1968 Topps Plaks.....where are they all?

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Posted By: MikePugeda

I have always been a fan of Topps insers and test issues from the 1960's. I have assembled many of complete and near sets of the inserts, the test issues have been a bit tougher. My question is...where are all the '68 Topps Plaks at? I haven't seen any come up for sale in quite some time.

I have the NL checklist card which I think is a visually stunning card (pictures Clemente, Mays, Rose, Drysdale, etc.) The only plaks I have seen at shows in the past 10 years were Mantle (dealer asking $1500), Clemente ($900), and Hunter ($250). I still kick myself for not buying the Clemente as it is the only one I have ever seen but I was a poor student at the time and already had my fair share of debt.

Larry posted an incredible full panel including Mantle in another thread. Anyone else have any they could post a scan of.

One last question to the test issue experts, how many Plaks of each individual player would you guesstimate exist?

Mike

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Posted By: Al

I have 10 of the Placks, and two unopened wax packs ( 3 plaks with 2 pieces of gum... 10 cents), which I think I bought from David Kohler. I also have the two checklists. I bought 3 individual plaks on ebay a few months back, but they do not come up often. Frankly, they are ugly little things and for the most part the only way you can tell who the player is to trust the name on the plak.
While Larry and I were able to help each other out some in building our 67 Punch Out sets, and he also helped me out on the 67 Stand Ups, the plaks have proved very tough. Even the 68 3Ds were "easier"

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Posted By: Mike Pugeda

Al, I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions. Which plaks did you recently pick up and were they off e-bay? Would it be possible to post scans of the 10 you have?

Also, how many would you guess exist of each player...less than 10, 20?

Thanks,

Mike

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Posted By: Al

Mike
I won a McCarver on ebay about a year ago. Then a few months agao 4 came up. I think Kit Young was the seller. I think I had one of the 4 but bid on the other 3, which I think were Wynn, Staub and Cepeda

I would be happy to send you color copies ( the color being brown) of what I have, including one of the wax packs, if you give me a shipping address. I need to learn how to scan someday.

I think since they were in fact distributed in limited areas via 10 cent wax packs ( unlike the 61 Dice, 70 Cloth and 55 Stamps which were never apparently distributed and exist in less than handfull at best), that the production numbers were likely higher than what you suggest. But, I think few saved the darn things since they were not cards and not very attractive. I could be wrong and Larry might think differently
Al

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

These are impossible-3-4 of each surviving maybe, if that. They almost never come up for sale. Checklists are a bit easier but still very, very difficult. I'll get the other one someday (maybe).

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Posted By: larry

hi
i believe there were about 7 that were on ebay a few months back with al winning 3 and bob fisk winning the rest....i was outbid on all of them as i could not believe the prices they brought...so if al or bob would send fluckinger the prices to upgrade the krausse book that would be great....that was the largest group ive ever seen for sale..i believe ive seen approximately 7 or 8 unopened packs which i doubt anyone will open
i have davis lonborg hunter santo in singles
and 3 triple panels mantle fregosi allen...mantle hunter lonborgand wynn kaline hunter
if al and bob or anyone else can add theirs to this lets see if we have a complete set
i would say there are only 10 or less of each around

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Posted By: Al

Besides the 4 named above I have T Davis, Alvis and Longborg ( all connected), Fregosi, Hunter and R Allen. I agree with Larry that i will likley never know what is in the packs....but am sure Matle Mays and Aaron are in there ..

While Bob Lemke always acknowledged my e mails and correspondence when he was the editor , Mr ****inger does not. He also let the 2008 Catalog slide badly in my view

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Posted By: MikePugeda

Here's the other checklist, I picked it up approx 10 years ago:

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Posted By: DD

Around 1980, I remember seeing a large group of 20+ checklists, and some plaks. They appeared at the Kennedy airport show run by Bill Schulman. I also remember that they sold very quickly to some hobby veterans. Lou Avon and someone else that I can't remember purchased some.

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Posted By: Bob

Al,

The editor's name is "Fluckinger". I can only assume from the asterisks in your post that you forgot about the "L".

Actually, I won only two of the eBay Plaks--Fregosi and Wynn. I think I spent right around $650 for each of them.

I have one unopened pack, one wrapper, both checklists and two Plaks (as mentioned above). Here are scans of the pack, wrapper, and NL checklist.

Bob

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Posted By: Al

Bob...you know my memory problem