April 2, 2015: Sports & Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/2/2015
Offered here are three important Topps baseball issues from the closing years of the company’s monopoly on baseball card production that ended up lasting for a quarter century. The sets from 1976 and 1977 number to 660 cards each; Topps’ final set as the sole manufacturer in 1980 ran to a total of 726 cards.
The 1976 Topps set here is in mostly Excellent to Near-Mint condition, with some below and the emphasis probably to Ex-Mt; this set has good color and gloss and centering fairly typical of the issue. Here are some of the keys: No. 1 Aaron Highlight – Excellent, 10 Brock - Ex-Mt o/c, 19 Brett - Ex-Mt m/c, 95 Brooks Robinson - Ex-Mt, 98 Eckersley - Ex-Mt o/c, 100 Hunter - Nr-Mt, 119 Checklist - Very Good, 160 Winfield - Ex-Mt o/c, 185 Parker - Good, 230 Yastrzemski – Nr-Mt, 240 Rose – Ex-Mt o/c, 270 Stargell – Nr-Mt o/c, 300 Bench – Ex, 316 Yount - Ex-Mt o/c, 330 Ryan – Ex-Mt o/c, 340 Rice – Ex-Mt, 355 Carlton – Ex-Mt, 400 Carew – Ex-Mt, 450 Palmer – Ex-Mt, 500 Jackson – Ex-Mt, 520 McCovey – Ex, 550 Aaron – Good, and 600 Seaver – Ex-Mt.
The 1977 set is in generally Good to Very Good condition, with a number of cards even better at Excellent, but the broader emphasis probably at Very Good. The set has a nice, consistent overall look, with centering fairly typical of the era. Here are the keys: No. 10 Jackson – Fair, 60 Rice – Good, 70 Bench – Good, 100 Morgan – Good, 110 Carlton – Good, 120 Carew – Good, 140 Schmidt – Very Good, 150 Seaver – VG, 265 Fidrych – Good, 280 Hunter – Good, 285 Brooks Robinson – Good, 295 Carlton – Good, 355 Brock – Good, 390 Winfield – Ex (diamond cut), 430 Jenkins – Good, 450 Rose – Very Good, 460 Stargell – Very Good, 473 Dawson – Good, 480 Yastrzemski – Good, 525 Eckersley – Good, 547 McCovey – Fair, 580 Brett – Excellent, 600 Palmer – Good, 620 Sutton – Good, 635 Yount – Very Good, and 650 Ryan – Ex-Mt o/c.
The 1980 Topps set is a true blazer, easily Nr-Mt to Mt, virtually unimprovable, with vivid colors and super gloss and a consistent presentation that all but insists it’s a factory issue. The Hall of Famers, major stars and specials are in the same outstanding condition as the overall grade. Simply a stunner.
1976, 1977 and 1980 Topps Baseball Complete Sets (3)
Click above for larger image.