Does this 1955 item really exist?

Morgoth

Link to auctin on ebay for a 1955 Topps Clemente RC ring topps supposedly issued in 55. I can't believe it's legit but you never know. I have a big book at home but I can never find anything in it. Does anyone know for sure if it is real?
1955 Clemente RC Ring

Stingray

Not sure, though I do remember buying 1975s out of a vending machine, though they came out of the machine sandwiched between to pieces of cardboard.

Barfvader

They also have

RARE 1955 TOPPS SANDY KOUFAX ROOKIE VENDING RING
RARE 1955 TOPPS JACKIE ROBINSON VENDING RING
RARE 1955 TOPPS TED WILLIAMS VENDING RING
RARE 1960 TOPPS MICKEY MANTLE VENDING RING
RARE 1960 TOPPS HANK AARON VENDING RING
RARE 1960 TOPPS ROGER MARIS VENDING RING

rube26105

looks like a pic of the card on a sticker stuck to a piece of metal to me, id think if it was from 55 they would should show some discolor in the pics and the plastic, look way too and modern to be real to me,
randy

jimq112

Unless they made a whole set in 55 I'm skeptical. The Pirates were the worst team in baseball in 54 and got clemente with the first pick in the draft from the dodgers. The Dodgers tried to hide him in montreal because they didn't really "need" him, but didn't want to lose him to the Giants (the whole reason they signed him to begin with).

Clemente had language problems and was not only hispanic but was a dark hispanic in Pittsburgh, an area with very few hispanics in the mid 50s. He wasn't loved much and certainly wasn't the hot rookie or anything like that.

Hard to believe they would have made a rookie ring of him unless it was a whole set, and it's hard to believe this seller found the only ones made or the first to surface in 20+ years.

More likely they have a copier/reducer, and a supply of flat plastic rings, plastic eggs, and some creativity skills.


Also, why no reserve on these super rare things, but a reserve on a vg-ex 65 willie mays?

Barfvader

I've asked for pics of the back and if there is any writing on them stating that Topps made them.

I seriously doubt I will get a reply.

And I have an idea what these might be as I am looking at something in the Standard Catalog that has been identified as a fake.

Edited to add scan:



I'm not saying that these are the same but it's possible that the rings have been made the same way by cutting out the pics from a book and putting them together in whatever way they have been made.



Jeff

rube26105

i have some of the rings that they are probably mounted on,mine are of pez and cartoon characters and stuff like that, theyare fake, made in taiwan ill put up a pic in a sec
randy -they are probably atached to cheap pot metal ring something like this- if they are so rare hes sold another 55 ted william on there and a jackie robinson,which they never would have made in a million years due to racial issues back in the day,FAKE not even good ones lol,i asked him if they were metal or plastic ,on his feedback ted went for 16. something and jackie for 26 something,theres a sucker born every minute

rube26105

they just emailed me back and said rings are white plastic,surprised they got back !
randy

Barfvader

I haven't received a reply to my question so being that it's hot and I am bored I dug out my Atlanta Braves Surf book.

So here is the Aaron from the auction. I had to blow it up which of course makes it look bad but anyway.



Arron from the Surf book scanned, cropped and resized to actual size.



And large scan from the book.



The thing I noticed is that on the ring look at the way it's cut and compare it to the large scan from the book. They both have a tilt to them.

I say that the rings are a homemade item.



Jeff

stown

I've been collecting '55s for a looooooooooooooooong time and I've never seen one before.

Not saying it doesn't exist and that's not legit; however, if it were me, I would pass.

mikeschmidt

Was 1955 the year when Topps produced the test stamp series?

Morgoth

All signs are pointing to this being a rip off. It seems like a very odd idea though, take cards and put them on plastic rings.

Carew29

Anybody ever thought of just asking Topps?? Seems like a no brainer to me..... Send them a link of the auction.

AUPT

Nobody left at Topps has any idea what was issued in 1995, much less 1955.

These rings are modern fantasies, a total fraud.