1961 Topps

[vintagetoppsguy]

This is my favorite set from the '60s. I am trying to build the set in Ex/Mt+ to NM/MT condition with superb centering. My set is mostly raw, with the exception of the stars which are PSA and SGC graded. I am about 20 cards away from finishing my set. I still need 2 of the 6 Mantles (regular issue and high number all star) and Hank Aaron (regular issue). If anybody has these and are willing to part with them, please let me know. Here are a few of my highlights:








I didn't know Stevie Wonder worked for SGC and graded my Yaz. Sending this one back in so they can get it right.

[vintagetoppsguy]

[xdrx]

Some sweet cards there David. I really like the Gibson and Clemente portraits.

I have a 61 Aaron I'd love to contribute, but the centering is off and it's probably barely in VG condition beyond that. Hank would really be an outcast in that set!

The way the 61s are designed, with the boxes on bottom, the cards with great centering really stand out.

[ALR-bishop]

David---amazing cards from a great set. I have the following variations/oddities in my set :

CL 1...names even with or below the boxes
47 Pitching Leaders... with or without the line after Burdette
CL 2 ..red or yellow front and white or black circle on back ( 3)
CL 3..player with # 4 visible or not on front
203 Bressoud...with or without blue streak near hat ( recurring)
208 Osborne...the black line between name and team touches borders or not ( recurring)
256 Hoeft...with solid or broken border on upper left
271 Landis...bat within or extends beyond border
CL 4...copyright starts at 336 or 339
CL 5...grass shows or not at umps feet

There are also the Rubb Offs and Stamps plus album...the Third Rookie Banquet program...and the elusive Dice Game cards

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by xdrx

Some sweet cards there David. I really like the Gibson and Clemente portraits.

Thanks, Dean. I love all the head shots and that's why I chose this as my first set from the '60s to build. I will probably do 1960 next as I love all the colors and I have about 100 or so in about the same condition as my '61's. It's going to be a low priority as I am still trying to finish '55 and '56 sets first.

[bradmar48]

The 1960 and 1961 Topps were my card collecting "Find of a Lifetime". In 1989 I was ordering many cards from ads in SCD and the same UPS driver delivered them.One day he asked me if I knew where he could sell his childhood collection because he needed the money to pay off some bills.Because he had no idea what they were worth I told him to bring them by and I would check them out and tell him what a fair price would be.

The next time I had a delivery he brought his cards in two boot boxes and left them with me. When I opened the boot boxes there were his cards stacked in the wax boxes that they originally came in in 1960 and 1961.The cards were just as they came from the packs 30 years before. There were no high numbers but there were about 1800 of the 1960s and about 2100 of the 1961 cards.The boxes also contained about 700 cards from 1959 and about 250 from 1958 first series including almost all the yellow variation cards.

The three dealers I checked with each offered 60 cents on a dollar for the star cards and $.25 each for the commons. At that price I pulled out one of each of the nicest commons and star cards from 1960 and 1961 and all of the yellow variation cards from 1958 and purchased them for $725.I them sold the remainder to a dealer for $3870 .

I told the UPS driver I would like to purchase the wax boxes but I didn't know what they were worth. He told me that he was going to give me 5% for all my trouble and he would be glad just to give me the boxes. He was happy with $4600 for his collection.

A few months later he brought me another boot box that was his brother's that contained about 600 1961 Topps baseball, about 200 1960 Topps football and about 200 1961 Fleer Greats. I sold the 61 baseball and 1960 football for him and purchased the 1961 Fleer.

[Doug]

Those are some great looking cards! Best of luck knocking out those last 20, you are going to have one nice set!

[vintagecpa]

I also love the 1961 set. The Maris card is my favorite. 1961 had the best leader cards. My only beef with the set is the goofy looking all-star cards.

[U240robert]

Very nice set.
I have about 450 cards of the set.
I need a ton of the stars.
I have the Mantle Reg/ Mantle star/ Maris star/ Musial
most of the AS cards.
But I need most everyone else.
My set is EXM-NM
your set is wonderful

[Bigdaddy]

Beautiful cards. I just finished this set this summer, but not in the condition that yours is in.

Have fun.