Baseball Cards

1972 Topps Candy Lid Test Issue Uncut Proof Sheet

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The Spring 1982 issue of Baseball Cards has a great article by Bill Bossert called Uncut Sheets Tell the Untold Story. He shares this incredible proof sheet for Topps’ 1972 Candy Lids test issue in it.

Here’s what he wrote about the set and sheet:

I hope that sheet wasn’t cut up. However, I did find this 1972 Topps Candy Lid Test Proof Willie Mays card that was sold by SCP Auctions for $622 on January 29, 2008.

You can see that Topps printed the Mays card on previously used stock, and there are a few other proof’s out there.

New York’s Biggest One Day Show and Bobby Richardson’s 1965 Topps Card

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Here’s a card show history throwback to January 1982 when “New York’s Biggest And Best One Day Show” was held at JFK’s Travelodge International Hotel with guest star Bobby Richardson!

The pictured 1965 Topps #115 Bobby Richardson is an oft-graded card with PSA having slabbed over 450. However, there isn’t a single Gem Mint 10.

By the way, did you know Richardson is the only player to win the World Series MVP award for the losing team?

Alan Mr. Mint Rosen’s 1952 Topps Wax Pack Seattle Find

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Here’s a photo from Rosen’s book True Mint of his $75k deal for hundreds of low number, black back, 1952 Topps baseball packs.

Rosen wrote that he was at a show in Seattle in 1991 when, right before the show, a man walked in with hundreds of packs of 1952 Topps baseball cards cellophane-wrapped in bricks of six. And since the seller had opened a few, there were also five Pafkos and a bunch of other low-number cards.

The seller told Rosen he got the cards at a garage sale for $50 and didn’t have more, but Rosen wrote that the seller sold several more to other dealers and consigned several low-number boxes in an auction.

1880’s Allen and Ginter Album Page

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A hobby library item I’d love to get my hands on is an 1880s Allen and Ginter Album, one of which you’ll see designated as “A16.” This 6” x 8” page, auctioned off in December 2001, is the most desirable from that album, featuring Cap Anson, King Kelly, Tim Keefe, and Charlie Bennett.

Robert Edward Auctions sold a mid-grade complete 1888 First Series Allen & Ginter “World’s Champions” premium album featuring all fifty cards from the N28 Allen & Ginter set in their Spring 2023 auction for $1380.

I’ll share more about the A17 album for the N29 issue another time.

1976 MSA Sports Discs Hank Aaron

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Last week on Twitter, @nightowlcards shared a blog post called Parallels and the ’70s do mix highlighting MSA Discs, particularly the backs. @BeautyOfAGame responded, “An entire volume could be written about the various MSA sets in the 70s and 80s.” I responded by saying, “Challenge…accepted?…” So, an MSA anthology is on the to-do list now.

Anywho, while going through a stack of random cards in my collection, I ran across this 1976 MSA Sports Discs Hank Aaron Blank Back, which looks absolutely incredible in its slab.

When you read about the set, it’s tough to visualize how gorgeous they are and how much bigger the 3-3/8” diameter discs feel in your hand.

1969 Topps Baseball Dealer Sell Sheet

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After I posted about the 1962 Bell Brand Dodgers salesman advertising sheet earlier this morning, a collector on Twitter asked if I could share a clear copy of the 1969 Topps one with the unique rack pack display on it. So here it is; unfortunately, I do not own it and can’t remember where I found this picture.

Sell sheets are basically printed flyers designed to showcase Topps’ latest products and inform dealers about forthcoming releases. They served as a vital communication channel between Topps and its network of sellers. Today, they’re an invaluable reference for researchers, writers, and passionate collectors, providing critical insights into product codes, distribution details, pricing strategies, and card counts.