Building a vintage set(1953 Topps)..opinions from the Pro's please...

akuracy503

I am doing some requirements gathering on a project to build a 1953 Topps baseball set.

I will be approaching this with low/midgrade cost in mind:
* Commons - Excellent or better condition
* SP's - VG-EX

What resources should I start with initially?
I'd like to get as many commons as possible through a select few resources to save on cost, will this mean ebay or online shops? Which do you recommend?
I'd like to avoid purchasing hundreds of commons through hundreds of transactions with the added shipping costs.

For the major stars i've got a pretty good idea with the available auctions, i'll be shooting for SGC graded for these SP's.

How cautious should I be of reprinted commons being sold off as originals?

Final question for those who have built this set or one like it....how much $$ did it cost you?
Realistically I'd like this be a 1-2 year hobby project.

Living the childhood dream as an adult...I love this hobby!

All suggestions are much appreciated!

mrguby

i just went to mahattan today and saw alot of 53.s

akuracy503

Let me revise by asking how much will it cost to build the 1953 Topps set without the Mantle or Mays (I've already got these priced out)

mrguby

hard to say but im goin back next week i can list what i find in the 53 and let you know.

pomobileclk

Be careful about recolored bottom borders. Like the 1971 Topps, sometimes you find recolored edges.

The 1953 reprints are easy to distinguish from the originals. Glossier, thinner and wider borders.

originalisbest

The 1953 reprints are also "normal" card size, not like the original '53s. Your best bet is to save your pennies for local shows, if you want to get a slew of commons at one time.

WinPitcher

I would buy all the HOF and stars first.

(since you are doing the set in low-mid grade)

If you were doing it in PSA 8 then I'd prolly go after the lower pop commons first
as the HOF's can always be found.

Bottom line just peck away, purchase only hi end for the grade cards (centered)

Be patient (don't over pay for any one card) as all the cards are out there.

Oh and most importantly have some fun!


Steve


I have no idea what it will cost.

originalisbest

What Steve recommends is what I'm doing. And it IS fun to find them nicely centered!

elsnorto

<< <i>I am doing some requirements gathering on a project to build a 1953 Topps baseball set.

I will be approaching this with low/midgrade cost in mind:
* Commons - Excellent or better condition
* SP's - VG-EX

What resources should I start with initially?
I'd like to get as many commons as possible through a select few resources to save on cost, will this mean ebay or online shops? Which do you recommend?
I'd like to avoid purchasing hundreds of commons through hundreds of transactions with the added shipping costs.

For the major stars i've got a pretty good idea with the available auctions, i'll be shooting for SGC graded for these SP's.

How cautious should I be of reprinted commons being sold off as originals?

Final question for those who have built this set or one like it....how much $$ did it cost you?
Realistically I'd like this be a 1-2 year hobby project.

Living the childhood dream as an adult...I love this hobby!

All suggestions are much appreciated! >>




Given our new friends penchant for editing incriminating posts, I just thought I would do a quick quote.



Snorto~

SS

When I start an older set, I start by buying lots on eBay, as many as I can. When I started my 1955 Topps set, I bid on every lot listed for about a month. I would bid $1 per card in the lot. I won about 10% of the auctions I bid on. I'm sure your will have to go higher on the '53s if you want to win any of them.

Once I got all of the cards, I went through them and kept the best of what I had. I auctioned off all of my extras in the largest lots I could build without any duplicates, one lot every other week. For the most part, I got more than $1 per card in my sold lots.

I then found eBay stores that had free shipping or capped shipping to buy the bulk of the remaining needed commons.

When all was said and done, I only had to buy about 20 commons individually.

For stars, I did something different. For the Koufax RC, Clemente RC, and Ted Williams, I bought graded cards and broke them out of the cases. My average common condition would grade about a PSA 3 or 4, so I bought a SGC 3 Williams, a nice SGC 2 Clemente, and a better PSA 2 Koufax. The SGCs don't seem to bring as much as the comprable PSAs, so they are a good choice to crack. I bought those high dollar cards graded to make sure I got what I was paying for, no damage, no counterfits. Also, at least in the case of the Clement and Koufax, I saw raw cards not as nice as mine go for more $$$. Low grades like 2 and 3 will run off many buyers.

That's how I do it.

akuracy503

Thanks SS..some constructive feedback.

RoarIn84

i'm gonna start building a set from packs.

Stingray

For a second there I thought this thread was started by cdsnuts!!

akuracy503

I am CDzNutz and I am a master collector from the east coast.

dizzle

<< <i>I am CDzNutz and I am a master collector from the east coast. >>



Collector or baiter?

akuracy503

<< <i>

<< <i>I am CDzNutz and I am a master collector from the east coast. >>



Collector or baiter? >>



I like to mix it up between collecting and bating.
The occasionally dabble in tweaking too.

I am the master of masters.

Master is my middle name.

akuracy503

ttt