The Rarest 1969 Topp's Baseball Card ?

Robby

I BELIEVE this topic was brought up by someone else , but was never discussed fully ? While checking the Population reports for 1969 Topp's Baseball , lo and behold I see a new co-#1 card - Bowie Kuhn Special ! This card has only five graded examples ( Four Psa 8's and One Psa 7 ) . Checking further , I find that this card is not listed as part of the Master or Basic set as far as set compositions go ! Now my question for you 69's collectors ? How was this card distributed and is it rare to find a copy ? I would love to see a scan of this card - raw or slabbed - if anyone has one ? ..............Robbie

bobsbbcards

The Kuhn card is not part of the 1969 set, and was not printed in the same style. If nobody has posted a picture of one by tonight, I'll post mine. It is pretty hard to find but by no means impossible. I have seen a couple on eBay in the past year or so. Will probably cost you between $40 and $80 (ungraded).

Bob

dude

Interesting. I collected that set as a kid and never saw that card. Was it issued in packs? I'd like to see a scan. Thanks in advance.

bobsbbcards

Here is what the Standard Catalog says about this card:

1969 Topps Bowie Kuhn

Following Kuhn's election as Commissioner in Feb., 1969, Topps produced this special card, presumably for his personal use. In standard 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" format, but printed on thinner than usual card stock, the front has a photo of Kuhn's face composited with the drawing of a crowned baseball player sitting on top of the world. The horizontal back has a few personal data and a career summary.

Here's a picture of the front and back (card is essentially black and white):

Robby

Bob ..............Thank's for the picture and the info ! You are Topp's in my book for coming up with the answers ! .........Robbie

Virtualizard

Bob,

Cool Stuff! Thanks!

Topps obviously issued this card, "tongue-in-cheek". Do you know any more about it than the Standard Catalog lists? The info on the back is slightly amusing:

Eyes: Four
Hair: Black with touches of silver (turning to gold).
Batting Record: 4 children.
Fielding Record: Perfect (no errors in lawsuits).


Any idea how many were produced and how they were introduced into the hobby? How did you get yours?


Thanks again.

JEB.

bobsbbcards

Hi JEB,

I have to plead ignorant on this one. I had never seen one till I tripped over it in the Beckett big book in 2000 (not sure if it was in earlier editions). I bought mine from Brian Morris, probably at one of the Nationals, for $50. I kind of think of it like the 1976 Topps Joe Garagiola card--basically printed and given to the person for publicity but in enough quantity so as not to create a rarity. Sorry I can't give you more info.

Bob

dude

Thanks for the scans Bob! Interesting item indeed.


Fielding Record: Perfect (no errors in lawsuits).

That just goes to show you how dated that card is. It's common knowledge that Kuhn went into bankruptcy because his law firm went belly-up. But several weeks before Kuhn went into bankruptcy, he liquidated all of his assets and bought a $1.2 million house in Florida and was protected by Florida's homestead exemption law and stiffed a bunch of creditors out of a lot of money. Great guy.

marz

never saw it either and I bought tons of packs in 69. That is something.