Master Set Question

detroitlion20

I was wanting someone elses thoughts on player master sets. i was wondering if you would try to complete a set and upgrade as you go, or just wait until you get the best available cards and take your time on completion
any thoughts

jradke4

well to me it all depends on the set. if you are going after say an Alex Karras (i.e. vintage) master set I would work on finding the best card you can afford. If you are working on a Barry Sanders or Calvin Johnson (i.e. modern) master set I would upgrade as I go. With modern master sets you have some items that are low in overall numbers available (i.e. low serial numbered inserts) which renders upgrading sometimes moot or it might take awhile to find another to try to upgrade with. Generally for me with vintage cards I almost always look for PSA graded cards to start with. Even with the vintage inserts they are hard to combine, its generally only rare regional issues that you might have to look for raw. With the modern I tend to buy almost all raw with a few PSA graded slabs thrown in. It also has to do with the total number of cards issued for players. A vintage Starr master set has maybe 0.01% of the total possible cards as a modern Favre set, and that is excluding the 1 of 1's and # of 4 or less. Completion of most modern player master sets of big name players who played much after say 1997 will be nearly impossible.

I hope that makes sense.

MCMLVTopps

my 2 cents...

You have to decide if you are really committed to completing the Master Set you choose. It can take a long...LONG time to get one or more very elusive cards within the set. I've been waiting over 5 years for one card to come up.

I would go to the Registry and see if the player you have in mind is already a Registry Set. If the set is "viewable", I'd print out the set and the set composition so you have a reference...as you gather cards, make notes on the printout so you can keep track of your goal. By printing out (or carefully reviewing) exisiting sets you will see cards already "locked up". For example, if you see a PSA 9 of a certain year, the next column will tell you how many in that grade and if the number higher, if any. If you see "0" higher, you then know the highest graded card for that player is a PSA 9...so, you don't waste time trying to find a non-existent PSA 10. You may be surprised to see that some PSA 9s have no PSA 10s and in some rare cases, PSA 8s with 1 or 2 PSA 9s, if any.

If you see that amongst the Registry sets for your player, that there are only 2 PSA 9s within that composition, and two Registered Sets already have those PSA 9s...you ain't gonna get a PSA 9 of that year for that player...unless you get lucky and find some raw that you submit for grading and get lucky. It does happen, so don't get discouraged.

I would go for the highest graded card you can get from day one. Search eBay...i.e. if your player is Derek Jeter for instance, search all eBay listing for "1998 Derek Jeter PSA 10"...then try "PSA 9"...or just use "10" or "9". You will see what's available very quickly and again, you might get lucky and see some BIN's where you can lock up cards quickly.

At least once a week search eBay, or join VCP and create a "want's list" to ensure you don't miss any listings. The VCP route will provide you an email notification when a card comes up that you have put into your "wants list". You should also search for your player on eBay without the PSA part, this will allow you to see all cards, raw included that you might consider buying to send in for grading. These can be tough personal decisions that don't always turn out the way you want in terms of grading. I've had surprises from A-Z...and once actually turned an SGC84 into a one-of-one PSA 8.5...a $35 purchased flipped for over $1k. It does happen, you just gotta get lucky along the way.

Go to the POP report and search for your player...you will then see every example of every graded card for that player. This is INVALUABLE data. If for example you see there are only 5 graded cards for your player, 2 are PSA 7s, 2 PSA 8s, and 1 PSA 9...when that PSA 9 comes up, you better grab it !!! Or, be happy to find a PSA 8.

Of course create a spreadsheet to keep track of your stuff. It can be a long journey, but that's part of the collecting process, the thrill of the hunt. Formulate a plan, plan to commit the coin needed and go for it!!

GL

detroitlion20

just wanted to say thanks for the imput. modern player master sets consist alot of cards these days and some i see that should be on a master set havent even been graded by psa yet, i guess thats why they call it a work in progress.
for now i will try to get them all and work on upgrade as i go.
there is a thrill in hunting and i guess thats what keeps us collecting thanks

cree

Let me know if you ever want to sell or trade any PSA Bo Jackson cards.

halosfan

I've been working on an Alex Rodriguez Master Set for a long time (with breaks here and there) .... It is huge and I sub a bunch on my own. If I get hammered on a grade I may upgrade it depending on the card otherwise I just let it be and keep moving. It is definitely one for the patient.