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1964 Topps Baseball Giants Question (the oversized cards, not the team with the oversized star)

I am mostly a football collector, so I need to ask a question to the baseball cards experts out there.

Were these cards ever issued in factory wrapped sets? I thought there were inserts or box toppers.

Also why are these cards valued low relative to other 1960's baseball cards? I would think the large size and potential for damage would make them more popular with graded card collectors (like the 1976-77 Basketball cards).

Thanks in advance guys. BTW - I moved from Detroit to LA this past month, so goodbye cold weather forever, but Go Pistons!
Mike

Comments

  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭
    What are you doing in LA now?
  • ndleondleo Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mike
  • ndleondleo Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey Boopotts,
    I was recruited to work with one of the media companies out in Burbank. I was working at Ford (or Fords if you are local), but it wasn't worth it anymore. I have been looking to get out of the car biz for some time now and the perfect opportunity fell into my lap.

    LA has its problems, but it's 76 and sunny right now and the economy is doing pretty good. I hope Ford turns it around, but I'm not so sure with the current management. I still have a 1000 shares of the blue oval, maybe I can trade them for Reggie Bush rookie cards!
    Mike
  • AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    I think the reason for their relative low price has to do with supply.

    From what I have read and heard, these cards were everywhere (and I do mean everywhere) when they were released. As such, there seems to be a ton of them out there in high grade.

    It's a sharp looking set.
  • baseballfanaticbaseballfanatic Posts: 2,415 ✭✭
    There was a TON of these cards floating around years ago (late 80's) and you could pick them up for 5.00 a set, if you wanted to pay that much. Heres a quote from the Topps Insert, Test, and Supplemental page from oldbaseball.com:

    R-414-36

    The real title of this set should be All Stars, but nobody calls 'em by that name. These large (3 1/8" x 5 1/4") cards feature stunning photography and snappy writeups on the reverse. And hey, they have photos on the backs! I've heard that's all the rage these days. Most probably released in the weeks prior to the 1964 All Star game, the set is very reasonably priced. At one point dealers were giving these cards away with other purchases, indicating way too many were produced by Topps. In fact, the Mantle card is often available for twenty bucks or so, even in nice shape. Complete sets are frequently seen and are definitely the way to go. What are you waiting for?
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    They were issued in packs with either a yellow band (like Bob's scan) or with a white band. Additionally, in Dodger Stadium in the '70's they were repacked into promo envelopes and sold 25 for a buck.
    I think there are still cases of vending around, and graded prices seem to be dropping as the pops climb.

    Ndleo- this is the coldest spring I can remember- it's usually 80's by now with occasionally 90 degree days. Hope you didn't bring the Detroit weather with you!

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,359 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree, it is a very cool set.
  • ndleondleo Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Griff - That's funny that you mention the cold weather in LA. I went back to Detroit last weekend to finish my move and it was raining hard and cold for 4 days. My buddies told me it was really nice before I arrived and that I must have brought the bad weather with me.

    So this set was never issued in a factory cello wrap? Could you buy it a complete set from Topps? The reason I'm asking is that a guy is trying to sell me a complete set that is wrapped in cello, like a huge cello pack.
    Mike
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Nd

    what you have described sounds like a repack.

    Steve
    Good for you.
  • ndleondleo Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks to everyone for the advice. Here is the $64K question - How much would pay for a NM-MT set wrapped in cello? The Beckett value is $300.
    Mike
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    If it's NM-MT, 300. would seem about right, based on 2 years ago. I haven't checked raw on them lately, though, so you might want to check recent pricing.
    The cello to me doesn't mean anything, since I agree it's probably a rewrap. I've never seen OC cards though, so if the corners are sharp (and the cards untrimmed) you should be OK.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • bobsbbcardsbobsbbcards Posts: 3,254 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I've never seen OC cards though, so if the corners are sharp (and the cards untrimmed) you should be OK. >>


    I've seen quite a few OC cards. I picked up five sets a while back as part of a larger deal, and the centering was all over the place (including a MC or two). Since the cello rap doesn't mean much in this case, I'd want to bust it open and see the individual cards before I bought.
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    Guess I've just been lucky then, because for the most part they seem pretty well cut, especially considering the thin borders.
    I hear the '55 Doubleheaders are often way off center, do you have any info on those Bob?

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • I had a beautiful set that I had SGC grade the stars from before PSA was doing oversized cards. The Mantle, Clemente and Yaz pulled 96s, the Koufax was a 92, etc.

    I'm pretty sure that there was a warehouse find of these at some point that yeilded a bunch of mint sets (in additon to the huge supply that was already floating around).

    They're great looking cards and really have nowhere to go but up.
  • eyeboneeyebone Posts: 1,404 ✭✭✭
    The newest edition of Tuff Stuff actually has a feature article on the '64 Giants set. Good timing.

    Eyebone
    "I'm not saying I'm the best manager in the world, but I'm in the top one." Brian Clough
  • ndleondleo Posts: 4,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Eyebone - Thanks for the tip. Is the article worth picking up?
    Mike
  • bishopbishop Posts: 2,917 ✭✭✭
    Maybe someone found a bunch of 64 Giant Cello packs mixed in with those Christmas packs......
    Topps Baseball-1948, 1951 to 2017
    Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
    Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007

    Al
  • eyeboneeyebone Posts: 1,404 ✭✭✭
    ndleo:

    pm me your address and I will rip it out and send it to you.

    eyebone
    "I'm not saying I'm the best manager in the world, but I'm in the top one." Brian Clough
  • GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    The writer is a member of this board (vintage collector) and it was a nicely written article. Not as much on the nuances of the set, but on the nostalgic part of '64 supplementary issues.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

  • My experience with the Giants is they are very easy to find, except the high number commons.

    But I recently bought a lot of them with 2 high numbers, the seller didn't know they were high
    numbers.

    They are all over Ebay. They are great looking cards, I've got all the HOF'ers displayed in my office at
    work.

    You find a lot in NM condition, or beat to death, with pin holes, tape, etc....

    It seems they were either left in a drawer or shelf because of their odd size, or stuck on a wall.
  • I need #57 Ken Boyer in PSA 8 or 9 to complete my set. Can anyone help?
    Baseball is my Pastime, Football is my Passion
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