What is the "Master Set"?

[mclean_m]

I've been around the hobby long enough now I should know this, but I've seen several collectors referring to putting together the "master set" of a given product. Is it somewhat open to interpretation what this includes, or is there a defined set of rules of what constitutes the master set?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[drkicker]

My guess it includes the base set plus all the insert set possible produced (auto, jersey ,etc) of the given product.

 

[Orca Pod]

Okay.

Some would say I do a 'master set' of Canuck HGs every year. I do not interpret that way. I would call it a 'team set.'

I am also doing a Canuck team set of 05/06 Upper Deck S1/S2. All base, all parallels, all jerseys, all patches, all inserts. Getting closer to a 'master set' but I still would argue it's a 'complete team set,' not a master set.

I am doing a 'master set' of 03/04 BD. I have all of the base. I have all of the Signature Gems. I have all of the base Diamond Threads.

That leaves the Colour parallel, the Cut parallel, the Clarity parallel, and the three levels of Diamond Threads parallels.

To me, once I have one of each card in each level of parallel, I will have succeeded in finishing a master set of 03/04 BD

In my opinion, any set that includes any 1/1s will never, ever, be built as a master set by any collector. It would be absotively, posolutely, 100% impossible. Then again, others do not consider 1/1s as part of anything, be it a team set, player collection, whatever. Thus, they would consider a master set as defined by my BD quest, even if it had 1/1s.

 

[frankiefives]

Okay.

Some would say I do a 'master set' of Canuck HGs every year. I do not interpret that way. I would call it a 'team set.'

I am also doing a Canuck team set of 05/06 Upper Deck S1/S2. All base, all parallels, all jerseys, all patches, all inserts. Getting closer to a 'master set' but I still would argue it's a 'complete team set,' not a master set.

I am doing a 'master set' of 03/04 BD. I have all of the base. I have all of the Signature Gems. I have all of the base Diamond Threads.

That leaves the Colour parallel, the Cut parallel, the Clarity parallel, and the three levels of Diamond Threads parallels.

To me, once I have one of each card in each level of parallel, I will have succeeded in finishing a master set of 03/04 BD

In my opinion, any set that includes any 1/1s will never, ever, be built as a master set by any collector. It would be absotively, posolutely, 100% impossible. Then again, others do not consider 1/1s as part of anything, be it a team set, player collection, whatever. Thus, they would consider a master set as defined by my BD quest, even if it had 1/1s.

What he said

 

[jab16399]

I have been working on the 06/07 Beehive Master Set. This means one of each of the 1000 some-odd cards (some as rare as only 7 signed). The Remarkable Matted Materials are AU/GU /15 and are really tough as they came only 1 in every 5 cases of 16 hobby boxes. Where the term "Master Set" gets touchy is with plates. Beehive sets don't have plates or any 1/1's. It's kinda hard to do a Master Set against those odds. So, by my definition, Master Sets would not include 1/1's but that's just me perhaps.
Jim

 

[Iceman]

Every single card issued for that particular set.

 

[Orca Pod]

Every single card issued for that particular set.

Where the hell would you put them all?

 

[mclean_m]

I am doing a 'master set' of 03/04 BD. I have all of the base. I have all of the Signature Gems. I have all of the base Diamond Threads.

That leaves the Colour parallel, the Cut parallel, the Clarity parallel, and the three levels of Diamond Threads parallels.

To me, once I have one of each card in each level of parallel, I will have succeeded in finishing a master set of 03/04 BD

Thanks for this summary. Your 03-04 Black Diamond set is one I had in mind. I guess where I wanted the clarification was with the parallels, as I've seen people refer to collecting the master set when it only included base cards and inserts, but without parallels of either.

Every single card issued for that particular set.

I hope you mean a copy of each card?

 

[mclean_m]

I have been working on the 06/07 Beehive Master Set. This means one of each of the 1000 some-odd cards (some as rare as only 7 signed). The Remarkable Matted Materials are AU/GU /15 and are really tough as they came only 1 in every 5 cases of 16 hobby boxes. Where the term "Master Set" gets touchy is with plates. Beehive sets don't have plates or any 1/1's. It's kinda hard to do a Master Set against those odds. So, by my definition, Master Sets would not include 1/1's but that's just me perhaps.
Jim

Jim,
Thanks for the summary of your Beehive master set as well. That is one insane set to put together. I love the Remarkable Matted Materials set.

I agree that the 1/1 base parallels and plates should not count towards a master set.

 

[Iceman]

Where the hell would you put them all?

What, you've never tried to corner the print run of an entire set?

 

[Boom Boom]

I understand that some consider a master set as including the parallels (Ruby, Emerald and Gold in 05/06 Black Diamond's case) I personally dont consider the parallels or the 1/1's necessary to be considered a master set. But that being said, I know that some do. Randy's 03/04 Black Diamond set with all the parallels will be impressive to say the least!
This is my 05/06 Black Diamond set. I consider it a "master set". With copies of the base set, jersey's and all auto's included.

 

[Orca Pod]

Randy's 03/04 Black Diamond set with all the parallels will be impressive to say the least!

Here's hoping I actually live long enough to ever complete it, or can even come close, for that matter.

Speaking of cornering a print run, I had a buddy (haven't taked to him in years) who collected ONE card. 78/79 OPC Keith Brown. At least that's who I think it was - a common nonetheless. When I last talked to him, he had something like two 5,000 count boxes full of them, and that was over 20 years ago.

 

[bidds55]

I would say that the term "Master Set" is open to interpretation to a degree, but personally I would not consider a master set complete until I had at least one copy of every single unique card available from that set, including 1/1's, and plates if applicable. My reasoning is that the term master set indicates completion on the highest level. If you say; " I have a master set of set X", and someone can reply : "do you have one of these from that set?", and the answer is no, then in my opinion you do not have a master set.

That being said, I recognize that I have a particularly bad case of OCD when it comes to the hobby, so I respect that someone can say I have a master set, and it likely means to me that they just have a badass looking set, minus some 1/1's.

 

[webottew]

I totally agree with bidds' definiton. I'll also add that my OCD encourages me to collect unredeemed redemption cards for cards not produced. I'm working on the Heritage sets, and Amonte never signed his cards for 2000-01 but I really want to include them in my set. I'm sure those will be tougher to find then any 1/1 since many are likely thrown out now since they have expired.

 

[JoeyStorm]

on a side note: what would the base set + rookies be called? (basically all the cards with a number on the back)

 

[Kharlamov17]

on a side note: what would the base set + rookies be called? (basically all the cards with a number on the back)

Main set...?

 

[wildfan1833]

I understand that some consider a master set as including the parallels (Ruby, Emerald and Gold in 05/06 Black Diamond's case) I personally dont consider the parallels or the 1/1's necessary to be considered a master set. But that being said, I know that some do. Randy's 03/04 Black Diamond set with all the parallels will be impressive to say the least!
This is my 05/06 Black Diamond set. I consider it a "master set". With copies of the base set, jersey's and all auto's included.

Very nice set

 

[meatmancgy]

A master set is a copy of every card in the entire set, less the 1/1s. Here's another example: http://www.hobbyinsider.net/forum/showthread.php?t=129510

 

[DogfoodSoup]

This is an interesting topic which brings up a few points. If a person has all the base cards in the set, they have a complete base set. If the person has all the base cards, all the rookies and all the inserts (something like UD S1/S2 or MVP) what do they have? If someone has all of the afore mentioned plus the jerseys and autos, what do they have?
I would agree that a master set is what Randy is doing with BD or what Dave is doing with 05/06 Fleer Ultra. I think it just raises a few interesting points about terms, or lack of terms, for the other degrees of "complete" sets.

 

[enforcersonly]

Im trying to do the 02/03 Fleer Throwbacks master set. What is annoying is when a checklist comes out and a certain card isnt produced, Ive never seen (or heard of anyone having) a Ron Hextall/Billy Smith memorabilia card.

I am currently at around 90-95% (excluding the "platinum" versions of the base cards, #'d/50). So I guess, all in all, if I get the cards Im chasing I still wont have a master set. Once (if) I do get all the cards I am chasing I think I'll be able to live with the fact I dont have the platinums, but then again... will I?