1963 Topps #175 Bob Buhl (Cubs)

Book = $ *BOOK*
Price = $ 14.95
NEAR MINT to NM/MINT

Price = $ 14.95

Below are short bits & pieces on sportscard & baseball trading card collecting.
Please wander around the website for more info, prices, values & images
on vintage baseball, football, basketball, hockey, sport and non-sports cards.

1938 Horrors of War - Gum Inc.
One of the most famous card sets of all time, it began as a 240-card set featuring the Chinese-Japanese War, the Spanish Civil War and the Ethiopian War. 48 cards were later added on Germany and the buildup to World War II.
Cards #25-192 appear to be slightly more common than the others cards in the series. Cards 241-288 are similar to more recent high numbers in that each pack held one card from the high series and one card from the low series.

The set is extremely popular and card "values" have increased ten-fold since the early 1990s. Cards #1, #240, #277, #283, #286 & #288 are particularly valuable, especially in prime condition.

1977 Topps Cloth Stickers
Checklist & Values

As 1977 baseball season was winding down, Topps wanted to sell more cards and released the "1977 Topps Cloth Stickers" test issue. The 1977 Topps Cloth Stickers set came in at (73) total cards: (55) cloth stickers and (18) checklist/puzzle cards that formed large photos of the 1976 AL & NL All-Star teams.

2 Stickers and 1 checklist/puzzle card were in each .15 cent pack with 36/packs in a box.
Nearly all fronts are same as the regular issue - with a few different like Nolan Ryan.
LEFT: Regular issue;
CENTER: Cloth Sticker;
RIGHT: O-Pee-Chee (from Canada).

The 2-1/2" x 3" stickers had highlights & instructions on back. The backing was easily removed and kids could stick them everywhere ! TEACHERS LOVED THEM !!!
Packed with Hall-of-Famers (19 of 55) plus Pete Rose and Mark Fidrych. In addition, stickers & puzzle pieces came with one '*' or two '**' asterisks on back.
Click for complete 1977 Topps Baseball Cloth Stickers checklist, values and prices.

1969 CITGO Coins
In 1969, to commemorate Baseball's 100th Anniversary, CITGO released their "Famous Baseball Player Coin Collection" of 20 brass coated metal coins. On the front, the coins featured the player's name and a raised image of his head. The back displayed a banner honoring baseball's s 100th Anniversary. The coins are approx. 1" in diameter and are very susceptible to tarnishing due to oxidation.
Customers received a single coin in it's sealed pack free with a fill-up and could pay 25 cents for additional coins. The 20 coin set could be inserted into a cardboard backing for display. On the back of the display was a short bio with stats of each player. Click to view an image of the cardboard backing and some more sample coins:
Pictured is an unopened pack containing one coin.

Click for complete 1969 CITGO Coins Checklist and Prices
Note: You may be on that page right now.

How long have sports cards been around ? (part 1)

The first baseball trading cards date back to 1869. For many years, baseball cards were packaged in packs of tobacco as a way to increase sales the same way that today prizes are packaged in boxes of cereal. In the 1920's and 1930's, candy and gum companies started packaging baseball cards in their products as well.

Baseball card production was virtually halted in the early 1940's due to paper shortages created by World War II. The "Modern Era" of baseball cards began in 1948 when Bowman Gum Inc. offered one card and one piece of gum in a pack for a penny.

The first important football set was the Mayo set featuring college players in 1984. Other than the 1935 National Chicle set no other key football set was issued until 1948 when noth Bowman and Leaf produced sets.

1963 Topps #175 Bob Buhl (Cubs)

1938 Horrors of War - Gum Inc.

1977 Topps Cloth Stickers Checklist & Values

1969 CITGO Coins

1977 Topps Cloth Stickers
Checklist & Values