Mike Schmidt Master Set Completed by Phillies Phan
conner75035
Posts: 6
Marc,
I just wanted to publicly say congrats! You have reached 100% on this epic and turbulent journey that has lasted over 6 years.
The set has grown considerably and its completion was in sight and lost many times.
A few collectors have given up over this arduous task and moved on to something easier like bomb disposal.
Through the past 6 years you’ve maintained the number one spot and you also helped many others (including me) grow our sets and even educated us.
You graded countless cards and re-circulated them which allowed others to enjoy them and make progress to their sets.
So while you've improved your set, you've helped the rest of the Schmidt collectors.
Is the Carlton next? You'll get that done in a week or two, right? Of course Joe won't be happy about that.
I'm happy, jealous, but very happy and proud for you.
Lew
I just wanted to publicly say congrats! You have reached 100% on this epic and turbulent journey that has lasted over 6 years.
The set has grown considerably and its completion was in sight and lost many times.
A few collectors have given up over this arduous task and moved on to something easier like bomb disposal.
Through the past 6 years you’ve maintained the number one spot and you also helped many others (including me) grow our sets and even educated us.
You graded countless cards and re-circulated them which allowed others to enjoy them and make progress to their sets.
So while you've improved your set, you've helped the rest of the Schmidt collectors.
Is the Carlton next? You'll get that done in a week or two, right? Of course Joe won't be happy about that.
I'm happy, jealous, but very happy and proud for you.
Lew
when leaving the ladder, one may fall upward.
0
Comments
1955 Bowman Raw complete with 90% Ex-NR or better
Now seeking 1949 Eureka Sportstamps...NM condition
Working on '78 Autographed set now 99.9% complete -
Working on '89 Topps autoed set now complete
Whats next? Upgrade or start another challenge?
Frank
Sets - 1970, 1971 and 1972
Always looking for 1972 O-PEE-CHEE Baseball in PSA 9 or 10!
lynnfrank@earthlink.net
outerbankyank on eBay!
Nice Collection!!!!
My eBay Auctions
My PSA Sets
Congrats Marc!
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
Abe
Great job. I am very impressed with the quality of your set. However, I am even more impressed with your discpline in putting this set together. I know that I would not have been able to do it.
David
I just like the way he spells his name.
From Marc N.
Mark
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Yes, Anthony was correct in that I was in Egypt for the last week or two, and hadn't really had a chance to stop by and say hello.
I think I am most proud of the fact that Player Set collecting has grown by leaps and bounds as it has over the past 6+ years. Although Schmidt was not the first player set to grace the PSA Registry pages, he was certainly one of the first dozen or so. (Mantle and others came first). I specifically remember thinking to myself back in 2001 "Wow -- I have 94 different Mike Schmidt PSA graded cards...how crazy is that?" Alas, time moves on, and we are now over 600 cards in the set composition. Basic and Master sets bifurcated collecting styles, including some new player sets (primary?) that frankly I don't understand...
I think there are so many wonderful Player Set collections on the Registry, many of which are significantly more deserving than my humble set for any Player Set Award. I'm not sure whom will be honored this year, but I am sure it will be a very worthy candidate. TC's Don Mattingly collection is top notch; Kevin O'Connor's Cal Ripken collection is nothing short of stunning, and there are so many others worth mention that I could not include them all.
I miss many of my collecting compatriots who have since said adieu to Player Set Collecting over the past few years...Jason Kendall, JEB and others are notable memories from the Schmidt collecting days, but there are so many more from other player sets that we no longer see here (Keith Conforti chief in my mind). Some simply moved on with their lives, others because frustrated (rightly so) at some developments with Player Set collecting, etc.
I'm dabbling right now in quite a few collecting endeavours. Although I will continue to upgrade my Schmidt collection when possible, I likely will not always pay crazy prices just because (for instance, I passed on a Sportscaster Schmidt PSA 10 that recently closed at >$620). I have made significantly strides in my T-206 Philadelphia Phillies master back set. I think I have something close to 110 examples at this point, although I would like to be at 150-175 in the next 18 months. I am putting together some Phillies team sets and other Phillies efforts, including pre-war type cards and even have been dabbling in some Steve Carlton player set collecting.
Although I would never want to say that collecting Schmidt is not fun (as it has been a huge passion of mine since I was but a wee young lad...), my collection is pretty darn near complete. I have game-used marked HR bats, a complete St. Paddy's day uniform, most of his cards in close to MINT or GEM condition, a high school yearbook, an original Little League photograph, his Puerto Rican League contract, etc. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm pretty close to done. So although I continue to look -- I have such a nice little collection built up already that my main focus going forward will not likely be Schmidt.
Thanks so much for the nice message, Lew. Collecting Schmidt has primarily been fun because I can share it with others. Yourself, Tim Orff, Michael Vargha and others -- it is only fun to collect if others collect with you. And when people stop focusing on the competitive aspect of the registry and more on the collaborative part, that is when it is most joyful.
Cheers
<< <i>Congrats Marc! Completing the master set is an amazing accomplishment. How many Schmidt cards are still missing from the set composition? I’m guessing not too many! >>
Tim and I believe that there are perhaps 20-25 cards that PSA may/currently grades that are not yet listed on the Registry. Of course, the total number is subject, somewhat, to the whims of what PSA may grade in the future (e.g. will they grade Nestle again? What about box bottoms -- will the complete panels fit in the Supersize holders, and, if so, will that create a separate entry in the set composition? Will PSA recognize color variations like the 1977 Pepsi, the 1987/1986 copyright variation with Sportflics, or some of the Donruss print variations from factory set versus wax?) I think of all the player sets on the Registry from the modern era, the Schmidt one is probably (by far) the most comprehensive in terms of current number of cards included versus the total number of cards that PSA may feasibly include. Of the 20-25 cards I referred to above, I imagine that about 5-10 of them are currently in the queue.
~m
Steve
You have always been a real pleasure to talk to about the hobby. Continued success with your collection.
Phil