1975 Topps Mini's Distribution

[GeorgeBailey2]

I bought my regular set from Renata Galasso that year, so I wasn't buying packs (and promptly used a black marker on the checklists). However, I am fairly certain that the regular size was the only one available.
I do recall for either that Halloween or for Halloween 1976, that whatever packs were included in mixed candy bags (Woolworth's, grocery stores, etc.) were 1975 minis, as I did get a couple trick or treating. I believe the reaction was: "What the....?"

[brian1961]

Aside from the distribution discussion, one question I have mused about is precisely why Topps made the decision to create and test the MINIs in the first place.

I know it's just my opinion, but I think it was to ascertain whether kids and the new wave of collecting adults would accept or reject these new puny cards. Duh--obviously, but let's go a bit deeper.

Now, Bazookas were always a nice, smaller box card, few in number, with built-in scarcity, star players, and at a much higher price per card (though you were technically just buying the large quantity of gum and the cards were simply part of the package, though obviously an inducement to purchase that much gum).

Historically, Topps had reduced the size of their cards in '57. The difference was stark, but kids got used to it. Now it's 1975. Our country was trying to get out of the terrible recession of 1973-74. We were about to be hit with one of the worst periods of double-digit inflation, during the Carter administration. In 1975, Topps had increased the cost of a wax pack from 10 cents to 15 cents. The MINIs would have trimmed Topps' overhead costs by perhaps 25%. Maybe it was about this time that Topps trimmed the size of their stick of gum tucked in the wax pack.

Somehow the Topps people got the message their standard size had best be status quo, and don't monkey with the size any more, or else. As George Bailey aptly said, "What the ....!" Just my fifteen cents.

Anybody know for certain? --Brian Powell

[Cardboard Junkie]

Charlie Conlon and I drove down to a warehouse in Toledo Ohio in 1976 in my pickup truck and bought out the leftover stock. He paid for the gas. I only wanted one set. I think the total was about 30 cases. He also had a few regular size 75's in there too. Charlie was a great guy, and the best negotiator I ever met. I Sold him about 1000 54 topps Hockey cheap and he actually had me thinking he was doing me a big time favor taking them off my hands Telling me 54 topps hockey cards were worse than slow death. He was also big into 53 Glendales and bought all my extras. A very nice man, and he loved basketball. 75 minis and regular size were available in South Eastern Mich.

[nolemmings]

The minis were not available in Southern Minnesota. I don't recall seeing them until a card show in Brooklyn Park (Twin Cities suburb) in 1978, but I didn't get around much

Historically, Topps had reduced the size of their cards in '57. The difference was stark, but kids got used to it. Now it's 1975. Our country was trying to get out of the terrible recession of 1973-74. We were about to be hit with one of the worst periods of double-digit inflation, during the Carter administration. In 1975, Topps had increased the cost of a wax pack from 10 cents to 15 cents. The MINIs would have trimmed Topps' overhead costs by perhaps 25%. Maybe it was about this time that Topps trimmed the size of their stick of gum tucked in the wax pack.

I don't think the recession had anything to do with it--I think it was strictly a marketing experiment. BTW, double digit inflation occurred before Carter took office. During his administration, inflation was in the modest or so single digits until his final year, when it went it over 10%. And to be clear, the recessions technically occurred before and after Carter was President-- one on Ford's watch, the other on Reagan's (both saw double digit inflation for longer than Carter). These things are clearly cyclical, and the numbers certainly can lag economic policy, so I am not laying blame or being overly political. I just get tired of Jimmy Carter being treated as a whipping boy.

Back to cards. I believe Topps was merely looking to change it up and see what happened. If they truly were treating their bottom line as paramount, they would have simply stuck to their guns with the smaller size (and the price increase), at least absent a total rejection of the product by the market, which I do not believe occurred. IOW, the minis would have survived longer.

[brian1961]

Todd--Honestly, I was not trying to stick the blame on Jimmy Carter. I liked President Carter. I was using his administration as a point of reference. As for double-digit inflation, I would have to check the numbers because I thought I remember seeing a chart of inflation through the years, and the late 70s stuck in my mind. Perhaps I am confusing the chart I saw with the mortgage interest rates. Anyway, I am sure you are correct about skyrocketing inflation taking place during the years of President Ford, and the early years of President Reagan. We must include the last term of President Nixon as well.

However, I stand by my opinion about why Topps would test the reduction in size of their cards to save money. Any time a business is contemplating a major change such as this, it is to reduce overhead. Perhaps Marvin Miller had negotiated a better deal for the players with Topps. The recession of 73-75 was tough. Coca-Cola stock sank about 74% during the '73-'75 recession. Price of a car shot up dramatically during the 70s. In '73 I recall going to see "The Sting" and paying $3.50. Never had I paid so much to see a movie.

I never saw the MINIs, because by '75 I had become virtually disinterested in current MLB, and was enraptured with vintage baseball cards and baseball history. I believe around that time I was doing a research project to convince the Veterans' Committee of the Baseball HOF to enshrine Addie Joss. Never got it done, but at least they enshrined Mr. Joss.

Well Todd, have a pleasant day. --Brian Powell

[Troy Kirk]

I also got the 1975 minis in northern California. At the time, I subscribed to the hobby magazines, and I knew pretty quickly that they were only distributed in certain areas. If I had some cash, I would have bought some extras back then, but I was just a kid with no money. 1975 minis were definitely an opportunity that hobby insiders knew about, so I'm not surprised Conlon took advantage of that, but I'm maybe a little surprised that more people didn't do what he did.

One other thing about 1975s is that the price went up to 15 cents a pack that year instead of 10 cents a pack for 1974s.

[bigfanNY]

In 75 the news that Topps had a test issue spread through the Hobby quickly aided by the fact that the Sports collectors Digest was in Michigan where the Majority of the test area was. My Dad and I bought a Wax case from a Detroit dealer at a NYC show that spring which we promptly opened up and made sets . At the time Topps said that Minis were 2% to 5% of production. And at that time a regular set was roughly $9.00 and a Mini set $25. As for the premium almost all of the Minis were gobbled up by collectors and were cared for vs the standard issue that was widely distributed and played with and enjoyed by kids like me (I was 14) Over Time with condition playing a key role almost as many nice Minis exist as regular issue Topps so supply and demand has eroded the premium.
A couple years later with 1977 cloth stickers the same thing happened collectors bought the majority of the cards and the hobby was over saturated. There are far less cloth stickers than regular issue but much more demand for regular issue. JMHO
Jonathan