How hard was it to find new Topps series in 1950s, '60s and early '70s?

[nolemmings]

I collected packs from '66 onward, and really saw no series as particularly harder than others. High numbers were plenty available, as I distinctly remember having the option of picking last series baseball at the same time first series football was out.

My problem was that the Ben Franklin store where I bought my cards would only periodically order even if sold out, and we had someone who would save and buy whatever was on the shelf when he got there. So if you didn't get your packs first, or only bought a few, there was a good chance that he'd scoop up the rest and you'd have to wait for the next order, at least a week to ten days out (an eternity for a kid). I was also on the other end of that a time or too, where I had the complete series so far, but would have to wait while others purchased the rest of the supply and maybe another order of that same series before I could avoid doubles. The store would not order the next series so long as there were packs on the shelf, so there were a couple of times when I would buy out the last few packs just to get them to order more, even knowing there were only doubles inside.

BTW, I finally found out who the big spender was-- a kid a year younger than me who went to a different school. Just happened to connect during high school through a mutual friend's sister. This guy was a hoarder, and didn't seem to "play with" his cards--just look once or twice and away they went to the drawer. Called him a few names and would have said more except he was a nice guy who loved to trade, and his now several-years old cards were in fantastic shape, especially compared to mine.