Conference school::sports_memorabilia

    Usually around Xmas.
    
    John D.
    

    In 1991 Topps is celebrating its' 40th anniversary. To commerate
    this occasion it will randomly insert into wax packs various cards
    from 1952-1990. A contest will be run and the prizes are 40 sets
    of Topps plus one person will get all 40 sets. In the wax packs
    some lucky person might get a 1952 Mickey Mantle. The p.r. man
    also said 1991 Topps cards will be a better quality card.
    
    Ken

    The '91 cards I would think have a huge Record Breaker subset.  Think
    of all the records set this year.  It'll be interesting to see which
    ones make it to a card.  If there are only six cards in the subset, I
    think they will be the following:
    
    	- Most HR's by a catcher, career...Fisk
    	- Move Saves, season....Thigpen
    	- Two triple plays, one game...Sox/Twins
    	- FIrst four seasons, 30+ homers....McGwire
    	- Errorless streaks.....Ripken/Sandberg
    	- Most no-hitters, one season......Many
    
    There are many others to consider:
    
    	- Most double plays, one game...Sox/Twins
    	- Most doubles, one game, one team/two teams...SOx/Twins
    	- Most career no-hitters.....Ryan
    	- Father/Son 30-30 men.....Bonds'
    	- Father/Son, playing on same team....Griffey's
    	- Most/consecutive (not sure if either or both) 20 save
          seasons..Reardon
    	- First wire-to-wire division title.....Reds
    
    Other Possibilities:
    
    	- All time stolen base record.....Henderson (TBD)
    	- Batting titles...3 decades....Brett (TBD)
	- First AL/NL Batting titlists on same team (TBD)
    
    
    
    Any other possibilities?

    Hey, Topps sounds like there doing everything up big time to celebrate 
    their 40th anniversary.  I think I'll put my order in now for a case of
    topps wax packs.  The Concord Baseball Card Shop is taking orders now,
    preorder for 1991 cards, so you can give them for X-mass gifts.  
    
    Speaking of Maas, I think Kevin was the earliest to reach 13 homeruns
    in the fewest at bats.  Guess thats a new record.  I think if this
    guy has a good 2nd year, your going to see his cards take-off,
    especially if he hits his projected 35 to 40 homeruns.  New Yorkers
    will love this guy, maybe another Mantle?  Never!  There is only one
    Mantle!!  

    How is Topps going to insert '52 -'56 cards? Are they going to have
    special inserts?
    
    John

    Relax Dudes.  Don't get sucked in.  There doing it to us again.
    Topps will print over 1 billion cards this year.  They will be 
    everywhere.  I f the use reprints in the packs they will be
    without value.  If the print from the original plates the hobby
    is gone.  If they decide to put the old Bowman in the new BowmAN
    I'LL BE SICK.  If they insert the 52's-56's in the 91 Bigs I'll
    ..............................call Tony
    
    Go Slow

    I doubt if they'd print from original plates or insert worthless
    reprints. I'm sure Topps has access to lots of the original, genuine
    cards, and it's not like they'd have to insert that many to make it
    interesting.  People buy sweepsstakes tickets, why not gamble 50 cents
    on a shot at a Mantle or Ryan rookie?  The packaging would be tricky,
    though. Maybe they'll uses oversized wrappers and throw in two of those
    nuisance cards in each pack, one at the top of the stack and one at the
    bottom. Every once in a while (once in every 50,000 packs, say) you'll
    find a genuine 52-56 card instead of the nuisance card.
    
    Sick as I am of all these gimmicks, this is an exciting concept. I look
    forward to getting a 1956 checklist card in my first pack of '91 Topps.
    

    The article I read in the paper Sunday said that Topps spent over a 
    million dollars on this and bought the old cards that will be inserted
    into the wax packs from the open market and these are not reprints.
    they are actual cards printed the issue year. Also any cards that have
    a dollar value of over $ 50.00 a redemption card will be included in
    the wax pack also.
    
    (Imformation was obtained from an article in the Lawrence Eagle
    Tribune......Mass.) 09-30-90.
    
    

    
      With the amount that Topps produces, that makes your chances 
    pretty good....only about 1:10,000 or so. :-)

    I saw an article in the Sunday Union Leader, a "Cowhampshiere"
    newspaper.  It read that in celebrating its 40th anniversary, Topps
    plans to insert more tahn 300,000 vintage cards into packages of its
    regular 1991 cards.  These will be authentic cards, not
    reproductions,said Ken Liss.  Every card from every Topps complete set
    over the past 40 years will be randomly packed in retail packs,
    including the Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle that is valued at $8,000.  There
    will be extra vintage cards slipped into packs.  For oversized cards or
    cards valued at more than $50, some packs will contain a redemption
    certificate that can be turned in for the actual cards.
    A sweepstakes also will be held with prizes including complete sets
    from all 40 years, awarded to 40 customers. and a prize of all 40 sets
    will be awarded to ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER.  The total value of all
    prizes is $1 million.  Wax packs will still be $.50.  No odds were
    given of someone actually buying a pack that included a vintage card.
    
    Think it would be wise to pick up a case of these here Topps cards??
    
    Even though I don't collect the new cards, I think I'll probably take
    a chance on a few packs.  I wonder what the Other Companies will do 
    to counter Topps promotional gimmick??  More Errors I suppose.

    I'd be willing to bet that these 1991 Topss waxpacks are gonna cost
    more than .50 a pack at the retail level. This is a golden opportunity
    for "Some People" to raise the prices, cuz there's going to be alot of
    public interest.
    
    My (cynical) two cents,
    
    John D.

    This Topps Promo will definitely be a big thing for the dealers and
    shop owners.  They will buy up large quantities and sit on them to
    drive the price up from .50c to .50c++, just like the Score 1990 packs,
    there still getting $1.25 a wax pac for them.  Thats why in a way, its
    good the department stores get there fair share, so to spread the
    supply around, so the dealers won't get control and manipulate the
    prices to much.  The poor little kids will have to get an increase
    allowance this year just to keep up with the baseball card inflation.
    I don't know how they do it?  
    
    Imagine winning a 1952 T set??  Thats big bucks where're talking here.
    The people will go crazy with this one, this is better than spending a
    buck on the lottery.  I wonder how there going to do the distribution
    on these old cards?  Any ideas up there Mr. Kelley on how this will
    work??  Your right about Topps, their errors are real errors, not all
    these variation and doctored up cards on the first run, like DR and UD.
    
    In case anyone is interested, Topps is listed on the NASDAQ exchange
    and is selling for $11 1/2 per share, and pays a .20c dividend per
    year.  This might be a good time to start looking at this company as
    an investment, they'll be getting a lot of variable press.

    The way I look at it, the dealers will be hamming this up big time,
    "Possibly this and possible that, in this box", just like they do with
    the older wax packs from the early 80's.   Possible Joe Montanna
    Rookie.  I think Topps will do well with this promotion, especially
    if someone you know gets a "GOOD" card.  That will spark the interest
    and it will snow ball, what the heck, spend $10 bucks, maybe I'll get
    a valuable card.  You'll get non-card collectors even buying them.  You
    wait, this will turn out to be like the lottery.  I'm just wondering
    what Fleer and DR will do to counter this Topps Promo?  Anybody heard
    or read anything yet??

    remember...like the lottery, if you don't buy your chances are zero.
    slightly less than if you buy!
    
    i'll chance it.
    
    
    
    
                                        -pj-
    
    
    
    
                               

    
      This should drive the dealers nuts. How do they hold back unopened
    stuff to get valuable if no one has found the cert. for the 1952 Mantle.
    I am sure that Topps will only honor them for so long.
      Look for lots of resealed 1991 waxpacks in the year 2000.

    Yeah, I was wondering about the time limit on honoring certificates,
    too, and a key point may be whether Topps (or the lucky winners
    themselves) publicize the redemption of certificates for the more
    valuable cards.  If a majority of the best cards have already been
    claimed within the redemption period, then it makes sense for people to
    hoard unopened boxes/cases, because the $1 to $50 inserts will only get
    more and more valuable.  On the other hand, if people perceive that
    each pack they're about to open has a perfectly good chance of winning
    them the gold, then they may tear through those cases like there's no
    tomorrow.  Should be very interesting to see how
    dealers/investors/collectors/gamblers all react. Has anybody seen any
    pre-order case prices yet?
    
    As for resealed packs, is this really going on out there? I've never
    run into it, but I've run into people who were convinced. An elderly lady
    I knew, for instance, who owned a shop with her son, opened a box of
    1985 Topps wax packs and failed to find any Mattinglys, so she figured
    the packs had been tampered with. No matter that there plenty of
    McGwires, Pucketts, Goodens, etc.  Resealing might tempt the
    unscrupulous on the older packs with big buck cards (which I guess
    would now extend up through Henderson's rookie year with Topps, and
    maybe '86 with Donruss), but even then, the steep prices for unopened
    packs seems to be an incentive not to bother.  And who would have the
    time to go through current packs looking for unproven rookies worth no
    more than a few dollars anyway?  This insert situation is different,
    though, and while I hope it turns out to be positive and exciting, it
    could lead to even more fear and loathing than we've gotten used to
    over the past few years. Sorry to rattle on so long, but I'm interested
    in your thoughts on this.
    
    Rick 

    
    My bet is that Topps will cash in on this opportunity and have a
    large distribution. This promotion will generate a lot of interest
    and prices will climb throughout the year. My hedge will be to buy
    a case or so early at the lowest price I can get through the dealers.
    I will open no more than 3 boxes and hold the rest. If the redemption
    on these certificates expires too early I probably won't buy a case.
    I'm going to call Topps and find out (1-717-457-6761). I have called
    this number before for a price and couldn't get an answer.
    
    jim

    
      I can't remember where I got this from so maybe somebody can back
    me up with proof. I think I read somewhere that Topps was going to
    improve a lot on their card formats and was going to cut back on the
    amount that they produced so, tell the dog and cat that they will
    have to do without their factory sets next year. Every one else in
    America gets one though.:-) The previous thoughts brought to you
    by me and are not the opinion of Digital Equip. Corp.:-)

    re: case prices.
    
    In previous years, case prices from TOPPS hovered around around
    $190-$225.  That's $9.50 to $11.25 a box.  TOPPS makes their money from
    selling the cards.  They could potentially raise the price this year
    but I wouldn't bank on it.  If you buy cases from topps you must get a
    minimum of 50.  That's a bunch of cards and 'great gum':-).  The
    retailers (Dealers, toy stores, etc.) add their mark up.  I suspect
    that's where the price gouging will occur if at all.  Supposedly, the
    price per pack is still recommended at $0.50.
    
    joe

    re.-.21
    
    Come on...the cards arn't even in stores yet and you're complaining
    about the dealers jacking up the prices. At least wait until they're on
    the shelves at jacked-up prices. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.
    
    
    
    
    
                                -pj-
    

    
     re. .29 
    
      I agree no one is complaining...just speculating with their opinions
    based on what they have seen happen to recent releases of some new
    products.

    FWIW, I've talked to three different shops, and the dealers there told
    me that they're planning on charging more, because "the demand will be
    so high".
    
    John D.
    

	If we could find someone out there who reads this Notesfile who has 
done business with TOPPS directly in the past, who is willing to gather
the names of any of us who is interested in buying at least 1 vendor box,
we might be able to get enough number of commitments to buy directly from 
TOPPS, and save a little money in the process.

	I, for one, would be willing to pay a little commission to this
person for his troubles, and I know that even after doing that, I still would
do better than buying from local dealers.  If we band together, we can all
benefit from it, and come out ahead of the game.

	We might even be able to recruit MIKE KELLY to it for us, if enough
of us express interest.   So, what do you say, let's hear from you out there, 
we all need each other, and if enough of us show a little interest, we will be 
able to pull this out. 
	

    I don't know about the rest of you guys, but the Topps Promo is
    starting to show up in alot of newspapers.  People who don't even
    collect cards are telling me have you heard about the Topps company 
    putting old cards into new wax packs.  I think this is going to be
    bigger than life!!  I can't wait to try my luck.  Does anyone know when
    the waxes will hit the street??
    

Dealers haven't even got the price lists for ordering yet!

    Dealer in Hudson NH told me he'd have 'em December 14.

    
    The dealer's don't even know when. I had a dealer tell me a couple
    of weeks ago that Upper Deck hockey was going to be in his hands the
    next day

    Being a fool and listening to all the hype about the 1991 Topps
    having vintage cards inserted randomly in wax packs. I purchased a case
    with a friend and 9 out of my 10 boxes have produced no older cards and
    no redemption cards either. The distribution isn't that bad and I will
    be putting sets together that will not contain any wax stained cards.
    
    The fool strikes out again,
    Ken

    I know someone who opened 4 cases and found 3 commons with a total
    value of $2.50.
    
    How much did you pay for the case?
    

    
    I opened a box last night and found nothing.  If 1/1000 is a "vintage"
    card, I stood a better than 1 in 2 chance of something.  Do you suppose
    the old card distribution is skewed somehow?  I'd love to find a dozen
    X#'s in my next box.  Distribution   of 91's looked good but I won't
    really know until I buy another box and see how close I am to a set.
    
    Steve

Can someone verify that they are indeed inserting the vintage cards in Cellos?

    The insert card this year is a instant game card if there is a x-number
    under the word Topps on that card you have won the card that is coded
    on the game piece. Only x-numbered cards have the mailing address on
    the front of the card. The only good non x-numbered cards are good for
    is to entry the sweepstakes. Which is grand prize of 40 sets to one
    winner and 40 sets to 40 winners and the 40 sets that are randomly
    inserted in wax and cello packs of Topps.
    
    Ken

    re:.42
    
    To specifically answer your question ... the cello packs themselves
    proclaim involvement in the contest.  I don't know of anyone that found
    a vintage card yet though; wax, cello or otherwise.
    
    Steve

    I'm not into errors and all, but does anyone know why there is an
    "ERR" designation after #100 Mattingly and #279 Gonzales listed in
    February's Beckett's?  I also noticed that the Becketts has # 232 
    listed as Len Dykstra and I got the card # 232 and it was not Dykstra
    .....could be just a printing error on Beckett's part.
    
    Lastly, I just got the '91 Ruben Sierra and there is an error on his
    card.....under his stats they have a little blurb about him and it
    reads:  "When Ruben exceeded 100 runs amd 100 RBI in 1989......"
    Note the "m" in "amd"......obviosly should be "and".
    
    When someone finds a correction....................................
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    .........we can all line up and blow chow!
    
    PM

    I was looking thru some Topps cards last night and I came upon a
    players card that had him on two teams.  I have one version of a card
    for Keith Comstock that has him playing for Seattle saying "Mariners"
    across the bottom of the card.  I also have another Keith Comstock card
    that shows the same picture of him in a Seattle uniform only it says
    "Cubs" across the bottom of the card.  The stats are the same on the
    back.  in my limited time collecting, this is the first time I have
    seen this.
    
    Tom      

I saw that error, too, and it wasn't listed in the May Becketts article.  
I obtained the one with Comstock on the Cubs first and thought it was an
error on the Checklist, having him on the wrong team.  Then I got a 
Comstock/Mariners card and went back and noticed that it was the same picture
on both.  

This looks like another in the long list of TOPPS errors.  

Dan

Article: 5200
From: clarinews@clarinet.com (United Press International)
Newsgroups: clari.sports.misc
Subject: Sports Digest
Date: 4 Sep 91 21:41:28 GMT
 
 
	A truck driver from Shelbyville, Ind., has won a rare baseball card
worth $8,000. Mark Leffler, 35, found a winning certificate for the 1952
Mickey Mantle card in a pack of Topps baseball cards he bought. The
company said it was the ``crown jewel'' of the cards in its 40th
anniversary sweepstakes contest but there still are 10 cards to be won
ranging in value from $300 to $1,900. ...

    
    When I bought my first unopened pack of 1970 Topps to put with the
    set I was building, I finally couldn't resist the urge any longer.
    I opened the pack (I still needed some cards see, and I was positive
    that they were in THAT pack!).
    
    For anyone whose interested, I can show you what 21 year old gum
    looks like.  I can also show you the damage it did to the cards
    around it (I wouldn't leave those Topps unopened too long if I
    were you!).
    
    Also, at least year's National (or was it two years ago), three
    people each bought one unopened 1952 wax pack.  I believe the cost
    was $2500.00
    
    They had all agreed to open their packs at the show (for obvious
    reasons -- national exposure if they found a Mantle).  They had also
    all agreed to at least try the gum.  They did.  (*shudder*).
    
    (For those interest, the most "value" any of those three got out of
     their packs was $800 in cards.  I personally found a Lou Brock
     and Rico Petrocelli AS card in my pack -- about what I paid for the
     pack -- and the only card I needed in the pack was the RP AS).
    
    -rjk