Obtaining Topps High # series in the '60's

[55koufax]

I am wondering if any serious Topps Baseball set collector's recall their collecting (presumably as kids) from the 1960's? I wanted to share my experiences, which were mainly difficulties...

I started collecting in 1964 and did collect every baseball from 1964 to 1970.
As a kid growing up in Southern California, I had numerous resources for Topps cards. The local pharmacy, the local five and dime, etc., etc. I just remember most every year virtually NEVER being able to obtain the last and high # series.

My guess is that cards to wholesalers on the Left Coast mostly never made it here. Does anyone know this to be fact? Please share your thoughts.

[ALR-bishop]

Started in 59. From 63 to 67 ordered sets in series from the Card Collectors Company. Hard to describe the excitement when those packages of individual series arrived. Went back to packs in 68

[rats60]

I started collecting in 1965 and 1967 was the only year that I couldn't find the high series.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by rats60

I started collecting in 1965 and 1967 was the only year that I couldn't find the high series.

I grew up in the DC area and I don't believe the high 66 series ever came to the stores I bought at. To this day the cards from that series look less familiar to me. I think 67 did by contrast.

[IndyDave]

My childhood collection started with 1966 Topps - I was 7 years old.

When I found the collecting hobby through ads in Sporting News and Baseball Digest around 1970 I found I did not have high numbers for 1966 and 1967 - but had them beginning 1968.

By the time I got to junior high, I found out one of my friends had a few high numbers in 1967 - apparently the cards made it to at least the grocery store near his house that my mom never went to.

This was Youngstown Ohio suburbs.

We were also one of the markets that got the entire 1973 set in a single series.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by IndyDave

My childhood collection started with 1966 Topps - I was 7 years old.

When I found the collecting hobby through ads in Sporting News and Baseball Digest around 1970 I found I did not have high numbers for 1966 and 1967 - but had them beginning 1968.

By the time I got to junior high, I found out one of my friends had a few high numbers in 1967 - apparently the cards made it to at least the grocery store near his house that my mom never went to.

This was Youngstown Ohio suburbs.

We were also one of the markets that got the entire 1973 set in a single series.

Kind of the same with me in Minnesota-- I was also age 7 in my first year of collecting. I do remember that we had a splattering of high numbers in 1966, only because a neighbor showed me the Twins Team card he had and I was envious. When I went up the street to the store there were none and through bad timing or whatever I never was able to land any. I suspect like you that there was a store or so elsewhere in town that carried them longer. I just remember the '66 football coming out in full force--both sets--and I kind of moved on.

[jingram058]

I started collecting in 1967. I put the entire Topps set together, and then some. Many, many duplicates of basically everybody, by the checklists. Same for 1968 as well.

[Harliduck]

I love hearing about these type of stories...I was 8 in 1978 and there were no series obviously by then...so hearing about anything pre-1973 is super cool. Please keep them coming...

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

I love hearing about these type of stories...I was 8 in 1978 and there were no series obviously by then...so hearing about anything pre-1973 is super cool. Please keep them coming...

Ah, but there was if you were into Star Wars. Blue, red, Yellow, Green... All issued like baseball used to be as their own series, but numbered as part of a bigger set.
The last series was the orange ones, and I never even knew it existed until a friend from the other end of town showed me a couple. The only store that had them was his local corner store. Not even the card store got any.

[skil55voy]

Grew up in Detroit. Started collecting in 1962

1962 - Whole set All Series available in stores
1963 - Series 1,2,3 and part of 4. Never saw any 5th, 6th or 7th Series in stores.
1964 - First 5 Series complete, never saw 6th or 7th in stores
1965 - Completed
1966 - First 6 Series complete. Never saw any 7th Series in stores, ordered 10 cards from Topps in the 7th Series by choosing random numbers.
1967 - First 5 Series complete. About half of the 6th Series. Never saw 7th Series cards in stores.
1968 - Completed
1969 - Completed
1970 - Completed. Ordered Series 6 & 7 from Topps.

[mikemb]

I started collecting in 1965 as an 8 year old. I grew up in central New Jersey (Dunellen). Bought packs at the local store from 1965 through 1970.. High numbers were available every year. Other than 1966, completed 90% to 95% of the set each year. Only had 5 1966 Topps last series. It was not that they were unavailable, I only bought one pack.

I love looking at my old checklists to see who I got and who I didn't get.

Mike

[jmoran19]

Originally Posted by mikemb

I started collecting in 1965 as an 8 year old. I grew up in central New Jersey (Dunellen). Bought packs at the local store from 1965 through 1970.. High numbers were available every year. Other than 1966, completed 90% to 95% of the set each year. Only had 5 1966 Topps last series. It was not that they were unavailable, I only bought one pack.

I love looking at my old checklists to see who I got and who I didn't get.

Mike

I’m curious what 5 high # cards did you get. Thanks John

[55koufax]

Grew up in Detroit. Started collecting in 1962

1962 - Whole set All Series available in stores
1963 - Series 1,2,3 and part of 4. Never saw any 5th, 6th or 7th Series in stores.
1964 - First 5 Series complete, never saw 6th or 7th in stores
1965 - Completed
1966 - First 6 Series complete. Never saw any 7th Series in stores, ordered 10 cards from Topps in the 7th Series by choosing random numbers.
1967 - First 5 Series complete. About half of the 6th Series. Never saw 7th Series cards in stores.
1968 - Completed
1969 - Completed
1970 - Completed. Ordered Series 6 & 7 from Topps.

Great info from Detroit! From my recollection, we in SoCal had issues with the late series in '64, '66 and '67 for sure. To me '67 was the worst. Still wondering if anyone (NY areas?) on East Coast was able to access all series at all times in the '60's?

[mikemb]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

I’m curious what 5 high # cards did you get. Thanks John

Actually I got a great pack

There was a common card I can't remember along with Gaylord Perry, Denny McLain, Dick Howser and the Twins team.

Mike

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by mikemb

Actually I got a great pack

There was a common card I can't remember along with Gaylord Perry, Denny McLain, Dick Howser and the Twins team.

Mike

That's one hell of a pack right there!!

[mikemb]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

That's one hell of a pack right there!!

Still have all 5 in my set.

I ended up sometime in the early/mid 1970s buying the entire 7th series from Wholesale Cards (Bruce Yeko). Kept the 5 from the pack and sold the duplicates.

Mike

[ChiefBeef]

64-Barely started, 9 yrs old Richmond,VA
65-Got most all buying packs (6 Mantles with thumbtack holes, aahhh)
66-Got all and many dupes buying packs
67-All first series, then distracted
68-Bought all as set from NY dealer
69-minimal, distractions & started serious sports playing

Five & dime, drugstore, grocery store, birthdays. Good times!

[jwjohn06]

I grew up in a suburb of Detroit (Northville) in the 1960's. I didn't start to collect seriously until 1967. I remember getting the first series cards, but not many second series; the places where I bought the cards seemed to skip right over to the third series. I completed the fourth and fifth series easily, with many duplicates. I kept buying cards hoping to get the next two series of cards, but I never saw packs of sixth and seventh series cards. I did find a baseball card machine at the Westland Shopping Center that had the last series. I remember feeding several nickels into the machine, hoping to get the pictured Brooks Robinson card, but i was unsuccessful. I did get a Norm Cash, though.

I also attempted to complete sets in 1968 and 1969. High numbers were harder to find in both years, but they could be found. I wasn't a football card collector, but I remember realizing in September of 1969 that football cards had now replaced baseball cards at Rexall's, and I was not going to complete my set that year. I had seen the ads for cards in the Sporting News, but never thought to order any; money was scarce for me at 11 years old. I did buy one pack of those 1969 football cards, and lucky for me, pulled a Joe Namath, probably the hottest card at the time.