Curious about 1973 Topps distribution

[ALR-bishop]

More good input Mark

[Tomman1961]

First "set" I tried to complete as a 12 year old. Bloomingdale New Jersey. Opening day I rode my bike to "The Bloomingdale Sweet Shop". He had only cello. Maybe this was up to the store owner, but I did not see any wax that year. By September he had only Football, so now how to get high numbers. A few towns over was a Woolworth's. They had bins loaded with Baseball cello. I think in one pack I got 4 Fred Kendalls. Man did I have a lot of doubles after that day of purchase.
I am shedding no light. Just remenisceing.
(sp)

[62corvette]

In small-town north central Wisconsin, 73 Topps were issued in series. I finally figured out that the last series was hardest to find (I restarted collecting in 1971) so when football cards came out, I went to the retailers in Antigo, Shawano, Clintonville, etc, and asked to talk to the manager. I'd make an offer of about 25% of retail for all they had left on the shelf. Little did I know that Mike Schmidt would become who he did. 13 of his rookie cards!
The blue checklists were never included in that area of the country. I ordered them from someone who advertised them in the Trader Speaks.
And sure, as soon as I figured out that the last series was good to buy, in 74 they made the whole set available at one time.

[Tomman1961]

I never had a blue checklist card in NJ while buying from April to September. I only saw cello in NJ. Up to the store owner what to carry?

[steve B]

Most stores bought from candy or tobacco wholesalers. So if the manager or owner of a store didn't want a particular series of sort of pack they didn't buy them. With many places today being chains those decisions are sometimes made at the main office.

When I ran a Cumberland farms (Late 83) there were no cards available to me at all. And the town I lived in only had one store that carried the last series of Star Wars cards.

In 73 I'd just moved to Western Mass. I think we had all 660 together, but we moved in sept 1, so it could have just been the high number packs that included the other series. I don't recall the team checklists in 73.
Of course our area was odd. The 75 minis were supposedly not issued anywhere near us, but we had them briefly.

Steve B

[novakjr]

A quick question. Given that some areas got them is series, and others all at once. Does anyone have the release dates? Did the "all 660" areas get a later initial release than the "series" cities?

Also, some things to consider. What role did Topps going public in '72 play in the elimination of the series? I'd think it makes sense to eliminate the less profitable "later series", under that scenario.. Or at the very least, I think it might explain why they marketed differently, in different areas, to test the profitability of each..

And I remember something about the MLBPA offering exclusive rights to Fleer in '73. I know, that the player contracts doubled as a result, and Topps was now to pay a percentage to the players also. I'm thinking that had it's hand in shortening the set to 660, but did it also play a role in the end of the "series"?

[onlyvintage62]

Here in NYC/Long Island the seventh series came out about July 10th. The next to last was around June 14th or so. I specificaly remember because of where I was at the time.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by novakjr

A quick question. Given that some areas got them is series, and others all at once. Does anyone have the release dates? Did the "all 660" areas get a later initial release than the "series" cities?

Also, some things to consider. What role did Topps going public in '72 play in the elimination of the series? I'd think it makes sense to eliminate the less profitable "later series", under that scenario.. Or at the very least, I think it might explain why they marketed differently, in different areas, to test the profitability of each..

And I remember something about the MLBPA offering exclusive rights to Fleer in '73. I know, that the player contracts doubled as a result, and Topps was now to pay a percentage to the players also. I'm thinking that had it's hand in shortening the set to 660, but did it also play a role in the end of the "series"?

David I think both of your observations are spot on and they both contributed to the 660 card series and the "all at once" issuance. Also, the pack inserts essentially stopped after 1971 as they were preparing to go public and in '73 they tried to sell some ancillary sets without the logos or even team names (Comics, Pin-Ups, Action Emblems). Going public definitely changed their economic model.