1961 Topps AUTOGRAPHED #214 Danny Murphy (Cubs,deceased)

Hartland Baseball Statues & Figurines

Hartland produced it's first baseball statue back in the early 60's. SCD calls the 1960's Mickey Mantle Hartland Statue the single most popular plastic sports statue ever produced ! In 1988 Hartland released 25th Anniversary Editions, nearly identical to the original.

Hartland later joined with Krause Publications, to create the SCD Authentic series - the original 18 in different poses. Hartland Figurines are amazingly beautiful and exquisitely detailed with painted pinstripes and wood grained bats.

Hartland Baseball Statues & Figurines checklist and prices

1963 Fleer Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1960 & 1961 Fleer baseball card sets of old-timers like Babe Ruth bombed. Kids wanted Willie Mays & Mickey Mantle. Topps had rights to baseball cards & gum so Fleer tried something new ... COOKIES !!!
Cherry flavored cookies with 1963 baseball cards.
1963 Topps Fleer Cookie

1963 Fleer baseball card set was cut short at 66 cards & checklist by Topps lawsuit. But what 66 cards! Attractive & packed: Clemente,Koufax... & 2 very scare Short Prints.

Maury Wills 'rookie' card is a story. Majors in 1959, quickly superstar. But 1963 for rookie ??? In 1959 Topps deemed Wills NOT WORTHY.

Wills was upset. After 1962 MVP, Topps came knocking but he said "NO!". Finally, 1967, Wills first Topps & most costly card. Note: 1961 Post Cereal card, years BEFORE 'official' rookie. He also photo-bombed a 1960 Topps card.

Disclaimer: Above mostly true - but Wills has said "no feud".

1963 Fleer baseball cards Checklist and Prices

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE
Checklist & Values

This scarce 72-card test issue set was released with very limited East Coast distribution making them quite scarce.

Officially simply called "Topps Baseball Photos", their serrated or "DECKLED" edge gave them the name they go by today. The 2 7/8" x 5" inch cards were sold in 2 card packs with gum or 3 card packs without for 5 cents.
Click to enlarge Complete Proof Sheet on left
Fronts are similar to b&w Exhibit Postcards from the 50's with photos and facsimile autographs. The backs make this very scarce test issue more interesting ! They feature handwritten script of player's name, team, position & date and location of the photograph as well as a mock newspaper article.

This was Topps 2nd "Deckle Edge" issue, their first being the smaller and more common 1969 Topps Deckle Edge inserts in 1969 Topps packs.

Variations of 1974 Topps Deckle Edge exist, making this issue more fun and challenging to collect. Backs can be found in gray or a much scarcer white. Also, more limited proof versions with non-scalloped edges exist and can be found with and without card numbers.

1969 Topps Deckle Edge checklist and prices

Baseball card collecting terms (part B)

Bazooka Bazooka Bubble Gum put baseball cards on the back of their boxes from 1959 thru 1971. Complete boxes and panels can get extremely costly. Most kids back then could not afford complete boxes of bubble gum at one making Bazooka cards quite scarce. I actually don't recall ever obtaining a Bazooka card directly from a box as a kid. Do you ???

Black Sox Scandal Name given to the the most famous scandal in baseball history after the 1919 Chicago White Sox versus the Cincinatti Reds World Series when 8 White Sox players were accused of throwing the series. Details have remained somewhat unclear. The players were acquitted of criminal charges but 8 players still received a lifetime ban from professional baseball including the All-Time great "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

Blank-Back a card in which nothing is printed on the back. These cards are usually not in packs and are either "PROOF ISSUES" or were removed from the factory in some way.

Blanket a term used for collectibles in the 1910's made of fabric .

Border is the part of the card that surrounds the photo or image.

Bowman was a card manufacturer in the 1940's and 1950's that was bought out by Topps. In 1989 Topps started issuing cards using the Bowman brand.

Break a term used to indicate the opening of a set, pack, box or case.

Break Value is the total book value of each card added up individually. The break value of a set is usually way, way more than the value of the complete set.

1961 Topps AUTOGRAPHED #214 Danny Murphy (Cubs,deceased)

Hartland Baseball Statues & Figurines

1963 Fleer Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE Checklist & Values

1963 Fleer Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE
Checklist & Values