Huge milestone in my collection - Signed 1987 Fleer Basketball set complete!
ghooper33
Posts: 312 ✭✭✭✭
With the latest @maddux69 group sub I finally completed my autographed 1987 Fleer basketball set!
Special thanks to all of the forum members that were willing to put together group subs on this board. I would estimate 95% of the cards from this set were from the board's group subs over the past 4-5 years.
11 year old me loved the 86 Fleer set, and the word got out to my family when the 87 Fleer set came out that this would make great birthday/Christmas presents. As a result my brothers and I had binders full of these cards. Many of the cards from this set came from packs I opened with my brothers.
The toughest cards for me to get signed where Wayman Tisdale before he passed, Chuck Person, and Leon Wood.
Thanks for looking!
Set Highlights:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” -Aristotle
37
Comments
What an awesome project. Congrats on getting it done.
Now let’s see you do it with 86. 😃
Outstanding accomplishment! I was in awe seeing them while putting the subs together! If I am not mistaken, you batted 1.000 on the autographs passing as well!
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I am speechless!!!
GREAT EFFORT!!!
Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Live long, and prosper.
Saw this in the other thread but wanted to say congratulations!
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Also collecting Andre Tippett, Patriots Greats' RCs, Dwight Evans, 1964 Venezuelan Topps, 1974 Topps Red Sox
I’m down to my last 14 to finish my set. I don’t think I will ever get the Jordan.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
Which cards are you short? I don’t have an extra Jordan (who does?
) , but I have some extras if they can help you out.
That is some kind of an awesome accomplishment! Wow!
Shane
That’s awesome! Can you share a pick of the Wayman Tisdale card? Was he still healthy when you got the sig?
Edit - autocorrect had to be corrected.
I would've never thought this could even be possible...
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Awesome congrats!
Wow! That's amazing. Congratulations on that accomplishment. Beautiful collection
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Incredible!!! Congrats.
I had to purchase the Tisdale about a year ago. Funny thing is that I went 4-5 years without finding one, but once I got mine two more want up for sale within a couple of months.
I have pictures of all cards in the set registry link, but below is the Tisdale.
That's awesome. What a big accomplishment, congrats!
This may be TMI, but I thought I would share as things just seem to work out sometimes.
Our latest sub took almost a year to get back our cards. It just so happened that one of my brothers was in town visiting Friday night after almost two years (stinkin COVID). The last batch of cards arrived Friday while my brother was here! My other brother gave the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq years ago, so Friday night was filled with us going through this signed set most of the night laughing, crying, and reminiscing with stories.
Not TMI …. Just a great story.
Thanks for sharing.
Live long, and prosper.
Congrats !!! You will be a very wealthy man when you sell that signed set !!!
Massive congrats on the incredible accomplishment -- and a great story sharing the set with your brother.
We will all be drooling over the set.
Just Tremendous!!!
Cs
Tremendous! What a beautiful set and sounds like great, great memories.
I'm curious, you said that 95% were submitted through group subs, did you get most of the autographs yourself? If so, how'd you go about it, private signings, etc? Like I said, just curious, but completely such a great project must come along with a lot of great stories, patience and planning.
nah, this makes it even that much better and special for you! congrats to finishing an amazing feat & thank you for your brothers sacrifice and that off all of those in our armed forces. this is coming from an army brat.
any thoughts yet to the next project?
Yes - great memories and a lot of fun! I would guess over half of the non-HoFs were received TTM, and most of the HOFs were obtained there private and public signings. I did receive a large chunk through a board member sportscollector.net. I think the only graded card I bought was the Jordan, and I had the intentions of getting an upgraded auto in the future (this is no longer in the plans with the prices).
Funny story on the Ewing. I sent the card in for a private signing, and luckily my card must have been on if the firsts to get signed. Ewing signing the first few with his full sig (including mine), then he signed with his initials PE, and finally stopped signing halfway through the session.
Thanks Blurry for the kind words - we miss him!
I don’t know what my next project will be. I have enjoying putting together vintage Star Wars sets, so maybe something nerdy like that.
Great work.
Wow - very cool! That is a great accomplishment. Congrats on finishing the set. That is one ambitious project. Thanks for sharing.
just throwing this out there, i think the ‘77 wonder bread set is still massively undervalued, even with the price hike theyve taken. they were actually the first cards released, well before topps series 1s and technically the true “rookies”. its also fairly manageable with only 16 cards (i think) consisting of just the main characters and fleets. like the beloved ‘71 topps baseball set, its a very condition-sensitive set with the black borders helping ensure the pop reports dont get destroyed like tatooine. conversely, a fair bit of the topps set pops went up significantly. some doubling and tripling.
have a few of the 77 topps cards. mainly just the main characters but as with everything lately, those cards are starting to fetch astronomical prices. as for doing the set run, i thought about taking it on and then realized what a massive task it would be. then considering theres tons of cards that tend to be repeats of the same “behind the scenes” shots that are interesting to own raw but spending a bunch of cash on so many cards that i didnt love and the room that storing that whole graded set would take made me think twice. the stickers are also fun, but theres some pretty stiff competition on those in just about every grade now.
anyways, just food for thought. congrats again on that completion! no small feat by any means.
eta: for the purists, yes i know referring to a fictional character’s card as a “rookie” is completely absurd. the term was used for definition purposes only. 😉
Thanks for sharing the Tis pic.
Great story. Awesome accomplishment.
Ah, Patrick. Ever the charmer.
Not sure which is more shocking—Ewing signing privately at all or how he flipped
My friend has a near signed set but it might be 1989 Fleer…someone at the National had an 1989 signed Hoops set and I wish I had seen it
I saw those sets last week - they look awesome!
Absolutely incredible! Congrats on an epic achievement!
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As a huge 80's basketball fan, this is one of the coolest projects I've ever seen. Nice work!!
BBCE has the 89 Hoops set; in pages......I think it's missing 6 cards
Nicely Done!
I'm a big fan of signed cards and sets. This is really cool. Congrats!
Hiya Greg
Wow!
Congratulations buddy - that's quite a set to complete - spectacular!
I saw the Dream Team Skybox set at the National - all autos - it was said that Stockton is a hard auto since he doesn't sign cards - have no idea how accurate that is?
What's next?
Heya Mike! Blurry asked this question, and to be honest I don’t know. I love building sets and sending them in for grading, but we will have to see what the future holds for PSA set builders.
Amazing accomplishment.
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The biggest lesson I've learned in this hobby, and in life, is that if you have a strong conviction, you owe it to yourself to see it through. Don't sell yourself, or your investments, short. Unless the facts change. Then sell it all.
My friend is actually close on the Hoops ‘89 set not Fleer…and Stockton is tough in general about signing and only signed cards early on apparently
First ... I thank you and your family for your brother's service. May he Rest in Peace always.
Second ... what an AMAZING accomplishment. Congrats.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Major accomplishment. Congratulations on a great looking set.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
For 1987 Fleer I’m missing Barkley,Benjamin,Cooper,Gilmore,Vinnie Johnson,MJ,Cedric Maxwell,Person,Isiah,Tisdale, both John Williams.
For 1988 Fleer I missing Benjamin,Ewing AS,Steve Johnson,MJ,MJ AS, Reggie Miller, Olajuwon AS, Cliff Robinson, Scott AS, Stockton AS, Hot Rod Williams, Moses Malone, and Kenny Williams.
Let me know if you can help.
That is exceptionally cool. I have never really liked the look of the first Fleer basketball set, but this one I do. Amazing accomplishment and a set loaded with HOFers and stars.
Is there a story with Wood and Person as to why they were especially tough? I believe both are still living now, correct? Just not prolific signers?
I know Tisdale died a few years back, also remember had had a successful career as a smooth jazz guitarist after basketball, which was pretty cool.
Why the heck would he go through all that trouble to accomplish something so incredible just to sell it off?
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
I used to chase IP autos and recall Person was harder to get but until recently was an assistant coach so he’s still possible. Wood has been a referee for years but don’t know if that makes him more difficult or not
I just went through my doubles and unfortunately I don’t have any of these. Sorry, but you are close!
Wood makes sense to me as he is not as well known as the other players, and doesn’t sign TTM or is available at shows. I am not sure what the deal is with Person. His 88 card shows up on eBay regularly, but not his 87 card.
I collect Dodger autographs, so every player becomes a need once they join the team and make an appearance. It is surprising how many unknown players are tricky to find. i understand the fact that players with short and uneventful careers are less popular, but with all the IP autograph seekers at spring training and games, TTM requests and just set building in general, I don't see anyone as being out of the realm of finding unless the player themselves just flat out doesn't cooperate. Still, lesser known players can make for some of the toughest adds.
The stories behind why certain players and/or certain collectibles are hard or impossible to find fascinate me. non signing is not all that fascinating, but why a player won't sign a certain card, images with a certain team and things like that are funny/interesting.
Absolutely love stuff like this, congrats, that is something special.