Topps Sports Card Lockers

[deweyinthehall]

For many years in the 1970s and the 1980s, Topps wrappers contained ads for a Sports Card Locker.

Several varieties pop up on eBay as shown here - the most common generally being the maroon one with various athletes illustrated on it.

Does anyone have any information as to what styles were available in which years?

Any information would be appreciated.

[jayshum]

I remember having the maroon one in the late 70's. I don't remember ever seeing the other ones during that time or later.

[quitcrab]

I have this one. My guess is 1969-1972 When I bought a collection that was the only years of cards in locker.

[quitcrab]

Sorry picture file won’t load. Maybe someone can post pic for me. Thanks Scott

[Chstrite]

Scott’s 54 sports locker

[deweyinthehall]

I've scanned wrappers and can find ads from 1982 back through 1973 - 1973 being only on a football wrapper and not baseball - but I cannot locate wrapper ads for lockers before 1973 yet, though obviously they were available in some manner.

[quitcrab]

My locker could be from another manufacture and source other than a Topps wrapper mail in. My locker has slots labeled for each team inside.

[quitcrab]

My locker could be from another manufacture and source other than a Topps wrapper mail in. My locker has slots labeled for each team inside. My locker also had a few 1969 Topps decals pasted on back. My guess would be 1969-1970

[jchcollins]

Most of that stuff is before my time, but in the late 80's I had the round plastic "baseball" version of this that was essentially the same thing, with shelves for teams / individual cards. A corner destroying machine, LOL.

[deweyinthehall]

"Round" - the locker was round??

[CardPadre]

Mine would be from 1980 or 1981 almost certainly.

[GasHouseGang]

I picked up a red version of the solid plastic Baseball Card Locker. It was filled with a collector's 1970's Topps. When you open the locker doors, on the inside each slot is identified with a team. The one I picked up has one of the slots identified as the Seattle Pilots, so it was from that time frame. I believe these were sold in stores to hold your collection and were not affiliated with Topps.

[quitcrab]

Correct! I forgot it had the Seattle slot ! Must be from 1969… 1970 ?

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by CardPadre

Mine would be from 1980 or 1981 almost certainly.

Does it say 'Topps' anywhere on it?

[CardPadre]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

Does it say 'Topps' anywhere on it?

No, there is no other printing other than what’s on this front panel. The little circle towards the bottom left says “A take me along Tara-Toy” So Tara-Toy is the only branding.

[ALR-bishop]

Very nice items all

[scotgreb]

Card Locker1.jpg Card Locker2.jpg Card Locker3.jpg

[JustinD]

Here’s my childhood Tara toy version. I can back up they were from the early 80s. I can also say these Tara toy versions had nothing to do with Topps, they were sold at Supermarkets and toy stores. I remember getting mine new.

As you can see the guts started to crack at some point and I gutted it for storage. I had to dig in the vaults for this one, thanks for the memories.

[JustinD]

Our buddy Dave Hornish has an article on these-

http://www.thetoppsarchives.com/2014...t-lockers.html

All the lockers from Topps in the 80s I remember my friends having looked like the red example he shows with the brass clasp

[deweyinthehall]

Outstanding - I had not noticed the style of wrapper illustration yet.

The earliest wrapper I can find with a locker ad is 1973 Football (looks like the cardboard type). As shown here the 1974 wrappers indicate the cardboard looking locker also, but beginning in 1975, they appear to show the standard vinyl, maroon variety, right up through the last evidence I can find of a wrapper offer, 1982.

I propose that Topps "tested" the cardboard lockers with 1973 football. They were popular enough that Topps made them available across football and baseball (haven't looked for hockey or basketball wrappers) for 1974, and in 1975 debuted the standard vinyl, maroon, players on it variety.

They then kept this right up to they stopped offering them in 1982.

What do folks think about that scenario?