1974 Topps Stamps PROOF SHEET Cyan/Yellow - PHIL NIEKRO/Bobby Bonds

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids
Checklist & Values

Topps has tried many crazy products, often called "test issues". Test issues were usually only distributed in limited areas and were difficult to find. Candy Lids were one of Topps most unusual; little tubs of candy with player's photos on bottom of the 1 7/8" lids. The 10 cent candy's came 24 to a box. Sealed tubs can still be found in the $150 to $200 range. Called "Baseball Stars Bubble Gum", the 1970 Topps Candy Lids set had 24 different players, while 1973 Topps Candy Lids had 55.

Topps released their first Candy Lids in 1970. The 1970 Topps Candy Lids are very, very hard to find and had small photos of Tom Seaver, Carl Yastrzemski and Frank Howard.

In 1973 the candy was replaced by gum, the mini photo of Frank Howard was gone from the top of the lid and team logos were airburshed off the player's caps. Even the tiny Yaz and Seaver photos logos removed. 1973 Topps Candy Lids are hard to find, but not nearly as scarce as the 1970's. In 1972 a Topps Candy Lids issue was planned but never released although a few proofs do exist.

Topps released two other test issue sets in 1973 (1973 Topps Pinups and 1973 Topps Comics). The 1973 Topps Comics and 1973 Topps Candy Lids shared many photos and again had no team logos. If thinking "licensing dispute", you are likely right. Topps received player's union's permission for these test issues, but not Major League Baseball's. Issues over rights & fees with MLBPA and the player's union resulted in Topps started shutting down future production of test issues putting an end to some of their most fun collectibles.

The 1951 Red & Blue Back issues (52 cards each) were similar to a deck of cards and could be used to play a baseball card game. The sets left out all the game's stars and were not fan favorites keeping Bowman far ahead in the baseball card market.

In response, Topps issued their "BIGGER is BETTER" 1952 Topps set they described as: "GIANT IN BOTH SIZE and NUMBER of CARDS" (407).

Series one cards (#1-80) can be found with black or red backs. The key card in the 1952 Topps set is card #311 MICKEY MANTLE. It is often called Mickey Mantle's Rookie card but it is not. The honor goes to his 1951 Bowman card. The 1952 Topps set also featured my favorite and THE greatest player of all-time, WILLIE MAYS !!! Again, this is sometimes called Willie Mays' Rookie card but it is not. That honor also goes to his 1951 Bowman card.

Another 1952 Topps card of note is card #1 Andy Pafko. Pafko, a fine player, is basically just a "Common card" and should be worth no more than any other "Common" in the 1952 Topps set - But SURPRIZE !!! It's worth TONS more because it's card #1 and absorbed much more damage than most cards from rubber bands and other damage, thus high grade cards are very, very tough to find accounting for the super high values.
BUT --- That should not account for the super high asking prices on lower grade copies. THose prices do not make sense (supply and demand).

The 6th (last) series, starts with #311 Mickey Mantle and ends with #407 Braves Hall-of-Famer Eddie Mathews. These "High Numbers" are significantly scarcer and can almost be called rare. In addition to Mickey Mantle, other star High Numbers included #312 Jackie Robinson and #314 Roy Campanella.

The most common explanation for their scarcity is as follows.
This HUGE set was released in series weeks apart. When it came to the last series the baseball season was winding down and football was starting. Most candy store owners had boxes of baseball cards leftover from earlier in the year so most eliminated their orders for the 6th series of 1952 Topps thus creating the scarcity.

To add interest to the story, it is often said that the unsold 6th series cards (including THOUSANDS of 1952 Topps MICKEY MANTLEs !!!) were disposed of by Topps, dumped offshore into the Atlantic Ocean like most of New York's trash in those days.