General Forum

Hi. So, almost being done with 1970, I have started to focus on completing my 1969 Topps baseball set. And I've noticed something as I've hunted large lots on eBay. I've got about 55% of the set, purchased pretty randomly. If look at a lot of 100 cards, almost inevitably, there will be maybe 25 cards that are new to me. And that doesn't make statistical sense. I also remember from my pack buying days, in all sorts of years, that certain cards just seemed to turn up more than others. The 69s don't seem to have any designated double prints or short prints -- at least not in the ones I already own -- so can any one of you insiders explain why some cards seem much easier to find than others (not counting stars and misprints and usual stuff)?

Doesn't change anything. Just curious. 

Thanks. 

v3

If I recall 1969 was still during those years when Topps released the sets by "series" they would start around spring training? or just before the season started with series 1, then relase each series like once a month or so? Long explanation short the last series (6 or 7 or something) would end up being released at the end of the season or after the season was over and with small total print runs. Not necessarily "short printed" but the final series the "high numbers" would usually be released around the time Football season was beginning so interest in baseball wasn't a high. Supposedly. I have always been a round the year type of collector.

captkirk42 is correct. We had just a small local store in town which had candy and baseball cards and such. Because there wasn't a huge demand they rarely got the 5th, 6th, and 7th series in to sell.

The '69T set moves along pretty quickly.  The only problem I had with it were getting good deals on low-value commons, which should only be about $0.30-$0.50 each--at least until I discovered sportlots.  High-number cards are the easiest Pre-1973 cards to find at $0.60-$1.00 each.  1968 Topps high numbers don't get much tougher either, so enjoy.  

Thanks. No, it's not the series issue. Maybe it's just a weird coincidence, but I swear if someone advertised 50 cards in Series 1, they'd be advertising almost entirely the cards I already have, neatly avoiding the ones I'm missing. Anyway, doesn't matter. I'll get 'em all. 

The 1st four series where big sellers  of the 7 series. They came out abot every 4 weeks starting early March  then the first week of April,  May and  June  and where in demand at the corner stores. Then came summer vacation and lessor demand as store near schools didn't have almost 200 kids looking for cards to play with during lunch or recess. also kids may of not been home as family vacations.  so that made them in lesser demand for July (5th) and Aug (6th) 

   when school opened back up in Sept the demand was for  football cards  as no way Phillies where in a pennet race   and Eagles were 4 weeks away from being out of race for NFL Div title.   

  So the 7th series were usally bought by card dealers to sell as the whole series. for about  $2.95.  shipping included.  

V3, isn't this always the issue with collecting? Everyone has what you already have and thoe cards you want just never seem to be available anywhere?  It's almost like trying to get an answer to your question here in the discussions forum.

This set being long before I was born, and me not being a baseball collector, I don't know for sure...but I know there are some sets, especially Panini but also seen in Topps and UD packs- when you open it up and see the first card, you groan because you know it's going to be the exact same cards in the exact same order. If that was the case with 1969 Topps, it could really be that- the people selling the lots may have gotten their cards in the exact same order as you did.

Ain't it the truth, Sandyrusty?

And I think I like your theory, Billy. 

Somehow, in buying packs, if the same series, there was always one guy, usually a raggedy-armed pitcher or weak-hitting shortstop, you'd wind up with 12 of before you got a single one of some other card. I think Topps was just messing with us. 

V3

I really don't know a lot about the 1969 set myself either. But I do know a bit about sheet layouts and such, and I do believe they were using the 132-card sheets at that point. But unless someone actually has the sheets in uncut format still (or evidence), we can't know exactly how they laid everything out. I do see in a price guide magazine I have that there were some cards marked with DP, so there are some double prints in there. Which would explain the ease of finding those. If we don't have them marked here, we should. And, yes, they usually DPed the scrubs. Once in a while, they'd do that with stars (1978 Rose, 1979 Seaver come to mind).