Jim Thome - 2004 Donruss BOYS of SUMMER #25 [#/25] (Phillies,HOF)

Man was the 1948-1949 Leaf baseball set PACKED !!! The set was small in numbers and size with only (98) 2-3/8" by 2-7/8" cards. With only 98 cards, the set was "skip-numbered" with card numbers from 1 thru 168. Likely an attempt to force collectors to keep buying packs looking for their missing cards. (49) cards are considered "Short Prints" and there is one variation card #136: Full Sleeve/Short Sleeve (error)

1968 was an awesome year for Topps test & oddball issues with Game cards, Player Posters, 3-D cards, Plaks, Discs, Punchouts and these "Baseball Action Stickers" also called "Action All-Stars Stickers".

"Baseball Action Stickers" were STAR-PACKED 3-panel sticker strips, some with facsimile autographs. There were (16) different strips in the set but only 12 are totally different. #13 thru #16 re-used panels from #1 thru #12.

Strips were perforated, folded at joints and put in packs. Boxes had 12 packs (10 cents each) with 1 sticker per pack. Sets could be made back then for $1.60. Today, the Mantle panel goes for around $2,000.

Collectors often collect just individual panels as complete strips are so scarce, fragile & EXPENSIVE. Single panels themselves are quite scarce - in 20+ years PSA has graded just over 200 TOTAL compared to over 1,000 1952 Mantles !!!

PROOF sheet below is missing the facsimile autographs.

In 1957 Topps created the modern day card by reducing the size of cards to current standard 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches. Topps also increased the set to 154 players and dramatically changed card format to a horizontal split-card. Player selection was awesome with (31) future Hall-of-Famers. 1957's top rookies were Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas & Paul Hornung. The only variation is card #58 Willard Sherman.