New Pickup, 1978 Super-Pak -- Rare?

Dragnet · June 10, 2015 8:42AM

Picked up these two 1978 Topps Football Super-Paks -- had never seen these before and after doing some research it appears they may have been something of a test issue as the first of Topps' run of "Super" cello packs in the late 70s, early 80s. I don't know much else and would very much appreciate any insight if any can provide. Would love to know how rare these actually are and what kind of value they may hold? Can't hurt that one has Payton showing

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jmsodpc · June 10, 2015 8:51AM

cool!

i have never seen these for 1978 and i have seen a bunch of unopened stuff.

PaulMaul · June 10, 2015 9:04AM

The ones for 1979 baseball are pretty uncommon, so I would imagine these would be as well.

baz518 · June 10, 2015 9:19AM

I think 78 was the first year for these (hence test), 81 was the last. They only did baseball and football... and pretty sure 78s are the rarest (baseball moreso), 79s are 2nd, then 80 and 81s.

Nice packs though, love the Payton... big Bears fan.

grote15 · June 10, 2015 9:22AM

They were made late in 78 for football. First baseball super cellos were made in 79 and are very tough to find. Unlike 80-81 super cellos they were also tightly wrapped.

vintagefun · June 10, 2015 9:23AM

Never seen em. Totally love em.

Nice pick up!

jmsodpc · June 10, 2015 9:54AM

these from 1980 are more common....just thought i'd add another photo to this great thread

Dragnet · June 10, 2015 10:24AM

Thanks for the info guys -- not a huge football collector, so wondering what kind of value they may hold should I decide to make them available. Looked for past sales and can't find much, any ideas?

grote15 · June 10, 2015 10:28AM

Here's a 79 Topps baseball super cello box. Please pardon the dustiness~I had just dug it out of storage.

Dragnet · June 10, 2015 10:29AM

Whoa Tim, I hadn't seen a single pack of those, much less a full box!!

mikeschmidt · June 10, 2015 11:02AM

Whoa, Tim, indeed!

Amazing box. Weird picture on the front of the box. Wonder why they used that image/design?

grote15 · June 10, 2015 11:28AM

Thanks, Josh and Marc!

Marc,

Topps actually reused that same exact pic for the top of the 1980 baseball super cello box. The only difference is the color of the pack of gum and the price change (from 49c to 59c). The bargain was better in 1979, as you got 28 cards in a super cello (vs 18 in a regular 30c 79 cello) for 49c, or 10 more cards per pack, whereas in 1980, you got the same 28 cards in a super cello (vs 25 cards in a regular 39c 80 cello) for 59c, or just 3 more cards per pack. In reality, neither year was a bargain on a per card cost basis vs regular cello packs, but I suppose the extra gum was what drove the price point back then.

handyman · June 10, 2015 11:46AM

Supers are way cool.
Im tempted to open this one.

Dragnet · June 10, 2015 11:59AM

Now that's a SUPER pack

. Beautiful!

70ToppsFanatic · June 10, 2015 12:48PM

Very cool packs!

Sidenote:

As a lifelong football Giants fan, I can tell you that there are probably dozens of people who
would pay a premium for the one with Joe Pisarcik (he of "The Fumble" fame) on the back so
they could burn it or somehow otherwise inflict the worst possible kinds of damage imaginable

A few years ago (2010 I think) I was actually at a Giants game where George Martin (former Giants lineman
in the 1970s and 1980s, #75) was starting on some sort of cross-country walk to raise money
for a charity. The walk started from the 50 yard line at Giants Stadium. They brought back other
former Giants from that era to wish George well and introduced them one-by-one. When Pisarcik
came out and was introduced the noise from the booing was deafening. Even after more than 30
years the guy is still despised by Giants fans for that one devastating play.

grote15 · June 10, 2015 1:14PM

Pisarcik gets a bad and unfair rap for that fumble. Gibson, the OC, who inexplicably called a running play when all they had to do was kneel to kill the clock is the real villain in that debacle. Gibson was fired right after the game and never coached or spoke about the play again. Pisarcik wanted to call an audible and change the play but had been warned by Gibson after doing so previously that he would be cut if he dared to do so again. That play almost singlehandedly gave birth to the "victory formation" for QB kneeldowns at the end of games.

70ToppsFanatic · June 10, 2015 1:38PM

<< <i>Pisarcik gets a bad and unfair rap for that fumble. Gibson, the OC, who inexplicably called a running play when all they had to do was kneel to kill the clock is the real villain in that debacle. Gibson was fired right after the game and never coached or spoke about the play again. Pisarcik wanted to call an audible and change the play but had been warned by Gibson after doing so previously that he would be cut if he dared to do so again. That play almost singlehandedly gave birth to the "victory formation" for QB kneeldowns at the end of games. >>

I was sitting there when it happened Tim. Play before Czonka ran on first down for 11 yards. Then, the next play Herman Edwards turned a 16-12 soon-to-be Giant victory into a 19-16 Giant loss. Soon after the banners started flying over the Meadowlands trailing behind the planes reading "15 YEARS OF LOUSY FOOTBALL...WE'VE HAD ENOUGH"

About the only thing that I would think was that devastating to a professional athlete was when the Frech guy had the meltdown at the British Open a few years ago on the final day and gave back a seemingly insurmountable multi-stroke lead with just a few holes left to play. Kinda like the movie "Tin Cup", but with
foreign accents instead of Texas accents.

New Pickup, 1978 Super-Pak -- Rare?

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