1958-1961 All Star Subsets

[skelly]

These are always valued lower than the Regular Cards from the set. A 60 Mantle All Star is worth less than the Regular 1960 Mantle... etc... I was wondering why these cards are worth less. To those old enough, what did you prefer when trading / opening packs back in the day. I think the All Star cards are cool, and certainly harder to come by being high numbers and all.

[Rich Klein]

Because more collectors (by a wide margin) prefer the regular issue cards. Back in the late 1970's, I bought up as many of the Hi # superstars from that era real cheap as they were underpriced.

Nearly 40 years later, nothing much has changed in terms of collecting interest and those cards being underpriced.

That is especially true for 59-60; the 61's are pretty fairly priced as they are much more difficult

Rich

[bobc88]

I actually prefer the all star cards to the regular issues. I can get a nice card of a superstar/HOFer for a fraction of the price for the regular issue.

[GasHouseGang]

That used to be true of all the "special" cards that pictured multiple stars too. These cards could be picked up for relative bargain prices. But over the years these cards have been catching up.

[Econteachert205]

A lot of the 58's were double prints and wasn't the mantle considered a triple print?

[almostdone]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

A lot of the 58's were double prints and wasn't the mantle considered a triple print?

I believe you are right. The Musial was triple print as well.
Drew

[autograf]

I really like the 1958's and 1961's. The 1961's are a bear to find with really nice centering.

[SteveMitchell]

As a 9-year-old in 1958, I loved the All-Star cards. Jordan's Variety Store in North Deering (Portland), Maine, where I bought my cards in 1957-58, got the all-star series in September, as I recall. Upon opening a couple of packs (limited budget in those days, too) I was confused by the Sport Magazine mention but the stars really appealed to my young eyes.

For my one- or five-cent purchases (with gum), I preferred the all-star cards (to a player's regular card) in those days - and multiple-player cards were especially cherished. Team cards were off the charts popular with me.

[brian1961]

skelly---

I always ranked the regular issue card above the all-star card. That being said, the all-star card was still very important to me, sort of a nice commemorative card extolling the player's selection to a distinguished All-Star team. The fact many of them were in the seventh series certainly did play a part at making them special.

My favorite year was 1961, as that was the first year I began collecting cards. I only got one nickel wax pack of cards from that series. Guess that's why I really cherish that year, though mainly because I was with my busy dad, who bought me the pack on a late summer or early fall evening. The '61 All-Star design was truly stunning.

As you may recall, the Mickey Mantle card that famed NBC sports broadcaster Bob Costas has carried in his wallet for many years is Mick's 1958 Topps All-Star, a beaute. He probably got it when he was a kid. I always thought that was neat.

--Brian Powell

[Shoebox]

This thread actually inspired me to pick up the Musial and Mathews from the 58 set today. Considering building the whole all star subset from this year. Looks like it can be acquired for pretty reasonable prices. Ted Williams looks to be the most expensive pick up.

[frankh8147]

I have always though that this subset is awesome. I have mostly been a pre-war collector but for me, these cards are too much to resist...here are my favorites. Autographed examples of this set have been my recent chase.

[Shoebox]

Shortly after this thread began I came across these twin 58 AS and decided I wanted to get all of them. Since this thread inspired it was going to use it to update my progress. Will start with the HOFers. Here are the first two with another on the way.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by almostdone

I believe you are right. The Musial was triple print as well.
Drew

They pulled four other cards for two extras of each of these IIRC. Not sure what the actual ratio as one of the print runs or sheets didn't have the TP's but the Musial and Mantle AS cards are abundant.

[MikeGarcia]

[blackandgold]

I just picked up the 1958 Banks, Mantle and Musial as a lot in the latest LOTG auction. I normally collect only Pirates, but these looked so cool, I had to try to get them.

[Shoebox]

Added a couple more. Got my sights set on adding Mantle, Mays, or Aarron next.

[Shoebox]

Posting an update on my progress with this. Up to 8 of the 12 HOFers from the subset. Targeting the Mantle now.

[mintacular]

I like the '58 AS sub-set, here's my 2:

[almostdone]

Here is what I did with two of mine.
Drew

[Shoebox]

Very cool display Drew.

[MikeGarcia]

These were graded a long long time ago... I had to overtweak the Brightness and Contrast settings in order for the scanner to overcome the depth of the two different slabs and show the cards.....I'm getting a new scanner with CCD someday real soon... I promise...

[Samsdaddy]

I remember watching an episode of Hart to Hart in the early 1980's that featured a young boy who inherited a vintage collection of baseball cards from his deceased father.

The long and short of it was as Jonathan Hart flipped cards towards the end of the episode, a 1958 Topps All-Star of Stan Musial was shown and I instantly fell in love with this sub set. As a teen I finished putting the sub set together a few years later and still have it to this day.

The 1958 Topps All-Star sub set remains my favorite of my modest collection.

[Exhibitman]

I think the 60s and 61s are better-designed than the regular issue cards.

Best All Star set ever, though, IMO 1969:

[ls7plus]

The '61' were from the high number series and relatively tough relative to the rest of the set. I haven't the faintest clue how they have appreciated, however, since I went pre-war quite some time ago. Still have the Maris in raw NMT+. The '58 Musial is interesting as his first Topps card.

Larry

[Shoebox]

Bumping this old thread now that I have officially completed building the subset it inspired. I acquired the last card I needed (Mantle) a few months back but with the Mantle and a handful of the other non-HOF cards being raw I didn't feel like it was really finished until I got them all into SGC holders.

With budget constraints and wandering focus I spent a bit over a year acquiring them all. Finding them in SGC holders especially on the minor stars was the toughest challenge. After grading costs the Mantle cost me about $40. Spent about that much on the Williams. All others were picked up for $25 or less with most of the HOFers in the $15-$20 range. Lost track of the total cost I spent on it along the way but I think it was around $350 or so.

Constructed this collage of them all from the individual scans. The alternating colors in this three row layout really looks cool to me even if several of them are on the rough side. Also, the star power of that 2nd row is just amazing. Everyone a HOF member and only 1 that was not a league MVP.

[ALR-bishop]

Very nice, Dustin

[AustinMike]

Dustin, that looks great. I think the only changes I would make would be to switch Musial with Temple and Spahn with Friend. That would get two more "heavyweights" near the center.

[DBesse27]

Looks awesome!

[irv]

Originally Posted by Shoebox

Bumping this old thread now that I have officially completed building the subset it inspired. I acquired the last card I needed (Mantle) a few months back but with the Mantle and a handful of the other non-HOF cards being raw I didn't feel like it was really finished until I got them all into SGC holders.

With budget constraints and wandering focus I spent a bit over a year acquiring them all. Finding them in SGC holders especially on the minor stars was the toughest challenge. After grading costs the Mantle cost me about $40. Spent about that much on the Williams. All others were picked up for $25 or less with most of the HOFers in the $15-$20 range. Lost track of the total cost I spent on it along the way but I think it was around $350 or so.

Constructed this collage of them all from the individual scans. The alternating colors in this three row layout really looks cool to me even if several of them are on the rough side. Also, the star power of that 2nd row is just amazing. Everyone a HOF member and only 1 that was not a league MVP.

Very nice, and nice to see diversity in the collecting hobby too!

[Shoebox]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Dustin, that looks great. I think the only changes I would make would be to switch Musial with Temple and Spahn with Friend. That would get two more "heavyweights" near the center.

The arrangement was actually just placing them in order of their card numbers but I like your idea.

[jfkheat]

Very nice looking subset. I am currently working on the All Star subsets from all the 60s Topps sets.
James

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by Shoebox

Bumping this old thread now that I have officially completed building the subset it inspired. I acquired the last card I needed (Mantle) a few months back but with the Mantle and a handful of the other non-HOF cards being raw I didn't feel like it was really finished until I got them all into SGC holders.

With budget constraints and wandering focus I spent a bit over a year acquiring them all. Finding them in SGC holders especially on the minor stars was the toughest challenge. After grading costs the Mantle cost me about $40. Spent about that much on the Williams. All others were picked up for $25 or less with most of the HOFers in the $15-$20 range. Lost track of the total cost I spent on it along the way but I think it was around $350 or so.

Constructed this collage of them all from the individual scans. The alternating colors in this three row layout really looks cool to me even if several of them are on the rough side. Also, the star power of that 2nd row is just amazing. Everyone a HOF member and only 1 that was not a league MVP.

Very nice indeed, Dustin.

I have the same sub set, though not graded. I wouldn't trade or sell it for anything.

[pokerplyr80]

I often wondered the same thing, especially as a kid. If a Mantle card is worth x and an Aaron is worth y, shouldn't a card with both be worth some value greater than x or y? I may have been biased as the 58 topps Mantle Aaron card was the only vintage card in my collection at the time.

I couldn't understand the difference in value of the all star cards either. They were from the same set and looked great to me.

[Harliduck]

Dustin...great graded subset...extremely cool.


What about the uniqueness of the 1960 Topps Willie McCovey? I have to believe that this is the only example, especially of a HOFer, where they issued and All Star card the same year as his rookie card? I like his AS card much better than the regular issue...and even that was in a special rookie subset.

[Filthy]

Those look GREAT all together. When I first started collecting Vintage, the 58 Mantle AS, was the one that I targeted first.

[jfkheat]

Here are a couple pictures of my completed 1960 All Star subset.
James

[packs]

Still my favorite Mantle:

[almostdone]

I was looking through my Stan Musial collection and admiring his 58 All Star card and started to wonder why isn't he represented in any other Topps All Star cards except the 58? He made every All Star game in his career so why only the one card? From 59 through 63 he has a regular issue card as well as three other "special cards" but no AS.
Anyone have any answers or insight on this?
Drew

[toppcat]

I always liked the 1961 subset the best, those color pix just pop off the page.