My Name is Adam, I am a Set Builder and I Need Some Help

When I was a younger collector, I had dreams of owning every set of cards as they came out, but those were easier days.  I started collecting in 1979 where Topps was the main player in the game.  Starting in 1981 Fleer and Donruss entered the fray.  Three sets a year with even a couple of one off sticker sets or box sets seemed obtainable.  However in the late 80s then moving into the 90s things exploded and trying to track down every set became impossible.

My collecting slowed down in the mid 1990s through the mid 2000s and I picked it up again around 2003-2004.  I dipped my toe in slowly then started going crazy trying to buy a box or two of a bunch of products and put together as many base sets as possible.  I finally narrowed it down to just going after all the Fleer, Donruss, Upper Deck and Topps flagship sets around 2008 then in 2011 or 2012 I started going after almost every set I could think of (granted most were Topps sets by that time).

Two years ago I set a goal to limit the sets I tried to put together and met that goal.  I was proud of how I limited my set selection.  Last year I did a pretty solid job as well but I fear I have fallen off the wagon early in this collecting season.

My first set quest was Topps Series 1 Flagship. That set was never up for debate, I plan to continue to go after Flagship and Update sets as long as I collect.  I ended up picking up a Master Hobby Set on eBay but also decided to go after 3 Retail insert sets.  If you can help me out in building those sets I would appreciate it, here is my want list:
 
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG6 Anthony Rizzo
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG8 Joe Panik
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG9 Adrian Beltre
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG10 Nolan Arenado
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG12 Brandon Crawford
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG13 Brett Gardner
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG14 Starling Marte
 2017 Topps Golden Glove Awards #GG17 Mookie Betts

 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD13 Carlos Correa
 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD14 Sonny Gray
 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD15 Mike Trout
 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD19 Aaron Nola
 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD23 Andrew McCutchen
 2017 Topps Jackie Robinson Day #JRD29 Joey Votto

 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS3 Miguel Cabrera
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS4 Anthony Rizzo
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS5 Jose Altuve
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS6 Daniel Murphy
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS7 Josh Donaldson
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS10 Corey Seager
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS11 Mike Trout
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS15 Mookie Betts
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS17 David Ortiz
 2017 Topps Silver Slugger Awards #SS18 Jake Arrieta 

The next set up was Topps Opening Day. I usually pick up a box and go after the set along with the inserts.  I did that again this year.  I have done a solid job on the insert sets after finishing the base set and could use some help on these inserts:

 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day #ODB6 Texas Rangers

 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS1 Adam Jones
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS2 Addison Russell
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS3 Ichiro
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS4 Javier Baez
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS5 Andrew McCutchen
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS6 Anthony Rizzo
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS7 Brandon Phillips
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS8 Justin Verlander
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS9 Bryce Harper
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS10 Josh Donaldson
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS12 Bryce Harper
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS13 Buster Posey
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS14 Max Scherzer
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS15 Clayton Kershaw
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS16 Corey Seager
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS17 Eric Hosmer
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS18 Evan Longoria
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS19 Felix Hernandez
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS20 Hanley Ramirez
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS21 Freddie Freeman
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS22 Jake Arrieta
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS23 Giancarlo Stanton
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS24 Jose Altuve
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS25 Kris Bryant
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS26 Kyle Schwarber
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS27 Gary Sanchez
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS28 Francisco Lindor
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS29 Madison Bumgarner
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS30 Manny Machado
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS31 Matt Carpenter
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS32 Miguel Sano
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS34 Mookie Betts
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS35 Noah Syndergaard
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS36 Nolan Arenado
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS37 Paul Goldschmidt
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS38 Robinson Cano
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS39 Ryan Braun
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS41 Trea Turner
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS42 Trevor Story
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS43 Corey Kluber
 2017 Topps Opening Day Opening Day Stars #ODS44 Carlos Correa

 For the 3rd consecutive year Topps has made the Stars inserts hard to come by, this year about 1 per box. However this year they bumped up the checklist to 44 players - ouch.  If you picked up a few retail packs and got lucky with a Stars insert, shoot it my way.

Next up is Donruss.  My plan was to get this set this year through a factory set.  The last couple years Panini made the Diamond Kings and Rated Rookies short printed then put out a reasonable priced factory set quite a while after the release.  Well, that plan went by the wayside when I got the ripping itch.  I picked up 2 hobby boxes along with a decent amount of retail.  Then recently I picked up the entire run of Diamond Kings.  I need a few of the Rated Rookie cards and have decided to collect two different insert sets and the variation cards from the base set.  Here is my Donruss Want List:

Base
32 David Dahl RR
33 Dansby Swanson RR
37 Josh Bell RR
39 Joe De Leon RR
40 Jeff Hoffman RR
41 Hunter Renfroe RR
44 Orlando Arcia RR

1983 Variations
RV3 Mark Trumbo
RV5 Kris Bryant
RV8 Joey Votto
RV11 Nolan Arenado
RV15 Mike Trout
RV19 Christian Yelich
RV24 Khris Davis
RV29 Johnny Cueto
RV38 Cole Hamels
RV41 Mike Piazza


Base Variations   
57 Manny Machado - Hakuna Machado   
59 Mookie Betts - Back of Jersey   
89 Nolan Arenado - Grey Jersey   
97 Jose Altuve - Gigante   
178 Dave Winfield - 12 Time All Star   
182 Johnny Bench - Little General   
186 Pete Rose - Charlie Hustle

Inserts All Stars /999
AS1 Addison Russell
AS3 Chris Sale
AS4 Eric Hosmer
AS5 Johnny Cueto
AS8 Manny Machado
AS9 Marcell Ozuna
AS10 Mike Trout
AS11 Mookie Betts
AS12 Yoenis Cespedes

 If you have come this far, I will reward you with some pictures of the relics and autos I have pulled from Donruss this year:

I think I did pretty well on the hits, it was a little Cubs heavy with 3 of 10 being Cubs but I expect just about everything will be Cubs heavy this year.

Finally the set that proved I have fallen off the set building wagon - 2017 Gypsy Queen. I picked up a few retail packs and love the design.  I picked up a few more packs and a blaster and got lucky with some nice parallel pulls, SP pulls and a couple of hits.  I sorted my base and saw I had great collation so one day on the way home from work I picked up a hobby box to see if I could get in striking range of the set.  After some trading on Sportscard Forum and Blowout Cards Forum I am in pretty good shape just needing a few base and a still decent number of SPs.

Before I show my final want list of this post, I figured I would share my autos:

The Musgrove and Duffy both came from retail packs, I was feeling pretty lucky.  When the Snell popped up as my first hobby box hit I admit I was pretty disappointed and was feeling a little guilty for buying the hobby box but my second auto put a smile on my face.

 This is a missing black plate Auto of newly voted in Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez.  This card is great for so many reasons, here are a few: 1) I didn't have a Pudge auto for my HOF auto yet, 2) the card is beautiful - I love the photo that was used, 3) this year's Gypsy Queen design is a favorite of mine and these autos look good, and 4) this is a nice clean on-card auto and even includes a jersey number inscription.

All the above hits from both sets minus the Rodriguez would be up for trade if anyone is interested in them.

Also, here is my Gypsy Queen want list:

Base
8 Carlos Martinez
108 Giancarlo Stanton
133 Seugn-hwan Oh
135 Jeurys Familia
180 Tanner Roark
242 Chris Davis
243 Chris Sale
272 Robbie Grossman
 
SPs
302 Ryne Sandberg
304 Mike Piazza
306 Ken Griffey Jr.
307 Randy Johnson
308 Jackie Robinson
310 Lou Gehrig
311 Ozzie Smith
312 Mark McGwire
313 Ty Cobb
315 Rod Carew
316 Ivan Rodriguez
317 Jim Palmer
318 George Brett
319 Phil Rizzuto
320 Sandy Koufax


Fortune Teller Inserts
FT-AJ Aaron Judge - New York Yankees
FT-AP Albert Pujols - Los Angeles Angels
FT-DS Dansby Swanson - Atlanta Braves
FT-GS Gary Sanchez - New York Yankees
FT-JA Jose Altuve - Houston Astros
FT-MS Max Scherzer - Washington Nationals

I am worried I opened the flood gates as I am looking forward to the Archives release and will go after Series 2 and Topps Update.  I am already feeling some desire to go after Allen & Ginter as well.  Stadium Club is typically a must have set for me.  If I keep going, I may end up going after Topps Chrome, Bowman, Bunt and who knows what else.  I am Adam and I am a Set Builder Aholic.