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Thursday, June 18, 2020

Which 70s Set Should I Build? None of the Above Edition



I've been trying to decide which 1970s set to start building for my next vintage set build, but I can't seem to make up my mind. So, I'm going to take a little closer look at what I already have in my collection and try to narrow it down.


So maybe instead of a Topps set, maybe I should work on something off the beaten path? Kellogg's had some trippy sets in the 70s, I think this 1971 edition is my favorite design, though I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them.


If I am feeling really patriotic, maybe Hostess is the way to go? Classic red white and blue, and of course pounds of sugar and fat in every box! 


(Before you send those angry letters, I know that the top two cards are actually from 1980 and 1981, these are just illustrative!)

Maybe I can go for a minor league set? These seem to be pretty tough, they are often an all or nothing proposition, if it's not a whole team set, it could a tough task to track down the 6th outfielder...


TCMA and Renata Galasso released a bunch of sets in the 70s and 80s that take a look at some of the best and some of the forgotten players of decades past. These could be a lot of fun to build!


Can you say cognitive dissonance? The great thing about SSPC is that it can surprise you. You'll find classic players in not so classic uniforms, and just a clean design to showcase the players.

I mean these are like 70s Stadium Club! The only thing missing would be action shots, but frankly the action photography that generally made it to cards in the 70s left some things to be desired. 


The backs are pretty good too - a 70s Score-style design. No big wall of stats, but a lot of fun stuff to be found reading these backs. Surprised to see anyone go 3 for 2, especially a pitcher!  I kid, but I do think the occasional typo is endearing. 


Not bad for a checklist, right? Maybe SSPC is the set I should build?

What do you think are the Pros and Cons of these oddball sets? I'd love to hear your opinion!

13 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. oh, I get it now... sheesh, I thought I was bad at math, but my English could use a little work too!

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  2. Clearly the way to go is to pick one of the reallt fun TCMA sets and piece it together. Stars of the 50s is fun but the Stars of the 60s has some awesome cards in it.

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  3. Good heavens, is that a Minnie Minoso Jr. Card?!

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  4. There's no reason at all to work on only one set. Just see what's available and what catches your eye.

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  5. I instantly thought I would go with Hostess, but I think trying to piece together a set which were all cut out in an "acceptable" manner would drive me a bit crazy.

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  6. I have very few of those SSPC cards...never saw them when they were new. I think it would be a difficult set to pursue, but it's a really nice one. BTW, the write-ups were mostly written by Keith Olbermann.

    As Billy says, there's nothing wrong with just buying what you like and what you can find at a good deal. That's mostly what I do.

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  7. I bought a complete SSPC set pretty cheap, much cheaper than a Topps set from the same era. Might be easier to keep a lookout for one.

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  8. You can never go wrong with building a 70's Kellogg's set. They're beautiful and depending on what you'll tolerate in regards to condition, it can be very challenging... especially when you get to the mid to early 70's stuff.

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  9. Lots of bloggers seem to be going after the Kellogs sets. I'd shoot for Hostess!

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  10. If design and overall fun gets the most points, then I'd definitely say Kellogg's. Only problem is there's a lot of stars and/or SPs in those sets (the '71s seem to be especially tough). I'd probably pick SSPC out of this bunch because it's a near perfect mix of affordability and fun. Even the bigger names won't set you back an arm and a leg, and the cards are definitely different than anything Topps was doing at the time. (The Killebrew card alone should be enough to convince you!)

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  11. Any one of these (or all of them) would probably be more fun to work on than the Topps sets, and when compared to the early 70's Topps sets, much cheaper too.

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  12. You can't go wrong with any of these. I have already completed or am in the process of completing many of them.

    Pros: They are what collecting in the '70s was all about.
    Cons: None

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