Set #'s...........

[kylehess10]

I'm still new to collecting jerseys and I'm not sure what set numbers are. I always see them on g/u jerseys and they usually have "set 1" and "set 2" but I've seen some higher numbers. What exactly are set numbers and what do they mean?

[kylehess10]

Here's the tag I'm talking about:

[ahuff]

Players are issued a certain number of home jerseys, road jerseys, and sunday/alternate jerseys. When "Set" numbers are involved, it simply means each of these jerseys are given a number identifier. For instance, the home jersey a player may wear today is numbered Set 2, while for a home game tomorrow it might be his Set 3 jersey that he wears.

The most I have seen numbered, so far, is Vernon Wells. He is issued a ton of different sets of each jersey. I have seen his numbered up to 20.

I hope that makes sense.

[allstarsplus]

Some teams issue their Set 1 & 2 and after that may go to Set E like the Mets have in the past and the Nationals did the same this year. Some teams don't set tag at all.

I looked at a Set E tagged Mets jersey yesterday for another Forum member and the tag was very crisp and the printing was very bold meaning it didn't see too many rounds in the ole washing machine so those tags are helpful in trying to guess on the use too.

[kylehess10]

ok, so lets say there is a road jersey and the tag has "set 2", so that means that the jersey is the second different road jersey that the player wore that year?

[TNTtoys]

ok, so lets say there is a road jersey and the tag has "set 2", so that means that the jersey is the second different road jersey that the player wore that year?

Not quite. It's from the second "batch" of jerseys for that player from that year. They do not necessarily have to be different -- most always, they are the same.
It's quite common to see 2 sets per player per team. Sometimes, you will see more -- classic cases for this were the Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays, where it is not uncommon to see a very high set number, as they ordered many sets for their players. I know that there have been sightings of a "set 20" for the Jays. Also, some players will order more jerseys because they go through more than others -- some switch jerseys multiple times during a single game, and thus have more spares on hand than others.

[kylehess10]

oh,ok. I understand now. Thanks everybody for your help!

[kingjammy24]

at a basic level, a set refers to, literally, a set of jerseys from a manufacturer. the real issue is what composes "a set". typically (but not always), 1 "set" will have 1 home jersey, 1 road jersey, 1 alt (if applicable). this first set is labeled "set 1". hence you'll have a set 1 home jersey, set 1 road jersey, set 1 alt. jersey. the next set, labeled set 2 contains the same - 1 home jersey, 1 road jersey, 1 alt. jersey. the jerseys in this set are each labeled "set 2". and so on.

prior to the mid-90s, it was common practice for many players to receive only 2 sets - ie: 2 home jerseys, 2 road jerseys. unfortunately, somewhere along the lines things changed and the number of sets/jerseys received increased.

it's been said that set numbers are relative to purchase orders. this would explain why you'd see multiple "set 1" jerseys. more specifically, within a single purchase order, a team might order, for example, 5 home jerseys for a player. each of these jerseys would be labeled with successive set numbers - set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4, set 5, as they're all within the same purchase order. however, if a team makes another/separate purchase order, say 3 months into the season, of another 5 home jerseys, then those would also be labeled set 1, set 2, etc., (instead of set 6, set 7, set 8, etc.) hence if a team made 2 different purchase orders, you'd see 2 home jerseys both labeled "set 1". essentially, set 1 is the first set of a purchase order.

it's also been said that in some instances, sets didn't necessarily include a pre-defined, consistent mix of jerseys (eg: 1 home, 1 road). rather, there were instances where if a team ordered, for example, 2 home and 3 road, then the first 2 home might be labeled set 1 and set 2 and the 3 road might be then labeled set 3, set 4, and set 5. ie: there were never a set 1 and 2 for the road jerseys. the jerseys in a purchase order were not separated by type but rather labeled as one big group.

there's also the belief among some that set 1 jerseys are the first jerseys used by the player. that is, that they first use set 1 and then if they feel the need might use set 2 for the second half or latter part of the season. they might use set 2 or 3's for all star games or postseason games. i think this is why some collectors have a preference for "set 1" jerseys. i think in some cases this was the typical practice but not in all. i've heard that if a player was issued his 2 home jerseys, for example, labeled set 1 and set 2, then he may, without being conscious of the set, simply grab the one labeled set 2 and use it for the first portion of the season. personally, while i have no issue buying a set 1 or set 2 jersey, i tend to stay away from sets greater than 3. the set 20 vernon wells jersey on ebay was ridiculous. as well, refer to the thread on set 3 arod/palmeiro rangers jerseys. their set 1 and 2's came from meigray and typically showed great wear. their set 3's came from their marketing companies and were typically in crisp condition. i don't think it's a coincidence that 1 and 2 preceed 3 and that 1 and 2 showed good wear whereas 3 didn't.

rudy.

[kylehess10]

at a basic level, a set refers to, literally, a set of jerseys from a manufacturer. the real issue is what composes "a set". typically (but not always), 1 "set" will have 1 home jersey, 1 road jersey, 1 alt (if applicable). this first set is labeled "set 1". hence you'll have a set 1 home jersey, set 1 road jersey, set 1 alt. jersey. the next set, labeled set 2 contains the same - 1 home jersey, 1 road jersey, 1 alt. jersey. the jerseys in this set are each labeled "set 2". and so on.

prior to the mid-90s, it was common practice for many players to receive only 2 sets - ie: 2 home jerseys, 2 road jerseys. unfortunately, somewhere along the lines things changed and the number of sets/jerseys received increased.

it's been said that set numbers are relative to purchase orders. this would explain why you'd see multiple "set 1" jerseys. more specifically, within a single purchase order, a team might order, for example, 5 home jerseys for a player. each of these jerseys would be labeled with successive set numbers - set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4, set 5, as they're all within the same purchase order. however, if a team makes another/separate purchase order, say 3 months into the season, of another 5 home jerseys, then those would also be labeled set 1, set 2, etc., (instead of set 6, set 7, set 8, etc.) hence if a team made 2 different purchase orders, you'd see 2 home jerseys both labeled "set 1". essentially, set 1 is the first set of a purchase order.

it's also been said that in some instances, sets didn't necessarily include a pre-defined, consistent mix of jerseys (eg: 1 home, 1 road). rather, there were instances where if a team ordered, for example, 2 home and 3 road, then the first 2 home might be labeled set 1 and set 2 and the 3 road might be then labeled set 3, set 4, and set 5. ie: there were never a set 1 and 2 for the road jerseys. the jerseys in a purchase order were not separated by type but rather labeled as one big group.

there's also the belief among some that set 1 jerseys are the first jerseys used by the player. that is, that they first use set 1 and then if they feel the need might use set 2 for the second half or latter part of the season. they might use set 2 or 3's for all star games or postseason games. i think this is why some collectors have a preference for "set 1" jerseys. i think in some cases this was the typical practice but not in all. i've heard that if a player was issued his 2 home jerseys, for example, labeled set 1 and set 2, then he may, without being conscious of the set, simply grab the one labeled set 2 and use it for the first portion of the season. personally, while i have no issue buying a set 1 or set 2 jersey, i tend to stay away from sets greater than 3. the set 20 vernon wells jersey on ebay was ridiculous. as well, refer to the thread on set 3 arod/palmeiro rangers jerseys. their set 1 and 2's came from meigray and typically showed great wear. their set 3's came from their marketing companies and were typically in crisp condition. i don't think it's a coincidence that 1 and 2 preceed 3 and that 1 and 2 showed good wear whereas 3 didn't.

rudy.

wow, thanks for taking the time to type that. That really helps me understand now, thanks