1959 Fleer Ted Williams #68 mini-mystery

[jason.1969]

Hobby literature is extremely non-committal when it comes to the question of whether the 1959 set was just difficult or literally impossible to complete back then without writing to Fleer.

I offer what I believe to be a conclusive answer in my newest post to the SABR Baseball Cards Research Committee blog.

https://sabrbaseballcards.blog/2019/06/15/a-ted-williams-mini-mystery-solved/

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[bnorth]

Hobby literature is extremely non-committal when it comes to the question of whether the 1959 set was just difficult or literally impossible to complete back then without writing to Fleer.

I offer what I believe to be a conclusive answer in my newest post to the SABR Baseball Cards Research Committee blog.

https://sabrbaseballcards.blog/2019/06/15/a-ted-williams-mini-mystery-solved/

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This is probably wrong because going by memory. I believe it was available in some packs and not others. I cant remember if it was the 6 or 8 card packs that you had a small chance of getting one in.

[bigfanNY]

When I purchased my 59 Fleer set in the late 1970's the only way to get a Ted Signs was in sheet form. So I got a stack of cards and an uncut sheet with the SP.
In 1975 I was at a card show in Irvington NJ and a table there was selling unopened boxes of 59 Fleer as well as sets put together from packs. And they had no number 68. And he broke down at least a case with zero SP.

[jason.1969]

My take on it all is that 68 made it into some early wax. This not only accounts for some examples with wax stain backs but also explains how Topps came to know about the card.

If so, the case break with no 68s could just suggest it was from later in the year.

Jason

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[bnorth]

On a kinda related note I see the #1 SGC graded complete set recently sold for $3760.99. The #68 is graded a 96/9.