Monday, November 14, 2022

How did I never figure this out before?!?

 In my previous post, I brought back the "Set Completion" series and commented about how it completed a 7 year run of Hoops for me. Well that got me thinking, "is that my best run?" so I went to check my excel files where I was sure I had this typed out...and I didn't. Once I DID type it, I knew that I had never typed it before because I discovered I had actually completed some sets that I didn't remember completing! Several of which I got via trade in 2022, in fact. 

As it turns out, I currently sit at 297 major sets. That's...not really all that great. According to my Set Archive, which I'm not sure I've ever talked about, there are 785 major NBA sets, 372 NASCAR sets, 686 NHL sets and a few hundred Non-Sports sets in my collection which I would have to do the math on since I have them broken out by topic. 

That's actually even worse when you consider that for many, many years- nearly 30!- I considered myself a set builder first and foremost. Yeesh. No wonder I've pivoted away from set completion being the be-all-end-all of my hobby. 


As it turns out, that run of Hoops is NOT my longest completed stretch. That belongs to Fleer, which I have completed from 1987-88 through 1995-96, a 9 season stretch. Hoops does rank second with the 7 straight sets. 

My longest runs in NASCAR is the Press Pass flagship, which I have completed 2002-07. I'm only 2 cards short on 2008, which if I can get them, would actually complete my run from 02 through 2009, which would tie it with Fleer in the NBA at 1st overall. Non-sports isn't based around the yearly release schedule like sports cards are so there is nothing that is really a long run, at least not that I've completed. I did complete three straight Collect-A-Card Automotive releases so I'm going to go with that: 1991's Vette Set, 1992's Chevy Set and 1992's Musclecards. Each set was standalone but considering it was three consecutive Automotive sets from one company I'm going to run with it. 

In case you are wondering, I've completed 122 NASCAR sets, 106 NBA sets, 5 NHL sets, 5 Automotive sets, 2 DC Comics, 1 DC Movie & TV, 1 Formula 1, 2 G.I. Joe, 1 golf, 4 History, 1 non-NHL hockey, 3 Indycar, 1 Marvel Comics, 1 Military, 1 Monster Trucks, 8 Movie & TV, 2 Music, 5 NCAA basketball, 5 Olympics, 3 other Racing, 2 Scale Cars, 4 Star Wars, 8 Women and 1 American Gladiators. 

The first set I ever completed was 1990 Classic Monster Trucks, and the most recent set I completed was 2018 Donruss NASCAR, back in April of this year. 

That's if these are all correct. While typing this post up, I found one set I had listed twice and another one I had completed that wasn't listed. So take it with a grain of salt, it's probably not 100% accurate, but I'm considering it so. 

I wonder what my 300th completed set will be? There's really no way to know, it'll just happen when it happens, and hopefully I will a.} realize it and b.} remember to update my new Excel file when it does happen. Neither is a guarantee with me! 

One thing to note: This only includes base sets. The numbers do not include inserts, promos, parallels, etc. Promo sets like the Tim Horton's hockey set that came in packs and actually required effort to complete are included, but not something where you got the entire promo set at one time. 

8 comments:

  1. Nice. It is always a thrill realizing that another set has been completed. Specially when the completion wasn't realized. Unlike when you discover a set you thought was complete isn't AGRH!

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    1. Yeah I've been there. I thought I had completed 1992-93 Stadium Club twice only to realize I was missing a card. I think I have it completed now, hopefully!

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  2. Great job and a new discovery is always a great thing

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  3. That's a lot of completed sets you've built. Impressive. Can't say for sure... but I'm assuming my Topps baseball run from 1974 to 1987 (possibly longer... I'd need to verify that I have both 1988 and 1989 sets to go along with my 1990 to 1993 sets).

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    1. That's a very impressive long run, all the moreso because those sets are always large ones too.

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  4. You may not think that 297 sets is very impressive, but I certainly do... that's a lot of freakin' sets!

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    1. Thanks! The numbers were certainly helped by a lot of NASCAR sets being 50 cards and all in one box.

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