1966 Topps #445 Jim Kaat (Twins,HOF)

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One of Topps most popular 1960's test issues !!!
Blank-backed, unnumbered & standard size - cards were called "Stand-Ups". "Stand-Ups" refers to a type of card that was die cut around the player's picture. The background could be folded so the player's picture could "stand up" alone. 1934-36 Batter Up and the 1951 Topps All-Star sets are 2 other popular stand-up issues.
22 of the 77 cards are single prints making them twice as scarce and much higher in demand. Thanks to the green and yellow borders and that most cards have been folded, 1964 Stand-Ups extremely difficult to obtain in high grade.
On the left and right are images of a pack and box. Set packed with 19 Hall-of-Famers including the Top-5: Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron & Sandy Koufax.

The 1969 Topps Team Posters set was made up of 24 large 11 1/4" x 19 3/4" colorful posters, 1 for each team. The posters, the largest printed item by Topps to date, were very colorful picturing 9 or 10 players with their facsimile autographs. The Posters were sold one per pack at .10 cents each. Because they were folded many times and usually placed on walls with tape or pins, high grade posters are very scarce.

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.

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.

1966 Topps #445 Jim Kaat (Twins,HOF)

1964 Topps Stand-Ups
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Team Posters
Checklist & Values

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE
Checklist & Values

1966 Topps #445 Jim Kaat (Twins,HOF)

1964 Topps Stand-Ups Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Team Posters Checklist & Values

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE Checklist & Values

1964 Topps Stand-Ups
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Team Posters
Checklist & Values

1974 Topps DECKLE EDGE
Checklist & Values