Super Set vs Master Set

NGS428 · September 6, 2017 7:19PM

I see there are now Super registry sets which have higher requirements than the master sets. What determines the cards that are included in the Super sets, but not in the master sets?

bobsbbcards · September 7, 2017 3:40AM

In my mind, a master set contains all of the card variations that were either intentional by the manufacturer or were the result of printing errors that have been recognized by the hobby as collectible variations (1957 Topps Bakep, 1958 Topps Herrer, etc.). A super set contains the aforementioned cards plus paper stock variations (1952 Topps gray backs, 1956 Topps white/gray backs, 1959 Topps white/gray backs).

1962 Topps green tints, in my opinion, sort of toe the line between the two sets. These aren't paper-stock differences, they're the result of using a different printer and seem significant enough to make it to the master set.

LarkinCollector · September 7, 2017 6:25AM

Bob is correct for the Company Sets category, for player sets a Master contains cards from their playing years (+ the year after they retired) while a Super contains post-career cards as well.

NGS428 · September 7, 2017 7:22AM

Thanks for the info, it makes sense now.

Is there a place on the PSA website where the set types are defined?

LarkinCollector · September 7, 2017 7:38AM

https://www.psacard.com/PSASetRegistry/setrequests

MCMLVTopps · September 7, 2017 1:31PM

So, are we to submit a new Composition for the creation of a player's "super" set? Or, just request to add cards to the player's current master set that are beyond the last card (his last playing year)?

LarkinCollector · September 7, 2017 2:17PM

It's a new composition for a Super set, though you don't need to duplicate everything from the Master, just the last playing year +2 and up. Everything from the Master at the time of addition will be carried over into the Super, however additions to the Master after the Super exists will need to be requested for the Super also.

bobsbbcards · September 8, 2017 4:35AM

Oops. I forgot about player set categories, but that makes sense. I'm sorta happy that I'm not in that collecting bucket, since it would be not only a daunting task in the first place for most players, but the moving target nature of a player super set would drive me freaking nuts (SFW).

LarkinCollector · September 8, 2017 6:25AM

I agree, Master sets, especially of modern players are plenty daunting. I can't imagine attempting a
Super.

NGS428 · September 8, 2017 9:10PM

Master and super, good luck. I will take forever and probably never complete my Griffey basic set.

MikeFisher · March 21, 2020 5:32AM

I am going to take on the Terry Bradshaw Super set. I will skip the autographed cards though.

MCMLVTopps · March 21, 2020 8:36AM

I just looked up the Rickey Henderson Master/Super set. The Master requires 1,243 cards, the Super set 1,385, a difference of 140 cards. There are 21 people Registered in the Super set. The #1 guy is at 69%, which means he has amassed 956 cards, with 419 to go. Ya gotta really REALLY like Rickey Henderson to already be in 956 cards. I think this guy will have the tenacity to actually complete the Super set, IF he can find the cards he needs.

I'm about 20 cards short of my David Ortiz Topps Master Set...no way am I going to shoot for the Master or Super. I doubt I'll ever find half of the remaining cards I need. But, then again, I never thought I'd finish my Luis Tiant Master Set...took about 7 years to nail it down! Those Venezuelans are truly next to impossible.

DBesse27 · March 21, 2020 9:04AM

The thing with masters, and especially Supers, is that the composite should grow over time, as more issues are graded by PSA and more people join the registry. There are WAY more than 140 post-retirement Rickey cards! That composite should easily be 2000+ and probably will eventually get there.

jradke4 · March 21, 2020 7:16PM

@MCMLVTopps said:
I just looked up the Rickey Henderson Master/Super set. The Master requires 1,243 cards, the Super set 1,385, a difference of 140 cards. There are 21 people Registered in the Super set. The #1 guy is at 69%, which means he has amassed 956 cards, with 419 to go. Ya gotta really REALLY like Rickey Henderson to already be in 956 cards. I think this guy will have the tenacity to actually complete the Super set, IF he can find the cards he needs.

I'm about 20 cards short of my David Ortiz Topps Master Set...no way am I going to shoot for the Master or Super. I doubt I'll ever find half of the remaining cards I need. But, then again, I never thought I'd finish my Luis Tiant Master Set...took about 7 years to nail it down! Those Venezuelans are truly next to impossible.

look up the Favre Master set...FYI not all the cards are in there by a long shot.

MCMLVTopps · March 22, 2020 5:09AM

I don't do football, so have no interest in Favre. I wouldn't know what I was looking at or for. Master sets are meant to grow...Super sets are another animal.

I have maybe 100 cards to add to my Ortiz Topps Master Set that are not in the Composition...the card manufacturers went crazy with variations of Ortiz that are off the chart! Chrome, refractor, xfractor, purple, orange, green, blue, pink, it goes on and on and on. They have even used the same pic with different titles and card #s to further sales I guess. I'm focused on the more difficult cards to find and think I'll never get the last 10 or so, low pops and rarely seen.

Any Master Set involves a long-term commitment, it becomes almost a disease. I can't imagine putting a Super set of any player of non player. Has to be a serious challenge, that, I think many will never accomplish 100%. My Tiant Master Set of 160 cards, took me almost 7 years.

I can't help but to think there's a PSA angle in the Super set thought process..more obscure raw to grade = $$$

DBesse27 · March 22, 2020 6:04AM

The entire registry is a money maker for PSA, not just the super sets. An ingenious business plan, really. Take my John Hannah master, for instance. Half the cards in there would never get graded if it weren’t for registry purposes.

JoeBanzai · March 22, 2020 10:51AM

There must be a thousand Killebrew cards issued after 1976 (I have most of them, and I stopped buying new stuff several years ago), I cannot afford to get a thousand cards (each worth about 50 cents) graded to put into a Super Set.

fiveniner · May 18, 2020 7:15AM

@NGS428 said:
I see there are now Super registry sets which have higher requirements than the master sets. What determines the cards that are included in the Super sets, but not in the master sets?

There is a significant difference. An example would be my 1959 Topps baseball set.

1 The 59 set has a basic set which includes only the regular release which was printed later in the spring.

This set did not include any updates on some players either optioned, released or traded that are shown on teams they ended the 58 season with these cards would only include cards through series 6. There are only a few however costly when found. Cards 188 to 286 and could be grey or cream colored.

The master sets all of the above cards with options, trades, releases are indicated on back of the card. However it shows them on the same card as the basic.
On one card Haywood Sullivan has 3 different trademarks on the back.

The super set has includes all of the above from the master set however the cards 188 to 286 you have both the grey and cream cards of each player. The grey are less available however they can be found. Prices between grey and cream in most cases do not vary.

I hope this answers your questions.

Tony

P

Super Set vs Master Set

Comments

1 The 59 set has a basic set which includes only the regular release which was printed later in the spring.