The last card....4 times
ZodiacMindwarp
Posts: 680 ✭✭
I started the year 62 cards shy of completing my 1969 basic baseball registry set but I had them in raw form, waiting to be submitted. All, that is, except for one. The one card that I did not have worthy of submission was the Godfather of the set, #500 - Mickey Mantle. I had been on the lookout for a well centered 7 for quite some time before I purchased this beautiful example from Ray "RayBShotz" Boehm.
Great, now all I had to do was submit the other 61 cards and I'd be at 100%, right? Well almost, but not quite. As I was preparing my submission, cards that I had looked at several dozen times each over the last couple of years, I noticed that card #356, Frank Quilici, had a big stinking mess of wax on the front. How was it possible that I missed all those times? I lamented my woes to Grady Mosay who, to my great luck, happened to have two copies of the card. He sent the card to me without asking for anything. I added Ol' Frank to my set with a sense of satisfaction.
Now my submission was just about ready. I pulled out a few cards that were coming to me from a collector as part of a lot that they had bought from DSL and I dropped the registered package in the mail. I couldn't wait for the grades to be posted and, before too long, they were. There were a few 6s but overall I was very pleased. That is until is saw this:
1969 TOPPS 397 CHUCK DOBSON N/A Not Holdered, Did not meet Minimum Size Requirements
This time I cried on the shoulders of Dave "Magellan" Sleeper. What did Dave do? He pulled the Dobson OUT OF HIS SET to send it to me at no charge! I'll tell you, the friendships that I have made since starting to build this set are amazing. Here's Chuck by the way:
Now I just had to wait for the last three cards to come in the lot I purchased. The only problem, I found out, was that although DSL listed #146 as part of the lot, they really meant #156. Well I didn't need a second Astros rookies card, I needed one Jim Perry. Fortunately for me, I found it on eBay and made sure I was the high bidder. As a result, I was able to add this card to my set today to finally bring it to 100%.
I want to thank all of the 69ers, past and present, who helped me get to the top of this mountain. Special thanks to the following people (in alphabetical order so as not to offend):
Ray "RayBShotz" Boehm
Bob "Gaspipe" Cacamese
John "Gemint" Constantino
Dave Cryer
Ron Hobbs
Dave "Stump" Jacobs
Dan "Dude" Markel
Grady Mosay
Dave Read (from whom I obtained about 25% of the set in very high quality)
Dave "Magellan" Sleeper
Glenn Surwillo
and I'm sure there are others that I forgot.
Great, now all I had to do was submit the other 61 cards and I'd be at 100%, right? Well almost, but not quite. As I was preparing my submission, cards that I had looked at several dozen times each over the last couple of years, I noticed that card #356, Frank Quilici, had a big stinking mess of wax on the front. How was it possible that I missed all those times? I lamented my woes to Grady Mosay who, to my great luck, happened to have two copies of the card. He sent the card to me without asking for anything. I added Ol' Frank to my set with a sense of satisfaction.
Now my submission was just about ready. I pulled out a few cards that were coming to me from a collector as part of a lot that they had bought from DSL and I dropped the registered package in the mail. I couldn't wait for the grades to be posted and, before too long, they were. There were a few 6s but overall I was very pleased. That is until is saw this:
1969 TOPPS 397 CHUCK DOBSON N/A Not Holdered, Did not meet Minimum Size Requirements
This time I cried on the shoulders of Dave "Magellan" Sleeper. What did Dave do? He pulled the Dobson OUT OF HIS SET to send it to me at no charge! I'll tell you, the friendships that I have made since starting to build this set are amazing. Here's Chuck by the way:
Now I just had to wait for the last three cards to come in the lot I purchased. The only problem, I found out, was that although DSL listed #146 as part of the lot, they really meant #156. Well I didn't need a second Astros rookies card, I needed one Jim Perry. Fortunately for me, I found it on eBay and made sure I was the high bidder. As a result, I was able to add this card to my set today to finally bring it to 100%.
I want to thank all of the 69ers, past and present, who helped me get to the top of this mountain. Special thanks to the following people (in alphabetical order so as not to offend):
Ray "RayBShotz" Boehm
Bob "Gaspipe" Cacamese
John "Gemint" Constantino
Dave Cryer
Ron Hobbs
Dave "Stump" Jacobs
Dan "Dude" Markel
Grady Mosay
Dave Read (from whom I obtained about 25% of the set in very high quality)
Dave "Magellan" Sleeper
Glenn Surwillo
and I'm sure there are others that I forgot.
0
Comments
Collecting Tony Perez PSA and Rookie Baseball PSA
BTW thats a beautiful Mantle!
Since you always are so good with the details of this set, would you mind sharing how long it took you, costs, etc?
Groucho Marx
Rick,
It took me almost two years to finish the set. About 1/3 came from my own submissions. I built and sold two other complete 1969 sets (mostly raw/partially PSA graded) along the way and sold them to upgrade and complete. I didn't keep track of the total expense but I did keep a spreadsheet of all closed eBay sales from Jan.1, 2004 through mid October 2004 which helped me pick up many bargains.
Jeff,
There will be no attempt at upgrading this set. It has basically consumed me since I began it so I'm breathing a sigh of relief now knowing that it's done. As far as what is next, I'd like to complete and upgrade my 195 embossed set and I have recently begun purchasing 1934-36 Batter-Ups; mostly raw and not high end.
Céad míle chomhghairdeas!
(well, it beats Póg mo thoin)
I take real personal delight in your achievement and will raise a frosty bottle of Bulmers this weekend in your honor.
I have a fair idea what happens next with this set, but I won't spoil the surprise. Let's just say that if there are any stray Mets 8's on the go, they will find a happy Irish home.
Happy Easter to you and your girls from me and mine,
Jonathan
Topps Baseball 1967
Mike Payne's 300 Great Cards
MVPs in their MVP years
and T206???
Dave C.