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Topps Heritage collectors probably need to look at this

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to show you guys my latest Topps Heritage purchase. I questioned the existence of this card until a couple months ago, when I had the opportunity to buy one. In the twelve and a half years since 2001 Topps Heritage came out, I had never seen one. I had heard many stories of people owning one but all of those were either fabrications or dead ends. This card was pulled as a live box topper, not as a redemption as some had suspected. I purchased the card from the guy who pulled it and he sent me the card in the original card saver and sleeve. He said it was just sitting on top of the packs, not in any kind of pack. Given this story I would think that the value of an unopened hobby box would continue to hold strong. Anyway you hard core Heritage guy should appreciate this…..

2001 Topps Heritage Willie Mays Autoproof – 1952 Topps Buyback


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Comments

  • burke23burke23 Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭
    Wow - that is fantastic! Not a Heritage guy so did not know of the 'rumor'. Nice pickup for sure.
    Looking for rare Randy Moss rookies and autos, as well as '97 PMG Red Football cards for my set.
  • So this one is numbered to 25 which means there are 24 more out there somewhere and none have ever surfaced?
  • FavreFan1971FavreFan1971 Posts: 3,105 ✭✭✭
    So is this a real 1952 card? Then auto'd?


  • << <i>So is this a real 1952 card? Then auto'd? >>



    Yes Sir


  • << <i>So this one is numbered to 25 which means there are 24 more out there somewhere and none have ever surfaced? >>



    It's the only one I've ever seen and I have collected the set since it came out. It doesn't mean there aren't more out there but I haven't ever got a look at one.

    Makes me really want to crack that case I have stashed away.
  • TNP777TNP777 Posts: 5,711 ✭✭✭
    Yes, this is an original 1952 Mays that was purchased specifically as a box topper in the inaugural Heritage set. Joe has one of the most advanced '01 Heritage collections out there and has been searching hard for it since he heard about it. As he said, all he heard was rumors and half truths which lead to dead ends and vague hints that it actually existed. That there are supposedly 25 of them that were inserted loose into hobby boxes and this is the first one to publicly rear it's head, well that sorta boggles the mind.

    Joe, congrats again on the pickup. I will give it the appropriate look of disgust when I see it in person.
  • Who's auto is that? It does not look like it says Willie Mays...
  • jmoran19jmoran19 Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭
    Case, nice!! I went crazy buying these, only have 1 unopened hobby box left so there are still 23 Mays out there image

    Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972

  • parkerjparkerj Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭
    Joe,

    Congrats on landing THE true white whale for all heritage cards ever produced....the fabled autoproof.

    I know Olberman has one and so does another collector i know and trust wholeheartedly, but i had never seen either of them. Now we have it saved for posterity.

    Good job my friend,
    jim

    Edited to add: What is the box out on the back?


  • << <i>Who's auto is that? It does not look like it says Willie Mays... >>



    My Mays auto that I obtained in person is closer to the signature than the facsimile in that picture.
  • Geordie -

    The look of disgust is totally fair. I'll assume you have that look down, since I see you make it every time you hear the words "giants" and "World Series champs" together.

    Jimbo-

    The box is to protect the integrity of the card. The hologram configuration is unlike any I've other seen and would be hard to counterfeit. Topps should go back to it but it would be much more labor intensive.

    As far as other owners of the card, Olbermann has told me directly that he does not own one. I don't know why he'd lie to me so I'm going to take him at his word on this. I know Matt has also told me he has one in a safety deposit box but he's never sent a scan so this is the first I've seen. I believe Matt so it's only a matter of time before he shows it off
  • parkerjparkerj Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭
    Oh.....Matt is the one who told me Olbermann had one, but if you have heard directly, I believe that....and Matt is the one I am aware has one....but he never showed it to me....it's apparently locked away. He also mentioned Howard Rison (sp?) too.
  • parkerjparkerj Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭
    Here is something I never understood...where did the term "autoproof" come from? is this what topps called this card back in the day?
  • I have to ask even thought I probably already know the answer, but how much would an auto-proof like that go for?
    I collect vintage PSA graded SF Giants, Willie Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, Marichal and Perry. And modern players like Buster Posey, Will Clark and Barry Bonds.

    youtube acct


  • << <i>Oh.....Matt is the one who told me Olbermann had one, but if you have heard directly, I believe that....and Matt is the one I am aware has one....but he never showed it to me....it's apparently locked away. He also mentioned Howard Rison (sp?) too. >>



    Risen doesn't have one either. Howard is a little harder to get ahold of but he's told me directly he doesn't own one.

    The term "autoproof" is something Topps came up with to describe it's autographed buyback program. These different autoproofs of varying numbered editions were supposed to be spread out through different products, kind of like the "Topps Team Legends" program that was also abandoned before it was completed.



  • << <i>I have to ask even thought I probably already know the answer, but how much would an auto-proof like that go for? >>



    Not cheap
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Joe - congratulations on a great pickup.

    One of the coolest items I've seen this year!

    I've purchased Heritage since it started and didn't know those were box toppers.

    I'd be lying if I didn't say I was envious. That would be the centerpiece of many collections.
    Mike
  • zep33zep33 Posts: 6,897 ✭✭✭
    WOW!! That is pure awesomeness right there

    congrats!!
  • frankhardyfrankhardy Posts: 8,044 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice.

    You would think the flip would say 1952 Topps somewhere on it.

    Shane

  • Mick65Mick65 Posts: 722 ✭✭✭


    How do you determine it's from the Heritage Series....where the huge gold foil stamp??

    I am not that familiar with this one.
  • burke23burke23 Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭
    Did it come slabbed? If so, wouldn't it be easy to see the entire pop of these?
    Looking for rare Randy Moss rookies and autos, as well as '97 PMG Red Football cards for my set.
  • It didn't come slabbed. The original owner had a full PSA/DNA letter done on it. I submitted it to PSA and it is a POP 1.

    It originally came back from PSA in a PSA/DNA red flip listed as a 1952 topps but just with the autograph authenticity noted. I sent it back because I felt it was most important to have Heritage and Autoproof listed on the flip. There is only so much room, so I had to chose what I felt should be on the flip. In the set registry it does note that it is a 1952 buyback.

    Topps didn't put any sort of stamping on these buybacks. The hologram is really the only thing that differentiates it and like I said previously, the way it was done, it is a very nice security feature.
  • parkerjparkerj Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭
    I would add that it seems HIGHLY unlikely there are more than 10 of these in existence, let alone 25....do we know what matt's serial #/25 is?
  • Mick65Mick65 Posts: 722 ✭✭✭




    << <i>Topps didn't put any sort of stamping on these buybacks. The hologram is really the only thing that differentiates it and like I said previously, the way it was done, it is a very nice security feature. >>



    OK, so you have blocked out the hologram on the scan, (?). Very interesting.... wonder why they went to the gold foil, this card looks so much cleaner without it.
  • FirstBeardFirstBeard Posts: 460 ✭✭✭
    Not trying to make a political statement or anything, but why all of the watermarks and white-outed sections on your pictures? Is there really a worry someone will steal the images and do something nefarious? I am not trolling - legitimately curious.

    Incredible pick-up by the way. Congrats.

    No where near the same level of amazing, but I opened some 2001 Topps Traded obtained from a group break on here last Xmas with my dad. Looking for the Pujols, but pulled an amazing Bobby Thompson 52 Topps Reprint on card Auto. We are huge SF fans so it was an awesome pull.
  • WaltWalt Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭
    Great card. Nice to finally see one close up. I guess I will have to wait for the second one. Too bad the mystery behind this card will stay a mystery as all the people who worked for
    topps back in 01 are gone. I personally think that topps forgot to insert these into boxes and that they are all sitting in some cabinet at topps. Keep in mind that topps kept back
    some un-numbered red ink cards that they used as replacemets early in 2002. They clearly had some issues with the Mays signings. Perhaps they were thinking that by keeping back these
    cards, they would have super high end replacement cards to offer collectors to trade in (a practice that they did back then). They also probably thought that 25 was so rare and that after
    a while no one would notice....I mean, really, how popular could the heritage product line really be after 12 years?

    LOL

    Waalt
  • paleocardspaleocards Posts: 922 ✭✭✭✭
    Now that's a holy-grail -- congratulations!


  • << <i>Not trying to make a political statement or anything, but why all of the watermarks and white-outed sections on your pictures? Is there really a worry someone will steal the images and do something nefarious? I am not trolling - legitimately curious.

    Incredible pick-up by the way. Congrats.

    No where near the same level of amazing, but I opened some 2001 Topps Traded obtained from a group break on here last Xmas with my dad. Looking for the Pujols, but pulled an amazing Bobby Thompson 52 Topps Reprint on card Auto. We are huge SF fans so it was an awesome pull. >>



    No offense taken at all. And it may be overkill but with all craigslist scams and fake flips in the marketplace, I didn't think I could be too careful. This card is very rare/valuable and usually that is a recipe for counterfeiters. I am just trying to protect the integrity of the card, while still letting others see it.
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    Very cool card and I believe for a unique item like this, it's very smart to watermark the heck out of it.

    image
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • WaltWalt Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭
    Just confirmed via email, KO doesn't own one. Actually he didn't even know what the card looked like.

    W
  • jmmiller777jmmiller777 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭
    Very nice Joe and I think it was a good idea to keep your card yours by using the watermarks.
    CURRENT PROJECTS IN WORK:
    To be honest, no direction, but...
    1966-69 Topps EX+
    1975 minis NrMt Kelloggs PSA 9
    All Topps Heritage-Master Sets
    image
  • Josephcb09Josephcb09 Posts: 286 ✭✭
    I thought you guys might like to see the "other" 2001 Mays Autoproof. This one is numbered to 100 and was inserted into 2001 Topps Archives. I just recently got both Autoproofs back from PSA, I wanted the flips to match.

    image

    image
  • jfkheatjfkheat Posts: 2,721 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice cards. I'm curious about what the area on the back of both cards that is blocked out? Why is it blocked out?
    James
  • DodgerfanjohnDodgerfanjohn Posts: 489 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Nice cards. I'm curious about what the area on the back of both cards that is blocked out? Why is it blocked out?
    James >>



    I'm assuming thats where the hologram is and putting images out there makes it easier to counterfeit.

    Very very nice card.

    I am wondering though...I still see LOTS of boxes for sale. I'm assuming due to high price that these sell infrequently so its not like boxes are getting busted left and right.

    Are there a ton of cases also? If so....maybe most of the 25 DID make it into product, perhaps still hidden in boxes out there.....
  • Josephcb09Josephcb09 Posts: 286 ✭✭
    The hologram sequence is unique and I'm trying to prevent it from being counterfeited.

    I don't know if there is a "ton" of wax out there unopened.

    I do know where one full case is.....
  • psychumppsychump Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭
    Why would someone deface a perfectly good 1952 Topps card? I was told to not have players sign a valuable card on its own as it would probably bring the price down. That said, I would love to have this card auto'd or not. I had this signed at a Fanfest for free.image
    Tallulah Bankhead — 'There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.'


  • << <i>

    << <i>Nice cards. I'm curious about what the area on the back of both cards that is blocked out? Why is it blocked out?
    James >>



    I'm assuming thats where the hologram is and putting images out there makes it easier to counterfeit.

    Very very nice card.

    I am wondering though...I still see LOTS of boxes for sale. I'm assuming due to high price that these sell infrequently so its not like boxes are getting busted left and right.

    Are there a ton of cases also? If so....maybe most of the 25 DID make it into product, perhaps still hidden in boxes out there..... >>



    Just looking at the percentages though, that's making an assumption that a majority of the 2001 material hasn't been opened. I suppose it is possilbe that more of the 25 cards are floating around out there, opened, as everyone that has one perhaps hasn't tried to sell it. Let's say 10 of them have been opened. If 15 remain unopened, is it safe to assume more than 50% of the 2001 boxes are still sealed? No way.

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