Mom Chucked Mine - Who has assembled and owned a set for the longest time?

[frankbmd]

I hesitate (briefly) in starting this thread, because there will be a few rules (Hi Al & Ted). Do you currently own a set that you assembled 10 or more years ago? Quite a few hands went up. How about 20 years ago? Quite a few hands went down. Get the idea.

I’ve collected off and on for more than 60 years, but as a child, I never completed a Topps set from the fifties. And to make matters worse, when I visited my parents as an adult and asked about my “old baseball cards”, you guessed it, my mom had chucked them.

So let’s keep this as simple as possible.

1. Post a card from a set that you assembled a long time ago that you still own.

2. What set is it?

3. What year did you complete it?

3.5. (Optional) Subtract your answer to #3 from 2018.

4. Add a comment if you choose, such as the last card you needed to complete the set, etc.

That’s it. Anyone greater than 50 years will be listed.

The current leaders are

Ted Z 67

50sbaseball 60

grainsley 53

What could cause disqualification?

You no longer own the set.

You have a 1988 Donruss set that you assembled 40 years ago.

A T206 set with less than 524 cards.

If your answer to 3.5 is larger than your age.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I started my Steve Garvey Topps run when I was 12 and finished it when I was 14, so I've had that for 32 years.

[ullmandds]

In my life I've completed less than 20 sets...ranging from late 70's-early 80's topps, burger king, fleer, donruss...early 90's upper deck...early 70's kelloggs/rold gold all time greats...64 topps giants...e90-2, e94 and most recently n43. The n43 set is the only one I currently own.

Hers is an n43 Ryan with the cute flower on his lappelle! The Ewing was the last to obtain as it was by far the most expensive. Many of these present well on the fronts and may have back damage from album removal...which for this issue is fine with me.

That'd make me a pathetic 3. I completed the set in 15'... tres!

Life is too short for commons is my motto these days!!!!!

[Matt1150]

The one and only complete set for me is 1977 Topps Baseball. I was 9 and managed to pull every card from a wax pack - and have the marked up team picture cards to prove it

[chalupacollects]

Oldest complete set is 1973 Topps finished in 1974... when I moved out took my cards with me! Never lost one to a Mom purge!

[grainsley]

1965 OPC, I remember throwing out Aaron after Aaron and buying new packs until I found a Hank that wasn't badly miscut. Terrible year for that. Put it away when done, and yes, still have the set, pack fresh.

So I reckon my number is 53.

Grant

[rats60]

I completed my 1968 Topps set in 1968, but sold it a couple years ago. Although I do still have my set of the 1968 Topps game cards, completed in 1968, well used. Still have 1965 Topps set, completed in 1973, with the help of Card Collectors Co.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by Matt1150

The one and only complete set for me is 1977 Topps Baseball. I was 9 and managed to pull every card from a wax pack - and have the marked up team picture cards to prove it

1977 Topps should have been my first complete set, I couldn't find a Boog Powell for years!! So I completed my 1980 set first, then found a card store and got my Boog.

[steve B]

I suppose it shouldn't be surprising,

First set put together - 1978 Papa Ginos discs finished as the promotion was ending. So 40 years.

They'd been very tight with the cards all summer, holding strictly to whatever the purchase requirement was I think maybe a drink bought with anything else?
It was pretty close, my sister an brother helped, as they got cards too when we went for the once a week Pizza outing. The last or next to last week of the promotion we got three duplicates, and I figured that was it. But maybe I could get a bit closer if they'd let us swap cards for ones we needed. I had my brother ask, as he was the youngest. To our surprise they handed us one of the the buckets they kept the cards in and said to take what we needed and bring the rest back. Finished the set, and gave the rest back.

A few weeks later I got one of the ads from the register. It had fallen down behind, and I'd asked earlier but the ads were supposed to be returned to the main office (A likely excuse for "sorry, we're keeping them ourselves") One had gotten behind the register and I got it but it took the manager clearing it.

First big set I think was a three way tie, 1982 Topps Fleer and Donruss. But I bought them instead of putting them together.

I'm not sure if I finished the 78 Topps before or after 82 I know I was close, but seldom really worked for those last few cards. I may not have finished that one until 89 or so.

[JustinD]

First full set was 83' Topps but that would seem to be cheating as it was a Christmas gift I had circled in the sears wishbook.

First small set was 1985 Wendy's Tigers set. Certainly wasn't hard to eat all those kids meals and frostys, but it was hard to talk mom into buying that many for my brother and I.

First actual pack built full set was 1987 Topps. Pack after pack till all 792 ( and additional 791 dups) were collected.

I still have all of these.

so knowing how much I loved those Wendy's trips I take the 33 years on that one,lol. But if we are going semantics with big sets, I can deal with the 31 for 87'.

[71buc]

My 1974 Topps set was completed with my weekly $2 allowance in 1974 and I still have it 44 years later.

[tedzan]

This looks to be the start of another great thread....you are the man, Frank.







1950 BOWMAN....252-card set

Started collecting these cards when I was 11 years old in 1950....completed in 1951.

Last card was Ted Williams.

2018 - 1951 = 67 years


As kids, we had tons of these 1950 BOWMAN's. When we played Black Jack or Poker, we would use these cards as chips (instead of pennies).


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[talkinbaseball]

I collected pack by pack and put the whole set together before going into my senior year of high school, class of '74. Also, the year before my mom wrote out a check for the 1972 Topps baseball through The Sport Hobbyist, and if i remember, that year that came in series by series, also with that set i received my first Sport Hobbyist and Frank Nagy was on the cover. Unbelievable, i still have both sets.

John

[CW]

It's too bad the phrase "Mom chucked my baseball cards" didn't mean "Mom sent my baseball cards to Chuck" because then I would have one awesome collection.

[Rookiemonster]

Well I’m not a set collector by any means. When I was young around 1996. ( I know I’m beat already) I got my first Dan Marino rookie card in a trade for some McGwire insert. Then a week later I got the Elway. At this point I realized I had the best cards in the set. So I went after the rest of the rookies in the set. I was about 14 or 15 in 1996. There was a guy at the local show that sold plastics and commons. He had a 5000 count box of 1984 Topps and they were 10 cents each but if you bought a lot they were 5 cents each. So I just bought chunks of what I needed ever show. I don’t remember the last card but I think it was Howie long. So I guess 22 years ago. It was all by accident in the sense that I just wanted the Marino and Elway but then something got a hold of me. ( I know it’s not baseball or pre war but hey that’s the honest answer.

[jasonc]

Excellent thread.

Ted, I assume you still have that set? That is amazing to have it that long!

I dont qualify as mine was 1988 donruss.
Lol. No I think it might have been 1987 opeechee.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by jasonc

Excellent thread.

Ted, I assume you still have that set? That is amazing to have it that long!

Hi Jasonc

I still have my entire collection which started in 1947.


TED Z
.

[frankbmd]

My apologies to Leon for posting on the main board. I thought Ted would be prewar.

[cardsnstuff]

Oh well; I guess my 1975 set, {my first} started & finished in 1975 by trading off doubles to friends, is out the running. And I still have it. But those days were fun. I couldn't wait for dad to get home on Friday Night and I'd go to bank with him to cash his check. Right next door was a little deli that sold baseball cards; and we would always get a few packs. I have to pull the Richie Allen out; he was traded to Phillies I guess after the cards came out and I crossed off White Sox and wrote in Phillies. I still remember that.

PS. Happy dad's day to all the dad's out there.

[BleedinBlue]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

What could cause disqualification?

You have a 1988 Donruss set that you assembled 40 years ago.

I would actually be very impressed if you assembled a 1988 Donruss set 40 years ago. I think a special prize should be awarded for that accomplishment.

My oldest set assembled from packs was 1977 which is less than 50 years old so I won’t bother adding a card.