There were some radical changes at Topps when it came to designing the 1968 Bazooka Baseball cards. Kids who gazed upon the 25-piece boxes of gum 55 years ago were used to seeing cards on the backs of boxes, separated by perforated lines but unencumbered by anything else. Maybe the company felt it needed to shake things up. Maybe kids around the country were … [Read more...] about 1968 Bazooka Baseball Cards Shifted Location
Old Baseball Card Sets
1964 Topps Stand-Ups Have Cousins but None Better
Here’s a quick quiz for you. Other than being baseball cards, what did the 2004 Bazooka and 2011 Topps Lineage baseball sets have in common? There may be other correct answers, but the commonality in view right now is that both sets included inserts based on the 1964 Topps Stand-Ups. Actually, we could add 1934-36 Batter-Up and 2012 Panini Golden Age to the mix as the Topps … [Read more...] about 1964 Topps Stand-Ups Have Cousins but None Better
Fleer Had Drysdale, If Nothing Else, for 1966 Wax Pack Issues
The sports card industry of the 1950s and 60s was an arduous journey for Fleer with the fierce competition of Topps’ licensing agreement with baseball players. Surely, the company longed for the good old days when just your word and a solemn handshake would suffice. Fleer did retain a small percentage of player contracts throughout these decades but the company finally chose to … [Read more...] about Fleer Had Drysdale, If Nothing Else, for 1966 Wax Pack Issues
1948 Bowman Baseball Set a Realistic Target for Collectors
It won't win any design awards, but for collectors, the 1948 Bowman baseball set has carved out its own unique place. Consisting of just 48 cards, with virtually no tremendously scarce or exceedingly valuable parts, the black and white set is attractive for anyone looking for a reasonable challenge that carries a story or two behind it. Dawn of the Post-War Bubble Gum Card … [Read more...] about 1948 Bowman Baseball Set a Realistic Target for Collectors
Cal Ripken Jr. Was King In 1982 Topps Traded Set
It may seem odd to classify a baseball card set from the 1980s as vintage, but the 1982 Topps Traded/Update certainly fits the bill. The set is notable for the first Topps solo card of Cal Ripken Jr., but other features made it different. But vintage? Consider this: Only five players on this year’s major league rosters on Opening Day in 2022 were born before 1982. … [Read more...] about Cal Ripken Jr. Was King In 1982 Topps Traded Set
1969 Topps 4 in 1 Baseball a Rare Test Set
America's trading card maker loved to tinker. Producing your standard baseball, football, basketball and hockey fare didn't mean you didn't try new things even when you had a virtual monopoly decades ago. From stamps with albums to posters to glossy cards, they were always putting something extra into packs or trying out new things to pack with the stick of pink bubble … [Read more...] about 1969 Topps 4 in 1 Baseball a Rare Test Set
1974 Topps Deckle Edge Set Packed with Big Names
In the mid-1970s, the small fraternity of adult baseball card collectors surely began corresponding by mail and sharing long-distance phone conversations once the existence of a new set. The only place it seemed to be showing up was in a small area of New England. The 1974 Topps Deckle Edge set, as it came to be known, was one of the many 'test' issues Topps … [Read more...] about 1974 Topps Deckle Edge Set Packed with Big Names
New 1960 Venezuelan Baseball Stickers/Album Discovery
A collector in Venezuela says he has uncovered a previously unknown sticker and album set focused on late 1950s baseball. Enrique Abreu Sojo says he recently acquired the 1960 Venezuela Beisbol Grandes Ligas Piratas Yankees Dodgers stickers and accompanying album from a man who collected them as a child. Printed in Caracas, the checklist contains 220 stamps, most 3.15 … [Read more...] about New 1960 Venezuelan Baseball Stickers/Album Discovery
1959-1962 Bell Brand Dodgers Baseball Cards Were Snack Food Bonus
They said goodbye to Brooklyn and moved across the country and for residents of southern California, the Dodgers were now all that and a bag of chips. Make that in a bag of chips, as in literally. One of the franchise's first endorsement deals was made with a snack maker. Bell Brand made potato chips and corn chips and for four seasons the company gave Dodgers … [Read more...] about 1959-1962 Bell Brand Dodgers Baseball Cards Were Snack Food Bonus
Drink Up: Milk Cartons Were Source of 1967 Irvindale Braves Set
You're definitely excused if you've never heard of the 1967 Irvindale Dairy Atlanta Braves set. One of those quirky, rare little regional sets from decades ago, it's as much photographic endorsement as anything. The set includes just four Braves players, all of whom appeared on a single panel of Irvindale Milk during the summer of 1967. Find one intact carton and you have … [Read more...] about Drink Up: Milk Cartons Were Source of 1967 Irvindale Braves Set