1985 Topps Football question

[Tennis13]

I am not complaining. I bought 3 packs of 1985 Topps football yesterday, and one of the packs was the same sequence of cards twice. I got 2 Elways and 2 Roger Craigs in one pack. The split was at the two little sticker inserts.

Is this common for that era?

[steve B]

It's not uncommon for that era. In fact it still happens. Topps has always been a bit odd with the collation.

There used to be a decent little side business for some people who opened loads of cards providing the sequences for rack packs. Basically you'd buy a list from someone who'd opened several cases and kept track and then you'd know what stars were inside packs with certain commons showing. I never bought one, but there were several ads.

I had a box of 82 Topps/Brighams Red Sox a friend working there got for me, and since the set and packs were small it was easy to sequence. Yaz was either on top or inside with a particular common on top.

And I've gotten packs of 2016 Gypsy Queen that are identical except for the mini insert.

But it can be worse. One batch of 81 Donruss had 11 of the same card in each pack. Not so bad if you got a star, not at all good if you got a checklist. I think the local shop that had them sent them back.

Steve B