PSA Basic Player Set Registry Question

HoopsGuru

I've collected a few basketball players over the years and stumbled upon the PSA Set Registry. I had a number of Magic Johnson cards in the Basic set but decided to wait until I reached close to completion to enter the cards. A month or two ago the set composition was altered and a number of cards were added to the basic set. Is this common for a set to change after being the same for a couple of years if the player is unactive/retired?

The cards that were added in my opinion were a definite reach for a basic set inclusion. JMS Game, Fournier Estrellas (Spanish), Michigan State (college issue), multiple Panini stickers (Spanish), and French Upper Deck issue cards seem out of place for the basic set but I would think they belong in the master set.

Any other opinions out there? I thought basic player sets were to consist of the "major" card companies and the player's basic regular issue cards from those sets. These additions have slowed my collecting tremendously because of the fear that PSA will allow more unworthy issue designations in the basic player registry sets that I have an interest in collecting now and in the future.

Any/all feedback is appreciated in advance.

Elemenopeo

I'd say that "Basic Player Set" is a real misnomer in the PSA registry.

The obscurity of some of the cards included in basic player sets is a huge turn-off for me and keeps me from getting involved with those. I'd be much more inclined to try to build a player set on the registry if the compositions for the basic sets stuck to the major issues and relegated the stickers, discs, regional and minor-league issues, etc., to the master sets. The difference between a basic and a master set should be much more stark than it is.

Ryne Sandberg, for example, is a favorite of mine, and he played for quite a while, but it seems riduculously excessive that I would need 184 different cards to have a player set that rises so far as to be considered "basic," and that somehow it would fall short of even that meager designation if I didn't have a 1986 Dorman's Cheese.

As to PSA adding cards to a retired or inactive player's basic set -- any card that they didn't think of or know about when they established the composition of the basic set would seem to be by definition a pretty darn obscure issue -- with no business in a basic set.


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BearCollector

I would suggest writing to BJ, Gayle, et al to have them review this situation. I know from collecting the Erving Basic/Master sets that they have kept the JMS, Panini, etc. issues segregated. Perhaps the best example is the Larry Bird Basic/Master sets. While I personally enjoy the search for mint+ copies of the more obscure cards in Master Sets, there is a need to and precedent for keeping the Basic Set "pure" with only major release items.

ChrisC

Hoops - Some players have Basic Topps Sets. I have a Basic Topps(16 cards) player set of Montana, you can request these sets! Their is also a Master Set(300), Master Topps Set(60) and Basic set(65 cards).

I agree that there are way to many cards in some player basic sets. I would probable be collecting Several more players if this was not the case. I will eventually request basic topps sets on several favorites I want to collect such as J. Rice, C. Ripken, O. Smith, N Ryan, P. Rose Rose isnt that many cards (38 i think, but 20 sounds better)

Eddo33

I quit collecting the Roger Clemens set after they added like 50 new cards.... Not cards like Topps or Upper deck. but off the wall cards like Starting lineups. If PSA didn't have these cards in the set at first, why would they add them now?


Eddie K

NathanSr

Another solution would be to utilize the collectors showcase feature. That way you dictate what cards are included and "the man" won't get you down,

NathanSr

Alfiewt

PSA seems to have just recently changed what is allowable in the basic sets. Now all of the oddball sets are eligible, which doesn't really make it a basic set any more. Now the only cards that are excluded are the subset cards, inserts and parallel cards. For many of the players from the 1980's, this means that the basic sets won't be much different than the master sets because there weren't many inserts and parallel cards in the 80's, but lots of oddball cards. In my opinion I would rather see cards like the Topps Tiffany or the league leader and AS subset cards instead of cards like the starting lineups in the basic sets. I though the basic set concept was so simple, just the base cards from the regular hobby issue sets. Now the basic sets are hard to define. Should they add the OPC and the Venezeula cards to the Mantle basic set now? I think most collector would consider it absurd to include those cards in the basic set, but the OPCs are being listed in many of the basic sets.

I'm not really sure if PSA will accept Basic Topps set requests for most players. I'm not against players having many different sets. Many players have so many different cards now that many collectors have started collecting players in many different ways. The registry pages may have to be redesigned a little, but maybe every player with multiple sets would get it own page listing all the sets of the player (Like a player home page). Players with just master sets or just basic and master sets would still be listed all together. Maybe PSA doesn't want this type of expansion, but it would be a good way to bring the player sets together with the rookie sets and possibly post playing years sets (The registry does not have any of these listed yet, but I think there is demand for them). Also there are other sets devoited to a single player (like the Pacific Ryan sets, Topps Pete Rose set, Topps reprint sets, UD Baseball Heroes sets and the various playing card sets) that could be brougth together on a single player page.

As for the collector's showcase, I don't really see that as an option. Most collectors like to have a set checklist listed, and part of the fun of the registry is seeing you completion % inch closer and closer to 100%.

JonB

<< <i>As for the collector's showcase, I don't really see that as an option. Most collectors like to have a set checklist listed, and part of the fun of the registry is seeing you completion % inch closer and closer to 100%. >>



... not to mention edging out someone for #1 on the ATF list

Alfiewt

In my case its more like watching others blow past you in the standings, but its fun either way.

VintageJeff

Don't even waste your time. I consulted with the other guys collecting the Ryne Sandberg set and I took the time to modify the spreadsheet and send it to PSA and I get this response:

Hi Jeff,



For cards that are currently not listed in the online set composition, please use our online ‘player set addition’ form to request that they be added. You can also add your suggested weights when filling out the form. The link to the form is located on the ‘Set Request’ page under the heading of “Player Card Requests to Established Sets:”. Also on the Set Request page, please refer to the information on card qualifications for ‘basic’ player sets to make sure that your cards qualify for a basic set. Here is the link to the Set Request page; http://www.psacard.com/set_registry/request_list.chtml



Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.



Thank You,

Cosetta Robbins

Assistant Set Registry Manager


Well guess what I didn't want to add cards I sent you guys the modified spreadsheet and weightings. Every damn thing you needed but instead of taking the damn time to read it you pass it off on some guy wanting more cards in thew set and send me a canned response. I am so tired of hearing people say how great these guys are at customer service cause I have never gotten a straight answer or a problem fixed.

ArnyVee

Welcome HoopsGuru....I'm one of those PO'd Magic Johnson basic set holders.....I was actually sitting at 100% until the addition of all that garbage to the basic set. Why even have a basic or master set breakdown if there aren't going to be any rules in place?

Just to see how messed up things are....check out the Rafael Palmeiro basic and master sets. There are actually more cards in the BASIC set than the MASTER!?!

Worst thing about it is that I even try to assist to get everything straightened out and I get told not to worry about it and that nothing will be changing anytime soon. Stinks in my opinion.

HoopsGuru

<< <i>there is a need to and precedent for keeping the Basic Set "pure" with only major release items. >>



Too bad that PSA doesn't seem to feel the same way about it.

I emailed two of the guys listed on the registry and one responded and said that he emailed PSA asking why so many oddball/unnecessary cards were added recently to the set. He said they responded to the effect that...."we use the Beckett to research which cards are considered basic issues of each set and those cards were deemed basic."

I found it quite hysterical, ironic, and pathetic all at once. Yeah and the next thing we'll see is some a Tony's Pizza cutout card from the box added to basic player sets abroad. Better yet a Japanese issue from a product only available where? In Japan.

That same person said that they were disgusted by PSA allowing those cards to be added to the set and that it wasn't the first time it had happened. From the looks of things he's got one of the finest basketball collections in the world and he also replied and I quote, "PSA almost ruins my collecting aspirations by allowing this kind of crap. I'm done collecting the sets that they let some nutcase add a few oddball or regional cards that they've discovered and want to try and BS their way towards the top of the rankings or hold onto a slight lead fearing that they'll be passed soon."

I agree with him whole heartedly. Master set most definitely but those cards in no way shape or form belong in the basic set. I'll continue to collect cards on my own but until PSA straightens things out I'll steer clear of the iffy basic player registry sets.

boggs

I would try contacting BJ and the other set builders and discuss it with them. We even took a vote in the Boggs basic set about a year ago on what to add and not add to the set. Some people wanted to add Chrome and I think refractors issues. I was against because it a basic set, and the mirrored the other card already in the set.

BillsGridironGreats

It sounds to me like someone who didn't know what they were doing checked both the basic and master sets when they added them. There has to be a line in the sand somewhere. It isn't a major brand, it shouldn't be in the basic set. The Walter Payton sets in Football are good examples of what the sets should look like!

HoopsGuru

Same guy emailed me back saying the guy in the lead clearly appeared that he added those cards simply due to the fact that he already had them in posession. He says the guy was about to get passed in the rankings and the next thing you know those cards were added to the registry so he'd maintain his lead.

LOL I just got another reply email from another collector of the Magic Johnson basic set stating the same thing.

Amazing that this kind of nonsense is allowed!