55 bowman set. How do you fell about it?

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Posted By: Vanessa Phipps

Ok, I just purchased a complete 1955 bowman set. I was told that this is a very unpopular set with collectors. I think the main star cards will grade in the 5 to six range. Overall the set is in surprising shape. My question is what do you guys think of this set and when I am ready to sale it where can I get the most money? Also is it necessary to get the error cards to make the set really complete or is that only for the master set classification?



Thank you. Fire Houston Nutt!!!!

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Posted By: peter chao

Congratulations on your purchase. The umpire cards are very popular and of course you have early cards of both Mays and Mantle so the set's time will come with collectors. Just be patient.

Peter C.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

I love the set. Finished the set in PSA 8 and better thanks to Marc Schoenen who posts here occasionally. Noone knows more about this set than Marc. Here is my favorite card that I won as part of a "nrmt-mt" ungraded set at a Sotheby's auction some 13 years ago. Many cards were recolored, a lot off-center but this card alone easily covered the $3,000 cost of the set. Here is the 2nd year Aaron(pop 5).

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Great set-perfectly captures the middle of that decade. I prefer it to the 62 Topps when it comes to woodgrain borders. Why do both sets have two different colored woods though? Weird.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Like the set myself, but obviously, wear to the corners and borders would show up more prominently on this set. That would be a turn-off to some, I imagine.

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Posted By: judson hamlin

I do like the set, even if it gives the condition sensitive crowd fits. Gerry Staley's x-ray death stare is worth the price of the set

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

It's not my favorite Bowman set. Probably since I didn't collect it as a kid. But, it was fun assembling all 320 cards and all the variations.

It was Bowman's last effort.....they printed it on ten 32-card sheets. I like the Hi# series with all the Umpires.

TED Z

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Posted By: Jason L

And Mantle and Mays aren't the only ones featured here while still early in their careers!....don't forget about Banks and Mathews!!!

My pie in the sky wishlist includes those 4 from this set in NM condition...also read on this Board about a month back that this set is one of the top targets for alteration, because of its borders and coloring issues...for whatever that's worth.

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Posted By: Jimi

I'm not sure why, but I'm not much of a fan of the set, but perhaps that is because most of the cards that I have owned have been P - VG. I'll pick the 53 or 54 Bowman sets over the 55 any day. Alright....go ahead and tell me I've lost my mind! No, seriously, I know the 53 Bowman set has always been popular and I've even owned it a complete one, but I've always liked the 54 set the best. Anyone else feel the same?

Jimi

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

Here's a link to a recent SMR article:

http://www.psacard.com/articles/article_view.chtml?artid=5040&universeid=314&type=1

By all means you should talk to Marc...he's the expert!


Kevin

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Posted By: Rob

As with most of the Bowman sets, registry (focus) can be a problem. Centering is a slight problem with the set, and touched edges are pronounced with the darker grain wood borders. But the focus is #1 to me.

Sharp contrast/focus and color can really make some of these look beautiful, even with low-grade corners.

As mentioned, its one of the few sets that have the umpires in them, which is a nice touch. But again, when I began to collect the set a couple years ago, it was frustrating to consistently get cards in the mail that were out of focus, yet looked good in the auction scans. So I sold most of the ones I acquired.

edited to say ... Congrats Vanessa on your purchase. I hope you enjoy the set. I would assume that the set isn't too hard to acquire in mid-grade, so encapsulating them just for resale would probably be a wash at best. If you cherry pick some of the higher examples perhaps you will make out, but I believe grade common "7"s were only going for around $12-$15 each when I was collecting them, so it may be tough to get your money back if you pay $6-$8 grading fees each. Just get the stars and HOFers graded would be my opinion.

Good luck!!
Rob

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Posted By: dennis

i like the sets design and the player selection is better than the topps counterpart. (they just got lucky with the clemente & koufax cards. that set screams mid 50's and the pics are outstanding,one of my favorite bb card sets. "nrmt-mt" ungraded set at a Sotheby's auction" jim that is really bad on their part to not "notice" that they were touched up.no price break when you did? but as you said ,that aaron is a beauty and well worth what you paid for the entire set in todays market.

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

Here is an example of a 55 Bowman that has had a corner retouched / recolored. As many have mentioned the dark borders make them a prime candidate to doctor. To the naked eye it is nearly impossible to see:




Here is another (shown before) that has been reglossed:




Hope this helps on a couple things to watch out for.



Kevin Saucier

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Posted By: JimCrandell

Thanks Kevin but your cards just show up as an x in a blank square on my computer.