First Forum Post Topic 1955-56 Topps Hocus Focus

[GODAWGS31]

First official post on this forum. I'm not new to card collecting but had stepped away for many years. I'm posting trying to get some advice from forum members about how to handle a recent set collection I re-discovered I had.

I came in to a large family collection of vintage (pre-1961) cards (baseball mostly and some football) around 2007 and spent years getting them graded and sold (kicking myself now seeing the values they are going for but that's another story for another day). Part of the collection that I overlooked (because I didn't know what they were at the time and they didn't seem too interesting at the time, very small cards) was a group of around 40-45 1955 Topps and 1956 Topps Hocus Focus cards. They are very small and get set aside in a small box and life moved on and I forgot about them.

I recently brought these back out and was doing some research and was shocked to find out how scarce they really are. Have read on a number of different online posts that many consider them to be the most difficult of all Topps sets ever to collect. There are 23 baseball cards in the '55 set and to date only 22 examples total have ever been graded on the PSA Pop report. They don't have a huge following with collectors (probably because of their scarcity and the difficulty in even finding examples of them) but they do have a following none the less and I've found a few auction results going back within the last 10-15 years.

I have 10 total baseball cards, 8 different players (2 duplicates), and 3 of those cards have 0 on the Pop report having no known graded examples. For anyone that knows anything about the sets there were also non-sports cards as well that consisted of world leaders, world wonders, movie stars, sports thrills, westerners, etc.

Of the "non-sports" cards I also have 15-17 examples that also have 0 on the Pop report (no examples ever graded). So I've got 15-20 1950's era Topps cards that have never graced the doors of PSA or any other grading company that I'm aware of.

I wanted to get some advice on the best way to handle this batch of cards? I ultimately would like to look at selling them (most likely through a catalog-type auction house) and wanted to get some advice on which one might be the best to reach out to and why? I recently submitted half the cards (22 examples) for PSA grading including all the baseball examples, a number of the previously ungraded "non-sport" cards and a few others that were best in shape.

If anyone can provide any additional information or insight on this set, etc. or advice on best ways to proceed, etc. I'm all ears and would appreciate any help.

Can post photos of some of the cards as well if anyone is interested (they're not the prettiest Topps cards by any means but I guess that's what you get when they are cards developed nearly 70 years ago by getting them wet or spitting on them and exposing them to sunlight to develop the card picture).

Thanks,

Matt

[swarmee]

Most of the cars and monuments that sold on COMC were under $5 each.
The Boone sold for $175, while the Groat sold for $17, and the Lincoln for $3.

https://www.comc.com/Cards,sr,=hocus+focus,ot,i100

I don't recommend grading any more unless they are in NM or better condition.

[toppcat]

PM me for info on these-Both sizes came out in 1955 and I'm trying to decipher the checklist on the smaller cards (known as 55's) which have 30 extra subjects compared to the larger ones (known as 56's). I have a bit of info together on these.

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Most of the cars and monuments that sold on COMC were under $5 each.
The Boone sold for $175, while the Groat sold for $17, and the Lincoln for $3.

https://www.comc.com/Cards,sr,=hocus+focus,ot,i100

I don't recommend grading any more unless they are in NM or better condition.

Thanks for the insight. The ones I submitted for grading are mostly all in much better shape than those listed in the link. There isn’t a lot of prior sales data history on these cards but I’ve found some from digging around. A Spooner PSA 2 sold for $450 in 2020. 2 different lots have sold at auction in last 5 years. One lot of 16 total cards (some mixed baseball and “non-sports”) sold for $9500 with Leland’s in ‘19. It did have a Ruth and Robinson in it but only 4 graded cards rest raw.

Another lot of 6 PSA all baseball cards sold with REA for $3300 in 2018. All low grades, a Lopat 1, Jacobs 1.5, Zernial 3MC, Mathew’s 3MK, Sauer 4MC, Schmitz 5.

The Parnell I submitted has a good chance to get a 7 or better which would become the highest graded card in the entire set (6 is the highest now)

Also have a few “non-sports” examples that appear to be NM or better. It’s hard to tell with these cards because there aren’t alot of examples to draw from.

Anyways I’ll guess we’ll see how it turns out.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by GODAWGS31

Thanks for the insight. The ones I submitted for grading are mostly all in much better shape than those listed in the link. There isn’t a lot of prior sales data history on these cards but I’ve found some from digging around. A Spooner PSA 2 sold for $450 in 2020. 2 different lots have sold at auction in last 5 years. One lot of 16 total cards (some mixed baseball and “non-sports”) sold for $9500 with Leland’s in ‘19. It did have a Ruth and Robinson in it but only 4 graded cards rest raw.

Another lot of 6 PSA all baseball cards sold with REA for $3300 in 2018. All low grades, a Lopat 1, Jacobs 1.5, Zernial 3MC, Mathew’s 3MK, Sauer 4MC, Schmitz 5.

The Parnell I submitted has a good chance to get a 7 or better which would become the highest graded card in the entire set (6 is the highest now)

Also have a few “non-sports” examples that appear to be NM or better. It’s hard to tell with these cards because there aren’t alot of examples to draw from.

Anyways I’ll guess we’ll see how it turns out.

Just know the smalls are 25-30 times tougher than the larger cards.

[ALR-bishop]

Agree with Dave. I have the 56 baseball subset done, but am 2 short on the 55s. The 55 baseball checklist was incomplete until just a few years back.

Value is hard to predict. Because it is not well known, very scarce and ugly to boot I would guess they are not widely collected as a set, but maybe high on the list of some player collectors. I have been contacted several times about my 55 and 56 Ted Williams. I do think that among graded player or set collectors higher graded cards would bring higher prices. Mine are all ungraded and I would say hand cut from strips that came in the packs. This one is from 56.

Welcome to the Board Matt. You started out with a bang

[Exhibitman]

Any of the boxers in there? Marciano, Gavilan and Moore.

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Just know the smalls are 25-30 times tougher than the larger cards.

Do you mean they are 25-30 times tougher to find or harder on the grading?

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Any of the boxers in there? Marciano, Gavilan and Moore.

I do have the Marciano card in good shape. It's being graded right now.

Thanks

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by GODAWGS31

I do have the Marciano card in good shape. It's being graded right now.

Thanks

Which one?



Perforated (large /15) or unperforated (small /20)?

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Which one?



Perforated (large /15) or unperforated (small /20)?

Unperforated one, smaller one (Marciano)

[Exhibitman]

Nice! Gonna be very interesting to see what that goes for.

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Nice! Gonna be very interesting to see what that goes for.

A number of the cards I have have pretty good picture development compared to a lot of the other cards I’ve seen. I understand it’s common when you find some of these cards for the pictures to not be developed very well. Hoping to get some decent grades back on the ones I’ve submitted.

Any advice on best way to sell the Marciano card and others? Is there a big community of vintage boxing card collectors?

Thanks

[GODAWGS31]

Here's a list of the cards I have (baseball subjects and sports thrills/non-sports) with a few photos:

1955 Baseball

- Dick Groat
- Al Rosen
- Jim Rivera (2)
- Gus Zernial
- Wally Moon
- Karl Spooner (2)
- Ed Mathews
- Mel Parnell

1955-56 (Sports Thrills and Non-Sports subjects)
- Buffalo Bill
- Dogracing (2)
- Avro 707B (2)
- Trident
- Antonia Rocca
- Golden Gate Bridge (2)
- The Wright Brothers
- Rolls Royce
- Charles Lindberg
- General Custer
- Rocky Marciano
- Bullfighting
- Theodore Roosevelt (2)
- Wild Bill Hickoc
- Motor Boat Racing
- Abraham Lincoln
- Bobsledding
- Taj Mahal
- Robert Ryan (2)
- Sam Houston
- Skin Diving
- Gordon Scott
- Billy the Kid
- Robert E Lee
- General George Marshall
- Basketball
- Christ of the Andes
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Jefferson Davis

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by GODAWGS31

Here's a list of the cards I have (baseball subjects and sports thrills/non-sports) with a few photos:

1955 Baseball

- Dick Groat
- Al Rosen
- Jim Rivera (2)
- Gus Zernial
- Wally Moon
- Karl Spooner (2)
- Ed Mathews
- Mel Parnell

1955-56 (Sports Thrills and Non-Sports subjects)
- Buffalo Bill
- Dogracing (2)
- Avro 707B (2)
- Trident
- Antonia Rocca
- Golden Gate Bridge (2)
- The Wright Brothers
- Rolls Royce
- Charles Lindberg
- General Custer
- Rocky Marciano
- Bullfighting
- Theodore Roosevelt (2)
- Wild Bill Hickoc
- Motor Boat Racing
- Abraham Lincoln
- Bobsledding
- Taj Mahal
- Robert Ryan (2)
- Sam Houston
- Skin Diving
- Gordon Scott
- Billy the Kid
- Robert E Lee
- General George Marshall
- Basketball
- Christ of the Andes
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Jefferson Davis

Any chance one of those non-sports subjects is #97?

[GODAWGS31]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Any chance one of those non-sports subjects is #97?

No Dave unfortunately I don't have #97, do have #98 which is the Robert E Lee card.

I was going to reach out to you because I got my PSA status update this morning on the batch submission of these cards and PSA has the baseball card subjects all messed up in terms of the year listed and card #. They have half the baseball cards listed as '56 Hocus Focus and the other half as '55's even though they are clearly the same smaller sized cards all with non-perforated edges (which makes them the '55 versions). I have reported the errors on the submission so hopefully they will get this fixed. 3 of the cards have never had an example graded before with a 0 pop (Mel Parnell, Dick Groat, and Jim Rivera).

[ALR-bishop]

On the 55s I was happy to find/have them in any condition

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by GODAWGS31

No Dave unfortunately I don't have #97, do have #98 which is the Robert E Lee card.

I was going to reach out to you because I got my PSA status update this morning on the batch submission of these cards and PSA has the baseball card subjects all messed up in terms of the year listed and card #. They have half the baseball cards listed as '56 Hocus Focus and the other half as '55's even though they are clearly the same smaller sized cards all with non-perforated edges (which makes them the '55 versions). I have reported the errors on the submission so hopefully they will get this fixed. 3 of the cards have never had an example graded before with a 0 pop (Mel Parnell, Dick Groat, and Jim Rivera).

it's possible #97 is U.S. Grant, I would love to get that confirmed and finish off the checklist of subjects after 68 years. Both sizes are 1955 of course, but at this point it's easier just to call the large ones 56's. I'm not surprised they messed up the labeling; depending upon which guide they use as a resource, they may be looking at a mixed checklist of large and small subjects. Certainly they have an incomplete checklist for the small cards so may just guess on some.

[ValKehl]

My only two:

[ALR-bishop]

Nice ones Val

[frankhardy]

Well, it now looks like there are 4 Wally Moons known to exist....

Mine
Al's
Matt's
BMW Sportscards (Brian Wentz) PSA 6

Here is my Moon along with Haddix

[ALR-bishop]

Not Wally's best Topps card ....but maybe his toughest

[JollyElm]

Even though Wally's entire body is basically washed out, one thing remains entirely unaffected and very present - his notorious unibrow.