After many years of dreaming, I finally truly started my 1971 (and 1972) Topps set quest

Estil

So as many of you might know, my main collecting specialty is 70s/80s/90s sets. That obviously makes sense seeing as how I was born in 1980 and you know, nostalgia and all that. While I am very very proud of what I've been able to achieve so far this past quarter century (I consider fall 1999 my true serious collecting start as that's when I earned enough spending money from part time college job to start buying sets and putting them in albums), and fairly recently I was able to get a good raw near set of 1973 Topps (to go with the key PSA 7's I already had for several years prior) so now my main Topps run/sequence goes back that far, missing only a few commons from that year and 1974 and only two key cards (1973 Ryan and Schmidt in PSA 7).

But my real dream all this time was the all time classic 1971 Topps set. But as all of you know, it has always been very popular so obviously it doesn't come cheap. But I had recently been in a few Facebook groups and this one person made me an offer I knew was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I couldn't pass up (though I thought about it A LOT and was quite iffy about it as it would be the most expensive purchase I ever made and I'd have to put it on Paypal Buyer Credit). It was a starter set of just under 500 (including 27 regular HI #'s and 29 SP HI #'s and a dozen SPC graded PSA 7s, a couple of those HI #'s IIRC; there were even several raw HOFers I wasn't figuring on getting) that was in overall solid NRMNT (raw) condition and (similar to a starter package of 1975's I got many years ago) all the cards were in Ultra-Pro card savers and it was obvious he chose these carefully. Plus right before she passed away my wife was going to from time to time "surprise" me with PSA 7s she'd buy on Ebay (I'd see the transaction but not yet the card she chose) but I think we only got as far as one of the checklists in PSA 7 and I could've SWORN there was an Ernie Banks somewhere too but I'm not sure.

As for the cost...well I know for most of you (or at least the vast majority of you) $1500 may seem like small potatoes but this is honest to goodness the most I've ever spent on one purchase of anything (I don't own a house or have a vehicle/can drive). The way Paypal Buyer Credit works is that I won't owe any interest if I pay it off within six months (it's the usual "same as cash" kind of deal), which will NOT be a problem provided those unclaimed property checks arrive before then. But honestly, even if I do end up paying a little interest I don't think it's exactly the end of the world for this kind of opportunity that I couldn't pass up and I think my late wife would be proud of me and supportive of me as she knew this was a big dream of mine. Also, in a way I feel like this is the hardest part of doing this set as getting graded cards is pretty straight forward if you're just getting one or two at a time...but with these starter sets you know that no two are exactly alike and I had to be really REALLY confident that I would truly honest to goodness get my money's worth.

As some of you may also know, I want to get the HOFers/CL's in PSA 7 though at least one suggested that because of how 7's have gone up the past few years I should settle for 6's though again I'm quite iffy about that. Then again I won't be able to get anything else anyway until I pay off that $1500 so at least I'll have plenty of time to think it over. Also I want to be careful not to overlook 1972 as that set is not only more affordable but it too is a great classic colorful set in its own right and prior to 1982 was the biggest set Topps ever did and it's got some interesting subsets too! So I guess this mega project is for both 1971 and 1972.

I'm sorry if this was a little too long but it's just that I truly feel like this is a major MAJOR start of a whole new chapter of my card collecting career (that I've been doing this past quarter century among other collecting kinds of hobbies) and let me tell ya, as much as I've seen pictures of 1971's in books and online and such, nothing beats seeing the real thing in your own collection/album! I'll post the cards I'm missing here later.

mcastaldi

DM me your want list for 72T. I probably have half a set or so raw in solid NM or better. I thought about pursuing it, but decided to keep my focus on 74-84.

But 72 is a fun set. Back in early 2000s I built the 72 set - all graded in PSA8 or better. Sold it in 2004 to pay for my wedding (spoiler: we’re still married). But that was definitely a different time.

Good luck.

Estil

@mcastaldi said:
DM me your want list for 72T. I probably have half a set or so raw in solid NM or better. I thought about pursuing it, but decided to keep my focus on 74-84.

But 72 is a fun set. Back in early 2000s I built the 72 set - all graded in PSA8 or better. Sold it in 2004 to pay for my wedding (spoiler: we’re still married). But that was definitely a different time.

Good luck.

I've not yet started on 1972. But sure once the $1500 is paid down and if the condition is right, I might take it. And our "wedding" was a simple courthouse ceremony (we both only got SSDI/disability; in my case I was a grocery checker prior to 2011 before I had to go on disability) mainly because my first cousin once removed happened to be a local judge who could hitch us

But yes 1972 is a great distinctive set in its own right...I mean if I like the colorful 1975 and (to a slightly lesser colorful extent but also nice) 1976 then i owe it to myself to work on both 1971 and 1972 at the same time. I mean, who in the world wants or would stand to have a one year gap in their set run/sequence?

Estil

A couple other thoughts I had, do any of the rest of you view building a set like this like you might restoring a classic car? Like say, restoring one of those black Firebirds like the one in Smokey and Bandit or Trans Am like in Knight Rider? Perhaps those of you here who are into both might know this?

And you know how with coins I'm especially fascinated by silver coins? Well doesn't it make sense I'm also fascinated by baseball (and football; I got 77-79 but needs some upgraded and the top rookie in each set in PSA 7, like Earl Campbell in 1979) sets from the Silver Age of baseball cards, 1970-80? See I consider 1948-69 the Golden Age as that was when you had the Mickey Mantles which have always been the king of baseball cards, while 1981 is the start of the Bronze Age as that's the first year of major sets besides Topps.

I still cannot get over how we're already into 1975's in Heritage (after that topic I made years ago in 2007 whining about how I can't wait that long) and that the start of the single series sets (1974) is already 50 years old!

ArtVandelay

Vintage sets are a neverending saga that goes something like this...

1. Work on the set.
2. Complete the set.
3. Realize you want to upgrade some of the more rougher cards.
4. Get the upgrades.
5. Realize you now want to improve the set.
6. Search like mad for specific cards. Frequently get outbid on Greg Morris.
7. After months you get the cards.
8. You then decide you want all the cards to be centered.
9. You spend years trying to upgrade anything off center
10. You die before it's finished.

Estil

@ArtVandelay said:
Vintage sets are a neverending saga that goes something like this...

1. Work on the set.
2. Complete the set.
3. Realize you want to upgrade some of the more rougher cards.
4. Get the upgrades.
5. Realize you now want to improve the set.
6. Search like mad for specific cards. Frequently get outbid on Greg Morris.
7. After months you get the cards.
8. You then decide you want all the cards to be centered.
9. You spend years trying to upgrade anything off center
10. You die before it's finished.

I'm just trying to get to phase 2. Though of course there's some in phase 3 I wouldn't mind upgrading. As for phase 10 (me and late wife loved that game) well I sure do hope I have time on my side (I'm 44) to get to do all (or most) of the collecting kinds of things I want to do.

craig44

I wish you good luck on your journey. remember, collecting is a marathon, not a sprint. never get discouraged.

BBBrkrr

Good luck.

I bought almost an entire 72 set about 8 years ago. I'm just getting around to completing it so I hope you do better than me.

ElMagoStrikeZone

Items 3 through 9 require intensive therapy, which is far less affordable than the cards themselves.

Estil

@BBBrkrr said:
Good luck.

I bought almost an entire 72 set about 8 years ago. I'm just getting around to completing it so I hope you do better than me.

Oh tell me more! I mean like I said 1972 is also a great interesting set, both design and otherwise. I'd also like to do 70s football...I got 77/78/79 but they need upgrades and they're missing the top rookie card for each year that I want get as PSA 7. And I hope to at least go as far back as 74/75/76. But it's even harder to find real nice football cards of that era than baseball right?

PaulMaul

@ArtVandelay said:
Vintage sets are a neverending saga that goes something like this...

1. Work on the set.
2. Complete the set.
3. Realize you want to upgrade some of the more rougher cards.
4. Get the upgrades.
5. Realize you now want to improve the set.
6. Search like mad for specific cards. Frequently get outbid on Greg Morris.
7. After months you get the cards.
8. You then decide you want all the cards to be centered.
9. You spend years trying to upgrade anything off center
10. You die before it's finished.

Or, go through the set over and over again, each time finding cards you’re not completely happy with, and get rid of those cards whether you have replaced them or not. Watch set’s completion percentage go down rather than up. 😂

BBBrkrr

@Estil said:

@BBBrkrr said:
Good luck.

I bought almost an entire 72 set about 8 years ago. I'm just getting around to completing it so I hope you do better than me.

Oh tell me more! I mean like I said 1972 is also a great interesting set, both design and otherwise. I'd also like to do 70s football...I got 77/78/79 but they need upgrades and they're missing the top rookie card for each year that I want get as PSA 7. And I hope to at least go as far back as 74/75/76. But it's even harder to find real nice football cards of that era than baseball right?

I had bought a few sets back then and just set them aside and in the past month or so decided to finish, upgrade and fill some gaps. I want to get a good run through the decade. It's my next project and when I'm done I'll have every year except 70, 71 & 75 (if I find a good deal on high grade commons for 75 I may do that since I have all high $ graded already).

The 72 was missing about 25 cards so I'm adding those and upgrading condition on some. I have all the stars and rookies so it's mostly commons I'm missing.

I'm randomly picking up graded cards to add and won't do less than 7s too.

lwehlers

@ArtVandelay said:
Vintage sets are a neverending saga that goes something like this...

1. Work on the set.
2. Complete the set.
3. Realize you want to upgrade some of the more rougher cards.
4. Get the upgrades.
5. Realize you now want to improve the set.
6. Search like mad for specific cards. Frequently get outbid on Greg Morris.
7. After months you get the cards.
8. You then decide you want all the cards to be centered.
9. You spend years trying to upgrade anything off center
10. You die before it's finished.

great reply i agree with everything. i have this same feeling on every set that i have collected and am still trying to improve.

pab1969

Good luck on your quest. I love the smell of vintage cardboard!

Estil

@pab1969 said:
Good luck on your quest. I love the smell of vintage cardboard!

Ain't that the truth! I just can't believe how vintage it has already become, if that makes sense.