High number card?

[Snapolit1]

Sure I will kick myself asking such an obvious question . . .but what does it mean when someone designates a card as a High # card?

[Joshchisox08]

Sure I will kick myself asking such an obvious question . . .but what does it mean when someone designates a card as a High # card?

Out of all of the cards in the set it (the "high numbered card") is numbered in the latter 3/4 of the set :)
Just a guess.

[scooter729]

Depends on the set. Many vintage sets came out in series - take for instance the 1914 Cracker Jack cards. #1-72 came out first as the low number series, and #73-144 came out later as the high number series, and are more scarce.

What numbers and how big the series are varies with every set. For the 1952 Topps, #1-80 are the low numbers, #81-310 are mid, while the high numbers are #311-407 and are the toughest. For 1957 Topps, the toughest cards are from a middle series. So it can vary every year.

[frankbmd]

Depends on the set. Many vintage sets came out in series - take for instance the 1914 Cracker Jack cards. #1-72 came out first as the low number series, and #73-144 came out later as the high number series, and are more scarce.

What numbers and how big the series are varies with every set. For the 1952 Topps, #1-80 are the low numbers, #81-310 are mid, while the high numbers are #311-407 and are the toughest. For 1957 Topps, the toughest cards are from a middle series. So it can vary every year.

And this is from an institution of "higher" learning.:)

[irv]

Sure I will kick myself asking such an obvious question . . .but what does it mean when someone designates a card as a High # card?

With the 52 Topps cards, high # cards actually mean something as they are the rarest of that set.

Many, because of their late introduction to market were thrown in the sea due to lack of sales so high number cards are harder to come by and therefore, usually, worth more money.

I personally think, when you read that, with many listings other than the 52 Topps series, some are just using that as an excuse to try and drum up business as I don't think many, or any sets prior or after that Topps series were thrown into the sea?

[tschock]

And all this time I thought a "high number" card meant a card someone picked up on some hazy night when they were in college.

[scooter729]

And this is from an institution of "higher" learning.:)

I'm obviously contributing greatly to the advancement of our students by spending so much time on the boards this morning. Commencement is in two days; they should be smart enough by now...

[steve B]

With the 52 Topps cards, high # cards actually mean something as they are the rarest of that set.

Many, because of their late introduction to market were thrown in the sea due to lack of sales so high number cards are harder to come by and therefore, usually, worth more money.

I personally think, when you read that, with many listings other than the 52 Topps series, some are just using that as an excuse to try and drum up business as I don't think many, or any sets prior or after that Topps series were thrown into the sea?

52 was an odd instance. Topps had loads of leftovers because they hadn't figured sales would be as low as they were. And they didn't have a lot of warehouse space.

In later years they were smarter and produced fewer of the last series anticipating lower sales than there were for earlier series. They also found ways of moving the leftovers - "fun packs" for Halloween, and maybe a few other ways (Won't get into the whole Christmas rack pack thing, other than to say that the one I bought while nothing appears to be centered well, it does have a 58 high number showing so the cards aren't always entirely junk )

So while the 52 High numbers are fairly tough and have that great story, the last series of other years are also harder to find than the earlier series.

In at least one instance this continued after the baseball sets changed to being issued all at once. The original Star Wars cards ran to 5 series. The last one was similar to the baseball (and for 72 football) high numbers. I only found out they existed from friends who lived across town and bought their candy and cards from the one place that carried them.

Steve B

[Sean]

With the 52 Topps cards, high # cards actually mean something as they are the rarest of that set.

Many, because of their late introduction to market were thrown in the sea due to lack of sales so high number cards are harder to come by and therefore, usually, worth more money.

I personally think, when you read that, with many listings other than the 52 Topps series, some are just using that as an excuse to try and drum up business as I don't think many, or any sets prior or after that Topps series were thrown into the sea?
I collect the 1965 Topps set, and I can tell you that the high numbers are the toughest.They were released late in the baseball season, and their time for distribution was limited, so many of them are slightly harder to come by.

[irv]

52 was an odd instance. Topps had loads of leftovers because they hadn't figured sales would be as low as they were. And they didn't have a lot of warehouse space.

In later years they were smarter and produced fewer of the last series anticipating lower sales than there were for earlier series. They also found ways of moving the leftovers - "fun packs" for Halloween, and maybe a few other ways (Won't get into the whole Christmas rack pack thing, other than to say that the one I bought while nothing appears to be centered well, it does have a 58 high number showing so the cards aren't always entirely junk )

So while the 52 High numbers are fairly tough and have that great story, the last series of other years are also harder to find than the earlier series.

In at least one instance this continued after the baseball sets changed to being issued all at once. The original Star Wars cards ran to 5 series. The last one was similar to the baseball (and for 72 football) high numbers. I only found out they existed from friends who lived across town and bought their candy and cards from the one place that carried them.

Steve B

Thanks for the info. I was under the assumption 52 high numbers were likely to toughest to get, and maybe they still are, but it sounds like they are not the only ones.

I collect the 1965 Topps set, and I can tell you that the high numbers are the toughest.They were released late in the baseball season, and their time for distribution was limited, so many of them are slightly harder to come by.

You would think after 52 they would have learned their lesson, but then again, maybe that was intentional?

Thanks for the info. :)

[Rich Klein]

Funny -- in NJ back in the day we always had tons of 65's compared to the middle series

And in 1958 -- the last series is by far the easiest of all the series.

Rich

[Snapolit1]

Ok. So while some 52 Mantles are marked and sold as high number cards, in reality they are all number 311 in the series and are all high number cards. Think I got it. What confused me was only some of these cards marked as high number cards.

[irv]

Ok. So while some 52 Mantles are marked and sold as high number cards, in reality they are all number 311 in the series and are all high number cards. Think I got it. What confused me was only some of these cards marked as high number cards.

311 to 407 were the high number, last series to be shipped out.

They were shipped out late in the season.

Another take from PSA.

The 1952 Topps Baseball set consists of an astonishing 407 cards, each measuring 2-5/8" by 3-3/4”. The set was issued in six distinct "Series" groups, with New York area heroes Phil Rizzuto, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Monte Irvin and other Yankees, Dodgers and Giants dominating the first series, accompanied by such stars as Warren Spahn, Hank Sauer, Ted Kluszewski, and Robin Roberts. Heroes in subsequent series include Johnny Mize, Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, and Willie Mays. Series 6 emerges like a “Who's Who” of stardom, beginning with card #311, the first Topps card of Mickey Mantle, followed in succession by depictions of Jackie Robinson (#312), Bobby Thomson (#313), Roy Campanella (#314) and Leo Durocher (#315). Such players as Pee Wee Reese, Eddie Mathews and Bill Dickey, and a group of rookies highlighted by Gil McDougald, Joe Black and Hoyt Wilhelm, encouraged the purchase of baseball card packs well into autumn.

Rarities in this expansive gallery include card #s 311 Mickey Mantle through #407 Eddie Mathews. Production numbers of Series 6 of Topps' inaugural release are believed to have been short-printed and minimally distributed, as retailers anticipated a seasonal falling-off in card sales and reduced or cancelled orders. Variations, errors and oddities in 1952 Topps include each card in Series 1 (#s 1-80) being found in Black Back and Red Back configurations; two of those (#s 48 and 49, pitchers Joe Page and Johnny Sain) are the subjects of error versions wherein each man's card has the other's printed back. The card of Frank Campos (#307) comes with and without an unusual, overprinted star on the reverse, with the former very seldom encountered. Scarcities revolve around the issue of condition, particularly with the first card (#1 Andy Pafko, perhaps the most valuable common around) and the series-concluding #80 Herman Wehmeier, both of which fell victim to rubber-banding. This set is also recalled for its few star omissions: Ted Williams and Whitey Ford were both in the armed forces at the time, and Stan Musial was under contract to Bowman and couldn't appear in a competitor's product.

In 1986, an enormous cache of 1952 Topps Baseball high number cards were unearthed in Lowell, Massachusetts. Al “Mr. Mint” Rosen removed approximately 6,000 “Gem Mint” cards, including 65 Mickey Mantle (#311) rookies, from the New England home, thousands of which have since been encapsulated into PSA holders. The world-renowned auctioneer house, Sotheby’s, called the stockpile “the greatest find of baseball cards ever.” Throughout industry circles, the once in a lifetime event is often referred to as simply, “The Find.”

[irv]

And some more info about the set.

http://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/246/1952-topps-baseball-cards-most-popular-sportscard-set-ever-produced

[Tom S.]

Surely the original poster was talking about card #420. :rolleyes:

[Leon]

Sure I will kick myself asking such an obvious question . . .but what does it mean when someone designates a card as a High # card?

No one knows everything except my wife. A lot of new pre-war guys don't know Irv Young is on the E97 (throwing pose) instead of Cy Young, as it says on it. From my past collection...

[Republicaninmass]

OLD Cy young, vs "New" Cy Young

[irv]

No one knows everything except my wife. A lot of new pre-war guys don't know Irv Young is on the E97 (throwing pose) instead of Cy Young, as it says on it. From my past collection...

Here you go, Leon. ;)

[BBB]

From what I recall, 33 goudeys were divided up by what sheet they were printed on. The order was not purely linear. Some sheets were known to be rarer and thus you have runs of #s (both hi and low) that are more valuable. Or something like that.


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