1982 Japanese Puroresu Cosmos Vending Set

SumoMenkoMan · January 26, 2014 2:46AM

Here is an interesting set I've seen parts of in the past, but was able to snag a few unopened packs and nail it down to a 5-card set. These cards were issued in 5-card packs in Cosmos toy vending machines. We all remember popping nickels, dimes and quarters into these things as kids...Japanese kids did/do the same thing. It looks like this set was printed at the end of 1982 according to the belts they are holding:

Ric Flair - NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Tatsumi Fujinami - WWF International Heavyweight Championship
Tiger Mask - WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
Tiger Mask - Face Grab
Antonio Inoki

wrestlingcardking · January 26, 2014 3:19AM

Those are great, is there anything on the back?

SumoMenkoMan · January 26, 2014 3:26AM

I'm not sure. I've got a shipment coming from Japan in the beginning of Feb that they are in. I'll post scans when I get them.

Dpeck100 · January 26, 2014 3:53AM

WOW I really like that Ric Flair card.

SumoMenkoMan · January 26, 2014 10:01AM

It would look pretty sharp signed!

eagles33 · February 15, 2014 5:16AM

Hogan is also in the set. Cool cards. I wonder if there are different cards in the tiger mask pack??

These are from the flair pack

SumoMenkoMan · February 15, 2014 7:01AM

Very nice! There will be a few happy folks out there! It looks like the Flair packs are the hot packs.

wrestlingcardking · February 15, 2014 9:59AM

I'll get my packs on Tuesday.....hmmm.....

SumoMenkoMan · February 15, 2014 11:48AM

<< I'll get my packs on Tuesday.....hmmm..... >>

I think you got one of the Flair packs.

Dpeck100 · June 5, 2014 6:33AM

I was sitting at the computer last night watching the final hour of the Hogan auction and these popped up on EBAY.

This seller is very good with the description of condition, packaging and communication.

They look strong in the scans so I just hit the Buy It Now. Hopefully they are nice.

Flair

Hogan

I think this Flair card is so cool. It is the acid trip Flair! LOL

KNAPP · June 5, 2014 11:48AM

Those look good. Good luck.

eagles33 · June 5, 2014 12:42PM

Nice pick up. The hogan seems to be short print

SumoMenkoMan · June 5, 2014 2:14PM

Nice pick ups! These are tough to find in Japan for sure.

Aric · June 5, 2014 2:31PM

So what did you get in your packs SumoMenkoMan? Is this a 6 card set with the Hogan?

SumoMenkoMan · June 5, 2014 2:33PM

Some packs have the Hogan, others don't. They are 5 card packs with a total of 6 known in the set so far. I've got a few sealed packs. Hoping they contain a Hogan, but I'll never know!

Dpeck100 · June 9, 2014 2:39AM

I got these in the mail today from Japan. The seller used tracking so they came very quick. I have to give this seller credit for his packaging.

They are as sharp as one could hope for. I was a little surprised at how small they are. I realized they were not standard size but I figured they were closer to a Panini sticker and they are even smaller. Naturally these will be sent to PSA soon and hopefully they grade well.

Reading about how popular Hogan was in Japan during this time period makes me like the card more. I would think it is safe to assume that these are not very easy to find 32 years later.

eagles33 · June 9, 2014 3:28AM

I have similar experiences with sellers from Japan. Shipping seems to be much faster than from some EU or South American country's. Nice cards. Good luck on the grades. I'm going to resub my flair that got a psa 5 because I don't see anything wrong with it. How is the picture quality on the flair card? Mine a tad out of focus and think that is why it got a 5

Dpeck100 · June 9, 2014 3:33AM

<< I have similar experiences with sellers from Japan. Shipping seems to be much faster than from some EU or South American country's. Nice cards. Good luck on the grades. I'm going to resub my flair that got a psa 5 because I don't see anything wrong with it. How is the picture quality on the flair card? Mine a tad out of focus and think that is why it got a 5 >>

I will have to check when I get home from work. It was pretty cool that my mail guy called me this morning and said he would drop them by. I got them out and into card savers and just glanced at them for a moment.

SumoMenkoMan · June 9, 2014 7:38AM

Very cool! Good luck on the grades. Yes, they are small as they had to fit inside the plastic capsule.

wrestlingcardking · June 9, 2014 9:45AM

<< 

<< I have similar experiences with sellers from Japan. Shipping seems to be much faster than from some EU or South American country's. Nice cards. Good luck on the grades. I'm going to resub my flair that got a psa 5 because I don't see anything wrong with it. How is the picture quality on the flair card? Mine a tad out of focus and think that is why it got a 5 >>

I will have to check when I get home from work. It was pretty cool that my mail guy called me this morning and said he would drop them by. I got them out and into card savers and just glanced at them for a moment. >>

How do they look DPeck?

wrestlingcardking · June 9, 2014 9:46AM

<< Some packs have the Hogan, others don't. They are 5 card packs with a total of 6 known in the set so far. I've got a few sealed packs. Hoping they contain a Hogan, but I'll never know! >>

You have way too much restraint!

SumoMenkoMan · June 9, 2014 10:00AM

Only until I can find some more. I love to keep things sealed for the most part.

Dpeck100 · June 9, 2014 10:54AM

They look very solid to me.

This is the type of card that a holder will do wonders for.

I will send them in soon and see what PSA thinks.

SumoMenkoMan · June 9, 2014 7:52PM

They have a high gloss finish so it should be easier to detect any surface flaws and the rounded corners hopefully will help. Best of luck!

Dpeck100 · August 28, 2014 8:07AM

I sent out the Flair and Hogan today.

Will post the results when they come. It won't be to long as I have a voucher for five fast grades.

wrestlingcardking · August 28, 2014 11:33PM

<< I sent out the Flair and Hogan today.

Will post the results when they come. It won't be to long as I have a voucher for five fast grades. >>

I am happy to see more of these graded...I am going to have a registry set going eventually.

GBurger717 · August 29, 2014 12:06AM

A bit off topic but have you ever seen what comes outta vending machines in Japan? You can buy anything really. If tou can think of it you can buy it in Japan. Its crazy how much different we are to them. Do some Google searches. Neat to say the least.

SumoMenkoMan · August 29, 2014 12:33AM

<< A bit off topic but have you ever seen what comes outta vending machines in Japan? You can buy anything really. If tou can think of it you can buy it in Japan. Its crazy how much different we are to them. Do some Google searches. Neat to say the least. >>

I love visiting Japan. My favorite is the 2 gallon-size instant ramen noodle cups out of the claw games. I do have to admit, though, their vending machines get a little crazy. Don't forget the beer vending machines shut down at night to prevent kids from buying beer. No joke.

And if you've been to the top of Mt. Fuji, there are a few up there too!

Dpeck100 · September 10, 2014 9:27PM

I see that a Hogan PSA 6 hit the pop report this morning.

Hopefully mine pop later this week.

SumoMenkoMan · September 11, 2014 9:58AM

Whose "6" is that?

Good luck on yours and let us know as soon as you find out.

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 6:58AM

Ric Flair PSA 10 Gem Mint

Hulk Hogan PSA 9 Mint

eagles33 · September 12, 2014 7:12AM

Wow. Congrats! You should do really well if you were planning on selling them. I got about 240 for the psa 7 hogan I sold a few months ago and currently have psa 6 Flair on eBay that's over 100. The hogan seems much harder to find and black boarders make it real tough to find in mint condition.

SumoMenkoMan · September 12, 2014 8:15AM

<< Ric Flair PSA 10 Gem Mint

Hulk Hogan PSA 9 Mint >>

Wow! Congrats!

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 9:52AM

I had to do a double take when I saw these pop. The Cosmos cards are really cool. I have two of the other four in hand and the other two on the way from Japan and will be submitting them to have a complete graded set.

Here are the five cards I sent in. I am not sure if this Brock is the Silver one numbered to 100 or one that is numbered to 999. I sent in a few and simply forgot. Either way it is nice to have it in a slab.

The Canadian Rockies is the first card that I am aware of featuring Edge and Christian from Japan.

Order #20847068 / Submission #1813131

Line # Item # Cert # Grade Description Type
1 1 23387362 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1987 O-Pee-Chee WWF Wrestling 3 Hulk Hogan Card
2 1 23387363 MINT 9 1982 Cosmos Hulk Hogan Card
3 1 23387364 GEM MINT 10 1982 Cosmos Ric Flair Card
4 1 23387365 MINT 9 1998 Bbm Pro Wrestling Pro Wrestling 225 Canadian Rockies Card
5 1 23387366 MINT 9 2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot 203 Brock Lesnar Card

SumoMenkoMan · September 12, 2014 10:22AM

The new, undiscovered sets from the 1970s and 1980s from Japan are drying up. Probably only a handful left to discover. Congrats on the grades!

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 11:14AM

<< The new, undiscovered sets from the 1970s and 1980s from Japan are drying up. Probably only a handful left to discover. Congrats on the grades! >>

Thank you.

I am really excited about these grades.

KNAPP · September 12, 2014 11:51AM

Dave, nice grades. I got the 6.

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 11:52AM

<< Dave, nice grades. I got the 6. >>

Thanks Greg. Nice to see you snagged a copy too. These are really unique and anything from this era is good.

KNAPP · September 12, 2014 11:54AM

I also got two PSA 6 Road Warrior prism cards. I haven't seen them show up in a while.

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 11:55AM

<< I also got two PSA 6 Road Warrior prism cards. I haven't seen them show up in a while. >>

They never show up. I am regretting not buying a few I got out bid on awhile ago.

Any of those that surface will be hot items for sure.

wrestlingcardking · September 12, 2014 1:34PM

<< Ric Flair PSA 10 Gem Mint

Hulk Hogan PSA 9 Mint >>

That is amazing my friend! Congrats!

Dpeck100 · September 12, 2014 10:54PM

<< 

<< Ric Flair PSA 10 Gem Mint

Hulk Hogan PSA 9 Mint >>

That is amazing my friend! Congrats! >>

Thanks Rob!

I knew they were strong but after reading the prior comments had no way to gauge how they would grade.

It appears at this point the Hogan is harder to find. Time will tell.

SumoMenkoMan · September 13, 2014 8:43AM

It does appear the Hogan isn't inserted as often as the other 5 cards. Congrats again on the 10!

I see a few more of these are hitting ebay now.

Dpeck100 · September 15, 2014 10:27AM

Here are the scans.

wrestlingcardking · October 22, 2014 1:44PM

I need to get me a Hulk Hogan for this set but I have the Ric Flair in a PSA 9 and these beauts......

50 1 23281709 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1982 Cosmos Antonio Inoki Card
50 2 23281710 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1982 Cosmos Antonio Inoki Card
51 1 23281711 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1982 Cosmos Tatsumi Fujinami Card
51 2 23281712 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1982 Cosmos Tatsumi Fujinami Card
52 1 23281713 GEM MINT 10 1982 Cosmos Tiger Mask Face Grab Card
52 2 23281714 GEM MINT 10 1982 Cosmos Tiger Mask Face Grab Card
53 1 23281715 GEM MINT 10 1982 Cosmos Tiger Mask Card
53 2 23281716 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1982 Cosmos Tiger Mask Card

SumoMenkoMan · October 22, 2014 8:53PM

The Hogan seems to be the hardest one to find in this set and it seems odd they would have a 6-card set come in 5-card packs.

Dpeck100 · October 22, 2014 9:01PM

<< The Hogan seems to be the hardest one to find in this set and it seems odd they would have a 6-card set come in 5-card packs. >>

Nice grades Rob!

Sumo when you opened packs did you pull any Hogan's?

SumoMenkoMan · October 22, 2014 9:20PM

The one pack I did open didn't have any Hogans. I have another sealed pack, but it doesn't appear to have any Hogans either.

wrestlingcardking · October 22, 2014 11:37PM

I requested a set registry for these cards so it will be online eventually...I believe that Dpeck will have a complete set right away and I want to find me a clean Hogan.

eagles33 · October 23, 2014 12:46AM

These cards look much better slabbed than raw IMO. The hogan seems to be a tough pull too. Great score on the 9.

Dpeck100 · December 2, 2014 11:49AM

1983 Hogan

I just won this item a few days ago. I had seen the Ric Flair and Stan Hanson prior and this is the first time I have seen the Hogan. This would be a really cool item to get signed.

Here is the Flair. I already have a copy of the Hanson so I only won these two.

1983 Flair

1982 Japanese Puroresu Cosmos Vending Set

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