The 1969 Topps set is the favorite of many collectors. This set doesn’t just mark the end of a decade, but the end of an era.
A staple on bubble gum cards since the early 1950s, the ’69 set holds Mickey Mantle’s last regular issue card. To many, Mantle was and still is the face of card collecting. He had retired during spring training and so his card contains complete career statistics.
The 1969 set also includes the first solo cards of Nolan Ryan and Johnny Bench and over 30 regular cards of Hall of Famers including Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and the rookie card of Reggie Jackson.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to land one of them for five bucks.
BurlsSports.com’s Set Break of the Week is a 1969 Topps set that is largely in EX/EX-MT condition. This particular set actually includes 665 cards, including a white letter variation version of the Mantle card (SGC 45/4.5). The other key cards in the set break down as follows: #20 Banks PSA 5, #50 Clemente SGC 60/5, #85 Brock PSA 5, #95 Bench SGC 80/6, #100 Aaron PSA 4, #120 Rose SGC 55/4.5, #130 Yaztrzemski PSA 5,#190 Mays SGC 80/6, #260 Reggie Jackson SGC 60/5, #500 Mantle yellow letters SGC 60/5, and #533 Nolan Ryan PSA 3. Many of the cards have nice corners but carry a lower technical grade because of centering.
If you haven’t participated in a group set break, each card in the break is sold at a fixed price, but you don’t pick the card beforehand. When all spots are sold, the cards are distributed to the participants through a random online draw. Some will get the key cards for a fraction of their value, while others take home vintage commons for set building or trade bait. In order to ensure transparency, the randomization is broadcast live online for all participants to view.
The price for this break is set at $4.99 per slot. The recent 1970 Topps break sold out in a matter of hours. To purchase slots in the break or to find out more, you can access the break page here.
Burl’s Sports has recently acquired an impressive run of complete vintage sets that will be broken in the coming months, including a complete run of Topps sets from 1952-72, Goudey sets from 1933-36, 1939-1941 Play Ball and 1941 Double Play.
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