1973 Topps Candy Lid - WILLIE McCOVEY (Giants)

Book = $ *BOOK*
Price = $ 19.95
EX/MINT oc
Tom Seaver (Mets) and Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox) are pictured on the back !!!

Price = $ 19.95

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.

1953 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

The 1953 Topps set is a collection of gorgeous portraits drawn by the leading sports artists of the day. Key cards in the 1953 Topps set include: Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays & Satchel Paige. Satchel Paige had his name spelled incorrectly (2 'L') on the card front.
As with all Topps sets from the 1950's & 1960's, 1953 Topps was issued in series, (#1-85, #86-165, #166-220 & #221-280) with the final series "High Numbers" the least produced, least available and thus the most costly. Topps and Bowman still at war likely accounts for the 6 missing #'s from the High Number series.

Click for complete 1953 Topps Baseball card checklist, values and 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.

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values

Only inserts in 1961 & 1962, stamps had their own issue in 1969 ! A nickel for a 12-stamp strip plus mini album !!!
The 1969 Topps Stamps set contained (240) 1x1-7/16 inch stamps. Stamps were released in both horizontal & vertical panels with the player's name in a banner. 1974 Stamps, the name was inside an oval.
Topps issued a mini albums to hold complete 10-stamp team sets and the back cover had facsimile autographs of each players.
The 1969 Topps Stamps set is packed with stars: Pete Rose, and Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente & more !!!

Click for complete
1969 Topps Baseball Stamps checklist & prices
Similar Topps issues
1961 Topps Baseball Stamps checklist and prices
1962 Topps Baseball Stamps checklist and prices
1974 Topps Baseball Stamps checklist and prices

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.

1973 Topps Candy Lid - WILLIE McCOVEY (Giants)

1953 Topps Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

1981-1989 Hall of Fame Metallic Plaque cards

1969 Topps Stamps Checklist & Values

1953 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values