75 Down--1954 Bowman Baseball Completed in PSA 8 or better

Davalillo

With the pickup on card #144 Ernie Johnson from hobby buddy and dealer extraordinaire Steve Novella, I have completed my 75th vintage or semi-vintage set with each card PSA 8 or better--1954 Bowman Baseball

I started this set around 15 years ago when I bought a near set raw advertised as nrmt or better from Greg Manning Auctions in a live auction. Steve used to work for Greg at the time so its only fitting he gave me my final card. Over the past 15 years I have chipped away at it and finally put it to rest with 220 PSA 8s and 4 PSA 9s. This gives it a 8.01 set rating and ranks it 8th on the PSA Set Registry. I will let it rest at that level.

The Johnson is a pop 21 and by no means close to being the most difficult 8 in the set. That distinction belongs to Corwin 137, Bridges 156 and Thompson 217--all pop 7s.

I hope to complete the 1948-55 Bowman run in PSA 8 and better as part of my collection. I am now done on 1948, 1952, 1954 and 1955. I need just 1 upgrade for 1951, 9 in 1949, 10 in 1950 and a bit more in 1953 Color and Black and White.

The goal remains 100 vintage or semi-vintage sets in PSA 8 or better. I appreciate the help of all collectors and dealers in helping me achieve my goal.

Completed Sets in PSA 8 or better are as follows:

BASEBALL(36):

1936 S&S
1948 Bowman
1951 Topps Red Back
1952 Bowman
1954 Bowman
1954 Red Heart
1954 Topps
1955 Bowman
1956 Topps
1957 Topps
1958 Topps
1959 Fleer
1959 Topps
1960 Fleer
1960 Topps
1961 Golden Press
1961 Nu-Card Scoops
1961 Topps
1961-62 Fleer
1962 Topps
1963 Fleer
1963 Topps
1964 Topps
1964 Topps Giants
1965 Topps
1966 Topps
1967 Topps
1967 Red Sox Stickers
1968 Topps
1968 Topps Game
1969 Topps Super
1970 Kelloggs
1970 Milton Bradley
1970 Rold Gold
1970 Topps Super
1974 Topps Deckle Edge

FOOTBALL(22):

1950 Bowman
1951 Bowman
1954 Bowman
1955 Bowman
1955 Topps All-America
1956 Topps
1958 Topps
1959 Topps
1960 Mayrose Franks
1960 Topps
1961 Fleer
1961 Nu-Card
1961 Topps
1962 Fleer
1962 Kahn's Weiners
1963 Fleer
1963 Stancraft Playing Cards
1964 Philadelphia
1965 Philadelphia
1967 Topps
1968 Topps 4-in-1
1976 Wonder Bread

BASKETBALL(7):

1948 Bowman
1957 Topps
1961 Fleer
1969-70 Topps
1970-71 Topps
1972 Icee Bear
1976-77 Topps

HOCKEY(3):

1962-63 Parkhurst
1962-63 Topps
1963-64 Parkhurst

MULTI-SPORT(2):

1933 Goudey Sport Kings
1954 Sport Oddities

NON-SPOPT(5):

1955 Barbers Tea Ltd. Cinema & TV Stars
1956 Topps U. S. Presidents
1958 T.V. Westerns
1960 Fleer Spins & Needles
1962 ABC Colorstars

Stingray

Man that is quite the accomplishment, contrats!!

mikeschmidt

congratulations, Jim!

If I may be so bold, I would predict that the 1953 Bowman Black & White will be the toughest one for you to finish.

Nonetheless, you are making incredible continued progress, and I wish you the best of luck with your endeavours.

calaban7

Once again , very nice !!!

baseballjeff

Do you have any sweet pictures of all your cards together? That would be an awesome picture.

Congrats! What are your collecting goals?

Jeff

baseballfan

always a wonder, your collection. where do you keep and how do you store them all?

congrats!!

qualitycards

Here's a picture taken from an SMR article on Jim's impressive collection

baseballjeff

Jay, thank you! See, we need more pics like that. Wow!!!

Jeff

Davalillo

Jeff,

There was a feature article in the SMR about my collection. There are a number of pictures in the article.

I have a couple thousand of my most valuable cards around the perimeter of the room and probably 25 large tables inside where I have about 20,000 more PSA cards stacked up by set and another 200 or so sets in binders.

My collecting goals are 100 vintage or semi-vintage sets complete in psa 8 or better.

Jimj

WarHoundR69

Congratulations Jim - an awesome accomplishment.

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Here's a picture taken from an SMR article on Jim's impressive collection

>>



If I were ever invited into such a room, I think at first I would get a little light-headed, then downright woozy and finally just keel over.

Davalillo

Mr. Peanut and others,

Thank you for your comments.

If you live near or if your travels bring you to North/Central New Jersey I would be happy to show you my collection.

I have had many parties over my house where collectors/ dealers/ grading company people come and I open my card room up.

I don't think anyone has ever walked into the room for the first time and had any other emotion but amazement.

Jim

1954

Jim,
I don't think many people can take off of work for two weeks to view this. Your collection is incredible. Hope all is well.

Shane

Davalillo

Shane,

If they can only tale a week off I can fit a cot into the room so they can maximize their viewing time.

IJustLoveCards

Can anybody scan the pictures that were in the SMR article? Or better yet, can Jim take some more wide pictures of the room and post them.
It would be nice to see.

MBMiller25

Jim, Very impressive! I was actually just on the PSA registry looking at all your sets earlier this week. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for making it available for viewing.

Matt

1954

Jim,
I see the Stand ups in the back part of the room. What a great set.
Hope all is well.

Shane

Davalillo

Shane,
our we are given.
Still need Baldshun, Hunt, Rollins and Woodeshick--if I am to get to 100 this one is certainly on the list.

Matt,

Thanks--there are a lot of sets there--hope to add a few more player sets this morning in the extra h

MintMoondog

Wow! Simply amazing...

Blackborder

Does your set include the Williams?

VitoCo1972

Jim,

I have to ask...I have to assume that room in your pictures is in a room with no natural light, correct? Do you only have artificial light to prevent your displayed cards from fading? Just curious. I always enjoy these threads of yours.

Best,
Mike

Davalillo

Blackborder,

Yes--both the Williams and the Piersall are included.

Mike,

No natural light in the room thats correct--just artificial light.

Jim

Downtown1974

I dont know what I would do if I saw that room in person. Just seeing a picture of it leaves me speechless.

Davalillo

You are really only seeing a small part of the room in the picture.

Envision 3,000 cards on the wall, another 25,000 graded cards in stacks on large tables organized by sport and by year and about 200 sets in binders.

Jim

Blackborder

<< <i>Blackborder,

Yes--both the Williams and the Piersall are included.

Jim >>



That's awsome. I think the 54 Bowman is definately an underrated set.

VitoCo1972

<< <i>You are really only seeing a small part of the room in the picture.

Envision 3,000 cards on the wall, another 25,000 graded cards in stacks on large tables organized by sport and by year and about 200 sets in binders.

Jim >>



Then post more pictures for us to drool over!!

Davalillo

Blackborder,

I agree--great set.

Mike,

I am a low tech guy --even though someone set up something allowing me to put pictures of my cards on the computer I can't figure out how to do it now. To take a camera and take pictures and somehow have that show up on the computer would be well beyond my expertise. For the SMR article I took photos and mailed tham USPS to PSA.

Jim

VitoCo1972

That's pretty funny. If you have a digital camera, it's actually very easy and I'm sure myself or a fellow board member would be happy to help you if you were interested in taking some pictures of your card room for posting on these forums. No pressure though!

Davalillo

I think one of my kids has a digital camera.

If you want to send instructions pls send them to jdc122@aol.com.

My son is coming back home to vote tomorrow so if you could send them in the next day perhaps he could help his technologically unsophisticated old man do it.

Jim

Davalillo

Mike,

As you can see, I can't even figure out how to get a picture next to my name.when I post.