Started 1963 topps set……anything I should look out for?

[Harliduck]

I've actually built this set twice...first time I wasn't happy with my original "lot's" purchases as most of my commons were VG...its a rough looking set with all the colors if the cards aren't crisp, so I sold my first set, and then built an EX plus set. Here are some of my learnings -

* Yes, the Pete rookie is the only card from the 60s I have kept graded. Way too many fakes out there. I bought a nice reprint (easy to do, lol) for the binder and have my graded Pete in my graded card case. Sounds like your on top of that

*just an overall observation that isn't notice when you have this set in a binder...but a group of cards in a box shows the cards have a natural "curve" to them unlike any other year. I've always wanted to know why that is?

*There are some fun variations that are easy to collect. First up are the 1962/1963 Rookie Stars for numbers 29 and 54, there are versions with both years. I have both in my binder

*I think this is one of the best years of the "combo" stars cards. Some really neat, and not cheap, combo's like Bucs Blasters, Friendly Foes, Pride of the NL, Power Plus, and Bombers Best with Mantle to name a few.

*There are a couple of Checklist "color" and other variations, again, easy to get and I've added them to the binder.#'s 102, 274, 431, 509

*I think the World Series subset is one of the best, although the card "Maris Sparks Yankee Rally" has a right handed batter pictured!

*Gaylord Perry shows up on a 1963 Rookie Stars card with a bubble picture, although he had is own 1962 card? Strange...

*Stan Musials last card...

*Card #341 Jack Baldschun has a variation...a white stripe through his body on the secondary picture on front. I actually found the variation listed as a regular common...tells me not everyone knows about this accepted variation. So should be easy to get

*A minor variation on card # 376 Johnnie Wyatt...on the back there is a line break or a straight line...another easy to get accepted variation

*On card #387 Al McBean there is a variation where in the cartoon on the back the "A" is either colored in, or it's not. I found this one again as a regular common...seems easy to get

*Card #454...Art Fowler...on the back the number 454 is either not boxed and in white like other cards (common), or comes in the corrected white box 454. I do NOT have this variation, it can be expensive and this one is well known...well known that for a long time I was hoping to find one listed...I have not. Been a while since I've looked for it...but I'd like to eventually have that variation

*#470 Tom Tresh, not his rookie, but seems to command a premium. Mid high numbered Yankee

*card #496...Rookie Stars featuring Steve Dalkowski commands a heavy premium. I bit the bullet and over paid on this one for sure and have a nice exmt example, but it seems to continue to grow in value so money well spent. Dalkowski's only card and has quite a story...puts this card in high demand

*High numbered Rookie Stars carry a premium outside the regular obvious ones. Minor starts like Rusty Staub and Dave McNally are pricey. Overall the high numbers aren't going to kill you, but still command a premium....especially in EX plus condition. But it's not 66 or 67 ish...but it's not 65 or 69 ish...lol. More like 64 ish.

*I usually get the big cards first, but for some reason my Mickey Mantle base card was the last card I needed to complete. I freed a PSA 5...

*With ebay and all that, nothing is really "hard" to get...but the mid highs were the same in availability and cost as the highs for me. Cards like Harmon Killebrew in the mids was costly to get a nice EX plus version.

*I don't focus on centering as much as I do sharp corners...but there seems to be more centering issues than most sets. After I completed it, I went through and upgraded several mis cut cards...just because

*Having the Stargell rookie and the Clemente in the high numbers is cool...ONCE YOU GET THEM...

*Just for fun, I would recommend you also add to the chase the 63 Fleer set to put at the back of the binder. When I look through this set it's always nice to flow right into the Fleers...of which I love.


Those are some of my learnings...there may be other variations that I don't know about, but those are the ones I chased. Good luck on the Dalkowski card...I'd knock that one off quick...good luck and have fun!

BTW...I too have/had 3 66 sets. I'm down to two right now...one of my favorites. Congrats on that...