Any numbers on Topps production?
handyman
Posts: 5,388 ✭✭✭✭✭
Are there any solid numbers or theorys to how many sets topps produced throughout the years. 1952-1975? With all the numberd cards today you would think more would like to know these numbers. I would like to own 99.9% of all the 1965 Topps pete rose cards so I thought I might need to know how many there may be.
Any info would be great. I havent been able to find anything. Are there any facts about maybe how many sheets Topps would cut in one day and maybe how long they would run that product.
Stab in the dark
Any info would be great. I havent been able to find anything. Are there any facts about maybe how many sheets Topps would cut in one day and maybe how long they would run that product.
Stab in the dark
0
Comments
I had a conversation with Larry Fritsch in which he claimed much of the left over product from the 1970's ended up in his warehouse. Of course we have all heard about the dumping of the left-over '52 product into the harbor.
It wasn't until the start of the insert craze that any type of figures were given as to production, as far as I know.
Good luck trying to figure it out, I am sure there are a few that could come up with some pretty fair guesses, I am not one of them.
Joe
<< <i>1987-Present... Too Many???? >>
A LOT
<< <i>1987 - Present = 5.6418 * 10 to the 18th power, give or take a few >>
I agree!
"Live everyday, don't throw it away"
IMF
<< <i>1987-Present... Too Many???? >>
Today's production numbers are a fraction of what they were at their peak in the early 90's. I have only run numbers on recent football products but for most basic and chrome Topps sets the production number is around 100,000/card. For specialty sets like Topps Mayo, its only 10,000/card. I used the printed insertion ratios to calculate these numbers, so anything that comes in a factory set or distributed some other would skew the numbers.
<< <i>From what I have heard Topps production figures for 1952-1975 were a closely guarded secret. >>
It's funny that they kept the figures closely guarded, and now they print the figures directly on the card.
Yikes!
1. The book is from the 80s.
2. It came from an off brand publisher.
3. There is no indiciation in the book, as I recall, as to how the numbers were secured.
For what it is worth, I can share some information about and from this book if there is an interest. Just keep in mind to take it with a grain of salt.
Matt
At first nobody cared, cards were a throw in to sell bubble gum.
As it later became obvious that people were saving the cards, Topps decided it was no one's business how many they printed.
When the insert phenomenon hit, producers decided to publish production numbers to verify the number of inserts you had a chance at getting out of each box/case.
Joe
Because that TRUE number is either way, way higher than we speculate; or, it's way, way lower than we think.
Ouch!
I say: keep it quiet.
Crazy numbers!
Lets say 33% got thrown away. So we have 4 million Pete Rose cards left. Now lets just say they average Ex condition at 50.00 each. Those cards are worth about 200,000,000.00 dollars. Just for the 1 card out of 598 cards.
That is a lot of cards!
Im just having fun with the numbers.
But to think 6 million of each was made seems very high for any company in 1965.
I think the number might be lower. But who knows.
It is Copyrighted 1980 by the Green Mountain Press. The book is by Marion S. Brooks and its production figures are based upon his "research." No further details are provided.
From there, the book, like your typical price guide, has pages for Bowman followed by Topps through 1980. Only the main regular issue sets are listed.
For each year, availability numbers are provided. Many sets have a little blurb as well. This is followed by a price guide. For example, turning to 1952 Topps:
Number of collectors: 8,300
Availability each low card: 6,800
Availability each semi-card:3,100
Availability each high card: 1,350
"It is now established that #311, 312 and 313 are double prints. Availability patterns suggest that more than one size sheet was used to print this set. The high numbers had a very uneven distribution, but were readily available in Canada."
Fast forwarding to 1978 Topps (my personal favorite year), it lists the availability of each card at 330,000 (and interestingly, Murray is not individually listed; it is considered a "common").
Again, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the numbers. In any event, I have kept the books all these years as yet another resource. It is also a kick to look at the Larry Fritsch ad in the book. While his set prices now look like a steal, back in the day, they were even high then. LOL
Matt
Who was their target market? What was the target age/sex demographic? How many of them are there? How many cards did Topps think each of these consumers would purchase?
Thus, how many should be produced?
Might be an interesting show on Mad Men one week
Can't say where the info is.
Production back to 52 was still in the 100,000+ range for sure
T206's were estimated to be in the millions
I believe most years were aroung 500,000 or so.
I have heard FB cards were 10% of BB cards back then.
A good measure might be look at the total sent into psa for grading for pre 70
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
<< <i>Donruss is still printing 1988 cards
IMF >>
It's sick but I would believe it.
Dave
<< <i>Based on some pack insert or other that was included in 1983 Topps BB we (SCD) extrapolated that production of each card in the regular set was about 750,000. >>
I also did that with 1983 Topps a while back and came up with similar numbers, but if I remember correctly my numbers were for wax/cello pack cards only. You also have to take into account the cards in vending and rack packs, which did not have the contest insert card. Or did you already include those in your estimates as well?
<< <i>Based on some pack insert or other that was included in 1983 Topps BB we (SCD) extrapolated that production of each card in the regular set was about 750,000. >>
That seems reasonable. The book I have above gave a production number of 500,000 per card for 1980 Topps. An up trend to 750,000 seems in line with the growing popularity of card collecting at that time.
Matt
Or Regional Canadian Baseball Issues?
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