Sports Illustrated (1979/07/23) - NOLAN RYAN cover (Angels)

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1959 Topps displays vintage 1959 Topps Baseball sports cards.
Bowman Mickey Mantle displays all Bowman Mickey Mantle sports cards.

Another interesting 1960's Topps Test issue !
Topps inserted these Peel-Offs (stickers) also called Stick-Ons in several series of 1963 Topps baseball cards. The Peel-Offs inserts were not mentioned or advertised on wax pack wrappers.
The 1963 Topps Peel-Offs set contained 46 1-1/4" x 2-3/4" stickers and was packed with HALL-OF-FAMERS. The Peel-Offs come in 2 variations, with instructions on the back or the scarcer blank-back.
TOP STARS: Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial, Al Kaline, Carl Yastrzemski, Ernie Banks & MORE !!!

Click for complete 1963 Topps Baseball Peel-Offs Stickers checklist and prices
Note: You may be on that page right now.

Team signed baseballs were the thing well before single-signed balls exploded on the market.
What is a "Team Signed Baseball" ???
Simple answer: A ball with XXX signatures of a certain team for a certain year. What is difficult is the XXX. Baseball tons of roster moves make it nearly impossible to "Get Them All".

Generally, team signed baseballs from early 1900's had 10 to 15 signatures, the 1940's that jumped to 18 to 25. Joyce Sports Research Collection (Notre Dame) says "signatures must include only members of a specific team from a specific year, and there must be some approximation of completeness."

Not concrete but to me a "team ball" MUST have ALL the team's STARS (unless a rookie or in season trade) and in today's market at least 20, preferably more, and the manager.

Determining Age of Team Signed Balls
"Official" league balls have stamped signatures of current league presidents on the "sweet spot". Starting 1934/1935 balls were produced by Spalding (NL) and Reach (AL). Rawlings took over in 1977/78. Have a possible team roster at hand, ESPN & baseball-reference.com have great sites), decipher a few signatures then solve the puzzle.

Only inserts in 1961 & 1962, stamps had their own issue in 1969 ! A nickel for a 12-stamp strip plus mini album !!!

The 1969 Topps Stamps set contained (240) 1x1-7/16 inch stamps. Stamps were released in both horizontal & vertical panels with the player's name in a banner. 1974 Stamps, the name was inside an oval.
Topps issued a mini albums to hold complete 10-stamp team sets and the back cover had facsimile autographs of each players.

The 1969 Topps Stamps set is packed with stars: Pete Rose, and Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente & more !!!

How long have sports cards been around ? (part 1)

The first baseball trading cards date back to 1869. For many years, baseball cards were packaged in packs of tobacco as a way to increase sales the same way that today prizes are packaged in boxes of cereal. In the 1920's and 1930's, candy and gum companies started packaging baseball cards in their products as well.

Baseball card production was virtually halted in the early 1940's due to paper shortages created by World War II. The "Modern Era" of baseball cards began in 1948 when Bowman Gum Inc. offered one card and one piece of gum in a pack for a penny.

The first important football set was the Mayo set featuring college players in 1984. Other than the 1935 National Chicle set no other key football set was issued until 1948 when noth Bowman and Leaf produced sets.

Sports Illustrated (1979/07/23) - NOLAN RYAN cover (Angels)

1963 Topps Peel-Offs (stickers)
Checklist & Values

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values

Sports Illustrated (1979/07/23) - NOLAN RYAN cover (Angels)

1963 Topps Peel-Offs (stickers) Checklist & Values

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1969 Topps Stamps Checklist & Values

1963 Topps Peel-Offs (stickers)
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values