topps history vintage cards

celesterussell

Although baseball cards are a big part of our "lives", very little seems to be know about how vintage BB cards were distributed, etc.

For example, I once read where topps actually had a formula in deciding what players cards were included in a particular series.

Does anybody out there know any details on this.

Also, please notice how the last or next to last series of cards always included fringe players (especially in the 1959 and 1969 and 1972 sets) who were not originally expected to make the team.

Obviously, this means that these cards were printed after the season started.

Also, the 1969 Dick Ellsworth shows him as an indian even though he was traded to them at the end of april, 1969.

This leads me to my second point, does anybody have any "history " of how long each series was out until the next series was issued and tryically, when the series were issued.

I do know for example that for example the final series of 1972 was in stores at mid July. I also know thru my cluttered mind that the 3rd series 1969 cards were issued around the 25th or so of April, as it happened to be the day of report cards.

Anybody like to contribute to this post?

thanks

milbroco

I am not sure about this but I seem to remember someone telling me that Topps intentionally numbered the star cards 50...100...200...300...400.....and so on or something like that.
Bob

zep33

It would be interesting to read about that stuff. Wish I could help



Topps Wiki Entry would be a good place to update any info you can find out

parkerj

Topps absolutely numbered cards based on player stature. The best players were given 100,200, etc. Next tier were the 50,150,250, etc....then next teir was the 10,20,30, etc....then onto commons.

They did this right up through the 80s. Maybe they still do it, i stopped collecting topps in 1989.

Estil

I think they still do the "0" thing today. It would be interesting to see how Topps determined who to put in what numbers. I know Topps still uses card #1 to spotlight a particular superstar, whereas Topps in the past did various other things for card #1 (such as the commish or the top record breaker/highlight from the previous year).