Returning to 1993 Topps Finest: A Collector’s Set-Building Plans

For this collector, the appeal of building a set has lasted nearly four decades. The next project is a return to 1993 Topps Finest, a set he completed about five years ago and later sold. He’s now putting it back on his want list, with the three promo cards included, and hopes to finish by the end of the year.

A different kind of set-building routine

His first collecting years, beginning in the mid-1980s, were shaped by a narrower choice of products and the modest cost of a pack compared with what he remembers today. Topps became the focus. Donruss and Fleer didn’t appeal to him, Score wasn’t on his radar, and Sportflics was available to him only at Toys R Us, a store his mother took him to for his birthday. With Topps as his choice, a 792-card set felt achievable.

His approach was straightforward: buy a couple of wax boxes, then trade duplicates with friends to fill gaps. That routine turned set-building into a social pursuit as well as a collecting task. The duplicates weren’t just cards to put aside; they could help both sides move closer to finishing their sets.

Today, his method has shifted. He says he doesn’t buy boxes of new product, and he’s choosing older sets he once wanted but didn’t get around to collecting. That change gives the project a personal history: each set represents not just a list of cards to complete, but a collecting choice he can revisit years later.

Rebuilding a set he once finished

The Finest project carries a particular twist. He already assembled the complete 1993 Topps Finest set about five years ago, then sold it because he felt it didn’t fit his collection. He’s since regretted that decision. Returning to the set is a way to put right a choice that looked sensible at the time but no longer feels right to him.

He plans to include three promo cards along with the set. That detail makes the goal more specific than simply finding the main run of cards: his intended finish line includes those additional pieces, too. The source doesn’t give card numbers, condition targets, or a checklist for the promos, so those details remain part of the search rather than settled facts.

A want list can help make a long project feel manageable. It gives a collector a place to record what’s missing, check cards as they’re acquired, and keep the scope visible. For a set being rebuilt after a previous completion, it can also help distinguish the cards needed for this attempt from the memory of the earlier one. The collector hasn’t described a buying schedule or a preferred condition, only his hope to have the project complete by year’s end.

Two Donruss Studio sets join the list

Topps Finest won’t be the only focus. He also plans to add the 1993 and 2003 Donruss Studio sets, drawn to their distinct character and what he calls their “fantastic” look. Those choices broaden the project across different years while keeping the list defined: one set he’s rebuilding and two more he wants to assemble.

For collectors managing several projects, a clear scope can make the hobby more satisfying. A short list lets each set retain its own identity, while giving the collector room to reconsider once the current goals are finished. That’s the approach here: complete the Finest and Donruss Studio sets first, then decide whether another chase belongs on the list.

Keeping the hobby personal

There’s no claim that every collector should build sets the same way, or that the current product market must be approached with a particular strategy. The story is more personal than prescriptive. One collector remembers when a single 792-card set felt within reach, and still finds satisfaction in working toward completion—even though his collecting routine and choice of targets have changed.

The return to 1993 Topps Finest shows how a collection can reflect evolving preferences. A set can leave the collection and later become a priority again; an older wish can wait years before it gets its turn. For now, the concrete goals are the Finest set with its three promo cards, plus 1993 and 2003 Donruss Studio. The next milestone is seeing how far that want list gets him by the end of the year.