The First of its Kind? Massive Sweet Spot Classic Collection Finished
Raymond, 48, and Jeff Burns, 22, started the collection on a whim. The father and son from Jacksonville, Fl., accumulated so many 2007 Sweet Spot Classic game-used cards, Raymond decided to finish the set.
Jeff, who grabbed about 45 cards through group breaks and trades, gave his father the set and focused on another. Raymond didn’t want to collection to end there and focused and completing the checklist, which included players such as Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Lou Gehrig. The set includes variations and patches as well for 107 cards. Not just the popular 93-card checklist.
“I had come to the realization that I didn't appreciate the set enough to seek out the rare/expensive cards such as the (Babe) Ruth, Gehrig, and (Christy) Mathewson, which all have a pretty nice price tag. Once they were traded away, my father found a checklist and just kept searching.”
The Burns busted a 20-tin case of the product in July and grabbed many cards off different sites such as eBay and CheckOutMyCards.com. Raymond found all but one card within five months – a Babe Ruth bat card, which is rumored to have a run of 25. There’s no set run listed for the card, but neither Raymond nor Jeff ever saw it. They searched eBay daily. They watched YouTube breaks.
For two months, they had every card but the Ruth. For two months, the 107-card collection was just one card short. Recently, the elusive card popped up on eBay. Raymond jumped all over it. He won the card for $410.55 and received it on Dec. 9 to complete the massive set.
“I know he intends to hold and enjoy it for a little while,” Jeff said. “But we have discussed possibly seeing what kind of offers we could get. We aren't really sure on the resale value of it, and if it could sell for enough that we'd feel fine letting it go. After spending so long on a set and chasing one particular card (Ruth) you get a little attached to it.”
Check out pictures of some of the cards on Jeff's site New Card Smell.
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