E94...set completed!

[ullmandds]

Last night I took a road trip to my nearest fed ex facility(30 miles rt) because some auction house who is notorious for attracting super high bids on rare backed t206's can't seem to ship my cards to the correct address...and now my e94 set is complete...barring some eventual upgrades. The cards were packaged in a babushka doll of boxes:[img][/img]

I fell in love with E94's around 1992 while I was living with my parents and I got in touch with a guy on the old prodigy vintage card board...he said a friend of his had just inherited a box of old cards and didn't know anything about them...but mentioned ty cobb. I met these 2 fellows at a mcdonalds in central nj and the guy had 2 complete e94 sets...minus a mcgraw and about 15-20 e90-1's and a load of non sport cards in a cigar box...and I distinctly remember him having a t215 oriental character card as well. I was a small time collector and offered to help him sell them in exchange for some of the e90-1's but it never happened...and I've regretted it ever since.

And as a result of that experience...I've always loved e94's. I picked up my first 3 in a bargain bin at the 95 nat'l for $5 ea in st louis...and then decided to try to collect the Murray card with all of the different backs. I still need the violet murray...along with tbob and josh i think...i've only seen one...but have no idea who owns it now? I traded a handful of tougher t206 backs to scott elkins for a beater...super common gold lajoie a few years ago. I picked up a lot that included cobb and speaker from REA 2 years ago and decided to go for the set. Nice low grade cards don't come up for sale very often and they definitely sell closer to vg prices when nice.

I'd like to thanks everyone who helped me...via trades and sales. I've never really been a set collector and besides e90-2 this is the only vintage set I've ever attempted.

The Young is definitely one of if not the toughest card in the set from my experience...if you're looking for specific colors of a certain player you may be looking for a while...ask TBOB!

I may have made a specific effort to obtain more of the purple(violet) cards when they were available...whereas none of the other colors besides the murray run were a factor in my acquisition...so the sample is somewhat random:

[img][/img]

In toll including a few dupes the tally is:

3 blue
4 dark green
6 purple(violet)
7 red
7 lime green
10 gold

I'd like to add an m113 to my e94 collection someday...and possibly an orange background e94 and will continue to upgrade as the opportunities present themselves.

[img][/img]

[brianp-beme]

Congrats Peter...neat back story on these and a cool little display of all the rainbow of E94 colors. I have always felt E94's were one of the tougher small caramel sets to pick up examples, so to complete it is definitely a collecting accomplishment.

Brian

[Mikehealer]

Nice going Pete.

[Northviewcats]

Your collection looks beautiful when displayed together. Congratulation on the achievement.

Joe

[jp1216]

Very nice set. Great story too. Enjoy.

[calvindog]

Wow. What a set!

[3-2-count]

Congratulations Pete. Quite the accomplishment............
Great set!!

[milkit1]

very cool! love them colors!

[t206blogcom]

Congrats! Cards look great.

[wolf441]

Great job! Nothing better than picking up those last few cards to complete a vintage set!! Love the picturees as well. Steve

[Mrc32]

Wow. Very cool. I like the different colors.

[caramelcard]

Nice job! It's not easy to collect this set one by one. I've attempted it twice and sold them off to finish other sets. Not sure what I was thinking since I like the set more than any other caramel set I can think of.

Congrats!

Rob

[rman444]

Congrats, Pete! Great accomplishment for a very difficult set!

[Matthew H]

Looks great Peter, thanks for sharing the pictures and the story.

[glynparson]

Awesome set, great job.

[smtjoy]

Congrats, just love that photo of them all spread out, awesome cards!

[atx840]

Congrats Pete, those sure are purdy. Hmm now you have me thinking

[ullmandds]

thanks everyone...i really appreciate the kind words...and the sharing of my enjoyment in collecting this set!

Further scrutiny shows of 37 cards...only 2 backs have the uber-rare "single quotation mark variation" in front of Ty Cobbs name.

[freakhappy]

Great accomplishment, Peter...that has to feel great! How long did you say you were trying to complete this set?

[g_vezina_c55]

Great accomplishment Mr Ulman. Cool set !

[sgbernard]

Great looking stuff! These are really beautiful cards--I still think purple is my favorite.

I don't know why anyone buys whole sets in some of the major auctions. All the fun is still in the card-by-card collecting, imo. Then, not only does your set look as nice as this, but you get that sense of accomplishment.

[Vegas-guy]

Very cool! Congrats!!!

[Bosox Blair]

Beautiful job on a tough set!!!

Cheers,
Blair

[CobbSpikedMe]

That's one sweet set to finish. Nice job and thanks for sharing the pics of the whole thing. I love e94's.

Best

AndyH

[ethicsprof]

congratulations!
quite an accomplishment !!
all the best,
barry

[ullmandds]

It seems that Devore is a common card to have this single quotation mark in front of Cobb on the back...perhaps the plate got dinged towards the end of the run creating these single quotation marks...atleast 3 are known...and my other is cobb.

I got my first E94 in 1995 and I just got my last one Thurs 8/2/12...so approx 17 yrs from 1st card to last...but I really decided to go for the set in 2011 after winning the rea lot...at which time the lot gave me 16 or 17 e94's but 5 of them were murrays! I hit ebay and every place I could find them hard...there was always stiff competition for the nice ones. I made a few trades.

I found in my quest a few collectors who answered my plea for e94's but when confronted with negotiating a deal...it broke down...people LOVE their E94's and many people collect a certain player in as many colors as they can get...and people will not give them away cheap...or at all...it's a great little set!!!!

I'm not sure if there will ever be an e94 find of any significant amount...except when TBOB decides to put his on the market!!!!!

Sorry if my thought are hard to follow...the gin and tonics are flowing again...the celebration continues!!!!1

Thanks everyone for sharing and discussing E94!

[rman444]

I remember when I discovered the single quote a few years back. Pete - I think you were the only one who cared

One of the oddities that falls into the "who cares" category, unfortunately.

[iggyman]

The pic of all your E94's together is simply fantastic and surely converted a few T206 globetrotter into E94 collectors. Congrats on both accomplishments........a simply lovely set.

Lovely Day...

[ullmandds]

thanks iggy! Dan...yeah...noone cares...I guess I don't even care that much!!!! Maybe someday...someone will care!!!!

[Jason]

Job well done sir.

[tbob]

Pete- good job! Unless there is a White Swamp Find of E94s, the E94 prices will continue to climb as the cards are becoming as scarce as hen's teeth.
I hope you get an M113 and an orange background. The first is doable if you have the money, the second....doubtful. There is only one orange background of each card known to exist and I don't believe a few have ever surfaced (Wagner, Byrne and Dougherty) although they may exist in a collection somewhere. I personally own 5 and 4 have their provenance from the Brian Daniels collection, although only 1 came directly from Brian. The 5th orange actually came from the Lionel Carter collection, dispelling any rumors that all orange background cards came from one sheet and one source. I hope you can find one but it is going to be very tough.
As far as the violet Murray, yup, you are 100% correct, that one has been a pain to find.
Best regards,
tbob

[bh3443]

Congratulations! You've got a splendid set!
Back in the 70's, I traded Mike Gordon some cards for an E95 set. But, the E94 were never around back then as a set.
And in those days, I was offered sets like T207 andothers frequently.
Great job! That's a wonderful story to go with your set.
Cherish the memories as well as the cards!
Best Wishes,
Bill Hedin

[joeadcock]

Pete

The way your cards are displayed gives me a feeling to also try and complete the set. Got a few. Great story too. Long time between first and last card. Wish I had the impetus to go after prewar back when you and many others started.

Probably one of the nicest sets to look at and should continue to go up in value. Hope you keep them for yourself.

Bill, love the stories of way in the past and what was available.

[Tim Kindler]

Pete, congratulations. It is always really special to hear about someone completing a collecting goal, especially to read about how they accomplished it. I appreciate you showing scans of them for all of us to enjoy. Beautiful cards.
Take Care,
Tim Kindler

[Clutch-Hitter]

Great set, Congratulations!

[toppcat]

Epic-congrats!

[mawitzi]

Wow - that is a beautiful set. I am very jealous. Nice job.

[vintagerookies51]

Congratulations! The set looks amazing. It makes me want to start one of my own

[teetwoohsix]

Congrats, those are some beautiful looking cards !!! Great job !!!

Sincerely, Clayton

[pcoz]

Pete,
Congrats! Great story and beautiful set!!

[sportscardpete]

Great set for a great guy. Congrats Pete!

[edhans]

Great set Pete. What's next?

[ullmandds]

What's next...good question?! Back to the small, esoteric cards I've been seeking out for years now...I'll upgrade e94's as they become available...what next...what next...sheesh...I haven't figured that out yet?!?!?!

I kinda like this set collecting thing...as compared to type collecting which I had been doing most of my adult life!!!!

What next...hopefully a girl friend!!!!!!

[Jaybird]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

What's next...good question?! Back to the small, esoteric cards I've been seeking out for years now...I'll upgrade e94's as they become available...what next...what next...sheesh...I haven't figured that out yet?!?!?!

I kinda like this set collecting thing...as compared to type collecting which I had been doing most of my adult life!!!!

What next...hopefully a girl friend!!!!!!

What about the girl you had at the last National? My dad had a crush on her and she came to a card convention with you. What else can you ask for?

[ullmandds]

jason...I let that one go?! could have been a mistake!!!!

[kkkkandp]

On the cards, not the girl!

[E93]

Congrats on completing a tough set!
JimB