1970, 1972 & 1976 Topps Stickers - Expanding the Knowledge Base

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Third Installment in my quest to learn more about some obscure Topps test and proof issues. I want to address three hard to find Sticker issues from the 1970's and will start with 1976. These were precursors to the widely distributed 1977 Cloth Stickers. In original article(from 15 years ago) on www.oldbaseball.com I wrote about these:

"1976 Cloth Stickers (Unknown)

It's very possible this was a two card set, but I'm not positive. I've only seen the Dyer, but know the Apodaca exists. They were battery mates for the Mets in 1974, which might explain things, it's just too much of a coincidence. These are somewhat like the 1972 "Stickers" in that they have no backing, and no glue and some are also diaphanous (that's the opposite of opaque). In fact, four varieties of each exist: silk-like and three types of felt, each of varying thickness. One day long a go, in a card shop whose current lack of existence is still lamented by yours truly, I encountered three strips of the Dyer, three to a strip, one above the other. Had to cut one of the danged things off myself, which was nerve-wracking, believe me. Centering is skewed extremely right on all copies I saw. Should measure the same as a regular card, but hand cutting ain't exactly like using a laser you know. Duffy's an exact dupe of his regular issue card, I assume Apodaca is the same. Rarest Topps baseball issue from the Seventies, I would think. A possible test for the 77's, but these were never released. Probably just a test printing, which was a good idea, as the colors on my Dyer are murky. The silk-like 77's are much more striking."

This is indeed a two card set, as surmised above. What I did not know at the time was 1) They are not the rarest 1970's Topps baseball issue (If you count 1970 as part of the 70's, which is debatable but neater)the 1970 Cloth Stickers are tougher and the 72 Candy Lids Probably Are too, not to mentions a few other proof issues that may be one of a kind; 2) There are four types of sticker, which can best be described as sheer felt; thin felt, thick felt or full sticker with backing:




The topmost scan shows a completed sticker version (it has a backing) which I won on Ebay and the bottom one shows the three types of felt, in an auction I unfortunately lost. I do have a Dyer in what is the sheerest of the three and it's pretty thin.

Every one of these I have ever seen in uncut form came in vertical strips, not sheets. Now Topps tested these type of Stickers in 1970 (about 20 known but I guess either 22 or 33 were actually produced) and 1972 (33 produced) plus there were the Action All Star Stickers from 1973/74 (24 subjects, i.e. one for each tea and which seems to have been a better test than anything else since it was a product sold in packs). Why then did they just test two subjects in 1976?

The 1972 Stickers are fairy well known in the hobby and a supply of uncut partial sheets made it's way into the hobby. The earliest reference I have seen on the 72's is from the December 1982 issue of The Trader Speaks in which Rob Lifson discussed an unbacked (presumed) 33 card uncut partial sheet. There were later references in SCD and it became known some of these could be found with backing. A common problem with backed stickers is they are cut short 1/4" or so sometimes. All cards are from the 1972 regular issue 3rd series. It appears Topps was ready to test these stickers but never did. These are not terribly difficult to find today

The 1970 Stickers on the other hand are very, very rare and each may be unique or perhaps two-of-a-kind. Some stickers do not match the pose of 1970 regular issue card of the player. SCD states they are blank backed and I am not sure if this is supposed to mean "unbacked". Here is what one looks like (apologies if I lifted a board member's scan along the way:




These were certainly never issued.

I know a couple of board members own some of these so whatever information can be posted here would be of interest.