1969 Topps Baseball Forum

I had good intentions at the start of the year, but haven't been able to follow through. Hardly any sorting, because if I get them out, they can't stay out, have to be put away shortly after. I'm not one to drag out a bunch of stuff, and be done with it, I like to take my time.

Not acquired much either, bought a few Benchwarmer cards of a couple models I collect, and some various Michael Jordans, Cal Ripkins, Joe Montanas, and Ichiros. A few packs of those Topps BB from Wal-Mart pizzas, and that's about it. Money has all been going to bills.

I got away with getting a few packages in the mail, but then she started raising hell, so I've had to be sneaky. Even watching the tracking I got caught last time because she beat me to the mail-box.

I am doing good on mine. Finished recreating the Excel chart the first week of the year, then did the Microcards except a few I've misplaced. Got the missing sets which I didn't think was too likely. Failed on the goal of getting one new card a day. Passed the 20 new Elton Brand cards in April or so. Failed on the sparkle parallel. Others are in progress or in a holding pattern hoping for progress.

Today, I completed my top collecting goal priority with the acquisition of a 1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle (in the mail).  With this card, I have now completed the 1969 Topps baseball card set (666 total with two photo variations) including the Deckle Edge insert set (35 total with two player variations.  This is an exciting accomplishment for me as I'm officially delving deeper into 1960's baseball collections and further away from 1970's baseball.  From this point forward, any 1969 Topps baseball card I acquire is an extra and potential upgrade to my existing set.  My top priority has now become the 1968 topps set.  Below, is an updated version of my original list in this forum.

 

Priority 1 (very likely to succeed)

1969 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now)  *100% Complete

1968 Topps Baseball card set (almost 90% now) *moved up to Priority 1; missing 2 cards 

1962 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now) *missing 9 cards

Priority 2 (not out of the question; maybe)

1950 Bowman Baseball card set (missing 1) *moved down to priority 2; not likely

1966 Topps Baseball card set (almost 90% now) *not likely

1954 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now) *missing 4 cards; not likely

Priority 3 (would be nice, but don't hold your breathe)

1960 Topps Baseball card set (over 60% now)

1956 Topps Baseball card set (about 35% now)

1955 Topps Baseball card set (about 40% now)

1951 Topps series "B" baseball card set (Blue Backs)

Congratulations! I am very, very impressed. If I ever complete '69, I won't even try for the deckle edge and other stuff. I'm a couple years behind you, though, still working on 1971 and 1970, which are running neck and neck. I'm pleased that I do have a 1969 Mantle, though. 

Again, great accomplishment. 

My own goals changed a little, and I've enjoyed altering my chase a little. 

Thanks.  I had to collect '70, '71, and '72 simultaneously as well.  It used to be one set at a time in reverse chronological order until I got to 1972.  It's the high numbers that seem to slow it down "trudging through the water".  I opened up to collecting the 1971 set before completing the 1972 set, and then the 1970 set when 1971 started getting tough.

I stuck with that 3-set principle after completing 1972 and went down to 69-70-71.  When I completed 1971, I went down to 68-69-70.  After completing 1970, I went down to 67-68-69.  High numbers are not an issue with the 1968 and 1969 sets, so its relatively smooth sailing again for a while, except for a few stars of course.

I had to scrap the 3-set principle when I got down to 1967 (missing 85) and 1966 (missing 56) though.  It's probably going to take a few more years to complete those high-number cards at an affordable rate, which are probably the most difficult short-printed vintage cards to complete since WWII.       

After that, I just had to open up to set favorites: 1950 (missing 1), 1954 (missing 4), 1962 (missing 9), 1951 (missing 23), 1960 (missing 96), etc.  

Finishing off the 1970's; however; is key.  I actually went back and got the team checklist insert sets from 1973 (missing 1) and 1974.  

Now that we're almost 3/4 the way through this year, how's everyone doing with their 2016 collecting goals?  Here's my latest update.

 

Priority 1 (very likely to succeed)

1969 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now)  *100% Complete

1968 Topps Baseball card set (almost 90% now) *still missing 2 cards 

1962 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now) *still missing 9 cards

Priority 2 (not out of the question; maybe)

1967 Topps Baseball card set *moved to priority 2; now 86% complete

1954 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now) *still missing 4 cards

1951 Topps Baseball card set (86/106 total) *now 81% complete

1950 Bowman Baseball card set (missing 1) *still missing 1 card

Priority 3 (would be nice, but don't hold your breathe)

1966 Topps Baseball card set (almost 90% now) *moved to priority 3; now 91% complete

1960 Topps Baseball card set (over 60% now) *now 84% complete

1956 Topps Baseball card set (about 35% now) *now 41% complete

1955 Topps Baseball card set (about 40% now) *now 67% complete

I've still finished 1 of 3.

1. Get my whole collection in the database.  Earlier in the year, I said I was about halfway there.  Now that I have rearranged my card room,  I see that I'm actually more like 1/3 done.  So I've gone backwards on this goal.  My collection is far too disorganized for this to ever be an easy task.  Also, I'm in the process of entering my boss's cards into his TCDB collection, so I haven't spent much time on my own cards lately.
2. Scan all missing cards I own.  I dug out my scanner and got a few scanned a couple weeks ago before my camping trip.  That's progress, but I'm not close on this one at all.  I hate scanning cards.
3. Buy a Japanese wrestling card. Completed this one, as I have already reported.

I should set more reasonable goals in 2017!

So how's everyone doing on their 2016 collecting goals now that we're moving into the final month of the year.

 

Priority 1 (very likely to succeed)

1969 Topps Baseball card set (over 90% now)  *knocked this one out including the Deckle Edge subset

1968 Topps Baseball card set (99% complete) *missing #177 and #490; just really tough, probably next year. 

1962 Topps Baseball card set (99% complete) *missing 4 cards; probably won't complete it on time, but early next year.

Priority 2 (not out of the question; maybe)

1967 Topps Baseball card set (88% complete) *slowly, but surely, we're probably looking at 2018 here.

1954 Topps Baseball card set (98% complete) *missing 3 cards; probably before the end of the decade; Aaron, Banks, & Kaline.

1951 Topps Baseball card set (90/106 total) *missing 16 Blue Backs; maybe next year or 2018

1950 Bowman Baseball card set *missing Jackie Robinson; surely before the end of the decade.

Priority 3 (would be nice, but don't hold your breathe)

1966 Topps Baseball card set (91%) *slowly but surely; probably in 2019.

1960 Topps Baseball card set (86%) *missing only 75 cards; wouldn't be surprised in completed in 2017-2018.

1955 Topps Baseball card set (82%) *missing 36 cards; will get really close in 2018.

Well, I didn't make it public knowledge, but I hit a rather major bump in the road this past year. I was not working for 3 months (July - Sept). Obviously, the whole adding anything to the collection stopped completely. I also haven't really started anything substantial back up yet as it hasn't even been 2 months back working. But, let's see if I did anything on my list (haven't really looked at it since last update):

Only realistic goals:

• 2016 Topps set - Check (well, missing 6 cards in series 2 - considering we just opened our box last week, I haven't had time to try to trade to get them)
• 2015 Topps Gold set completion (62% for Series 1&2, 78% for update series) - All but 1 card (#616, Kris Bryant RC)
• I hope to get at least 1 of the 4 Phillies Topps cards I'm missing in the 1960s that keeps me from being complete from 1956 to present day - Nope
• A couple of the 1955 (Topps & Bowman) Phillies that I don't have - Check - I got 2 - 1 of each

Pipedreams:

• A pre-gum (T206?) Phillies card (any player, any condition) - nope
• Complete the partial 1972 set - didn't even take it out of the box to see what's missing
• Upgrade the really poor-condition cards in the 1973-1977 sets I just acquired this past year (this might have the best chance in this section) - Upgraded some, but not all

Non-purchasing goals:

• To get all my HOFer cards in pages - Only 2 players left (Gwynn & Pedro Martinez, both of whom I purchased large lots of and it will take many pages to sheet)
• Sheet all the 1970s sets I just got - Check - Only the 1972 partial left
• To sell or trade off my extra 2015 Topps Golds (I have a lot!) - Check - Sold a huge lot to someone else trying for the set, who had extras that I wanted - wound up almost a trade
• To reduce my commons by a full monster box (5,000 count) - nope - reduced it by about 1,000, but then just recently added a few hundred to it from the 2016 extras

Considering my circumstances, I did more than I thought. Considering what happened, I think I did the best I could.

Can't say I even came close to any of my goals but not a surprise as they are more life-time goals than anything else.  The one I did make a big dent in is the 1976 set - I also know I canmake another dent into it theenxt time I attend the Ottawa card show.  But for vrooomed, I did attain one of your goals in that I managed to trade away almost 6000 of my commons / doubles to other collectors on this site.  So in about 75 years, I should not have any left (as long as I don't buy any more).

Happy Thanksgiving to all our south-of-the-border fellow collectors!

 

Bruno