Topps 4 in 1 cards, football & baseball ??

speeder

Hi all

Can someone give me a rundown on these two Topps cards set.

They both seem to be somewhat rare ? How rare ?

Football tougher than baseball ? or vice versa ?

How has the collecting hobby taken to them ? Its been since 1969 or so since they have been out.

Thanks, Lee

WinPitcher

Lee

I think baseball is tuffer then the football.

im actually sure of it as i have around 10 of the footballs and if they were rarer I wouldn't.

Steve

kingraider75

don't really know much about those.

baseballfanatic

The football were inserts that game in packs, the baseball was a test issue in itself issued in packs. The baseball is 100 times tougher..........

speeder

Kingraider75

Please build your post count on someone else`s thread !

Or was it your plan to post your ignorance ?

Lee

baseballfanatic

Hers a quote from oldbaseball.com:

1969 4 On 1 Mini Stickers (25)

R-414-UNC

Topps must have really liked the design they used in 1969, since they reproduced it twice in miniature. Sold in wax packs at three for a nickel, these 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" stickers featured four little 1969 Topps cards, each of which could be peeled off individually, resulting in 100 different stickers. Culled from the third series, the boys in Brooklyn were not too discriminating in player selection since World Series and Rookie Cards show up here. Perhaps this test issue was to have been expanded if it caught on. It didn't and today these can go for a pretty hefty price. Topps seemed intent on coming up with new marketing ideas in the late Sixties, some of which worked and some of which resurfaced in the Eighties and Nineties such as Topps Micro (based on the mini stickers), 1981 Scratch Offs (based on the 70/71 version) and 1984 Rub Offs (based on a few previous efforts). There was some serious long range planning going on at Topps in the late Sixties, which goes a long way toward explaining why they are still atop the heap as we head off into the sunset of the Twentieth Century. All these test issues and inserts were designed to thwart off upstart competition, although not always in the baseball line. Philadelphia Gum's attempts to crash the football party resulted in across the board gimmicks designed to keep kids loyal to Topps and there was even some cross-marketing going on between baseball, football and non-sports. And I'll bet dollars to dropos that Topps' getting into the basketball and hockey markets in the middle Sixties was more about cutting off the competition at the knees than from any desire they might have had to get wrapped up in two minor (at the time) sports.

The football four in ones were issued the same way that the Topps stamps, coins, bucks, ruboffs etc were. When you bought a pack, they were included as a "bonus"

bhl2359

<< <i>Kingraider75

Please build your post count on someone else`s thread !

Or was it your plan to post your ignorance ?

Lee >>


Charming.

speeder

Ok, baseball 4 in 1 cards are HTF than football.

Now, where does 1969 OPC hockey 4 in 1 cards rate ??


(not my card)

Thanks, Lee

baseballfanatic

The OPC's were exactly like the football cards. The stamps were meant to be taken apart and pasted into the booklets. More common than baseball stickers, far more rare than the football because hockey didnt get the exposure that football did so the print runs were smaller..........

speeder

bbf,

Thanks bro, your a gentleman and a scholar !

Till next time

Lee

riccaboni

I seem to remember an OPC 4 in 1 baseball issue also. I know they did an OPC Deckle; did these 4 in 1s exist or am I making this up?

-Ian

bobsbbcards

<< <i>I seem to remember an OPC 4 in 1 baseball issue also. I know they did an OPC Deckle; did these 4 in 1s exist or am I making this up?

-Ian >>


Yep, you're making it up. No OPC 4-in-1 in baseball.

bishop

Bob----was it 1 in 4 ?

flatfoot816

I actually have the top rated BB 4 in 1 set(mams '69 4 in 1). I love the small sets since they are relatively affordable to put together and it does not cost you thousands to get graded, and since I am not a patitent person, need it done quickly. I picked up the set from the Sprortscards Plus auction several years ago when there was a "find" of a number of Topps test issues by a former employee. Many '67 Stand Ups and even 2 '69 Topps Super BB Packs--of which I picked up 1. I had the set graded immediately but need to upgrade due to centering and stain problems. Where the problems are I cannot tell, but PSA found them!

Baseball is much tougher than FB, as FB 4 in 1s can be found on eBay regulary. Anyone selling hi-grade(8 and above) BB 4 in 1s want a premium. I recently picked up a wrapper of the set, and yes they were put out in wax packs as a test. I heard that Steve Hart had a complete pack of BB 4 in 1s at the Naitonal that a board member picked up.

mikeschmidt

I used to own a really high grade 1969 Topps 4-in-1 Baseball set.

It is definitely tougher than football. The two biggest things that plague the issue, assuming you can find them are a) centering. These cards are very often off-centered, and b) sticker removal. Just by the nature of having four stickers on a card - sometimes the glue isn't perfect and/or there are creases on the back of the card to mirror the creases of the four stickers. Those drop the card to a 5/Excellent type grade.

Those were the days [pre-Registry], I believe my set had both a PSA 9 of Rose and Mays.

~ms

baseballfanatic

One of the problems that plaque the baseball 4 in 1's ( if memory serves me) is there is usually a tiny line between the top two stickers about 3/4's of the way down connecting the two top stickers. I dont know if it was extra ink on the rollers or what, but these lines will always add the ST quallifier on the cards. I have a bunch I wont send in because a test group I sent in all came back 8 and 9ST. There still are a few of the test packs floating around. One was even on Ebay in the past and fetched a pretty penny...

bobsbbcards

Here's what the baseball ones look like:

bobsbbcards

...and a pack:

mikeschmidt

You rock, Bob

baseballfanatic

Topps spared no expense when it came to test wrappers.....