded to the Angels. That's my Ray Oyler story. I am a baseball nerd. My only complete sets are 1970 Topps Baseball and 1970 Topps Football.
Very interesting video i really enjoyed it all...us set collectors are becoming extinct so it is great to have you in the community! I have been collecting sets since 1978 and have been blessed to have finished from 2019 Topps Series 1 all the way back through 1964 Topps...i am about to embark on 1963 which is currently about 50% complete. Man those 1960’s high numbers are a real monster!
I think the time period when we both started collecting must have been a huge influence on being set collectors. I think a lot of collectors today don't understand it. What I hear most is: "Why would I spend money chasing a 1979 Rafael Landestoy when I could put that money into HOF'ers?" My answer is always that in many cases those common players have an interesting story behind them that makes collecting them worthwhile. Congrats on your accomplishments...that's very impressive. My run is from 1970-1981, missing 1973. I'd like to go back to 1968 and 1969. Those sets are a different animal due to the high dollar rookie and Mantle cards. I'm still not sure how I'm going to tackle them. Full sets are quite pricey. Are you trying to build the 1963 set card by card?
One more question: what is it like to put together a modern set? Do you try to get variations, or just the base cards? Can you just by a base set or do you try to build it?
Vintage Card Curator on the 1963 set I have about half of it just from lots I picked up over the years. The remainder will be card by card yes. Most I can get from my LCS I always start with them. Then I will fill in with other shops and online.
For a vintage card enthusiast and complete set collector like myself, these videos are must-watch! Nice job with the editing and telling your stories. Continue upgrading your sets - they will look great once done.
Thanks, I'm headed to a huge regional card show today to try to finish the final upgrades on the 1970, 1971 1972 and 1980 sets. This show has a lot of dealers who specialize in set building, who will bring every card to the show. Usually very reasonable prices. I urge other set builders to check out your videos as you build your channel. Great content!
The Vintage Composer I couldn’t get everything as I was looking for some rarer print variations and high numbers. I ordered a couple cards from COMC when I got home. I did complete the 1970 set completely. It’s all EX-MT. I needed a Ryan for that ($150). Now, I just need two cards for 1971 and two for 1972, one of which is the Carew. While I was at the show I bought a complete 1973 set, the last one I needed to finish 1970-1981. It’s in EX-MT out of the box but it will need some upgrades due to miscut and OC cards.
I really love your storytelling and the editing that goes along with it, nice job! I have the problem of whether or not I want to keep these in binders or just in set boxes and not have them showcased.
Thanks a lot. I enjoy the video editing and story telling nearly as much as the subject. It's fun to push myself and try different things. I have a list of possible future video subjects, it just depends on what is the most interesting concept and do-able. I greatly prefer the binders, but that's the era I grew up in. I still enjoy pulling a binder down and looking at all the cards at one time. When I have sets in boxes I don't look at them very much.
Great video. I no longer set collect myself but there is some sound advice here. I do Cubs team sets now and I at least get a sampling of each set by getting the Cubs from each of them. I do have one recommendation although some see this as a personal choice. I would recommend Unikeep binders or the 3 ring binders that have a slipcover which the name of escapes me at the moment. I switched to Unikeep binders a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. The main advantage to them is your sheets are completely enclosed thus it keeps dust and such out. I used regular binders for a while and I noticed dust would still get into them. One drawback of Unikeep binders is that you would most likely have to use 2 binders for a set. I did keep my 76 Topps set as it's the year I was born and it does take up 2 binders. Love your videos and keep up the good work.
Thanks for the great comment. I had never heard of the Unikeep binders, so I looked them up. They definitely look like they would protect the cards better. I would need to buy 2 or more binders for a set and that would be a drawback for me.
@@vintagecardcurator Yea most Topps sets would take 2 binders especially baseball. I have converted all my stuff over to the Unikeep binders. I did order directly from them but I checked Amazon last time I needed them since I have Prime. That ended up being cheaper and I think I was under $6 a binder when I ordered a case of 15. I hope to do a video of my Cubs binders when I complete that project. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
Nice! Sounds like im taking the right approach by buying and upgrading. and you’re right, you begin to connect more with the set after you begin to contribute to it. nice video.
Thanks...I think the buy and upgrade is probably the only approach that makes sense for sets less than 50 years old. It will be interesting when I try to go after sets before 1970...
This was great , the fun of actually building a Set card by card and putting them into the sheets means a lot to me but you’re 100% correct the cost is so much more
It's tough, no doubt. I bought my '72 set complete but I had to upgrade at least half of the high number cards. I made some money selling off the doubles, but it was still an expensive proposition that pushed a $842 set to $1,300. But I did it over time so that helped. I used Greg Morris and set builder dealers at card shows to get them all. Now that I'm almost done (still need a Carew) it's gratifying to have the whole 787 card set in EX-MT condition. That set will always have value being one of the most popular releases Topps has ever done.
Great video and great advice! My 13 yo son and I just began collecting recently (I exited the hobby in the early 90s) and it has been a great way to invest time in our relationship. We're making a run at putting together Topps sets and hope to dip into those 70s releases thru current. We'll be utilizing some of your advice in doing so. Thanks!
Love doing this. I started building vintage sets in 2011 and so far finished 1965 & 1971 Topps. Right now working on 1969 Topps, I am about 75% finished and 1953 Topps about 40% complete
Awesome stuff. I'm also working on the 1969 set and need about 100 cards. We are probably bidding on the same ones through Greg Morris. ha ha The 1953 Topps must be quite a project...not that '71 is easy either. Did you get that set like I did...buy a complete one and then do a few upgrades? With the 1969 set it was too expensive to buy all at once so I have had to piece it together in lots.
@@vintagecardcurator all sets i started from scratch so I'm sure I spent more putting it together overall. I'm not too condition sensitive. VG is good with me. I bought some lots on ebay especially with 1971, but I dont think any lot I bought had more than 20 or so cards in it
Great video and fun watching it. I was lucky and had massive amount of cards from when I was a kid and hoarded them and bought everyone's including the older kids I knew. So I had a huge head start dating back to 1960. I made my lists of the numbers I needed and like the video maker; I also targeted EX/MT or better. After 4 years of buying lots of cards, I have complete sets from 1960 to 1991(the year I lost interest when I was younger). And now I'm stuck with about 15,000+ duplicates from 1960 to 1975 and way too lazy to sell them myself. So maybe I'll see if an ebay seller will sell on consignment! Thanks for all the great videos this guy makes
Thanks for the comment and sharing that memory. You had a lot of foresight! It can be a real pain to sell lots of raw cards on eBay, but that's how I get rid of my duplicates once I've finished upgrading a set.
888strummer I would sell many of the HOF’ers separately and then the rest in bulk. I got over $200 for my 1970 cards (many high numbers). Determining shipping costs is important so you don’t lose money. With later cards I put them on Facebook Marketplace and moved them much quicker.
@@vintagecardcurator Thanks for the tips. I'm a fossil and not even on Facebook, but I sell silver coins on ebay and sold 1,000's of vinyl records on ebay. But time is limited being a contractor so I thought with cards I would try an ebay seller for consignment because they have regular buyers; the big set buster sellers. But I think your idea is really good to do bulk lots of the commons and the stars separate. Knowing me I procrastinate for more weeks or months.....
888strummer You could see if Greg Morris would take them for sale. His cards are usually EX-Mt. If yours are lesser it might make more sense to eBay them.
Great advice! I have been doing set building for the past 10 years, going backwards from where I started collecting as a kid in 1984. I have done both combinations of buying complete sets and replacing cards in bad conditions. I have also bought lots of cards and filled in the gaps. I enjoy that method the most due to the hunt. Really enjoyed the video! Keep up the good work.
Yes, I got lucky...it seems like in most cases you have to do a lot of upgrades to what's available online. I had been watching sets from those years on eBay for months before I found the right deals.
There a number of private internet auction sites out there. They all require pre-registration, but are otherwise free. You have to watch out because all charge the buyer a premium on top of the winning bid. The fee could be anywhere from 12.5-20% of the hammer price so bid accordingly. I like these auctions because there are a lot less bidders than on eBay. The items tend to be higher grade, but not always. I’ve found some excellent deals on these auctions over the past year. Some examples include: Robert Edwards, Clean Sweep, Mile High, Steiner, Memory Lane and others.
Vintage Card Curator I am part of some of those auction houses and others I am not. It has gotten more competitive lately though. Are you part of any forums?
I'm on Net54 (Sox75), but don't post there too much. I'm also a member of a couple of vintage baseball card Facebook groups. I have sold some things there. But 95% of my buys are on eBay. But I think the sets might be better buys on these auction sites. I noticed the Robert Edwards has a number of complete vintage sets up for auction now.
Yeah it’s hard to imagine buying a complete set without needing some upgrades. Definitely the way to go though . Smaller, vintage / prewar sets however can be out together card by card and is a thrilling endeavor
Welcome back. It's a great time to be building these sets. Of everything I have done in the last 2 years I would say building sets I had dreamed about as a kid has been the biggest thrill.
I love it when you were more concerned with 4 sharp corners then centering. I agree. I think too much is taken off on the grade for centering verses sharp corners. Our way, as long as it is not cut bad is more appealing in my opinion. Some "big time" dealers probably made "the rules" years ago. I have had some very knowledgeable collectors agree with me but they care more abut the centering because the selling of them goes toward the centering to make more money. I will continue to care more about the corners.
Thanks for the comment Alan. I came into the Hobby when we didn't even know about centering. As much as I try to fight it, it's a losing battle. When I buy cards now I have no choice but to pay attention to the centering since that's what the rest of the world is doing. In my PC, in my binder sets, I'm perfectly happy with off center cards, as long as the corners are relatively sharp.
Buy, build or upgrade? Ha, all the above and also unfortunately i destruct certain years. I'll breakup and destroy 87, 88, 89, 90, 93 Topps years! Especially the 93. 825 cards? Are they kidding! I'll harvest the key players anyday from these sets. Pre 86 I'll build those years. The 86 set i have one but no interest in it at all. Anyway, i just got the last card to complete my 76 Topps Traded set that I've had. Only took 42 years. Good video and intellectual insights, appreciate it all the way, thx!
Thanks! I got out of collecting in 1982 so I avoided all the junk wax stuff. It would be tough to hold some of those sets. I sold off my 1981 Fleer and Donruss sets and probably lost money on them. Thanks for your comment!
Thanks for the comment Mark. Since I made this video I have more or less used that strategy in building the 1968 and 1969 sets. For me it was not cost effective to buy an entire set at one time. I figured that I would also end up having to replace most of the key cards, as I've done in the past with other sets. I have tracked my costs, but have not looked at the totals yet. But it's a lot of fun to build a set this way. What sets do you have?
Your not going to find a 1975 cards in excellent condition with 4 sharp corners if they do have 4 sharp corners there going to be Near Mint remember we use to put our cards in shoe boxes with rubber bands and the cards will be more expensive an 8 compared to a 6 or 7?
right, I agree. That's why I think it's a little hard to believe when all these mint cards from the '50's-'70's suddenly show up for auction with a brand new PSA grade. No one took extra special care of our cards back then.
@@vintagecardcurator 1 There might have been a few people who put cards in baggies because that is surprising when I went to shows I hear people in the 90's say I have the most beautiful Schmidt/Cey rookie card and looking through the show cases you did see 1975 Schmidt with 4 sharp corners some 1978 Yount I think, 1976 Eckersly. 2nd another possibility is they managed to put the rubber bands over the corners without hurting the card. 2 big possibility's
What an outdated video this is a wonderful Channel and I'm a subscriber and you have a wonderful Channel but it's all fiction now because the price is your quoting are unattainable today
Yes, I found this and your other videos useful. I am currently putting together a 1970 set from scratch. Procured many of the cards from 100+ lots. Like you, I want all the cards to be in similar condition. A few will have to be upgraded. This is the most fun I've had collecting cards since I was a kid in the 70s.
Thanks for the video!!!... I learn a lot
Thank you!
Excellent video, and great advice. I'm building a 1960 Topps baseball complete set with all cards graded PSA 6 or higher. Costly, to be sure, but it's so fun. Some of the cards I sent in for grading myself, and others I bought off EBay or Facebook card groups. Keep collecting and posting videos!
That sounds like an amazing and fun project Sean. I'd love to see a video on your progress.
@@vintagecardcurator I will certainly do a video once the set is complete. Can't wait to finish it. Then I want to do a complete PSA graded set of 1975 Topps baseball.
You definitely have alot more patience than I do but I commend you on a job well done 👏
Yes, I do have a lot of patience! I find the payoffs for sets is really fantastic.
Great info. Fantastic advice. A must see video about collecting. Thanks
Thanks, that's very high praise! I really appreciate it!
I’ve been putting together a 1969 Topps baseball set from scratch during the COVID pandemic. Yes, it’s been an expensive process. However, I’ve had lots of fun searching for cards and it’s helped me relax during a stressful time. I’ve also learned a lot about modern grading practices (and scams!). This more than makes up for the money I’ve spent putting the set together. Horray!
Congrats Gene! Since I made this video I too have put together a complete 1969 raw set. I really enjoyed the experience and pretty much every card is the way I wanted it. (I do have to go through and upgrade some of the badly off-centered ones I originally bought.)
Building this set card by card was pretty much the only way I could do it. It's too expensive (for me) to buy a complete one and upgrade it. It wasn't cheap either. I'm into it for $1,800, but that's a lot cheaper than buying it in this condition and the Mantle, Clemente, Bench and Ryan are really nice.
How did you handle those high dollar cards? I bought PSA 5 graded examples of some cards (Mantle and Ryan) and broke them out for the binder.
Love your videos and hope more are made though I know it takes a long time to research and produce (hence only 2 real videos of my 3 kids who are now college age). But I have done all three ways you describe but do get more of an emotional connection when I build them via lots and upgrades vs. getting a complete set "day 1" as I did for 56, 63 and 72. These 3 made financial sense however. Anyhow happy 2023!
Thank you! I am working on a new video but at this rate it may take several months.
Great video and great advice.
Thank you!!
Been reading most of the replies for insight. I have started the 1963 set, but it will be expensive. I have huge love for the 74 set being a Braves and Aaron fan. My old set is in shambles so will start fresh. When you review the full sets for sale, what are you looking for? How did you build your price model for the sets and the cards? Your expose on the price of cards jumping has me worried about overpaying.
Hi JC, thanks for the comment. I think we are in a buyer's market for cards right now. The economy will probably be soft for a while, sad to say.
When I look to buy a complete set, I do my research first to learn beyond basic information about it. The key cards for a set are well known. But I want to know about other cards that might be condition sensitive or scarce. For 1974, for example, you have the Washington Nationals cards and three variations of the Friesleben rookie. There's also the Traded set. You should decide up front if you want to go for those and get some photos of them. You might decide those variations don't matter or you might be more lenient on the condition.
The biggest issue I run into with vintage sets is the high number cards. eBay listings will frequently have the HOF players pictured, but rarely the high numbers. And often these high numbers cost as much or more than many HOF'ers. If you can, get pictures of those cards too. I would add that team cards and checklists can get expensive too. For the 1968 and 1969 sets I've found the Tigers are priced much higher than in other sets. In most sets Yankees and Mets cards are at a premium, even for commons.
I have modified my strategy a bit over the past year. I have collected both the 1968 and 1969 sets by buying singles and lots. I looked at buying complete sets, but couldn't find anything good under $2,000. I'm 5 cards away from the 1969 set and I'm into it for about $1,200 so far. I probably need to spend another $450 to finish it off, so I'll be ahead of the game. The 1968 set was about the same. I discovered that there comes a point where it makes more sense to buy sets in pieces than complete. Maybe that is around 1970...before that, buy in lots and build it to your liking. After that, buy it complete. Just my experience.
Your other question was about price modelling. I would use the Beckett Vintage magazine (price guide) as a rough estimate and then do a lot of research on eBay for the range of prices for these sets. I had a rough idea in my head what they should cost and would adjust it up or down depending on the condition of the key cards.
I hope this is helpful!
@@vintagecardcurator Thanks for all the detail in your reply. I am now looking through auctions and trying to set spend amounts based on the set. it's been interesting looking at the auction sites you mentioned to one of the other commenters. Looked at some closed auction to get an idea of pricing and why bids ended up where they did. the 1960 auctions have huge variation based on the mix of grades. How reliable are those grades? I guess the proof is in the pictures.
I feel like there's so much variation in set prices. In addition to the condition of the key cards, you factor in the stuff that impacts singles as well: the seller, day of the week, scarcity, etc. Right now Robert Edwards Auctions is auctioning off 5 different 1972 sets. I expect there's going to be a wide variety in the hammer prices, with some real bargains there.
Are there any better ways to store sets & for viewing besides the 9 pocket sheets? I recently got back into collecting and my dozens of binders looked fine (but stored in garage) and notice when i took a card out of the pockets, some cards had an unrealistic smoothness and shine on them.
I think many people put them in 800 card boxes, with toploaders and penny sleeves to keep them fresh. I have always used the binders.
Excellent. Spot on as always. Great comments about becoming familiar with the set. Only a real collector understands that feeling.
Thanks! Set collecting is pretty much what I have retreated to after the scandal with PSA cards. I'm less worried about authenticity. I've sold a lot of my graded cards already and will be selling most of the rest soon.
The way I want to do it (for 1971 and 1972) is get the HOFers and CLs in PSA 7 and the rest raw NRMT in binder/pages.
Excellent advice. What is your advice of best, most reliable, cost effective sources for whole set purchases? Is it necessarily eBay?
I've had mixed luck with all my sources. Of the two sets that worked out the best, I bought the 1975 set on eBay. I got the 1971 set from Heritage Auctions. But I also bought a 1970 set from Heritage for $500 and I've had to put a lot of money into that one.
It's tough, most auctions are not going to put many (if any) pictures of the high numbered cards and if a set has hundreds of them you are taking a leap of faith. It's rare for me to see complete sets at card shows, but that might be the best way to go, if you could inspect the cards personally.
Would you rather spend $1300 for a 1972 set that needs few upgrades or $800 for a lower grade set that needed $500 of work? The sets I've enjoyed the most were the ones I had to put the most work into upgrading.
Thanks for the comment!
Great narrative. You really got a great deal on the 71T set. I need the 77T which I will buy as a whole even wife suggested that! Just finished my 69T n 70T less than 25 to go. Will buy star cards at the AC National. I had most cards from collecting as a kid. I buy cards at a show or ebay where their is no shipping for individuals or several cards at one shipping cost or at a card shop. Upgrade cards a little at a time like upgrading my 73T Yaz which is terribly miscut.
Yes, I couldn't believe that deal on the '71 Topps. It really didn't need many upgrades either. The high numbers were in pretty good shape.
I'm still trying to upgrade my sets, but only am buying at card shows anymore. Prices are cheaper than Greg Morris at this point. I'm still trying to find a decent '73 Yaz too!
Great video. I'm working on finishing the 80s. Only need 1980, 81.
Thanks a lot Ray. I built the 1980 and 1981 sets as a kid. You should be able to find them pretty cheap, with the exception of the Rickey Henderson RC. Those sets haven't really appreciated in value much.
great advice
Thanks!
Just discovered your channel and highly commend you on the quality of your videos! I am a set collector myself. Collected as a kid during the 80s and 90s and got back into the hobby about 8 years ago. Started putting together 60s and 70s sets bc these were cards that were unobtainable for me when I was young. Started by buying 50-100 card lots off eBay and then bidding on individual cards thru Greg Morris. Didn’t consider at the time the way shipping costs would add up. And now im at the point where most of the cards I need are expensive high numbers. In some sets im guessing the cost of the high number series is more than the entire rest of the set combined - ‘67 for example. Its hard to motivate myself to complete the sets bc the high numbers are a pay wall. I WISH I had started by buying the sets outright and then replacing cards like you suggested
Thanks for the great comment Kelly! I totally understand where you are coming from. I started completing the sets and working my way backwards. The earliest I have is 1968 and I would like to get 1967 and 1966 (my birth year). But the high numbers stop me. I see some of these commons going for $100+ and I can't do that.
I found that for sets before 1970 it was more cost effective to build the sets card by card, lot by lot, rather than buy them complete to start with. I couldn't afford to buy a decent complete 1969 set, but I could afford to do it a little at a time. I built a nice EX 1969 set for about $1,800 and that was actually cheaper than buying the set complete. Different techniques are needed.
Have you tried card shows? That's where I've picked up a lot of vintage commons. The way prices with Greg Morris have been, I do better going to a show and buying them there, getting a volume discount, no shipping or sales tax...only the gas and entrance fee. It can be more cost effective.
Nice video
Thanks
Which 10 cards do you need for 1972? I have a lot of that year and some in good condition.
Thanks Al. Since I made the video I'm only down to 2 cards and they are a bit tougher to find. One's the #695 Rod Carew and the other is the Jim Hickman variation (only yellow letters), #543. I haven't been looking too seriously though. The set is more or less done.
Vintage Card Curator I have the Carew. What condition do you need?
Cool vid. I'm not a set guy but it was cool hearing your perspective on set building.
Thanks, appreciate the comment!
at 9 years in 1980 is when i fully embraced baseball cards. my brother had gotten 78s but i was too busy with my Star Wars and KISS cards to notice :) i was super into cards from 80 to 83, oh the thrill of ripping open wax packs that we'd buy 3 or 4 at the time, or my personal fav, the rack packs sold at the market and Wards. by 84 i was slowly getting out of it and just ordered a complete set from Renatta Galasso, infuriated that the first few cards were damaged. 85 i didn't buy a thing, but from 86 to 89 my dad would get me a wax box and then in the 90s Upper Deck factory sets. i didn't have the heart to tell him i wasn't much into cards anymore. early 90s i did get back in but the cards i always loved, 70s, seemed out of reach for me, so i bought all the modern crap that is worthless today. fast forward to 2013 and i happened upon a local card shop and quickly became hooked again. bought a near complete 74 that needed lots of upgrading then i went after 72. card by card. i wasn't even thinking i was going to complete it just started buying cards, along with 73s. then i'd buy lots and hit all the card shows every month. i was left with a very nice set. albeit some crap centering. 75 i bought as near complete and happily filled that one up quickly. 76 and 77 i bought complete and nm-mnt . same for 78 and 79, although 79 needed work but i got it for like 20 bucks. sorry to be rambling here, haha. i think the best approach is to buy in nice lots or near complete, hopefully with the key cards included. it's always fun to upgrade and hunt but i will say buy the nicest looking lots or near complete sets you can because if you buy crap all you're going to be doing is upgrading the whole thing. also, as nice as it is to get a complete Nm set in one shot, you totally lose the 'bond' to the cards. without handling several cards from any one year, you don't really get to know them, as weird as that sounds
I get all that...good stuff. The set that got me was a '74 set I bought complete. It wasn't in as good shape as I thought and it needed a lot of upgrades. And even now I go through it and realize that it needs a lot more. (This was early getting back into the Hobby and getting too many OC cards.)
@@vintagecardcurator yup, same for me. bought a 74 that i ended up nearly upgrading most of the commons
New subscriber. Awesome channel. -Greg
Thanks Greg! More to come!
Great price on the 1975 set, I haven’t seen it anywhere close to that. I built my ‘75 set via purchasing 3 sets ($350-$600 range) a couple large lots ($100 total) and a handful of singles. Sold 2 sets and the lot, building and keeping a very nice EX-MT/NM set for myself. Looking at building a ‘69 set which is much more difficult- heavy competition for ‘69 lots.
Thanks for the comment and info on how you built your set. I like your method. With my '75 set, I bought it in 2017 and still am surprised how little I paid. Compared to other sets I've bought, it needed very minimal upgrades (maybe I need to go through it more carefully).
The last set I finished was 1969...done over the summer of 2020. Because of the higher price of complete sets I couldn't afford to buy a set, so I pieced it together with lots and single card purchases. That set cost me $1600 after selling off $77 worth of duplicates when I finished. I didn't think that was too bad. I bought the Mantle, Ryan, Fingers, Palmer and Frank Robinson cards as mid grade PSA slabs and broke them out. That includes the card variations, except for the white letter versions.
Correct ! The odd parts of sets , checklist , leaders, Record/highlights, team, world series cards should all ways be gone after ? I'v build many sets & near sets & these can be a pain in the butt , HOFers & stars are much easy to come by in most sets . .. semi / highs are also hard to finish out in some years .Trading to build sets is also fun , too . I would agree with you building sets & trading are becoming a lost form , now ...
Thanks for the comment Robert. Now I'm working on the 1968 set; I'm doing it lot by lot. I'm about done with the low hanging fruit and I have a feeling it's about to get really expensive.
@@vintagecardcurator Hey , i have a few doubles in that year & some nice cards , i just need 4 of the so -called highs for this set to be done .
what numbers do you need? I have a few doubles in the higher series.
@@vintagecardcurator I'm looking for nice cards , they CAN be OC , while there is a boarder on them ? Cards needed are 466, 558,565,573 ...need to up grade these cards 529 , 564 , that is it , I'm also going for the ROUND PLAYING game set , but have a lot of needs in it ? Thanks for asking !
Thanks, I don't have doubles of any of those cards. I hope we aren't bidding against each other for them with Greg Morris. lol.
There are Facebook vintage groups out there and you might get some help with those high number commons there.
Sweet sets! Love seeing them in the binders! Great work.
Thanks! Collecting sets in binders is at the heart of my collecting style. It's a dream to have all these sets I'd wanted since I was a kid.
I am 59 years old. I still remember buying my first packs of Baseball Cards. It was 1970 topps baseball. Wes Parker was the first card I pulled. I hot back into the hobby 2 years ago. I have a complete 1970 set. In ex mint. most near mint. Also I got crazy and bought an additional 82 psa cards for 1970. Every hall of famers is there and many semi stars in psa. I wish with that extra money spent I would have just started a new set. In addition I have the 1970 topps football set complete. It is prestine. Currently these are the only complete sets I own. But hey there both 1970. I love the hobby.
Thanks for sharing that. I noticed that your youtube user name is the same as a player on card #603 in the 1970 set. Coincidence or were you a fan of his? I understand he had a cult following when he played for the Pilots.
I recently finished up my own 1970 set. As a kid it was an aspirational set for me. The set I bought had a lot of issues and it took me months to upgrade the cards to and EX/Mt standard. I know a lot of people dog on the set for being bland. I see it as a very uncluttered aesthetic. When you look at the pictures you get a sense of what MLB was like back then.
I think you did alright buying those PSA graded cards rather than starting another set. I don't have a good handle on what the market for sets is and whether prices are rising/falling. But a decently graded PSA card of that vintage should retain/gain value over time. I've done the same thing with the 1971 set. I have the complete set but when I find deals I pick up graded commons in PSA 7 or 8. I have a couple dozen now. When I'm ready to sell the set it will be a nice bonus.
Vintage Card Curator I i
Vintage Card Curator Ray Oyler could not hit his way out of a wet paper bag. However he was the Best defensive shortstop Ever. My baseball career who similar. I was kept on teams exclusively for my defensive skills. Some people dog the 70 set. I love it's simplistic look.
I didn't know that about him...thanks. There is a great documentary on youtube about the PIlots and they mention Oyler and how much the fans loved him. I wish I had a time stamp for that part of the video, but you can see the whole thing here:
ruclips.net/video/K3kyCwTit9Q/видео.html
Vintage Card Curator thanks , I watched that a while back. In the early and mid 1960's the Detroit Tigers farm system started to click. Ray Oyler was a slick fielding not hitting infielder who primarily played shortstop. The main shortstop was Dick McAuliffe. Rat's defensive was so outstanding that the Tigers eventually moved McAuliffe to 2nd base to accommodate a spot for Oyler in the lineup. Don Wert usually played 3rd base , Oyler usually played shortstop , McAuliffe played 2nd and of course Norm Cash played 1st. In 1968 Tom Matchick and Dick Tracewski also played shortstop and other infield positions. Oylers bat was so pathetic that Manager Mayo Smith did the following in the World Series. The Tigers carried 6 outfielders on their roster. Wayne Comer , Gates Brown , Willie Horton , Jim Northrup, Mickey Stanley and Al Kaline. Comer hardly ever played. On a side note , Comer got 1 at bat in the 1968 world series and got a hit. Therefore his postseason batting average is 1.000. . Willie Horton was the main left fielder. Mickey Stanley usually played centerfield. Jim Northrup played all 3 outfield positions. Al Kaline played right field . Kaline was often injured in 1968. The Tigers had a dilema. Kaline needed to be in the lineup. He got healthy at the end of the regular season. Horton was the main long ball threat. So manager Mayo Smith did the following. He inserted Kaline in right field , Jim Northrup in center field and Willie Horton in Left field. He put Mickey Stanley at shortstop. All 4 were good to great hitters. So skinny Ray Oyler sat on the bench. In late 9th inning situations for defense. Oyler went to shortstop, Stanley moved to center field , Northrup shifted to left. Horton was removed. In the 1968 expansion draft , after the World series ended. The Seattle Pilots selected Wayne Comer and Ray Oyler off the Tigers roster. On a side note , Comer finished 2nd on the 1969 pilots with 15 homeruns. Don No Cher led the Pilots with 25. Ray Oyler was the main shortstop. After the 1969 season the Pilots traded Oyler to the He's. He appears on a 1970 topps card in a A' s card. However I believe he was then traded to the Angels. That's my Ray Oyler story. I am a baseball nerd. My only complete sets are 1970 Topps Baseball and 1970 Topps Football.
Very interesting video i really enjoyed it all...us set collectors are becoming extinct so it is great to have you in the community! I have been collecting sets since 1978 and have been blessed to have finished from 2019 Topps Series 1 all the way back through 1964 Topps...i am about to embark on 1963 which is currently about 50% complete. Man those 1960’s high numbers are a real monster!
I think the time period when we both started collecting must have been a huge influence on being set collectors. I think a lot of collectors today don't understand it. What I hear most is: "Why would I spend money chasing a 1979 Rafael Landestoy when I could put that money into HOF'ers?" My answer is always that in many cases those common players have an interesting story behind them that makes collecting them worthwhile.
Congrats on your accomplishments...that's very impressive. My run is from 1970-1981, missing 1973. I'd like to go back to 1968 and 1969. Those sets are a different animal due to the high dollar rookie and Mantle cards. I'm still not sure how I'm going to tackle them. Full sets are quite pricey. Are you trying to build the 1963 set card by card?
One more question: what is it like to put together a modern set? Do you try to get variations, or just the base cards? Can you just by a base set or do you try to build it?
Vintage Card Curator on the 1963 set I have about half of it just from lots I picked up over the years. The remainder will be card by card yes. Most I can get from my LCS I always start with them. Then I will fill in with other shops and online.
Vintage Card Curator I do the modern sets just like I did growing up. Open packs and boxes and hand collate my set.
For a vintage card enthusiast and complete set collector like myself, these videos are must-watch! Nice job with the editing and telling your stories. Continue upgrading your sets - they will look great once done.
Thanks, I'm headed to a huge regional card show today to try to finish the final upgrades on the 1970, 1971 1972 and 1980 sets. This show has a lot of dealers who specialize in set building, who will bring every card to the show. Usually very reasonable prices.
I urge other set builders to check out your videos as you build your channel. Great content!
Thanks for the love. How did you make out at the show last week; finish off any of those sets?@@vintagecardcurator
The Vintage Composer I couldn’t get everything as I was looking for some rarer print variations and high numbers. I ordered a couple cards from COMC when I got home. I did complete the 1970 set completely. It’s all EX-MT. I needed a Ryan for that ($150).
Now, I just need two cards for 1971 and two for 1972, one of which is the Carew.
While I was at the show I bought a complete 1973 set, the last one I needed to finish 1970-1981. It’s in EX-MT out of the box but it will need some upgrades due to miscut and OC cards.
Great vid! Def helpful! I'll take all that into consideration
Good luck if you decide to start building sets! It can be a fun challenge.
I really love your storytelling and the editing that goes along with it, nice job! I have the problem of whether or not I want to keep these in binders or just in set boxes and not have them showcased.
Thanks a lot. I enjoy the video editing and story telling nearly as much as the subject. It's fun to push myself and try different things. I have a list of possible future video subjects, it just depends on what is the most interesting concept and do-able.
I greatly prefer the binders, but that's the era I grew up in. I still enjoy pulling a binder down and looking at all the cards at one time. When I have sets in boxes I don't look at them very much.
Great video. I no longer set collect myself but there is some sound advice here. I do Cubs team sets now and I at least get a sampling of each set by getting the Cubs from each of them. I do have one recommendation although some see this as a personal choice. I would recommend Unikeep binders or the 3 ring binders that have a slipcover which the name of escapes me at the moment. I switched to Unikeep binders a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. The main advantage to them is your sheets are completely enclosed thus it keeps dust and such out. I used regular binders for a while and I noticed dust would still get into them. One drawback of Unikeep binders is that you would most likely have to use 2 binders for a set. I did keep my 76 Topps set as it's the year I was born and it does take up 2 binders. Love your videos and keep up the good work.
Thanks for the great comment. I had never heard of the Unikeep binders, so I looked them up. They definitely look like they would protect the cards better. I would need to buy 2 or more binders for a set and that would be a drawback for me.
@@vintagecardcurator Yea most Topps sets would take 2 binders especially baseball. I have converted all my stuff over to the Unikeep binders. I did order directly from them but I checked Amazon last time I needed them since I have Prime. That ended up being cheaper and I think I was under $6 a binder when I ordered a case of 15. I hope to do a video of my Cubs binders when I complete that project. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
Nice! Sounds like im taking the right approach by buying and upgrading. and you’re right, you begin to connect more with the set after you begin to contribute to it. nice video.
Thanks...I think the buy and upgrade is probably the only approach that makes sense for sets less than 50 years old. It will be interesting when I try to go after sets before 1970...
This was great , the fun of actually building a Set card by card and putting them into the sheets means a lot to me but you’re 100% correct the cost is so much more
I got half of that feeling by upgrading my 1972 set! There's no wrong way to do it though. What sets do you have?
Great advice, I’ve been wanting to build the 72 set but all the hi numbers have been keeping me away.
It's tough, no doubt. I bought my '72 set complete but I had to upgrade at least half of the high number cards. I made some money selling off the doubles, but it was still an expensive proposition that pushed a $842 set to $1,300. But I did it over time so that helped. I used Greg Morris and set builder dealers at card shows to get them all. Now that I'm almost done (still need a Carew) it's gratifying to have the whole 787 card set in EX-MT condition. That set will always have value being one of the most popular releases Topps has ever done.
Great video and great advice! My 13 yo son and I just began collecting recently (I exited the hobby in the early 90s) and it has been a great way to invest time in our relationship. We're making a run at putting together Topps sets and hope to dip into those 70s releases thru current. We'll be utilizing some of your advice in doing so. Thanks!
Excellent video bro! Awesome advice! And well deserved congrats on the sets! Heck of an accomplishment!
Thanks so much! I appreciate the feedback and the subscription. More videos to come!
Love doing this. I started building vintage sets in 2011 and so far finished 1965 & 1971 Topps. Right now working on 1969 Topps, I am about 75% finished and 1953 Topps about 40% complete
Awesome stuff. I'm also working on the 1969 set and need about 100 cards. We are probably bidding on the same ones through Greg Morris. ha ha The 1953 Topps must be quite a project...not that '71 is easy either. Did you get that set like I did...buy a complete one and then do a few upgrades? With the 1969 set it was too expensive to buy all at once so I have had to piece it together in lots.
@@vintagecardcurator all sets i started from scratch so I'm sure I spent more putting it together overall. I'm not too condition sensitive. VG is good with me. I bought some lots on ebay especially with 1971, but I dont think any lot I bought had more than 20 or so cards in it
You may be paying more to build it from scratch, but I'm guessing that you are enjoying it more!
@@vintagecardcurator I really do. I learn a lot more about the older players from the 50s and 60s.
Great video and fun watching it. I was lucky and had massive amount of cards from when I was a kid and hoarded them and bought everyone's including the older kids I knew. So I had a huge head start dating back to 1960. I made my lists of the numbers I needed and like the video maker; I also targeted EX/MT or better. After 4 years of buying lots of cards, I have complete sets from 1960 to 1991(the year I lost interest when I was younger). And now I'm stuck with about 15,000+ duplicates from 1960 to 1975 and way too lazy to sell them myself. So maybe I'll see if an ebay seller will sell on consignment! Thanks for all the great videos this guy makes
Thanks for the comment and sharing that memory. You had a lot of foresight! It can be a real pain to sell lots of raw cards on eBay, but that's how I get rid of my duplicates once I've finished upgrading a set.
@@vintagecardcurator Did you sell them 1 at a time or did you put them in bulk lots?
888strummer I would sell many of the HOF’ers separately and then the rest in bulk. I got over $200 for my 1970 cards (many high numbers). Determining shipping costs is important so you don’t lose money. With later cards I put them on Facebook Marketplace and moved them much quicker.
@@vintagecardcurator Thanks for the tips. I'm a fossil and not even on Facebook, but I sell silver coins on ebay and sold 1,000's of vinyl records on ebay. But time is limited being a contractor so I thought with cards I would try an ebay seller for consignment because they have regular buyers; the big set buster sellers. But I think your idea is really good to do bulk lots of the commons and the stars separate. Knowing me I procrastinate for more weeks or months.....
888strummer You could see if Greg Morris would take them for sale. His cards are usually EX-Mt. If yours are lesser it might make more sense to eBay them.
Great advice! I have been doing set building for the past 10 years, going backwards from where I started collecting as a kid in 1984. I have done both combinations of buying complete sets and replacing cards in bad conditions. I have also bought lots of cards and filled in the gaps. I enjoy that method the most due to the hunt. Really enjoyed the video! Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the reply Chris! Those of us who build sets understand the thrill of the hunt very well!
Great video, nice to see those vintage sets in binders. Amazing you found 71 and 75 sets in such great shape for those prices.
Yes, I got lucky...it seems like in most cases you have to do a lot of upgrades to what's available online. I had been watching sets from those years on eBay for months before I found the right deals.
Where do you find these sets to buy outside of ebay?
There a number of private internet auction sites out there. They all require pre-registration, but are otherwise free. You have to watch out because all charge the buyer a premium on top of the winning bid. The fee could be anywhere from 12.5-20% of the hammer price so bid accordingly.
I like these auctions because there are a lot less bidders than on eBay. The items tend to be higher grade, but not always. I’ve found some excellent deals on these auctions over the past year.
Some examples include: Robert Edwards, Clean Sweep, Mile High, Steiner, Memory Lane and others.
Vintage Card Curator I am part of some of those auction houses and others I am not. It has gotten more competitive lately though. Are you part of any forums?
I'm on Net54 (Sox75), but don't post there too much. I'm also a member of a couple of vintage baseball card Facebook groups. I have sold some things there. But 95% of my buys are on eBay. But I think the sets might be better buys on these auction sites. I noticed the Robert Edwards has a number of complete vintage sets up for auction now.
Yeah it’s hard to imagine buying a complete set without needing some upgrades. Definitely the way to go though . Smaller, vintage / prewar sets however can be out together card by card and is a thrilling endeavor
I'm a set builder just getting into the 70s chasing my shoe box tossing by my mother.
Welcome back. It's a great time to be building these sets. Of everything I have done in the last 2 years I would say building sets I had dreamed about as a kid has been the biggest thrill.
I love it when you were more concerned with 4 sharp corners then centering. I agree. I think too much is taken off on the grade for centering verses sharp corners. Our way, as long as it is not cut bad is more appealing in my opinion. Some "big time" dealers probably made "the rules" years ago. I have had some very knowledgeable collectors agree with me but they care more abut the centering because the selling of them goes toward the centering to make more money. I will continue to care more about the corners.
Thanks for the comment Alan. I came into the Hobby when we didn't even know about centering. As much as I try to fight it, it's a losing battle. When I buy cards now I have no choice but to pay attention to the centering since that's what the rest of the world is doing. In my PC, in my binder sets, I'm perfectly happy with off center cards, as long as the corners are relatively sharp.
I'm a HUGE fan of 70's cards unmarked checklist, they're not as easy to find.
No, those checklists definitely come at a premium. And some cost more than good HOF players of the same condition.
Today that ‘75 set is worth $1k’s. We’re in quite a bubble
Looking forward to this video my friend. Took the opportunity to be it's 1st like & comment. CU at the premier.
Buy, build or upgrade? Ha, all the above and also unfortunately i destruct certain years. I'll breakup and destroy 87, 88, 89, 90, 93 Topps years! Especially the 93. 825 cards? Are they kidding! I'll harvest the key players anyday from these sets. Pre 86 I'll build those years. The 86 set i have one but no interest in it at all. Anyway, i just got the last card to complete my 76 Topps Traded set that I've had. Only took 42 years. Good video and intellectual insights, appreciate it all the way, thx!
Thanks! I got out of collecting in 1982 so I avoided all the junk wax stuff. It would be tough to hold some of those sets. I sold off my 1981 Fleer and Donruss sets and probably lost money on them.
Thanks for your comment!
I build my sets from scratch. Commons first, high numbers, Mets and Yankees, then star cards.
Thanks for the comment Mark. Since I made this video I have more or less used that strategy in building the 1968 and 1969 sets. For me it was not cost effective to buy an entire set at one time. I figured that I would also end up having to replace most of the key cards, as I've done in the past with other sets. I have tracked my costs, but have not looked at the totals yet. But it's a lot of fun to build a set this way.
What sets do you have?
Your not going to find a 1975 cards in excellent condition with 4 sharp corners if they do have 4 sharp corners there going to be Near Mint
remember we use to put our cards in shoe boxes with rubber bands and the cards will be more expensive an 8 compared to a 6 or 7?
right, I agree. That's why I think it's a little hard to believe when all these mint cards from the '50's-'70's suddenly show up for auction with a brand new PSA grade. No one took extra special care of our cards back then.
@@vintagecardcurator 1 There might have been a few people who put cards in baggies because that is surprising when I went to shows I hear people in the 90's say I have the most beautiful Schmidt/Cey rookie card and looking through the show cases you did see 1975 Schmidt with 4 sharp corners some 1978 Yount I think, 1976 Eckersly. 2nd another possibility is they managed to put the rubber bands over the corners without hurting the card.
2 big possibility's
What an outdated video this is a wonderful Channel and I'm a subscriber and you have a wonderful Channel but it's all fiction now because the price is your quoting are unattainable today