Well, let's be clear about what we are talking about...1980 Baseball Superstar Photo Cards (Supers) or 1981 Super Home Team/Super National.
The 1980 Supers were issued in both white backs and gray backs. They were issued in 48 count boxes of loose cards priced at 15 cents each, 3 card packs with a cardboard header and a cello pack dangling from the header (white backs), 5 card packs that were identical to the 3 card ones except for a sticker denoting "5 cards" placed over the "3 cards" spot on the header, and 5 card packs that had the header updated to show "5 cards" printed as part of the graphic on the cardboard header. The last version has a product code that indicates a 1981 date, while the previous two versions have product codes that indicate a 1980 date. The "wax box" that contained 36 of these packs has a 1980 date, and so does the 48 count box with loose cards. There were also some very early test packs done that were one card each and were solid yellow, but those weren't issued widely.
I believe that Topps still had inventory left over of the gray backs and kept marketing them in 1981, simultaneous with the marketing of the 1981 Super Home Team and 1981 Super National sets.
The Super Home Team and Super National sets were marketed differently than the 1980 set. Super Home Team came in those familiar faded red paper packages and then in a yellow box that is very similar in its graphics (especially the font used) to the 1980 box. The Super National sets I don't believe were issued in packs. At least, I have yet to see packs for those. I have seen a case where complete sets of the 15 different Super National cards were bundled together with rubber bands and packed 45 sets to a case. If someone has a pack or box of the Super National cards I would love to see it!
kevin
(sorry for the lengthy response!)
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