Relative Scarcity of Topps Test Issues/Inserts

bobsbbcards

Hi,

I was asked my HO (seems wrong to use HO to mean humble opinion in this sentence) about relative scarcity of Topps Baseball Bucks and Topps Greatest Moments. As I tried to form a HO, I began to think about all of the different Topps test issues and inserts and which I have had the most trouble finding (either as sets or as singles). After many reorderings, I would rank the Topps Test issues from 1955 to 1977 as follows in decreasing order of difficulty (leaving out 56 Hocus Pocus which I plead total ignorance). Please feel free to kibitz (criticize) as much you desire. I have reasons for most of the positions, but the list would be a bit unwieldy if I added them. So here goes:

1966 Punchboards

1963 Mantle Plaque (Mask)

1955 Test Stamps

1968 Plaks (statues themselves)

1961 Dice Game

1968 Discs

1970 Cloth Stickers

1967 Giant Stand Ups

1973 Comics

1964 Rookie All-Star Banquet

1967 Punchouts

1967 Test Discs

1967 SF Test Discs

1970 Candy Lids

1968 Plaks Checklist

1973 Pin Ups

1968 3-D

1968 Action All Star Stickers

1974 Puzzles

1969 4-in-1 Mini Stickers

1973 53 Reprints

1965 Push Pull

1971 Greatest Moments

1955 Doubleheaders

1972 Cloth Stickers

1969 Team Posters

1964 Photo Tattoos

1974 Deckle Edge

1962 Baseball Bucks

1956 Pins

1960 Tattoos

1973 Candy Lids

1969 Supers

1976 Cloth Stickers

1974 Action Emblems

1967 Who Am I?

1967 Red Sox Stickers

1967 Pirates Stickers

1968 Tips From Topps Booklet

1968 Posters

1965 Transfers

1964 Stand Ups

1963 Valentine Foldees

1972 Posters

1966 Comic Book Foldees

1975-80 Team Checklist Sheets

1961 Stamps

1962 Stamps

1964 Coins

1969 Decals

1965 Embossed

1966 Rub Offs

1961 Magic Ruboffs

1971 Tattoos

1963 Peel Offs

1969 Stamps

1971 Coins

1970 Supers

1967 Pinups

1971 Supers

1964 Giants

1970 Player Posters

1970-71 Scratch Offs

1969 Deckle Edge

1968 Game

1970 Story Booklets

1974 Stamps

1977 Cloth Stickers

** edited to add in missing sets and take into account feedback. Thanks **

MorrellMan

Bob - very interesting list; thank you for sharing your obviously considerable expertise with us. I was actually surprised at the placement of the '62 Baseball Bucks, which I remember having a ton of when I was a kid. I would have thought they would be down the list closer to the other early 60's inserts (tattoos, stamps, rub-offs, etc.).

Just to be clear, this list represents those issues in descending order of scarcity - is that correct?

67standup

Nice Bob! One of my favorite topics, please thank the guy who inspired you to create this list.

* I have never seen an image or listing for the 1966 Punchboard, have you? I've never seen a Plak statuette for sale either, but have seen a jpg. that a member of this board provided.
* I thought I saw the Mantle mask recently on Ebay?
* With a few minor exceptions, your order resembles mine

In regard to '68 3Ds, I like to reference this excerpt from Mickey's Sportscards on ocassion:

I would rate them in the following order of difficulty (not based on pop but based on owning 2 10/12 complete sets over the years) Hardest to Easiest:

1-Powell; 2) Stottlemyre; 3) Flood; 4)Staub; 5)Perez; 6)Robinson; 7)Swoboda; 8)Clemente; 9)Lonborg; 10)Fairly; 11) Maloney; 12) Willie Davis.

We have 10 of the 12 - missing only the Stott and Flood.

Other than the last three, they're all pretty tough. We were fortunate to pick up PSA 9 Powell and Perez about 5 years ago - I haven't seen one on the market in that grade since.
Mick

bobsbbcards

<< <i>Bob - very interesting list; thank you for sharing your obviously considerable expertise with us. I was actually surprised at the placement of the '62 Baseball Bucks, which I remember having a ton of when I was a kid. I would have thought they would be down the list closer to the other early 60's inserts (tattoos, stamps, rub-offs, etc.).

Just to be clear, this list represents those issues in descending order of scarcity - is that correct? >>


Mark,
Yes, descending order (unless you have a fistful of cards from the top of the list that you want to give me?)

You were fortunate if you had a ton of the bucks. They were not an insert (as were the stamps, rub-offs, etc.). They were issued in their own little pack. I may have them a bit high in the list, but that is because of condition. You can find them (singles) fairly readily. Sets are very tough to find, and well-centered singles have been few and far between (for me).

Now that you have me thinking about it though, I would probably bump them down to just above the 73 Candy Lids.

B

67standup

Here's a useful summary of Topps Test issues




Select "The Library" tab on the left, then select first topic

Topps test issues

bobsbbcards

<< <i>Nice Bob! One of my favorite topics, please thank the guy who inspired you to create this list.

* I have never seen an image or listing for the 1966 Punchboard, have you? I've never seen a Plak statuette for sale either, but have seen a jpg. that a member of this board provided.
* I thought I saw the Mantle mask recently on Ebay?
* With a few minor exceptions, your order resembles mine

In regard to '68 3Ds, I like to reference this excerpt from Mickey's Sportscards on ocassion:

I would rate them in the following order of difficulty (not based on pop but based on owning 2 10/12 complete sets over the years) Hardest to Easiest:

1-Powell; 2) Stottlemyre; 3) Flood; 4)Staub; 5)Perez; 6)Robinson; 7)Swoboda; 8)Clemente; 9)Lonborg; 10)Fairly; 11) Maloney; 12) Willie Davis.

We have 10 of the 12 - missing only the Stott and Flood.

Other than the last three, they're all pretty tough. We were fortunate to pick up PSA 9 Powell and Perez about 5 years ago - I haven't seen one on the market in that grade since.
Mick >>


67SU,
I hereby give you total credit as my muse!

Punchboard - I have seen these in the past, but I don't believe I have seen any on eBay. I think this is one of those cases where lack of interest over the last 38 years or so played a factor in this issue's scarcity.

Plaks - I have seen 3 Plaks in person ever and one (Kaline) on eBay in the last year and a half.

Mantle mask - If this has been on eBay, then it was not listed under Mantle mask or plaque. I look 3 times a day (as does sflayank it seems). I have seen one in person (passed on it at $2,000 and one in a catalog).

3-Ds - Mickey's list looks good although I would move Swoboda to #5 (I have never seen one in person for sale in not cracked).

joedel

Not on Bobs list is the obvious choice for all-time toughest test issue - 1970 Topps Cloth Stickers. I remember a Higgins cloth sticker going for about $450 in a Mastro auction several years ago.

Only a handful are listed in the Standard Catalog, but rumor has it that Olbermann has about 100 different.

1961 Dice Game is extremely tough and I sold a VG Crandall several years ago - much less than what is would command now.

bobsbbcards

1970 Topps Cloth Stickers is #7 on the list. I have seen more of these than any of the top six.

Not to squash any rumors, but why would Keith Olbermann not call Bob Lemke and correct the catalog (he has for other issues)? I think the real reason is that he has about 100 "1977" Cloth Stickers (and not all of them are different). Just a hunch.

67standup

<< <i>Not on Bobs list is the obvious choice for all-time toughest test issue - 1970 Topps Cloth Stickers. I remember a Higgins cloth sticker going for about $450 in a Mastro auction several years ago.

Only a handful are listed in the Standard Catalog, but rumor has it that Olbermann has about 100 different.
>>



It's #7 on Bob's list. Keith does hog all the good stuff.

67standup

In regard to scarcity, isn't there official Topps records that verify the number of copies produced? If not for test/supplemental issues, then how about for "regular" cards?

How many 1952 Mantles and 1968 Ryans were produced? Does anyone have a reasonable guestimate?

bobsbbcards

<< <i>How many 1952 Mantles and 1968 Ryans were produced? Does anyone have a reasonable guestimate? >>


Eight.

67standup

mmm... I thought it was about 100,000. So that's why Topps regular issues command such high prices, it's scarcity.

NickM

I would move intact 1970-71 Scratch-offs several spots higher on the list (probably between 1970 Posters and 1968 Game). These were destroyed in large numbers by kids, and a sizable portion of what remains are only front panels.

Nick

sflayank

Hi
Yes i do scan ebay religiously(lol)
My mantle mask is probably the nicest ive seen out of maybe5 or6
it grades ex exmt..the other ive seen were all poor to fair
and mine is the only one ive seen with the tab
66 punchout should be #1 ive only seen 2 ever
dice game less than 5 of each player my guess
67 standup with die cut less than 10 of each priced way too cheap
1955 stamps less than 10 of each
1970 cloth probably less than 5 of each but price too high for a collection of nobodies
68 discs are impossible to find Im looking for a mantle for 15 years and have never seen one
cant even tell you what it looks like
if anyone wants to see the mantle mask
just email me@sflayank@aol.com

mudflap02

I can sell you this one for $1000.



MOst people have never seen one in person - trust me, this is the real deal. It has #7 written on the back.

67standup

Actually, you have the big tooth variation, which is worth significantly less than the mask with braces.

BugOnTheRug

Cool, Gene Simmons is making a comeback.

hugs and kisses,

BOTR

joedel

Sorry Bobs,

I missed the 1970 Stickers on the list.

Olbermann keeps many of his precious and scarce items away from the general public, including but not limited to the 1970 Cloth Stickers.

Did you know he has the top bat portion which Clemens threw at Piazza during the 2000 World Series? He was near the dugout and asked the batboy for it.

bobsbbcards

I hope Keith calls me if he is ever ready to sell (the cloth stickers, not the bat spear).

I have most of the issues of Card Collector's Quarterly (Keith Olbermann being executive editor and one of the founders if memory serves me correctly). He wrote very interesting articles on cards (mid 70s). I would be thrilled if Sports Collector's Digest packed as much interesting material in its 5,000 pages each week as CCQ did in its 50 pages.

Bob

67standup

Maybe in your spare time, you could post an interesting excerpt or two, especially regarding test issues. Or photo copy and sell it. If someone photo copied SCD issue #1 I'd sure buy it.