Michael Jordan - 1997-98 Topps Inside Stuff 'TOP 10' #IS1

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1959 Topps displays vintage 1959 Topps Baseball sports cards.
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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.

Another Hit Topps Test Issue from the 1960's !!!
1962 Topps Bucks were one of Topps most creative Test Issues. Each 1-3/4" x 4-1/8" "Buck" resembled U.S. currency but instead of George Washington staring at you, it could be Mickey Mantle !!!

1962 Topps Bucks were sold in 1 cent wax packs and were NOT inserts in 1962 Topps wax packs. Most exist with a fold line witgh some unfolded proofs around. Set packed with Hall-of-Famers featuring MICKEY MANTLE, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente, Carl Yastrzemski, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron & more !!!

Click for complete 1962 Topps Baseball Bucks checklist and prices
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Click for complete 1962 Topps Baseball cards checklist and prices

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 2)

The first important and mainstream basketball set was issued by Bowman in 1948. Other than a Topps set in 1957-58 and a 1961-62 Fleer set, there were no mainstream basketball sets issued until Topps started producing yearly sets beginning with their 1969-70 set featuring the rookie card of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who then went under the name of Lew Alcindor.

In hockey, there were a few sets issued in the 1910's and while O-Pee-Chee issued some sets in the 1930's, the real modern sets began in 1951 with the itroduction of Parkhurst's first set.

In racing, while cards go back as far as the early Indy car days of 1911, modern racing sets began in 1988 with the issues released by MAXX.

Michael Jordan - 1997-98 Topps Inside Stuff 'TOP 10' #IS1

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1962 Topps Baseball Bucks
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values

Michael Jordan - 1997-98 Topps Inside Stuff 'TOP 10' #IS1

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1962 Topps Baseball Bucks Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Stamps Checklist & Values

1962 Topps Baseball Bucks
Checklist & Values

1969 Topps Stamps
Checklist & Values