Ranking high # series by degree of difficulty (and why?)

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

And the price of the SP's jumped to appropriate levels in the Price Guides as well. Back in the 1980's whenever I had one of the tougher 1967 Mets Hi# and priced them at $15-20 the question would be,, but the Book say the card is XXX.

Rich

I'll bet that was Sullivan!

[glynparson]

1970 and 1972 are not difficult at all in my honest opinion they have no business being in the top group. i understand the book price is higher on them but they aren't tough at all to find even if adjusting for condition. Some of the tougher 71 high number s are far tougher then the 1970 or 1972 or even the easier 66 and 67 high numbers. Not sure i agree with your the list. Here is my list and experiences from selling vintage topps cards for the last 40 years include working for arguably the leading vintage topps dealer in the country for about 10 years back in the 90s early 2000s.

Tougher :
1952
1953
1966 (the tough ones)
1967 (the tough ones)

Next:
1955
1961
1962
1971

third:
1957
1962 (the sp)
1964
1965 (SPs)
1970
1972

THe Rest:
Now i considered 1963 in the third group and wouldn't argue if someone put it there. The rest there isn't much or a very slight difference. occasionally there may be a slightly tougher card or two like the 1973 high nuber checklist but overall they aren't very tough.

[skil55voy]

I would like to give a bit of a different perspective. When I was collecting as a kid, I started in 1962. I was able to complete that set as all of the Series released by Topps made it to my local stores. (St. Clair Shores, Michigan). I looked forward to the 63 set. However, I was only able to get cards into the 4th Series. No boxes for 5th, 6th 7th ever made it to the stores. In 1964 I made it to the 5th series. In 1965, I was able to complete the set as all Series showed up. 1966 all the way to the 7th Series. No 7th Series boxes showed up. 1967 I was able to get to the 7th. In 1968 and 1969 I was able to complete my sets.

When I started collecting again in the 80's the cards I found to be difficult were the 63 6th and 7th, 66 and 67 7th.

As an aside, I completed sets from 58 through 61 and did not have that much trouble. I was fairly close to completing the 56 and 57 sets but sold the collection before I finished. Also, in 66 you could write to Topps and get cards for 4 cents apiece. I picked 10 numbers from the 7th Series at random and sent away for them.
In 70 and 71 I ordered Series 5 through 7 for each set for $2.25 a Series.

[BillP]

Originally Posted by skil55voy

I would like to give a bit of a different perspective. When I was collecting as a kid, I started in 1962. I was able to complete that set as all of the Series released by Topps made it to my local stores. (St. Clair Shores, Michigan). I looked forward to the 63 set. However, I was only able to get cards into the 4th Series. No boxes for 5th, 6th 7th ever made it to the stores. In 1964 I made it to the 5th series. In 1965, I was able to complete the set as all Series showed up. 1966 all the way to the 7th Series. No 7th Series boxes showed up. 1967 I was able to get to the 7th. In 1968 and 1969 I was able to complete my sets.

When I started collecting again in the 80's the cards I found to be difficult were the 63 6th and 7th, 66 and 67 7th.

As an aside, I completed sets from 58 through 61 and did not have that much trouble. I was fairly close to completing the 56 and 57 sets but sold the collection before I finished. Also, in 66 you could write to Topps and get cards for 4 cents apiece. I picked 10 numbers from the 7th Series at random and sent away for them.
In 70 and 71 I ordered Series 5 through 7 for each set for $2.25 a Series.

Thx for a very interesting narrative. I think it calls into the discussion that selected areas of the country received later series boxes while others like my area (New England) switch to Football by August. And that's what happened in my area. As an example, by august of 66 it was mostly Philly football with less of topps football. 66 went to the 6th series BB and that as it. 67 to the 6th as well. 68 to the 7th though 69 cant remember. We had selected non sport summer and fall. I had head maybe on this forum that the west coast got the majority of 67 7th series and that Vending 7th series was out there as well. I think this is where the short B Robinson card originated.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by BillP

Thx for a very interesting narrative. I think it calls into the discussion that selected areas of the country received later series boxes while others like my area (New England) switch to Football by August. And that's what happened in my area. As an example, by august of 66 it was mostly Philly football with less of topps football. 66 went to the 6th series BB and that as it. 67 to the 6th as well. 68 to the 7th though 69 cant remember. We had selected non sport summer and fall. I had head maybe on this forum that the west coast got the majority of 67 7th series and that Vending 7th series was out there as well. I think this is where the short B Robinson card originated.

I was in Orange County, CA and we got no 1967 High #s at all. We got a ton of 6th series. We had more 6th series cards than any other series. I think there were some areas of the country that didn't get much of the 6th series, but got more 7th. We did get some 1966 High #s. 1959, 1960, 1964 and 1965 Highs were easy to find. 1961-1963 were almost nonexistent.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by glynparson

1970 and 1972 are not difficult at all in my honest opinion they have no business being in the top group. i understand the book price is higher on them but they aren't tough at all to find even if adjusting for condition. Some of the tougher 71 high number s are far tougher then the 1970 or 1972 or even the easier 66 and 67 high numbers. Not sure i agree with your the list. Here is my list and experiences from selling vintage topps cards for the last 40 years include working for arguably the leading vintage topps dealer in the country for about 10 years back in the 90s early 2000s.

Tougher :
1952
1953
1966 (the tough ones)
1967 (the tough ones)

Next:
1955
1961
1962
1971

third:
1957
1962 (the sp)
1964
1965 (SPs)
1970
1972

THe Rest:
Now i considered 1963 in the third group and wouldn't argue if someone put it there. The rest there isn't much or a very slight difference. occasionally there may be a slightly tougher card or two like the 1973 high nuber checklist but overall they aren't very tough.

Glyn:

Maybe it is because of the age demographic which come to my shows and the other DFW shows but 1970's and 72's hi#s sell really well for me

Rich

[glynparson]

I do agree that they seem to sell well but i don't think either of them are difficult at all to get. it maybe one of those geographic things where they are just easy in eastern pa so that skews my opinion.

[toppcat]

When I was a weekend warrior at the end of the 80's and in the early 90's, the 72 highs always sold here on Long Island. 70's and 71's not as much.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by toppcat

I'll bet that was Sullivan!

Not just him but also Westrum, Alomar, Shaw/Sutherland, etc.