1951 Topps Blue Back # 3 Richie Ashburn (Phillies)

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Below are short bits & pieces on sportscard & baseball trading card collecting.
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on vintage baseball, football, basketball, hockey, sport and non-sports cards.

1993 Topps Finest Refractors
Checklist & Values

Topps went all in in 1993 with their most premium baseball card set to date, the famous 1993 Topps Finest set with RARE parallel issue REFRACTORS. With only 199 cards, 7 per team, the 'Finest' set only had room for the 'Finest' players !

Rare REFRACTORS were randomly placed in some packs. REFRACTORS looked exactly like regular cards unless you knew where AND how to look. Tilting a REFRACTOR in sunshine released a rainbow of colors, "refracting light" Topps scientists liked to say.

Current info is only 241 REFRACTORS were issued of each card making this parallel issue one of the scarcest. Collecting a complete set is made even more difficult by the hoarding of certain cards by collectors AND even major league baseball players !

Click for complete 1993 Topps Finest Refractors checklist, values & prices.
Note: You may be on that page right now.

1981-1989 Hall of Fame Metallic Plaque cards
This special set of (204) Metallic Plaque cards included every player, executive, manager and umpire who was a member of the Hall of Fame thru 1989. Each 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" gold anodized aluminum card bears an exact replica of the player's official Hall of Fame plaque.
The sets, produced in very small quantities and LIMITED TO ONLY 1,000 MADE, were sold by the Baseball Hall of Fame thru it's gift shops between 1981 and 1989 and came in a special "faux-leather" embossed 3-Ring Binder.

It has been reported that many cards were damaged in production/distribution so the number actually available of any one card is likely under 1,000.

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 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".

Click for complete 1963 Fleer baseball cards Checklist and Prices
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How long have sports cards been around ? (part 2)

The first important and mainstream basketball set was issued by Bowman in 1948. Other than a Topps set in 1957-58 and a 1961-62 Fleer set, there were no mainstream basketball sets issued until Topps started producing yearly sets beginning with their 1969-70 set featuring the rookie card of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who then went under the name of Lew Alcindor.

In hockey, there were a few sets issued in the 1910's and while O-Pee-Chee issued some sets in the 1930's, the real modern sets began in 1951 with the itroduction of Parkhurst's first set.

In racing, while cards go back as far as the early Indy car days of 1911, modern racing sets began in 1988 with the issues released by MAXX.

1951 Topps Blue Back # 3 Richie Ashburn (Phillies)

1993 Topps Finest Refractors Checklist & Values

1981-1989 Hall of Fame Metallic Plaque cards

1963 Fleer Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

1993 Topps Finest Refractors
Checklist & Values

1963 Fleer Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values