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Topps Foldees
MorrellMan
Posts: 3,241 ✭✭✭
This post regards a set that I've spent some time researching.
The Foldees issue is a bit confusing because of the different release dates and designs. Basically, the small format Funny Foldees set was released in the mid 50's, most books say 1955, although I've heard that they could have been released as early as 1949.
The next set, simply called Foldees, is the one that has always been in question for me. It is listed as 1962, but as far as I can see, the 1962 dating of this set stems from the fact that it was "assigned the catalog number R708-8 by Buck Barker in his 4th list of ACC additions (7-25-62)...printed in the July 1962 issue of The Card Collectors Bulletin." This is how the set is described in both #2 & #4 of the Benjamin price guides.
I distinctly recall playing with these cards in my living room in Van Nuys. I remember the Gandhi card and a few others, and I specifically recall the solid colors on the 3 ad panels of the Foldees, as well as the smiling "F". We moved from Van Nuys in January of 1961 - I'm sure I had these cards no later than 1960. My feeling is that this is a 1960 issue and not a 1962 issue.
Just as added info, there are at least 2 other Foldees sets, known as Valentine Foldees - identical in content to each other with the difference being that the 1963 set featured a wheel design on the ad panels, while the 1970 set featured a bananas design on the ad panels. I didn't collect either of these, so I have nothing further to add to them.
If any of you old timers, like me, have any similar recollections regarding these sets, I'd love to hear them.
The Foldees issue is a bit confusing because of the different release dates and designs. Basically, the small format Funny Foldees set was released in the mid 50's, most books say 1955, although I've heard that they could have been released as early as 1949.
The next set, simply called Foldees, is the one that has always been in question for me. It is listed as 1962, but as far as I can see, the 1962 dating of this set stems from the fact that it was "assigned the catalog number R708-8 by Buck Barker in his 4th list of ACC additions (7-25-62)...printed in the July 1962 issue of The Card Collectors Bulletin." This is how the set is described in both #2 & #4 of the Benjamin price guides.
I distinctly recall playing with these cards in my living room in Van Nuys. I remember the Gandhi card and a few others, and I specifically recall the solid colors on the 3 ad panels of the Foldees, as well as the smiling "F". We moved from Van Nuys in January of 1961 - I'm sure I had these cards no later than 1960. My feeling is that this is a 1960 issue and not a 1962 issue.
Just as added info, there are at least 2 other Foldees sets, known as Valentine Foldees - identical in content to each other with the difference being that the 1963 set featured a wheel design on the ad panels, while the 1970 set featured a bananas design on the ad panels. I didn't collect either of these, so I have nothing further to add to them.
If any of you old timers, like me, have any similar recollections regarding these sets, I'd love to hear them.
Mark (amerbbcards)
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
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Comments
steve
Just a general comment, take it or leave it. I have found over the last 20 years or so that the Benjamin Guide, should be just that and no more, a guide. There are several issues that I believe and my research has proven out over the last few years that are just plain wrong in there issue dates. And to compound the problem is the fact that even though Topps is still in business, evidently there recordkeeping is so abysmal they don't know when issues were put out even into the 70's, let alone the 50's & 60's. Nor are they willing to help with questions.
Neil
<< <i>Good Day,
I have found over the last 20 years or so that the Benjamin Guide, should be just that and no more, a guide. There are several issues that I believe and my research has proven out over the last few years that are just plain wrong in there issue dates.
Neil >>
Neil, that's a very good point. You'll note that the 1962 year is never mentioned as an issue date; it just says that that was the year it was reported. The mistake is in misinterpreting that info. The Topps X-Ray Round-Up set is a good example. The year of issue was 1949. We know this for a number of reasons, one of which is because some of the advertising material is still around. However, PSA was, for years, identifying them as 1952. I got together with Cosetta at the Nat'l and we pinpointed the reason: The Benjamin guide starts its description like this: "It is ironic that Topps, which by 1952 had begun a media blitz boasting of its...." Thus, the set was saddled with a 1952 date of issue.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
One of my Favorite topics of debate is the Topps Target: Moon Salmon backs. Benjamin has reported the date on these in different editions of his guide as 1958 and as 1968. After much research, I believe that they were put out in 1968 due mainly because of an Un-Cut sheet that surfaced a couple of years ago with the 67 Topps Hot Rods and 67 Who Am I? as part of the same sheet, each 1/3, all Salmon Back. This sheet sold last year at Mastronet. Also I had an extensive e-mail conversation with a 25 year Production Manager at Topps Non Sport a couple of years ago and he swears he was involved, and they came out in 67/68. But several elder Statesman of Non Sports do not agree with me and insist they are from 1958. Maybe that's the fun, it will never be 100% resolved.
Neil
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Any basis for this stance, info to back up our contention that it is 1968.
I went to Cosetta at PSA with scans, info, and the Mastronet info on the Un-Cut sheet. She consulted with one of the top three Non Sport Elder Statesman (Who will remain nameless), and that Expert unequivocally thinks they are 1958, so end of story, His opinion is worth more than cold hard facts, which is what I consider an Un-Cut sheet to be, cold hard fact !!!!!
Neil
Take your evidence to Joe.
More than anyone else, I think Joe wants to make it right.
IMHO, PSA is going to the whip on NS issues, and we're the experts.
Good luck.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Is it possible that the salmon backs were issued in 1958 and again as a reissue in 1968?
Steve
I personally don't think the Salmon backs were re-issued as you asked. The Target: Moon were already a Re-Issue of the earlier 1957 Space Cards/1958 Target: Moon Blue backs. The story I was told by the long time production Mgr. at Topps to make a long story short is that they were thrown together in 67/68 to capitilize on the upcoming Moon landing and that the reason they only used Random numbers from the 88 Card Space/Target Moon Blue back set is that they only came up with 44 to print in Salmon because the rest of the original set was out of date, Technology and or Information on the original (1957/1958) cards had been proven wrong or implausible by 1967/8. Secondly why would Topps put two new series, Who Am I? and Hot Rods on the same production sheet as the Salmon backs. If the were some sort of Re-print deal I would think all three would be Re-hashes.
Neil
Another point, and this may just be my own perception, the salmon back fronts all have a slightly less clear image, as if reproduced from a sheet rather than a plate.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
That's where the different opinions exist. There is a 50 something who says he does remember collecting them in the 50's. I think he is wrong and has stuff mixed up, we all do that. I'm 50 and have advanced CRS. The problem is this person has one of the highest numbers of sets on the Registry and has submitted 10's of thousands of cards for grading. So even when Cosetta was presented with the Sheet as evidence she contacted this person for their opinion on the sheet, and he told her sheet or no sheet the Salmon backs are from 1958, end of story................... I was part of this three way conversation and was basically told until this other person said it wasn't so... The cards stay listed as 1958.
Neil
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
I would agree, but who said it was Bill???
Neil
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."