1968 Topps Plaks checklist cards

[quitcrab]

I think the American and National league checklist cards are among the best looking issue that topps produced in the 60 s
What is better then a checklist with pictures of all the star players !

My question is this :

1. How where they distributed ? I am under the impression that they where all hand cut from factory sheets and never put in the actual package that had the Plaks . Is this correct ? There was s big unopened find about 5 years ago and I don't think the market was flooded with checklist.

2. How was one plaks checklist able to receive a PSA number grade (7?) and all the rest receive "authentic " ?

3.Does anyone have the American league plak checklist to sell ?

[hcv123]

I believe these were issued. I have seen packs, wrappers and display boxes from the issue. While I am not clear how the checklist cards were distributed, I believe that the few with numerical grades were determined to have been factory cut and distributed.
The story I was told is that some 25+ years ago there was an uncut sheet that was cut up - most of the circulating copies today are from that sheet. The sheet was partially damaged which fits with many of the copies I have seen over the years have varying degrees of damage. There was also apart of the sheet that was "pristine".
The "find" of plaks a few years ago did not include any checklist cards. It did however "flood" the market with plaks. Only Brian Drent knows for sure, but it is my understanding there was a material quantity of plaks found.
I have been fortunate to own a number of these over the years and agree they are some of the most colorful and cool cards out there!

Perhaps Dave H, Al, Bob, Larry or a few other test collectors have more to offer?


Most of this is third or fourth hand so le that influence however it does. All the best.

Howard

[frankhardy]

I absolutely love these topics about Topps test issues. I am a Cardinals team set collector and am on a quest to get several of these issues that I still need. I am the proud owner of one of the National League checklists. I have had it for a couple of years. The catch with mine is that it is signed by Pete Rose. I think that is why I was able to get it as inexpensively as I did. As far as the distribution I do not know. It would be interesting to know. As far as the plaks themselves "flooding" the market, I wish I could find that "flood" . I am still in need of a Orlando Cepeda plak. I own a Tim McCarver already. It is an individual piece not on a sprue. I think there is a Cepeda on eBay right now but it is in a sprue with two others. I am only interested in the individual piece.

[judgejules1]

I just had a Checklist #2 through PSA. The card, to me, looked in pristine condition with no damage to it. It received an authentic vs a numerical grade. Not sure why yet. Has anyone ever sent back an authentically graded card and received a numeric grade? I can post a picture of the card later.

[hcv123]

I absolutely love these topics about Topps test issues. I am a Cardinals team set collector and am on a quest to get several of these issues that I still need. I am the proud owner of one of the National League checklists. I have had it for a couple of years. The catch with mine is that it is signed by Pete Rose. I think that is why I was able to get it as inexpensively as I did. As far as the distribution I do not know. It would be interesting to know. As far as the plaks themselves "flooding" the market, I wish I could find that "flood" . I am still in need of a Orlando Cepeda plak. I own a Tim McCarver already. It is an individual piece not on a sprue. I think there is a Cepeda on eBay right now but it is in a sprue with two others. I am only interested in the individual piece.


Mile High card co unearthed "the find" and I believe still has plenty for sale:

http://www.milehighcardco.com/viewuserdefinedpage.aspx?pn=ToppsPlaks

[hcv123]

I just had a Checklist #2 through PSA. The card, to me, looked in pristine condition with no damage to it. It received an authentic vs a numerical grade. Not sure why yet. Has anyone ever sent back an authentically graded card and received a numeric grade? I can post a picture of the card later.


PSA will grade as authentic any card that they determine to be sheet cut. Most of the Plak checklists in the market were sheet cut. See my earlier post in this thread. You could call and ask them why it graded "A" - they have always told me when I asked.

[judgejules1]

Thanks for the information Howard.
Here is the promised picture.

178108

[toppcat]

The Mile High find came from an ex Topps Duryea employee's home and I don't believe there were any wrappers or checklists associated with it. I do think the checklists were packaged with the sprues, or at least some of them.

I bought an AL checklist at the AC National over a decade ago. I brought it to SGC to get graded and when I came back they said it could not be holdered; not because it was sheet cut but because it had an odd factory cut and they could not cut a gasket for it:

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p280/dsh46/al%20plaks%20checklist_zpsz1ao5u2t.jpg (http://s130.photobucket.com/user/dsh46/media/al%20plaks%20checklist_zpsz1ao5u2t.jpg.html)

You can see how the top curves off to the right on both sides. The grader thought it was the result of high speed cutting.

I would think that in addition to those inserted into packs and those that were sheet cut, some would have been cut and left at the factory when the test fizzled and found their way to Card Collectors Co or Bill Haber eventually. Leftover sheets could even have been cut at the factory for the third party reseller.

Combined PSA/SGC pops are 49 checklists graded, of which 19 have number grades and the rest are Auth. There is only one high grade checklist, an SGC 96 NL. 21 AL and 28 NL have been graded overall.

[frankhardy]

I checked out the Mile High site. I don't think I will be paying $1350 for a single Cepeda. I paid $100 for my McCarver.

[quitcrab]

Thanks for all the info. The question is still unanswered... Can anyone confirm that the checklist where put in packs ? I think toppcat said "thinks they were put in some packs." I have never found any info confirming that the checklist were in packs. Thanks. Scott

[sflayank]

yes the checklists are in packs

[quitcrab]

Just curious... How do you know? Is there an example of an unopened pack where you can see or feel the checklist through the wrapper?
Thanks. Scott

[Griffins]

a friend of mine opened up a '68 Topps Plaks pack at the Toronto show a few years ago and videoed it. It was the pack from the Dreier collection. I can't find the video on youtube but it's there, I'll try and get the link.

[quitcrab]

Wow. That's going to be s cool video
hope you find it for us

[quitcrab]

Confirmation from Quitcrab ......the checklist did come in packs .... As stated before maybe not all packs but some packs had checklist.

[hcv123]

I believe Al on this board has an unopened pack.

[sflayank]

yes have unopened packs

[toppcat]

You would need the cardboard stiffener as those sprues would not last long without a checklist card riding shotgun in the pack.

[frankhardy]

I would love to see a video of a pack being opened....

I would really love for my wife to be the one doing the videoing while I am the one opening it!

:D

[hangman62]

I just looked that Topps Plax set up...strange ..no Willie Mays in there ?

[sflayank]

i have willie mays

[jmoran19]

I've seen the video, he pulled a Killebrew/cepada/Howard plak tree and the AL checklist

[quitcrab]

The video has the checklist card coming out of pack with corner wear. Pretty crazy !

[Griffins]

I was very familiar with that pack, it was very well handled. Not to mention withe the checklist being the only card in the pack any wear would hit it hard.