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Poll: Do You Try to Complete Modern Base Sets?

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  1. #1




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    Does Anyone Try to Complete Modern Base Sets?

    The hobby has certainly changed over the past few decades, and with all the rare, sought-after, valuable "hits" available in today's product, I was wondering if anyone still tries to complete base sets.

    Are the days of completing a set by opening pack after pack of cards and hand-collating them a thing of the past? Is it no longer financially feasible to do that? Do the short-printed, super-short printed, and "variation" base cards make it impossible?

    I'm sure there are plenty of good-looking base card designs out there these days. It's a shame to think that millions of them are sitting in boxes, or worse -- being tossed out -- because it's just too difficult to try to complete the base set, or because collectors are only interested in the hits.

    Please take the poll and share your thoughts.
    Last edited by Thick McRunfast; 08-14-2018 at 05:24 PM.

  2. #2







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    Topps really seemed to hurt modern set collecting with the invention of the SSP. Topps Heritage and others with short prints were fine and seemed to re-energize the set collecting community but all tthese SSPs that are unattainable and hard to get seemed to really take the joy out of set collecting for a lot of people IMO. SSPs are great for box breakers but hell for set collectors especially when you make a ton of them to chase after to complete a set.
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    Topps really seemed to hurt modern set collecting with the invention of the SSP. Topps Heritage and others with short prints were fine and seemed to re-energize the set collecting community but all these SSPs that are unattainable and hard to get seemed to really take the joy out of set collecting for a lot of people IMO. SSPs are great for box breakers but hell for set collectors especially when you make a ton of them to chase after to complete a set.

    Man, that does stink. And I see what you mean. If you know there will only be a few SSPs when the set is released, then I can imagine you'd still be excited about putting together a complete set. But if you know there will be 50 SSPs, why even start investing your time and money in that product?

  4. #4




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    I don't try to, but I usually end up with a few after breaking several boxes.. I collect hockey, and the sets aren't very big at all 200 cards per series on average so after breaking 10-15 boxes you tend to end up with several sets.

    But yea, I will go though the base cards every once in a while and make a set and put it in a binder... That's the only way I like my sets - in binders so I can look at the cards..

    I mean, long gone are the days when sets were 500+ cards (or in Topps case back in the 80's 792), back then you had to buy a lot to complete a set - not to mention Topps loved to make some cards short prints (sp) which made set collecting a little more difficult, but these days if you buy a few blaster boxes you're almost guaranteed a base set.....

    I doubt many collect base sets anymore considering these days people buy for the "hits" not the base cards or to collect star players... I mean I don't pull any star base cards when I'm opening packs (with some exceptions).

    But hey, maybe I should go though my base cards and start making base sets, I'm pretty sure I have several dozen by now...

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    I don't try to, but I usually end up with a few after breaking several boxes.. I collect hockey, and the sets aren't very big at all 200 cards per series on average so after breaking 10-15 boxes you tend to end up with several sets.

    But yea, I will go though the base cards every once in a while and make a set and put it in a binder... That's the only way I like my sets - in binders so I can look at the cards..

    I mean, long gone are the days when sets were 500+ cards (or in Topps case back in the 80's 792), back then you had to buy a lot to complete a set - not to mention Topps loved to make some cards short prints (sp) which made set collecting a little more difficult, but these days if you buy a few blaster boxes you're almost guaranteed a base set.....

    I doubt many collect base sets anymore considering these days people buy for the "hits" not the base cards or to collect star players... I mean I don't pull any star base cards when I'm opening packs (with some exceptions).

    But hey, maybe I should go though my base cards and start making base sets, I'm pretty sure I have several dozen by now...

    Thanks very much for the input, Savard18. Breaking 10-15 boxes is pretty impressive!

    And I agree, binders and 9-pocket pages are the way to go. I'm not much of a modern collector, but I definitely still enjoy flipping through my vintage binders every once in a while.

    Definitely go through those base cards and put together some more sets!

  6. #6




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    Topps really seemed to hurt modern set collecting with the invention of the SSP.

    This is what kept me out of the hobby for a long time. For me when I was a kid, the fun was always opening packs and putting together the set. The autograph & memorabilia cards are cool. But I like flipping through a binder with a full set and not having the anxiety of thinking "Well, I'm missing #74, and I'm not going to be able to sleep until I get card #74."

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    This is what kept me out of the hobby for a long time. For me when I was a kid, the fun was always opening packs and putting together the set. The autograph & memorabilia cards are cool. But I like flipping through a binder with a full set and not having the anxiety of thinking "Well, I'm missing #74, and I'm not going to be able to sleep until I get card #74."

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    i just buy the topps complete set just eaiser to do have topps sets from 1974 to present. at one time the autos and gu rookies were the cards everyone was looking for . now its the sp or ssp .

  9. #9




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    Nice user name and avatar. Nice custom cards, too!

    Thanks, man.

    And since you're OP, I'll thread jack for a second because I just started a 2018 Cape Cod League set. Posted the first two tonight: http://anchorandhopecustomcards.blog...e-dominic.html

    But to contribute more to the conversation, I think to scratch my completist itch, I'm just going to break boxes of fun looking cards for the "hits" and pick up team sets and goofy stuff, like try to get a complete set of pocket schedules, or odd ball sets.

  10. #10




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    Thanks very much for the input, Savard18. Breaking 10-15 boxes is pretty impressive!

    And I agree, binders and 9-pocket pages are the way to go. I'm not much of a modern collector, but I definitely still enjoy flipping through my vintage binders every once in a while.

    Definitely go through those base cards and put together some more sets!

    Yea, this thread got me thinking, after I made my post I went on ebay and found 400 (9) pocket pages. It cost me $28.00 shipped but well worth it, it will hold 3,600 cards, and binders are never an issue, I live across the street from a dollar store and they have plenty of binders, they're perfect for sets of 200-300 cards which is exactly the size of sets I'll be making.... I know I have at least a few dozen sets - I know for a fact I have several 15-16 & 16-17 Upper Deck hockey base sets among many many others.

    Yea, I break a lot of boxes, lol - it's pretty fun... Ebay is a good tool, you can get a box lot of 15 boxes for less than $200 shipped of product from the 90's - I know it's not the most desirable era, but it's still fun pulling rookie cards of Hall of Famer's, not only that but it will keep me busy for a week.. But hey, they generally pay for themselves - especially the newer products, I mean it's a rare occasion if I don't get my monies out of a box.... The real secret is that if you're looking for a key card or a "hit" don't be scared to go all out and buy 10 boxes, because chances are you will get the card you're looking for..... I mean last week I bought a 5 box lot of 16-17 Upper Deck Series One, and my goal was to pull an Auston Matthews Young Guns Rc which books for like $250-$300, well I paid $81 shipped for the 5 boxes and I got the Auston Matthews Young Gun so it was well worth it (actually my 3rd Matthews Young Gun pull out of maybe 20-25 boxes)..

    So yea, thanks to this thread I think I'll start making sets and putting them in binders because it's the best way to do it - I enjoy looking at the cards & stats, and I don't want to physically hold them or just keep them in a box in the back of my closet - it will be nice to just be able to pull a binder out and have a look..... That and I have a couple of 5,000 count boxes of stars which I would really love to get into binders just to have a look when I feel like looking at some cards.

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