When Do You Go For The Complete Set?

The Trading Card Database has a lot of cool little features. One of those is the ability to view a list of every incomplete set you have, along with a completion percentage. I was looking at my list recently, and contemplating the sets towards the top. At what point do you go: "I have enough cards from this set - I should really just go ahead and complete it."?

Now most set completionists I know usually concentrate on a few at a time, and usually have particular sets in mind that they target, regardless of how close they are. This question is more for those sets you just happen to end up with a lot of cards from. I would think for most people, being over the halfway point would be where most start to think about this. I have 24 sets in which I am over 50% complete. This does not include insert sets or smaller boxed sets. I don't see myself completing all 24 of those sets though. In fact, there are numerous sets under that threshold that I know I like better and would like to someday have a full set of, and would prioritize those over some of the ones here.

So with that in mind, let's look at the sets I have mostly completed, and my feelings towards completing them.

 

Sets over 90% complete:

 

2016 Topps Archives
#83 Satchel Paige

• 1988 Leaf (97.73% - missing 6 cards)
• 2016 Topps Archives (93.55% - missing 20 cards)

 

These seem to be no-brainers right? If you have over 90% of a set complete, why not just go for it? I'm only missing 6 cards from the 1988 Leaf set. I'm definitely getting that completed someday. 2016 Topps Archives is a weird one though. I'd love to complete it, but I really don't have the strong pull to chase down the 10 short prints from the set. Do I finish off the 10 non-SP cards and be content with the 300 card base? Or will those short prints taunt me? 

Sets over 80% complete:

 

1991 Topps
#333 Chipper Jones (FRDP, RC)

• 1991 Topps (84.22% - missing 125 cards)

 

My recent purchase of a few packs of this it what prompted the idea for this post. Again, this seems like one of those levels of completion where most would still decide to finish a set off. I've always appreciated this set with its 40th Anniversary logo, as well as its historical place in the history of the hobby (It's the last set to contain gum, as well as the last to use the grey card stock). Almost 85% of the set seems easy enough, but due to the size that still means I'm still missing 125 cards. Granted, it's from the overproduction era and I could probably purchase those remaining cards for under $10 total, but over 100 cards to go still doesn't scream close to completion, does it? 

Sets over 70% complete:

 

1977 Topps
#144 Bruce Sutter (RC)

• 1977 Topps (78.48% - missing 142 cards)
• 1991 Fleer (77.80% - missing 160 cards)
• 2024 Topps (72.30% - missing 230 cards)
  
• 1991 Score (72.12% - missing 194 cards) 

 

Perhaps this is the first level where doubt sets in. I think by virtue of being a 70's set that I have most of the keys cards from, the 1977 set would be one I'd work on completing. I also have been enjoying this year's set design enough that I would like to finish it too. The rest though...maybe? I like the Score set well enough, and the Fleer set might be ironically worthwhile just because the design was so unpopular. But again, we're talking a hundred+ cards away from completion.

Sets over 60% complete:

 

1971 Fleer World Series (Black Backs)
#73 1975 - Reds vs. Red Sox

• 1971 Fleer Laughlin World Series Black Backs (68.00% - missing 24 cards)
• 1992 Fleer (67.64% - missing 233 cards)
• 1992 Upper Deck (67.63% - missing 259 cards)
• 1994 Collector's Choice (65.22% - missing 233 cards)
• 2018 Topps Update (65.00% - missing 105 cards)
• 2019 Topps (62.71% - missing 262 cards)
• 1986 Topps (62.50% - missing 297 cards)

 

I enjoy the Laughlin cards and will pick those up whenever I can. That set is definitely on my "To Complete" list. 1986 Topps is a strong possibility too. The others, I'm just lukewarm towards right now. I will point out though, that if I was ever crazy enough to try and complete a parallel set, I think I'd go for the 150th Anniversary stamp from 2019 Topps over its base set. I've been tempted!

Sets over 50% complete:

 

2019 Stadium Club #11
Andrew Benintendi

• 1991 Bowman (58.95% - missing 289 cards)
• 1992 Donruss (57.78% - missing 331 cards)
• 1987 Donruss (56.97% - missing 284 cards)
• 2017 Topps (67.57% - missing 304 cards)
• 2016 Topps Update (56.33% - missing 131 cards)
• 1980 Topps (55.92% - missing 320 cards)
• 2019 Stadium Club (52.49% - missing 143 cards)
• 1992 Topps (52.02% - missing 380 cards)
• 2016 Topps (52.00% - missing 336 cards)
• 1992 Score (51.74% - missing 431 cards)

 

Of all of these, only two sets stand out as possibilities. The 1980 set, again by virtue of it's age and the fact that I already own the key Rickey Henderson rookie, makes me lean towards completing it someday. I'd also think it'd be fun to complete a Stadium Club set, especially the 2019 set since it came in the aftermath of the last Red Sox World Championship.  Not really feeling the others though, not yet at least. 

 

I'm curious how my fellow collectors feel when it comes to having a large portion of a set, and the choices made when deciding which sets to prioritize when going for a complete one. Let me know!