52 Topps low number/high price?
 

Can anyone tell me why these cards are so expensive?
Is it because of the Grey and Black backs?

Never seen such high bid prices for low number cards like this before?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-TOPPS-4...MAAOSwX~dWtWPH
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-TOPPS-1...QAAOSwL7VWtWNA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-TOPPS-1...cAAOSwvUlWtWPA

The first card you reference via ebay is an error card, Joe Page on the front with the bio of a different player ( Johnny Sain ) on the back. Plus the card presents very nicely.

The other two cards you reference via ebay are grey backs and the market bears out what they will sell for. I believe it's hard to put a definite price on those cards especially in an auction format.

You might want to take a look through your stash!

Grey Backs
 

There are several threads in here on the grey back "Canadian" scarcity and associated pricing. Any price guide will note the Sain and Page variations

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...1952+canadians

Thanks guys. Surprised there are no scans/pics of the backs? (unless I'm blind)

RM, already looked at mine, and as far as I can tell, I don't have any of these types of cards, sadly? :(

Yes that is amazing how a seller can post a gray back and not show scans.

Is there any positive proof that these cards were printed in Canada? If they were, why doesn't it say that. I thought they were printed somewhere in upstate NY.

Canada
 

I am not a Canadian prophet. We do have one on the board though. Dave Hornish and Bob Lemke have doubts. I really do not care that much. Will try to add prior threads

http://toppsarchives.blogspot.com/se...20Gray%20Backs

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEV...nSRuU5BdVHFYM-

And , a Canadian fan

http://net54baseball.com/showthread....ps+1952+canada

I do not know about the 1952
 

but the 1854 can be found in wrappers that indicate Canada on them. i posted a link to a pack in the thread about the 1954 robinson from Goodwin. I now peope who opened 1954 canada packs and got the gray back canadian cards. lead me to believe the 1952 may also have been from Canada despite the misgivings of some.

Canadian
 

It is a neat hobby mystery.

until some are found in a pack, it will remain hobby lore!


I've seen big lots of cards supposedly all from wax packs with some gray backs.


Some believe they were inserted into Doeskin tissues like the rails and sails gray backs.


What I'd give for an unopened Doeskin tissues with a gray back showing!

1952
 

....especially a Reiser :)

Reiser
 

I have a good friend with multiple gray back reisers. I do not think he is looking to sell any. He has an incredibly large gray back collection.

I don't think you can infer 1952 grays from 1954 grays. Not saying the 52's would be impossible in Canada but there are a few things that argue against it. Topps did all kinds of nutty things that don't follow a specific pattern, especially early on and the 52 grays certainly fall into that category.

If what you say is, indeed, true, your good friend will be very popular and a lot wealthier. Count me among those interested if s/he decides to sell, trade, or barter.

Bill

He does not need the money
 

He has been stock piling them for 25 years. it is indeed true.

At least now we know that it is a contrived shortage. The good news that knowing that there are a substantial number out there should limit the upside in the prices for those of us looking to acquire.

Still looking for a Reiser in exchange for my House yellow/gray. The House should be a real rarity and not an artifical shortage.

Bill

What mkes you think it is artificial?
 

One person buying them for 25 years and only having 2-3 of most and a few he only has 1 of. Your theory is highly flawed. I believe he only has 2 or 3 reisers. This is not a man made shortage. Really trying to figure out where you got that impression. This individual probably went to more shows in one year than most have in their lifetime. Really baffled by your assumption he is the reason they are rare. I owned close to 100 Jackson/Shirley 1966 Topps cards at one time. I was not the reason they were tough but i did buy them because they were deemed tough. He only has 3 or 4 of a particular card as his high point. Because he had knowledge and sought these out does not deflate the price. Is the Doye T206 worthless because Fritsch spent a lot of years looking for more when the variation was uncatalogued? PS he was also buying Campos Black Star and other variations before they were cataloged nd it has not hurt their price. In fact i would be willing to wager he has more House errors that he does any Gray back

Not like the Bartiromes!


What a sale of the Ken Wood gray back last night, hammered at 1375.

I also know a very advanced collector I met at the Valley Forge show who has the whole run of grays. They aren't going anywhere for a while.

You said he had "an incredibly large gray back collection" and "multiple gray back Reisers. Sounds big to me. Thanks for clarifying that he only has "2 or 3 Reisers".

Even though it was off-center, it was a nice looking card.

Last I checked
 

2-3 is a multiple.

My goodness! I seemed to have riled you up! I don't fault anyone for acquiring what they do. I was just saying that if cards exist, they exist, whether a few people have them or many people have them. If they don't exist, they don't exist. Period. Now if your good friend burned the cards, I would change my mind about the price potential.

Bill