Live, Love, Laugh(lin)...

[toppcat]

OK, a tighter look at some 1979 Trader Speaks issues found this in February:

[laughlinfan]

Nice ad, Dave! What I find interesting/puzzling is that I have been watching most Fleer WS and Laughlin listings on eBay for over 20 years, and I have not once seen a complete mint set of 1978s offered as I would have expected if people had bought a set through Bob. Every time I have seen the update cards (not often), they have either been individuals or (usually) in an assorted lot. Almost all of Bob's other sets that he sold are often (usually?) offered in complete set form. I am guessing he didn't sell a large quantity of these sets himself.

Thanks again for sharing the ad!

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by laughlinfan

Nice ad, Dave! What I find interesting/puzzling is that I have been watching most Fleer WS and Laughlin listings on eBay for over 20 years, and I have not once seen a complete mint set of 1978s offered as I would have expected if people had bought a set through Bob. Every time I have seen the update cards (not often), they have either been individuals or (usually) in an assorted lot. Almost all of Bob's other sets that he sold are often (usually?) offered in complete set form. I am guessing he didn't sell a large quantity of these sets himself.

Thanks again for sharing the ad!

The whole extended series is odd, which means I love it! I cheated with mine and got the sticker backs for the extension, except I did add a real 71 Clemente WS. Laughlin was right, they were a good investment!

So our possible Good Humor Distro Checklist:

1954 NY Journal American
1966 Topps USA Hockey
1978 Fleer World Series

Every 12 years!

[toppcat]

Here is a Laughlin ad from the March 1967 issue of The Sports Trader, launching a 7 month subscription plan for the 1967 World Series Set-cowabunga!

[JollyElm]

Wow...yet another wrinkle is added to the 1967 Laughlin mystery. Toppcat, you're killing me!!!

Look at the artwork in the ad. It's different from what is found in the Laughlin World Series set. What's most notable to me, and what immediately jumps out, is Matty's head. The cards we know have his head casually tilted back, but the ad features it more straight up and down. Plus, the typeface is different (not handwritten), his head doesn't break the top border, the pinstripes aren't identical, the baseball (which is larger and shaped differently) contains actual stitching, and the '1905' is also completely different...and there are other variances as well. Here's the ad (left) compared to a standard card (right)...

1967laughlin02mattyAD:CARDcomp.jpg

Now the question becomes, was the ad simply thrown together based on pre-production artwork (I actually have a bit of evidence that seemingly disputes the timing), or were there actually cards produced corresponding to/similar to that specific layout??

[toppcat]

Found this nugget in the early June 1970 issue of The Ballcard Collector. I live in NYC environs so bought the 1970 issue as a kid but I've never seen that it might have been a limited release. Interesting.

[toppcat]

Looks like Detroit at least got some too, Oct. 1970 issue of The Ballcard Collector: