69 Topps set questions
 

I just started putting together a 69 Topps high grade (PSA 8 or better) set. I have 313 cards so far. I have some questions for the experts out there:

1. What's the deal with the yellow and white letter cards? Was this done intentionally by Topps? Obviously the white letters appear to be a lot tougher to find, especially in high grade. I'm thinking of just getting EX or better for the white letters and focusing on them last.

2. I haven't examined the PSA POP reports yet but it seems like there are some commons tough to find in PSA 8 or better (i.e. #52 Mike Andrews). Any information you may have on the tough commons would be appreciated.

3. Card #99 Back loop/No black loop. Is this an error card? Are there other cards like this?

Do any of you have a checklist in a spreadsheet I can have?

I appreciate any insight or advice from the experts out there.

Thanks

Good luck with the set Dan. The Lou Brock in PSA 8 is going to set you back quite a bit.

PM sent.

I guess so, WOW. I was thinking Ryan, Mantle and Jackson were the only real high $ cards. I have a cards of each of them but only Ryan is a PSA 8 the rest are PSA 5 or lower. I'll upgrade as I can.

Thanks for the info.

Yeah, the Graig Nettles rookie card has the loop and no loop variation.

I am not sure if the White Letters were intentional during one series and not the next, or if they were printing errors. But yes, they are rarer than the regular colored names.

I would presume that the ones that are expensive in high grade are due to centering issues.

1969
 

Hey, Dan, I have the 69 set but am an ungraded collector.

There are several interesting aspects to the 69 set for me. Through the first 4 series it is full of outdated, capless and airbrushed photos. This seems to be because Topps took no new photos in 68 and early 69. This was likely because of expansion...100 players ( 4 new teams) to be in new uniforms and a lot of minor leaguers promoted to fill resulting roster gaps on established teams forced to give up players. Also, with Marvin Miller in charge, the players union was holding out for a better license agreement from Topps. As a result of an eventual agreement, beginning in the 5th series there are much newer photos and better cards

In an SCD article some time back Keith Olbermann pointed out that through the 4th series every A's player is in an airbrushed KC uniform, and that in those series there are 24 rookie cards with 48 players, 20 pf which are shown in minor league uniforms.

Another impact, no team cards for the first time in 13 years. The Mays card is from 1966, and Aaron from 68. The Larry Haney 209 card, like the more famous 57 Aaron, in a reversed negative. Mack Jones 625 and Gary Geiger 278 are batting from the wrong side ( a gag maybe ?). Then there is the bat boy card, 653. And, the two big rookie cards are from the same team, Fingers and Jackson.

I do not think the white versus yellow was intentional. Maybe DPs. Similar phenomena with the 58 yellow/whites. Maybe the print experts here can weigh in on those.

There are other recurring differences as well , for example there are two different versions of each checklist, White 25 with a red circle shape above his head, 4 or 5 versions of the Popovich card 47, Royals Rookies 49 with differnt Rodriguez, at least 3 of Peranoski 77, Nettles 99 with and without the loop, Longborg 109 with different color flags, Wood 123 with different sky backgrounds, Dalrymple 151 in different poses and uniforms, Edwards 186 with a blue streak by his left eye, Clendenon 208 Expo or Houston, Ricketts 232 with a "Slit B" notation in the margin, Hernandez 258 with a "slit A" notation in margin, Hargan 348 with a mark on his neck that bleeds to the back of card, Bosewell 402 with a white line from name to trophy on front, Washburn 415 with a white or white and red sash in lower left border, Rojas 507 with various amounts of the R in his name on front missing, Boozer 599 with red and blue streak across right arm

A very tough variation is the Pirates Rookie Stars 567 without the black border around "1969 Rookie Stars" on the front .

That year, 1969, was also a good year for Topps insert and test sets

- The 4 in 1 set
-The Decal set
-The Deckle Edge set
-The Stamps set
-The Super ( small) set
-The Team Posters
-The Bowie Kuhn "card"

Have fun with it :)

Hey Dan,
Check out my errors/variations-a-palooza thread in the B/S/T section. In it I show a good deal of the anomalies from the '69 set. It's a good way to familiarize yourself with all of the cool stuff from that year.
--elm

Al, yes I'm aware of all of the 69 sets. That's the first year I started collecting as a kid. I do have ideas of attempting all of the sets but I'll stick to the Topps main set for now.

--elm, what a great job you've done identifying and accumulating the variations. I think I'll stick to the main cards for now.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Here's a good article which also details all the variations. Good luck!

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com...ball-card-set/