Oddball greats

onlychild

Have you ever run across a really great oddball set that seems to have escaped the careful eye of most collectors?

I own a 1982 Diamond Stars set (limited to 10,000). They have to be by far one of the most attractive cards I have ever seen. Bright colors and graphics, the best ball players in history with an excellent biography. I find myself just sitting and admiring these cards for hours. I would bet most have never heard of this truly odd oddball set. It would be nice to have them graded but why...?

Has anything out of the ordinary ever captivated you?

Kevin

67standup

7-11 player plastic cups circa 1972, not really worth a darn, but I like em. LA Dodger Police sets from early 80's also come to mind.

NickM

Collectors learned about 7-11 cups. Then they calculated the storage space that a set takes and passed them up. If you think those are oddball, try 1984 Expos glasses (which are works of art).

onlychild and I are in the L.A. area - Dodger police sets aren't oddball here; they're ubiquitous. If you knew anyone in the LAPD, you could get dozens of sets for free.

I'll go with 1936 Pastel Premiums as my favorite oddball set. They're also known as R312, and VG/EX specimens of cards showing a HOFer often go for less than $20 each.

Nick

onlychild

I have LA police sets and Smokey the Bear sets comming out of my ears...LOL. Well a bit of an over statement....I have some.

Kevin

AlanAllen

I like the all-time greats and HOF sets. In football, the 1974 and 1975 Fleer, 1977 Touchdown Club, 1985 Football Immortals, 1988 and 1989 Swell, 1991 Enor, and Goal Line Art sets. They're all cheap, have great player selection, and usually very good photographs.

The real sleeper in vintage oddball football is 1950 Topps Feltbacks (shhhhhhhhh).

Joe

wolfbear

For football, I really like the 1972 Sunoco Stamps.
You can pick them up cheap, and they have great action photos.

Also, with 12 offensive and 12 defensive players per team,
you get huge player selection, which is very rare for that era.

MorrellMan

Kevin - you're preaching to the choir. However, I can't place the '82 Diamond Stars set - are you talking about the extension set from Den's Collector Den?

I always liked the '86, '87 & '88 Fleer All Stars inserts sets, but there a ton of them around.

I also liked the '87 Kraft baseball cards - something about the simplicity and size of those cards appealed to me, although, with the airbrushed logos, they'll never see the inside of PSA slab.

Another Kraft issue that is gradable are these 90-91 Kraft Hockey cards. I went hog wild in Canada over these and got enought proof of purchases to get several dozen of the sendaways. Here's one:



I like unusual sports and non-sports. These are a 1934 Japanese Soccer set; the next is a 1935 German movie stars tobacco set:





And, lastly, this one'll be slabbed on my next submission for my '48 Swell Sport Thrills registry set:

67standup

Ooops, I misread the original post. No, I don't think Dodger Police sets and 7-11 cups are unrealized collectibles ready to gain popularity. I just like them because they're "odd", by that I mean they are not what I normally collect.

1893 Just So Tobacco and 1949 JCM50 Japanese SF Seals Menko (Red Border) cards come to mind now.

NickM

Morrell - nice pickup on the Tommy Davis. Let us know how it grades.
That WAS a great oddball set that had escaped the careful eye of most collectors.
Now it's just a great oddball set.

Nick

MorrellMan

Nick - I am excited to get that card; it's rare indeed when I can add to my Morrell collection. And, you're right, it is one oddball issue that is starting to get some attention (unfortunately, since I still need some)

I'll post an update when it comes back. I'll include it in a '60s bulk common submission I'm putting together now.

onlychild

Mark,

I actually looked at them again last night. They are called Diamond Classic Stars 1982-83. They came in two parts, apparently I only have the first set. Odd indeed but very attractive. I know what you are saying about those Fleer All-Star sets...I think I multiples of each.

I just found a set of very large 1980 football cards that have some great pics on them....forgot I had them. I wish I was a football fan, they look neat.

That Tommy Davis and set - should we write an article? It would give them more attention and raise the price out of everyone's range....LOL.

Kevin

MorrellMan

Kevin

There are actually some very interesting bits of information about those cards pertaining to scarcity and finish - there was an earlier thread (months ago) regarding the contracting of the finishes differing from year to year and why some Morrells stick to the plastic sheets, and why the '61 set was only 6 cards instead of 12 and of course the parallel issue of postcards, etc. Unfortunately, I'm not the one with that knowledge - I think a couple of our buddies on both coasts probably know a lot more about them. But let's wait till we finish our sets, don't you think?

goodriddance189

1955 Parkhurst Quaker Oats hockey, found only in Quaker Oats cereal boxes, are pretty damn underrated. there are probably less than 100 of each card in existence

MorrellMan

Here's a scan of the Diamond Classics set issued by Big League Collectibles. Nice looking set of "pure" cards:

onlychild

Yep, That is them. Very attractive. You own a set as well?

BTW how do you get a scan to post. I can get as far as attachment but cannot see it on preview.

Scumbi

Does anyone have a 1964 House of Fondue Chemin de Fer set. Jean Claude Renaux was the high dollar card. He was pulled halfway through and replaced with the checklist. I think he had a 19 straight pass winning streak the year before in Monaco and won 58 percent of his hands. The cards were issued in France and Algiers. They came with a small slice of brie. I'd be very interested in purchasing these cards in any grade.

Thanks,

S.

NickM

Scumbi - I had an unopened pack, but they declared it a Superfund site.

Nick

dalew

I tried to grade some of those Diamond Classics.

Came back Refund - No Holder.

I think they are killer cards.

Dale