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Announcement of the 56-69 project. Updated 7/8/09.

My collecting interests have taken various turns over the last few years, but in the last year it's slowly morphed into what I have named "The Alan Parsons Project". No, wait.

No, its actually the 1956-69 project. Rather than build a set year by year, I've just kind of built these years little by little, buying and selling collections, keeping what I need, etc, etc. Much easier to control my collecting ADD than to grind away on, say, a 57 set.

Recently I sat down to calculate my progress of this pursuit, building sets in high grade, partially graded, exempting 60 and 61 Topps from the process. The years included are 56-59, 62-69. The results were that I'm over halfway there, 53% complete overall in those years, including over 70% in 65, 68 and 69, over 60% in 57 and 58 and over 50% in 63 and 66. I'll do 60 and 61 once these are finished.

So it's on now. I estimate it'll take another 3-4 years to finish this off, but I'm locked in and all over it!



Ron
Ron Burgundy

Buying Vintage, all sports.
Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items

Comments

  • OAKESY25OAKESY25 Posts: 4,726 ✭✭✭
    good luck!! thats lots of time and money!!
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    It is time consuming and money draining to be sure. But one of the cool parts is coming up with cards I already have and being able to help out fellow collectors with them. That's as rewarding as building my own collection.



    RB
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • corvette1340corvette1340 Posts: 3,384 ✭✭✭
    My problem is that I want to finish every set I start tomorrow if not sooner. I started my Near Mint+ '64 set about a month ago when I purchased a pretty high grade raw lot and now I'm less than 80 away from completion. When I log onto my paypal account my computer starts smoking due to all the transactions that take place daily.

    I am keeping up with how much money I spend on it though so I'll know exactly how much I lose when I sell it, lol.

    Edit: by the way Ron, if you really feel rewarded by helping other collectors build their sets then you should have sold me that raw '64 Rose for $50, lol. image
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭
    Ron, are these RAW sets?
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • SOMSOM Posts: 1,555 ✭✭✭
    Ron...some encouragement:

    In 2002, I had ten sets of cards stolen. Beautiful raw sets from 1966-1975. So I had to rebuild.

    With an effort as you've described...going for all ten, rather than focusing on one at a time...it took me only two and a half years to complete. And they are all EX/MT-NM sets.

    You can..and WILL... do it!

    Nick

  • itzagoneritzagoner Posts: 8,753 ✭✭
    I, Robot.
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Ron, are these RAW sets? >>



    An excerpt from Ron's original post above:

    .......my progress of this pursuit, building sets in high grade, partially graded,........
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    ..............my progress of this pursuit, building sets in high grade, partially graded............"


    Basically, if it makes economic sense to grade it, and I need the card, I'll grade it. If not, I won't. I get tempted from time to time to send in a massive order but then I remind myself that's money spent that could be used looking for the other cards I need.

    Thanks for the encouragement, guys. What's going to be cool is when a couple of these sets are done, and the pursuit starts to narrow. Then the finish line will be in sight.
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    Ron,

    Keep up the good work. As I've said many times before, it's taken me 15+ years to complete my '54B & '55T baseball sets. Still have '53 and '56 (over 90%) in the works, in addition to my numerous football sets (recently hit 90% on the TAAs).

    Yes, it's time and money consuming but at the end of the day, I'm willing to bet:

    1) Once complete, you will appreciate the sets more than average Joe
    2) By jumping back and forth, you don't get bored with one set
    3) After you're finished with the 56-69 run, there will be another run to complete (<-this, my friend, is inevitable).

    Great job and best of luck going forward!

    B
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    Good luck. I am working on 59-72, skipping 62. I want most of the first few years to be graded. 61 is complete; 65 is missing 2 cards, and 64 is missing nearly 100. The others are in various states of completion-from 5% to 70+%. Actually all the sets are complete, but there is a lot of upgrading to be done.
  • calaban7calaban7 Posts: 3,002 ✭✭✭
    Some other place , somewhere , some other time----------

    I started a simular project about 2 years ago , 1958 to 1970 Topps baseball , but felt the need ( money ) to focus on a few sets at a time.

    Good luck on your sets------Sonny
    " In a time of universal deceit , telling the truth is a revolutionary act " --- George Orwell
  • goose3goose3 Posts: 11,471 ✭✭✭
    What will you name your Giant "Laser Beam"?
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>So it's on now. I estimate it'll take another 3-4 years to finish this off, but I'm locked in and all over it! >>

    Hi Ron - good luck on completing this project - it's a whopper! You've outlined a big endeavor - I'll be watching - even if I don't respond as much as I used to - I'm hoping to post a new cover band this summer!

    Good stuff! image

    mike
    Mike
  • ron just curious, why are you exempting 60/61 topps? already have them, or just dont like them>?
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    My Giant "Laser Beam" shall be named "The Alan Parsons........" whoops, ok, "Operation Banarama".


    Regarding 60-61 Topps, they're my least favorite sets during that time period. If anyone wants the ones I have now, let me know and I'll be breaking a completely graded '60 set in the next week or two.



    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,923 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Regarding 60-61 Topps, they're my least favorite sets during that time period.

    I agree they are butt ugly. Even so I am willing to be a great guy and pay full SMR for the following 1960 commons in PSA 8NQ. # 6, 26,27, 176,220, 451, AND 531.image
    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

  • goose3goose3 Posts: 11,471 ✭✭✭
    Brick, my sweet Brick.

    Where's Brian Fantana?image

    Forgive me, I thought I stepped on to the set of The Anchorman.
  • GonblottGonblott Posts: 1,951 ✭✭
    Good luck, Ron!

  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    must be nice to be rich...
    on my budget I will have the 1956 set complete in 2039.
    Successful dealings with shootybabitt, LarryP, Doctor K, thedutymon, billsgridirongreats, fattymacs, shagrotn77, pclpads, JMDVM, gumbyfan, itzagoner, rexvos, al032184, gregm13, californiacards3, mccardguy1, BigDaddyBowman, bigreddog, bobbyw8469, burke23, detroitfan2, drewsef, jeff8877, markmac, Goldlabels, swartz1, blee1, EarlsWorld, gseaman25, kcballboy, jimrad, leadoff4, weinhold, Mphilking, milbroco, msassin, meteoriteguy, rbeaton and gameusedhoop.
  • PSASAPPSASAP Posts: 2,284 ✭✭✭
    I beg to differ on the attractiveness of the 1960 set. The Mantle, Clemente and Mays cards are among their best looking cards. I also happen to like the All-Star cards, and the fact that the high numbers won't cost you an arm and a leg is nice too.
  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,450 ✭✭✭
    good luck can't wait to see if i can pick up some of your scraps

    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,923 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have collected in similar fashion for many years, buying cards in my sig line. I concentrated on 55s and 1960 was my secondary set. I bought cards from the other years when I found what I felt was a pretty good deal or was a card I really liked. Now I will concentrate on 1960 and make either 1963 Fleer or 54 Topps my secondary set. I hope my cash flow coincides with your sale. Sometimes cards I really want are for sale at the right time and sometimes I have to pass.
    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

  • corvette1340corvette1340 Posts: 3,384 ✭✭✭
    Ron, Do you have a list of your raw '64 doubles? I need about 70 or so cards to complete my set.
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    Tommy - what dupes I have right now in '64 is what I PM'd you previously. I'll cut you a deal on them if you want.

    I think I'm going to put all of my 60's and 61's, both raw and graded for sale, in addition to the 60 set I'm going to break. I have a nice selection of 61 high numbers in high grade, as well as others. I've got 3/4 of the All Star cards. PM me for anything you might want or need.




    RB
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
  • RonBurgundyRonBurgundy Posts: 5,491 ✭✭✭
    A little update on this pursuit 4 months later. After some collection buys, I've made a good amount of progress. I'm obsessed with getting the 62-69 run complete, and will slowly work on the mid 50's stuff.

    1962: 77 % complete
    1963: 58% complete
    1964: 44% complete (this is a special project. If it ain't NM-MT, forget it. I used to ignore 64's. Now I love them.)
    1965: 78% complete
    1966: 77% complete
    1967: 78% complete (odd how 5 sets are all in this range)
    1968: who knows, it should be 75-80% complete but I haven't even pieced it together.
    1969: 78% complete.

    In addition, the '58 set is now 61% done and '59 is just over 50%. Also picked up a near complete (291/310) low number '52 Topps run in all different kinds of condition. I'm not doing '60 or '61 for now. And I'll get to the 70's stuff later.

    Is it possible for me to complete the sets that are 77-78% complete by this time next year?
    Ron Burgundy

    Buying Vintage, all sports.
    Buying Woody Hayes, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, and Jesse Owens autographed items
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