One could say that 1982 was a watershed year for Topps. The company had ruled the roost in baseball cards for more than two decades, but the emergence of sets in 1981 by Donruss and Fleer called for some bold moves. So in 1982, Topps produced the largest baseball card set to date, at 792 cards, up from 726. That effectively ended the need for double-printed cards. In … [Read more...] about 1982 Topps Baseball Set Marked Start of 792-Card Era
Old Baseball Card Sets
1978 Topps Zest Cards A Quirky Tribute To Hispanic Players
The checklist was a short one but you couldn't beat the price. The 1978 Topps Zest Soap baseball card set was a free with purchase mail-in promotion that focused on some of the top Hispanic players in the major leagues. Thanks to limited distribution, it's a little difficult to find today, but not that expensive. The five-card set was cello wrapped and … [Read more...] about 1978 Topps Zest Cards A Quirky Tribute To Hispanic Players
Sports Cards Highlight the Rare Obsequio de Susini Set
The Obsequio de Susini tobacco card set is one of those international issues that doesn't come up a whole lot. The lack of baseball cards in it is a contributing factor for its relative obscurity. Nevertheless, there are plenty of great sports cards to be found in it. Let's take a deeper look at this rare set. About the Obsequio de Susini set Obsequio de Susini? That's a … [Read more...] about Sports Cards Highlight the Rare Obsequio de Susini Set
Scarce 1978 7-Eleven “Magic Motion” Cards Remain Largely a Mystery
If you love regional sets, chances are you might have a few sets issued by 7-Eleven stores in your collection, but there’s one that dates back more than 40 years that’s as obscure as obscure can be, despite the presence of such iconic names as: Cobb, Aaron, Ryan, Staubach, Chamberlain and Marciano, to name but a few. After 25 years as a hobby historian, finding undocumented … [Read more...] about Scarce 1978 7-Eleven “Magic Motion” Cards Remain Largely a Mystery
Inside the 1975-77 Hostess Twinkies Single Card Sets
Collectors are familiar with the Hostess Baseball Card promotion that ran from 1975-79. In each of those five years, ITT Continental Baking Company, the parent company of Hostess at the time, issued a 150-card set of regular Hostess cards in three-card panels on the bottom of family-sized boxes of snack cakes. Less familiar are the Hostess Twinkies … [Read more...] about Inside the 1975-77 Hostess Twinkies Single Card Sets
1963 Topps Peel-Offs Set Filled With Baseball Hall Of Famers
The 1960s are a haven for insert collectors. Posters, decals, game cards... you never knew exactly what Topps was going to toss into its packs as a free bonus. The 1963 Topps Peel-Off set offered a bigger, bolder, more colorful look than the stamps that had accompanied the 1961 and '62 cards. This insert set gave collectors some big names, with 41% of the subjects … [Read more...] about 1963 Topps Peel-Offs Set Filled With Baseball Hall Of Famers
1961 Nu-Card Scoops Highlighted Game’s Greats, Big Events
Baseball was covered religiously in newspapers during the 1950s and ’60s, with eye-popping headlines and black-and-white photographs of players in action. That was the template for the 1961 Nu-Card Baseball Scoops set, which was a smaller version of the 1960 Nu-Card Baseball Hi-Lites. Scoops cards measure 2½ inches by 3½ inches, which were the same measurements for … [Read more...] about 1961 Nu-Card Scoops Highlighted Game’s Greats, Big Events
1913 Fatima Team Cards Offer Lower Cost Option for Pre-War Collectors
Tobacco companies had been including baseball cards in their packages as an incentive for more than 30 years when the Liggett and Myers Company decided to use a similar promotion inside its tins of Turkish Blend cigarettes in 1913. These were a little different, though. Instead of individual photos, they used posed team pictures. Today, the underrated 1913 … [Read more...] about 1913 Fatima Team Cards Offer Lower Cost Option for Pre-War Collectors
The W9316 Strip Card Set is Short, Hideous, and Rare
Strip card sets have been known historically as issues that struggle with aesthetic appeal. But one set, in particular, is one that has made collectors wince for years -- the W9316 strip card set. Here's a closer look at this hidden 'gem.' W9316 Strip Card Basics Believed to have been issued in 1921, the W9316 strip card set is not a large one. It includes only ten cards … [Read more...] about The W9316 Strip Card Set is Short, Hideous, and Rare
1963 Bazooka Baseball Set Had Star Power, Smaller Checklist
Topps packs weren’t enough for the most dedicated baseball card collectors in the early 1960s. Kids who really loved collecting, were crazy for cards—and had a few more nickels than the average youngster—had to have a box or three. The 1963 Bazooka baseball card series marked the fifth year for what had become an annual rite of summer. They remain popular, … [Read more...] about 1963 Bazooka Baseball Set Had Star Power, Smaller Checklist