Rare Topps Test Issues

[tedzan]

Topps issued a limited production test issue designed in the style of their 1953 cards.





Only these 8 cards are in this set........

1......"Satchell" Paige
2......Jackie Robinson
3......Carl Furillo (picture actually Johnny Antonelli)
4......Al Rosen (picture actually Jim Fridley)
5......Hal Newhouser
6......Clyde McCollough (picture actually Vic Janowicz)
7......"Peanuts" Lowery
8......Johnny Mize

I will post the other 7 cards later.


TED Z

[ALR-bishop]

Ted
I have a set of these too. I have often wondered if there was not some sort of gag or joke involved in their production since 3 of 8 are wrong.
Al

[tedzan]

ALR

This test issue has always been a quite a mystery to me.

Why only 8 cards; and, (as you said said) how did they foul up on 3 of them ?

My understanding is that less than 200 sets were issued. Perhaps, some one on this forum
will chime in that has some knowledge of this issue.


TED Z

[sfmays24]

Here's a 1973 Test Jackie Robinson... Ted, I heard the same about the set and that it was issued at some type of luncheon/meeting with Management?

Mike

[toppcat]

I blogged this almost a year ago, based upon info from The Trader Speaks:

http://toppsarchives.blogspot.com/se...opps%20Reprint

[tedzan]

Thanks for posting the link regarding this 1972 Topps test issue......very informative.

I always thought this set was a 1972 issue. But, Krause's Standard Catalog identifies
it as a 1973 issue....

So, which year was it issued ? ?


TED Z

[toppcat]

The whole thing is bizarre if you ask me, almost like they were sitting around having a few pops at the plant in Duryea and some had a "fun idea". Any why are they not referred to as "Baseball Stars", which appears to be the proper name for the set.

FWIW some people have questioned the accuracy of some items that appeared in TTS over the years, including this particular story. I think my explanation makes as much sense as anything else.