1964 Topps Giants Story?

[Orioles1954]

I remember hearing a story of a collector finding a warehouse full of 1964 Topps Giants in the early 1970s (perhaps close to a million). I'm trying to find out 1.) if that story is true, and, if not 2.) why are they so available in high-grade? Anyone?

James

[toppcat]

I remember hearing a story of a collector finding a warehouse full of 1964 Topps Giants in the early 1970s (perhaps close to a million). I'm trying to find out 1.) if that story is true, and, if not 2.) why are they so available in high-grade? Anyone?

James

Not sure of 100% accuracy re the above but believe a very large horde was found at one point. The set came out after the 1964 All Star Game and Topps must have assumed people would be interested in a late season issue. Not so much.

I think it's one of their best issues actually and it's neat you can find a set in nice shape for a reasonable price.

[oaks1912]

I remember seeing 2 -8 foot tables (at an Anaheim show in '75 or '76) stacked with complete sets of the '64 Giants sets. The asking price was 60 cents a set on Saturday, and the price was lowered on Sunday to 50 cents a set...... Sometime in the 80's or 90's I went to dinner with Will Davis and somehow the conversation drifted to 'finds' in general . Will started talking about the '64 Giants which he brought into the hobby. The find traces back to Southern California around 1969 / 1970. Will bought around 8 million 1964 Topps Giants, in cases for a total of $100. Prior to that purchase, the '64 Giants were not relatively common..... He even remembered the names of the two kids (at the time) that were selling the sets for him at the show that I was at... Throughout the mid-late 70's the hoard was significantly broken down, and groups of 5000-10000 still turn up in the hands of longtime collectors every year or so.

[Griffins]

I remember Will selling those at the Anaheim shows in the early '70s. At least thru the late '70's you could get a pile of them at Dodger Stadium for a buck, and the cards that came to be known as short prints were just as plentiful as the regular cards.
I suspect they were the '88 Donruss of the '60's.

[ALR-bishop]

But a very nice set with great photos and lots of stars

[Orioles1954]

Thanks Mark! I really appreciate that first-hand information! Did Will buy it from Topps? Were they cut card cases?

[toppcat]

Thought I had some old clippings about the find of the hoard but just checked and nothing turned up. The $100 purchase sounds familiar though.

[moeson]

While on a cross country teen tour in 1971, I attended a Dodgers game and bought a $1 envelope of what was labeled "old time" baseball cards. They might not have been so old, but that 1964 Giants purchase led to my becoming a dedicated card collector.

[oaks1912]

"Did Will buy it from Topps? Were they cut card cases?"........ Sorry James, my memory is fuzzy on whether they were cut card cases or not. I do not believe they were purchased directly from Topps. Up until the 80's, Topps would routinely sell their overstock / retailer returns to regional wholesalers.....Mike Cramer bought much of the West Coast overstock in the late 70's / early 80's, and Larry Fritsch bought much of the Midwest surplus...I should add that Southern California in the mid 70's was one of the best stocked regions for 60's vending case material...wish I'd purchased a few hundred more runs of 7th series '63's, but $5 for a stack of 12 year old cards was a lot of money....:)

[Griffins]

That's for sure Mark. Merv Williams had seeming endless supplies of '59 vending boxes (500 count) for $5, full of mint Aaron's, Robinsons, etc.

[RobertGT]

I have heard this warehouse story too, but had no idea that entire hoard was purchased for $100. Just wow.

I do see massive quantities of the 64 Giants turning up at local auctions around here (PA) from time to time, but usually the short-prints are nowhere to be found. A few years ago I purchased a stack of about 1,000 with probably close to 100 Killebrews. That card is so common it's ridiculous.

[GasHouseGang]

I remember buying the whole set for $4 from an SCD advertiser back in the 1980's. They couldn't hardly give those things away. At the time I couldn't figure out why these should be so cheap if they were from 1964. Now it makes sense.

[Harliduck]

I always wondered why these were so cheap...but it's not like they are clogging up Ebay. Currently there is only 7 complete sets for sale there, BINs ranging from $175 to $350 (aside the psa 8 set), and Sold listings range from $100 to $180. One day I will buy that set as they are pretty cool...even if they are saturated.

For some collectors that has to be the cheapest vintage playing days Mantle...

[toppcat]

I remember buying the whole set for $4 from an SCD advertiser back in the 1980's. They couldn't hardly give those things away. At the time I couldn't figure out why these should be so cheap if they were from 1964. Now it makes sense.

I think I paid $12 for mine, inflation had really hit by 1991 when I pulled the trigger.

[goheels]

I remember buying either 51 or 54 of the 60 from Bruce Yeko for 3.00 around 1975 and getting the short prints from Larry Fritsch for $1 each a little later.