In the 1980s, Topps' landmark traded sets produced some of the hobby's most iconic cards of the era. Nearly every release in the decade had an important card. In 1982, it was Cal Ripken's 'follow-up' card (after his rookie appeared in the regular Topps set). 1983 and 1984 produced rookie cards of Mets stars Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden. The likes of Barry Bonds, Jose … [Read more...] about Topps Introduced Groundbreaking ‘Traded’ Cards in the 1970s
1970s baseball sets
1971 Milk Duds Set Not a Dud With Collectors
Bubble gum and baseball cards are forever linked but, as most collectors know, there have been many other food products involved with cardboard memories of the national pastime. Bread wrappers, candy bar wrappers and backers, popcorn holders, even meat products are among the edible goodies that have used baseball cards as incentives. But not all food-related baseball items are … [Read more...] about 1971 Milk Duds Set Not a Dud With Collectors
What Qualifies as a Vintage Baseball Card?
So, just what is a vintage baseball card, anyway? The idea came to me recently, though it certainly wasn't on my own. See, a baseball card group to which I belong, Old Baseball Cards, debated the topic a week or so ago. As you can imagine, answers were sort of all over the place because getting a consensus on something like that is basically impossible. To find a … [Read more...] about What Qualifies as a Vintage Baseball Card?
Eddie Murray’s First Cards Go Beyond Topps Rookie
At the time he hit his 500th home run on September 6, 1996, Eddie Murray was just the 15th player in history to reach the milestone. Murray, though was more than just a power hitter. He won three Silver Slugger Awards, three Gold Gloves and collected 3,255 hits in a career that lasted from 1977 to 1997. Eddie Murray rookie cards began appearing in 1978 and unlike most … [Read more...] about Eddie Murray’s First Cards Go Beyond Topps Rookie
1973 Topps Candy Lids Offered Sweet Chance For Collectors
The 1970s were a quirky time for baseball card collectors. There were so many oddball choices: scratch-off s, 3-D, comics, posters, cloth stickers, Supers, Pin-Ups, stamps and puzzles and magazine panels. And that’s just from Topps. Perhaps one of the more unusual offerings is the 1973 Topps Candy Lids. This oddball set was part of a tub of bubble gum that weighed .095 … [Read more...] about 1973 Topps Candy Lids Offered Sweet Chance For Collectors
40 Years Later: 6 Clutch Cards From The 1976 Topps Set
Five years before Fleer and Donruss ignited a revolution, 15 cents still bought you a pack of the only card game in town. The 1976 Topps baseball set was a dramatic change from the company's colorful 1975 product. It was a much cleaner look than the year before, which featured colored full-bleed corners around all edges of the cards. The white-bordered cards added a nice touch … [Read more...] about 40 Years Later: 6 Clutch Cards From The 1976 Topps Set
Best Baseball Rookie Cards of the 1970s
It would mark the end of Topps’ first run as the exclusive manufacturer of baseball cards. A court ruling would change the hobby forever as the calendar entered the 80s but marking the best baseball rookie cards by year during the 1970s was still a pretty straightforward exercise. In the third installment of a series, we present a year-by-year look at the prime … [Read more...] about Best Baseball Rookie Cards of the 1970s
Vintage Set Break of the Week: 1971 Topps Baseball
The 1971 Topps issue stands out when compared to Topps previous offerings. Issued in seven series, these black-bordered beauties are bold, but they are very susceptible to wear. The black frames show every flaw, making this issue one of the toughest sets to assemble in high grade. Sporting more than 40 cards featuring Hall of Fame members, the 1971 Topps set was a little … [Read more...] about Vintage Set Break of the Week: 1971 Topps Baseball