finished my very midgrade topps 1962 set yesterday. Am I going to all the variations? No way.

Love that 58 set. Congrats.

Congrats from a fellow midgrade set-builder! I didn’t bother with all the green-tint variations in ‘62 either but I think it’s worthwhile, and not too expensive/difficult, to get the pose variations of Kunkel, Moon, Yost, etc

Down to a handful of reds and blacks as well as Mays for my 52 low series master. Have found page and sain errors, as well as house and campos variations.

Now for upgrades

LOL Todd. But congrats on finishing '62, that is not an easy set to complete.

As one who built sets back to '59 I feel your pain. I call it "set builder fatigue"!

Completed:
1952 Bowman
1956 Topps
1964 Topps Giants

Close:
1971 Topps (54 left)
1972 Topps (119 left)

Just picked up my last 2 (Joel Horlen and Richie Allen) 1966 Topps Rub-Offs to complete my set.

My goal was to complete the set in 5 years, spend about $700 ($600 for the rub-offs and $100 for postage). I also wanted a set with good centering, which I knew would be difficult. I also had none in my collection so I needed all 120.

As they say on those home remodling shows, I went over budget and over the time frame. It took me 7 years and 9 months to complete. My cost was $818 ($694 for the rub-offs and $124 postage). I think one roll of 20 was printed in lesser quantities as certain ones were much harder to find (and more expensive!) I did stick to the centering issue and am very happy with the set.

I had fun doing this and will probably pick another small insert set to do this again,

Mike

My immediate baseball card budget was blown an a 1955 Double Headers set. I think 1961 is next up. I am working on a Raw EX+ set. They aren't hard to find, but they are expensive. Pretty much down to high numbers. Once i do the 61 I'll be solid from 1960-1995 or so. I think I'll go ahead and fill out the newer Topps sets since they shouldn't be that expensive to just buy factory/retail sets. I have a few here and there.

Just finished a pretty nice 1975 set. That gives me a 72-75 run. My heart is telling me to start the 1971 set but my brain says “run away and don’t look back”. I am not sure how this battle ends!


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The heart always wins (and takes no prisoners). :rolleyes:

I am afraid you are correct.


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I'm currently 90.22% complete with my 1972 Topps Basic set, all PSA. (Warning: this link is scan heavy!) https://www.psacard.com/psasetregist...c/album/122763

My goals changed a little as I learned more about the set, as I became more gainfully employed, and after I got married. Also for some silly reason, I initially wanted the main card of a player to be a the same or higher grade than the In Action card that followed it. Now I don't mind, especially after I submitted a raw Glenn Beckert In Action and it received a 10--I'll just stick with the main Beckert as a 9 and be happy. The main goals that haven't changed are: All cards 8 or better, star cards 9 or better, overall set grade 8.5 or better, no qualifiers. Tried to emphasize centering as the primary regarding condition.

I have an excel spreadsheet that is beyond extensive and nerdy. I know the date I purchased a card in my set, the grade, the serial number, what I paid for it, and whether I should upgrade it later. I can copy and paste the population report and SMR prices from PSA's site into it and it will update. I have a tab that shows what card was printed where on what series and sheet (one * or two **), and I can even visually type in the bars from a PSA ITF 2 of 5 bar code to find out what the actual number is. :D

As a huge fan of centered 1972 cards, all I can say is yowza!!!!!!!!

Down to 1 card left for 52 Bowman Baseball: Enos Slaughter. Had one in my hand at today's show, but it was a bit too costly. So I'm on ebay today and hope to finish this almost 2 year quest.

Down to 55 cards for Topps 67 baseball too. Mostly commons though I will have to upgrade one or two stars down the road.

Glad you like! I started off doing raw only way back in 1995 or so but I got burned by an eBay seller that brightened his scans and washed out rubber band dents and even staple holes, so I decided to try graded only. I knew it would cost a heck of a lot more, but this set is basically a birth year set (born in '71, but didn't want to tackle the black bordered cards because I knew it would cost even more and I'd never finish) and I wanted to spend the time trying to pick out the higher quality ones that would not completely wipe out my finances. I'll try to make it some sort of family heirloom unless I'm wise enough to dump it for potable water and dried rations before the apocalypse happens.

Your photobucket has some exceptionally tough 72's in it as well. Why not grade? :D

Down to needing 6 cards to finish my 55 Bowman set. 242, 277, 291, 293, 302, and 307.

Starting a beater 59 Fleer Ted Williams set. Just started with a 13 card lot so have 67 to go. If you have some beaters for sale please let me know.

My first ever foray into the graded world was as part of a group submission last fall, and man, that did not work out as expected. Except for a few centered 1972 'In Action' cards (Vida Blue, Bob Barton, Pops) that came back as 8's and a 9 (Tom Seaver), it left me puzzled. So I'm a bit reluctant at the moment to send in anything else.

I did fairly well on my 1972's for submission but I was very harsh on them. I scanned them at 1200 dpi, analyzed their centering in Photoshop, tilted them in the light to see if there were any surface issues, all kinds of forensic stuff. Odd thing is I expected 10's on a few and received 9's, and the few 10's I received I thought I would get an 8.5 or 9.

If you submit them using a monthly special that costs around $6 something each it isn't so bad.

I have several sets completed, but I disagree with the person who said the 1956 Topps set is NOT complete with out the two unnumbered checklists. They may be unnumbered, but they go with the set.

Getting close on my Topps run. Finished out my 53 set. It is now down to 13 cards for 51 blue back set and 28 for 52.

Agree with this but it creates a dilemma for '57. Is 57 complete without checklists and contest cards? If so, I still have some work to do...

707 and Dean’s both sell the 56 and 57 as complete without the checklists or contest cards.

Congrats on the 53 Topps set. I think I am going to do that one after I finish my 55 Bowman.

I was debating between the 53 and 54 set. I have picked up a few 54s and now want to do the 53 set instead.:confused::D

Still at 6 cards left on my 55 Bowman and now have 23 down with 57 to go on a 59 Fleer Ted Williams second set.

The 55 Bowman has taken a very long time because I am building it from only cards purchased/traded from fellow Net54 members. Anybody have any of these in lower grade 242, 277, 291, 293, 302, and 307?

Sets
 

1962 Post Cereal Baseball Master Set: 15 to go
1963 Post Cereal Baseball Master Set: 20 to go

1962 Post Cereal Canadian Baseball: 39 to go
1962 Post Cereal US Football: 5 to go

1962 Post Cereal Canadian Football: 13 to go
1963 Post Cereal Canadian Football Master Set: 20 to go

While my Bowman Color set is complete, I have 13 cards that I am upgrading to get to all ex to ex+ - 11 commons, Musial, and Ford.

In the spirit of Pigs get Fed, Hogs get slaughtered, I am waiting for my stock to get to $41.76 and I am going to sell some to buy a nice VG-Ex/Ex 53 Topps and a 52 Bowman in similar or slightly better condition.

It got up to $44.38 and I was holding out for $50. Then, bad earnings and down to $34.07. It has been slowly climging against a flat market this year and touched $40 yesterday and today - so I feel like I am a couple good weeks for sell (and buy!) time. But earnings are announced at the end of April and it could go back to $34 in a hurry. For the sake of my collection, wish me luck!

I'm working on an abbreviated run of Topps sets from 1958 thru 1962. I've finished the first three, passively working on the '61 and am chasing the '62. I'm at about 65% of the '62 with most of the stars completed. I will collect the 'alt pose and similar variations' but I'm not going to do more with the green tints than slide a few into the back of the binder as representatives.

These five sets were the cornerstone of my youth. 1958 Topps cards are the first I ever held in my hand. I was seven years old. They belonged to a girl who lived down the street from me. 1959 was the first set I owned cards of. I got packs in my basket at Easter that year. 1960 was the first set I tried to finish. I bugged my folks for the cello packs at Korvettes and Bambergers in the Jersey suburbs. 1961 was the first set I actually did finish, or at least I think I finished it. And the '62 has the most memories for me as far as trading, flipping and hoarding. It was the year I really learned about players since my father decided to get tickets for every Sunday date at Yankee Stadium.

For all these sets I aim for 'presentable' cards, VG/Ex or so. I've bought some slabbed examples of key cards but they have been broken out and live in the binder pages.

I'm also working on the Topps 1970/71 basketball set and am at 151 of the 175 cards. I some SPs and a few of the second-tier stars.

After buying a few graded cards (Kaline AS, Marichal RC and Koufax), I'm now down to less than 5 to go on my 1961 set. I need #528, Ramos, and the two big ones left are the Willie Mays AS and Yaz. If anyone has any of these in nice shape to trade, please check out my bucket and hit me up.

In my opinion, the 1957 Topps set is NOT complete with at least one variation copy of the 4 checklist cards and the 4 contest cards. There is also a Lucky Penny card which I also consider a part of the set. The fact that these cards are unnumbered and don't feature a players photo on them doesn't make them exempt from the set.

T205 - 66/215 30.7% (SGC 40/PSA 3 on average)
Diamond Stars - 43/108 39.81% (SGC 80/PSA 6 on average)
1951 Bowman - 123/324 38% (Raw Ex/Ex-MT)
1954 Topps - 208/250 83.2% (PSA 7)
1956 Topps - 204/340 60% (Raw Ex-Mt)
1973 Topps -652/660 98.8% Raw NrMt)


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I am a collector that cannot focus on a single set. I never have. So, three years ago I decided on a ten year plan. I would make a list of all of the sets I wanted to collect and then make sure that each year I was 10% further into it. This also included 10% of star cards as well. I decided this would include:

1953-present Topps baseball
1952-55 Bowman baseball
1948-55 Bowman football
1956-present Topps football (which now Topps is out of the game)
1969-82 Topps basketball

I've been good about this. If I am really not into a set, I can just pick up a few cards here and there over the course of a year, and yet it is being built. I have completed 1973-present Topps baseball, plus completed 1966 and 1971. 1958 is over 90% done. I should finish 1970 and 1972 this year.
I am on target to finish the Bowman baseball sets, with the 1954 almost 85% complete. With football, I have 1968-present done for Topps with the exception of a few 1972 high numbers. I also completed 1954 Bowman, 1956, 1958, and 1960 Topps, and 1960 Fleer.

For any players prior that time, I just get the cards I like. If the card looks cool and I can afford it, so be it.

Conceding that I'll never get a Mantle, I decided to avoid the SPs altogether,at least for a while, and concentrate on the first 280 cards of the 1952 Topps set.

After completing my 1953 Topps set earlier this year, I have concentrated on those 280. I picked up 5 more today off Ebay and am down to 37 cards.

I am continuing to chip away at my Topps run. 51 Blue Backs is down to nine cards and 52 is down to 22 cards. Still having trouble finding the 332 Bartirome at a decent price.

I’ve whittled my 1959 need list down to 9 cards.

Before anyone else ruins their eyes trying to read George's needs list, here's what's left:

8 Phillies Team
461 Mantle Hits 42nd Homer for Crown
510 Yankees Team
526 Bob Speake
530 Wally Moon
551 Fred Haney AS
552 Casey Stengel AS
555 Bill Mazeroski AS
556 Nellie Fox AS

Good luck finishing off your set! :)

George--graded or ungraded ? Condition ? I have a couple of the cards on your list that you can have but they are ungraded and not mint or near mint

Major shout-out to Al! He sent me these beauties as I close in on the 1959 Topps set.

Completed the 1959 Topps set!! Overall midgrade condition. The #461 "Baseball Thrills" card of Mantle was the final acquisition, arriving yesterday.

Very excited to announce that I received ‘53 Topps complete in the mail today - thanks to Ed (Dacubfan)!

Congratulations! Always a great feeling to finish a set.

That is a great mail day.

I finished the ‘59 a couple years ago...GREAT set!!! Congrats!


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Completed 1953 Topps set earlier this year...to go with my '54-'56 sets.

Now working on the first 310 1952 Topps cards...need 16 more.

Congrats George! Great set. You should add some pics (including that one) to the '59 Goodness thread!

I completed 53 earlier this year as well. Great set. Love all the mid 50s sets.

55 Bowman baseball
 

I'm down to 12 cards to complete the 55 Bowman Baseball set. I have finally made some progress this spring.
22-68-132[correct version]-179-238-242-246-270-278-302-310-315 are the cards still needed for completion. Looking for grade 5-6 or raw equal.

I'm considering '55 Bowman for my next project. How tough is it? I'm a raw midgrade collector.

I found it to be of about the same difficulty of other sets of same time period. Not any really tough series, but some of the umpire cards are a little of a challenge.

Reminded me a bit of '62 with the wood grain borders - so if you are looking for 8+ type quality, the struggle is real. I also found centering to be a hit and miss. If you collect card by card, it is a tad of a challenge putting out big dollars for umpire high numbers. But, if you want a solid mid-grade set and centering doesn't drive you OCD, there are plenty of opportunities to buy the whole thing for 2 grand or piece it together for north of that.

I agree with a previous post about the umpires. Some of them can be difficult depending on the condition. The set has been a lot of fun so far and I am looking forward to completing it. Enjoy the hunt if you decide to go for it.
I do have some extras available.

My Set Progress
 

1951 Bowman
Still Need:
10, 14, 30, 80, 133, 134, 141, 158, 187, 198, 203, 218, 241, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 260, 261, 262, 266, 267, 269, 272, 274, 277, 281, 282, 285, 286, 316, 317, 323, 324

After a couple of bulk purchases, I've started the 1957 and 1965 Topps baseball sets. I'm at 284/407 on the 1957s and 397/598 on the 1965s.

Just finished the 63 set as my wife bought me the Rose RC for Father’s Day. It’s the first pre-1980’s set ive completed so I’m excited. I have good progress on 54, 67, 68. I think I’ll work on 68. I need the Ryan RC but high numbers aren’t crazy like 67. I need a break from paying obscene amounts for high numbers.

Edit to say I’ll work on 54 as well. I have all the expensive cards except Aaron - Banks, Kaline, Williams x2, Jackie, Mays, etc. just have to wait on the Aaron.

I'm down to my last 5 cards for my raw 1955 Bowman set. It's my first set from the 1950's decade.

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Congratulations on the 63 set. Great to have a wife who is understanding about your interests.

1952 Topps update
 

I have no delusions of ever completing this set, but I am having fun fill in what I can. I have certainly gotten much further then I thought.

1952 Topps Cards Needed

(1 - 310 low number run completed - as of December 3, 2014)

Need all high numbers 311 - 407 (97 total - 31 needed)

Except: 313, 317, 318, 320, 322, 323, 324, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 336, 337, 339, 340, 341, 342, 344, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 371, 372, 374, 375, 379, 380, 381, 383, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 393, 395, 397, 398, 399, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406

(66 total)

(Poss. upgrades: 346 Spencer, 352 Drews)

Needed: 311, 312, 314, 315, 316, 319, 321, 325, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 338, 343, 345, 357, 358, 369, 370, 373, 376, 377, 378, 382, 384, 392, 394, 396, 400, 407

Not to mention I will always need Mays / Mantle for the 1951 Bowman set.

Down to 6 = Father’s Day Update
 

My wife “gets me” and my baseball card collection.
Today she gifted me with the remainder of the 1952 Topps set. (My version, like several others does not include the silly 52T high numbers)
The final five fifty two’s were pretty tough ones:
#1 Pafko, Spahn, Billy Martin, Bob Lemon, Rizzuto and tough Early Wynn!

So now I just need these 6 cards to finish 1952-1980:

• 1963 Pete Rose (not a fan, and this is an ugly, expensive card)
• 1966 Horace Clarke (silly hi number alert, I did not enjoy collecting these!)
• 1966 Twins Team ( see above)
• 1967 Norm Cash (hi number, but a pretty set)
• 1967 Brooks Robinson (probably my next purchase, great card)
• 1968 Nolan Ryan (waiting for low grade, decent eye appeal for this easy to find card)

It will be good to finish these last half dozen this year (maybe)
Thanks to Wifey!

Great gift. Good luck in finishing up your project.

1960 Topps
 

I haven't got any in months but got that itch to finally finish 1960 Topps Baseball! Been working on it for about 5 years and have a bunch still left to complete but as many can relate it's about filling the set and upgrading later. My whole set is ungraded raw EX-EXMT maybe some NM with nice photos clean back, whole card in tack but I don't go after beaters but still dn't mind a little off center or wrinkle and creases.

All i need are these 10,34,55,73,100,111,112,114,127,128,132,136,138,13 9,140,142,143,147,148,151,153,156,159,163,164,170, 173,174,182,187,193,194,195,196,200,204,208,210,21 2,222,223,227,235,237,239,240,241,242,246,249,250, 258,262,281,282,287,288,291,293,294,296,297,298,29 9,300,302,304,305,308,309,314,315,316,317,318,319, 320,321,322,323,324,325,326,328,330,331,332,333,33 4,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,343,344,345,346,347, 348,349,350,351,353,354,355,356,359,360,361,362,36 4,365,366,368,369,370,371,373,374,375,377,379,381, 382,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,395,396,39 7,398,401,402,403,405,406,408,409,410,412,413,414, 416,417,419,420,421,422,424,425,427,428,431,432,43 4,435,436,438,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448, 449,450,451,452,453,454,461,462,463,464,471,472,47 3,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,481,482,483,484,485, 486,487,488,489,490,492,493,494,496,497,498,499,50 1,503,504,505,506,507,508,509,510,511,512,513,514, 515,516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,52 7,528,529,530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539, 540,541,542,543,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,55 2,553,554,555,556,557,558,559,560,561,562,563,564, 565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572
hoping to crack out alot of those cards from the list then move on to another set or 2. I search almost every day for the cards needed!!

And then there was one
 

After a very long struggle, I am just one card away from finishing off the 1967 Topps Baseball set. Unfortunately, that card is number 581, the Tom Seaver rookie. I’m hoping to finally cross that off the list soon.

There have been some very interesting threads recently about set building, so I thought it might be a good time to bump this thread for some updates. After finishing my 72 set a few months ago I fought the urge to begin the 71 set, but I finally surrendered. I am following the same method that I did with the 72 set: building a series at a time beginning with the high #s. I have about 25 high #s to go so I am making steady progress. I am looking for cards in the VG+ - EX range. Maybe a few corner issues, but no creases, etc. The cards really present well in the binder.


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Done!
 

I actually just posted about this yesterday, but I'm happy to say that Mr. Seaver arrived last month, and my 1967 set is complete.

I need 2 cards to finish my 1957 Topps set...#302 Koufax and #407 Yankee Power Hitters...looking for ungraded cards in about EX condition...willing to purchase or trade...let me know what you are looking for in trade..any help is appreciated

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Congrats! Very cool set. Just curious, do you store this in a binder? I don’t have this set, but I imagine it would look awesome in sheets/binder.


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Ed,
Thanks! It is in a binder. Right now, they are back to back in a 9 pocket page, but I'm going to get a bigger binder to put only 9 in a page so you can see the front and back.
Matt

Just got the final card to complete my 1951 Bowman set (oddly a rather common card). Took many years to finally complete. I actually had the Mantle and Mays cards first before starting on the set.

Now it's on to the 1953 Bowman set.

Nice! It had to be a great feeling as you worked on the set knowing that the two BIG cards were already out of the way.


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Aside from working on some football sets, I am two cards away from completion of 1954 Topps. It will need some upgrades. That set is vgex-ex. I bought a 32 card lot of 1958 Topps to get me started. I am going to try and build a lower grade G-VG set as a change of pace. No beaters, just honest wear.

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I am at 61/80 for my 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set--though perhaps 61/79 is more reflective of this one.

When I get a free weekend I'm also going to see where I ended up on 1985 Donruss/Leaf as a kid.

And in the hole is 1978 Topps. My mom threw away my 2000+ cards from packs so I'll be starting from near zero. Any tips for the most fun way to collect a set like this? It's cheap enough to buy all at once--at least in the raw VG-EX condition I go for--but that doesn't seem fun.

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A cool way to do it would be to start off by buying a 'cheap' complete set that has a ton of nice cards (that meet your condition requirements) in it, then slowly upgrade the ones that you think need it.

Great question on the 1978 set. In addition to the 72 set, I also completed the 75 set and I had a great time with the following process. If you keep cards in sheets/binder I would suggest starting with card #1 and purchase cards in order. This works great with sheets because there are never empty spots. Piecing the set together one card at a time also allows you to be as picky as you want about condition. ‘70s sets are notorious for centering issues. While I am not a centering fanatic, I do like cards that are at least 85/15. I do realize it is more expensive this way, but places like COMC and Sportlots can really be pretty inexpensive for commons. Best of luck


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In my post earlier I mentioned putting together the lower grade '58 set. I plan on storing this in a binder since it will be collector grade. At 494 cards, would a 2 inch binder be about right?

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Yes, a 2-inch binder would definitely work.


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Thanks, Ed. I figured 3 inch would be too big.

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The most fun way to put together a set is to trade. Trade with other set collectors and pick up lots at a time for cards off of your tradelist. You can always buy nice lots that come around. This has worked well for me doing sets 20 years older.

Set Collectors - Report in your progress!
 

Making progress:

- T205 (67/215) not interested in some of the high dollar ones like Wilhelm Suffe ed. SGC 40 or PSA 3 on average.
- Diamond Stars (43/108) though no guarantee I go for hi #’s. PSA 5/6 or SGC 70/80 on average
- 1951 Bowman (123/324) raw Ex-ExMt
- 1954 Topps (236/250) PSA 7 on average
- 1956 Topps (204/340) raw Ex-ExMt
- 1973 Topps (652/660) raw NrMt-Mt
- 1972 Kellogg’s Master (60/74) PSA 9
- 1970 Kellogg’s Basic (7/75) PSA 9

Some samples of the quality I’m trying to achieve...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e0c7ae520a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...34be225983.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fc001fa56a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f7f388defd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...315deb8d05.png


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1954 Wilson Franks I have 15 out of 20 and have the Williams

And with this little grouping from yesterday’s visit to East Coast National, my ‘73 set is complete.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9b3cf3833b.jpg


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Need 93 Hi-Number 1952 Topps...and a winning lottery ticket while you're at it.

Congrats! Nice cards. Those high #s (rookies and Twins cards) can be tough to find centered. Any plans for your next project?


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Thanks to a very nice member I added this Ed Runge to my set.:)

I am down to 5 cards to finish the set. 242, 291, 293, 302, and 307.