Hardest to Find Topps Card?

[JollyElm]

I was talking about variations with someone today when they mentioned how tough it is to find the 1967 Topps Ed Spiezio card (that I have in my errors & variations thread) with part of his name missing. That's definitely a near impossible card to find in any shape.

So, it doesn't have to be a variation per se, but what card or cards do you think are the toughest to find from Topps during the years 1957 to 1973?? Just Topps.

Let's lay some groundwork. I'm not talking about things like proofs. For instance, the 1967 Maris on the Yankees blank backed card or the trio of 1960 cards found with different teams on front. Those do not count. And I'm not specifically talking about the price of the card. For instance, someone might point to the 1969 white letter Mantle as being extremely hard to find, but in all honesty, there are plenty of them out there. They just cost a lot. I'm talking about cards that were part of the wide Topps distribution, but for whatever reason--being a variation or a SP or whatever--they are just ridiculously hard for you, personally, to find these days.

I will start by nominating the 1973 Al Kaline with a band aid on his forehead and the 1968 white letter #400 McCormick card.

[savedfrommyspokes]

For me, the 1969 567 no black outline is one of the toughest variations to find. Second for me is the 73 Kaline with the Band-Aid on forehead card....it has been tough for me to find also. Third toughest for me would be the 68 WL McCormick.....3 are currently listed on ebay now. I can not remember seeing a 69 567 variation show up online (ebay, comc, etc) in the past year...outside of Darren's BST thread this card seems to be nonexistent.

[Cliff Bowman]

The printing error versions of 1961 Jim Golden, 1963 Ken Retzer, 1967 Aurelio Monteagudo, 1967 Dick Nen, 1969 Pirates Rookie Stars, and a couple from the 80's, 1985 Jorge Orta, 1986 Terry Puhl. I only own one of these :mad:.

[savedfrommyspokes]

The printing error versions of 1961 Jim Golden, 1963 Ken Retzer, 1967 Aurelio Monteagudo, 1967 Dick Nen, 1969 Pirates Rookie Stars, and a couple from the 80's, 1985 Jorge Orta, 1986 Terry Puhl. I only own one of these :mad:.

Seems like the Golden card used to come up a lot more often on ebay than it does now a days. I have not seen copies of the Retzer or Nen cards, so it would be great to see scans if anyone might have them. Not too familiar with the Orta card either.

Below are my Monteagudo and 69 Pirates RS cards.

Is the missing position on the Nen card somehow related to the missing borders on the Monteagudo card? If so, is there another card in between the two that might also have border issues?

[ALR-bishop]

I guess we are just doing base set stuff and excluding Topps test set issued at retail but not nationally, right

Here are some I found tough. The 1959 Spahn and Sullivan variants are included only because I found the Spahn 1931 clear and Sullivan no circle and no period versions pretty tough

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/1960179_zpsgxegnzpf.jpg?t=1471451339
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img100.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img022-1.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img244.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img022.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img344.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img430_zps6b627868.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img674_zps0b9d638e.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/topps006_zpssjpxd5ev.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/WhitenOldClothes858_zps7b8b3a31.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/dd83856c-688d-4863-acfb-d7e5aeb0f98d_zps938c32ea.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/1959943_zpskokfguz6.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/WhitenOldClothes837_zps0759c411.jpg

[BillP]

For me it was a decent 57 brooks robinson or 59 Gibson at a reasonable price.

[Cliff Bowman]

The 1985 Topps Jorge Orta is missing black border lines in a large area of the bottom left corner. It was above Jerry Royster on the printing sheet, the Royster can be found missing a large area of black border line in the upper left corner. and is also missing the black 'Topps' in that area. I probably don't have a scan of the Orta anymore, but I will put one up of the Royster when I can. I don't have the Monteagudo but I have the two cards that were on each side of it, Dick Howser and Dick Schofield, I will also put up scans of them when I can. ETA, the Nen and the Monteagudo are on the same sheet but not near each other. I forget who was above the Nen. That sheet can be found by googling '1967 Topps Uncut Sheet'.

[Neal]

Hardest to Find Topps Card?

usually the one I am itching to buy!

[KCRfan1]

Al,

You always have the wildest stuff!!!

[Cliff Bowman]

Here are the two cards that were on each side of the 1967 Topps Monteagudo on the printing sheet, Dick Schofield and Dick Howser. Notice the missing black border on each card.

[ALR-bishop]

Great info Cliff. Your now Border Man;):)...or head of Collectors Without Borders

[savedfrommyspokes]

Here are the two cards that were on each side of the 1967 Topps Monteagudo on the printing sheet, Dick Schofield and Dick Howser. Notice the missing black border on each card.

Thank you Cliff for showing these two....looks like part of Howser's signature was also effected.

[BearBailey]

For me it was 1966 high numbers. If you have money you can find the 52's but there were 2-3 1966 cards it took me over a year to find. And when you do find the 66's centering is off.

[JTysver]

1975 Topps Willie Davis #10. Clouds in Upper Right and mixed with team name.

[ALR-bishop]

Jay---that one can be found in different stages . Pretty sure there will be some on ebay at any given time

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/1960182_zpsqqvn0rwa.jpg?t=1472065111

[JustinD]

As someone who loves oddballs, I have to say my hard type cards are post war.

The 1990 george bush and the 1971 topps contest winners cards.

I also have been unsuccessful at any price to find my white whale in a decade plus ...the 1990 donruss aquaous Lance Parrish.

[ALR-bishop]

Justin-- we have a board member here who thought after acquiring the April Bole card he had finished the 71 Winners set at 15. Then that trouble maker David Hornish :) added several more cards to the checklist via his Topps research. The additions and the grand prize winner and his selection of a new Topps set versus a bunch more of his cards is detailed on Dave's blog.

And although I did snag a 90 Topps Bush card, right after I did so it was revealed there were two kinds, the high gloss,ones apparently given to the president in small quantities, and a regular gloss one cut from sheets and given to employees. :(

Another tough Topps card

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img057.jpg

The "common" Bush version

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img081.jpg

[toppcat]

As someone who loves oddballs, I have to say my hard type cards are post war.

The 1990 george bush and the 1971 topps contest winners cards.

I also have been unsuccessful at any price to find my white whale in a decade plus ...the 1990 donruss aquaous Lance Parrish.

I had 9 of the 19 Winners cards from 1971 at one point. Kept one for my type collection, sold the rest and the buyer got lucky on an eBay auction with a whale. These were out there for a little while but have dried up. You really don't see them anymore.

The set is actually from 1972 but that will never stick. The full story, checklist and more are here on my blog if you haven't seen it.

http://toppsarchives.blogspot.com/search/label/1971%20Topps%20Winners

[ALR-bishop]

I think I had to step over one of them in some guys basement this summer...seriously

[JustinD]

I think I had to step over one of them in some guys basement this summer...seriously

Killin' me Al, lol.

Yes, Bob just backed up this story and sent me one of the kindest PMs I have ever received.

Patiently smiling now with fingers crossed the biggest remaining hole in my PC is going away. :D

[tedzan]

1969 Mantle in Blue

I found this blue version in a small shop back in the 1980's (paid $15 for it).

And, I have searched for another one since then....but, have yet to find one.

So, my question is......does anyone on this forum have (or have seen) another blue 1969 Mantle card ?



http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan77/images/large/1969TblueMantlegrayMM.jpg



TED Z
.

[ALR-bishop]

Not me! but bet you could get $20 for it Ted ;-)

[tedzan]

Hey San Antonio Al

I was stationed in San Antonio many years ago while serving in the Air Force.

I recall the Alamo and River Walk (with a cute Texas gal) and lot's of hot days in the Summer.

Naa ! I don't want to sell (or trade) this rare Mickey card. But, I was hoping for another Blue Mantle to surface on this forum.


TED Z
.

[ALR-bishop]

Ted-- I did not arrive in San Antonio until 1995. St Louis native. Attended the 64 Series. Only time I saw Mantle play in person. Fortunately Maris from that Yankee team later came over to us from the Dark Side :)

By the way , the Topps 1965 card showing Mantle hitting a clutch HR actually shows him missing a Gibson fastball :-)

[tedzan]

Al

The 1st National that I attended was in your hometown in 1982. I was very impressed with it, and I acquired a lot of oldies but goodies while there.

I was on a business trip to Denver that Summer, and I left on the weekend so I could stop over at the Show. Met a lot of great people in the hobby
that weekend, and had a great conversation with Enos Slaughter.


Incidentally, Mickey's last (18th) World Series HR was off Bob Gibson :)


PENNSYLVANIA TED
.