TOUGH COMMONS LIST ~ Please Help Build

[supermint1975]

Hello all,

I would like to start compiling a list of the "tougher/toughest" common cards from each Topps set, organized by year.
By tougher/toughest, I am talking about cards that frequently have print defects, mis-cuts, centering issues, or any
type of obscure reason that would hinder their ability to receive a high grade such as an 8 or 9.

Please contribute but refrain from listing HOF'ers and SP's.

Let's also stay away from high numbers unless they blow away other highs from that year. This is for commons only.

This is my list so far:

1952 Topps:
Bobby Hogue #9
Monty Basgall #12
Eddie Robinson #32
Lou Kretlow #42
Gordon Goldsberry #46
Marv Rickert #50
Al Zarilla #70
Wes Westrum #75
Herman Wehmeier #80

1954 Topps:
Ben Wade #126
Buster Mills #227

1955 Topps:
Art Fowler #3

1957 Topps:
Lou Kretlow #139
Mike Garcia #300

1958 Topps:
John Roseboro #42

1960 Topps:
Felipe Alou #287

1961 Topps:
Ralph Houk #133
Bill Virdon #306

1963 Topps:
Pedro Ramos #14
Curt Simmons #22
Dick Schofield #34
Vic Power #40
Donnie Bowman #61
Ron Kline #84
Dick Stigman #89
Larry Burright #174
Jim Grant #227
Ellis Burton #262
Roy Sievers #283
Don Rudolph #291
Tommy Davis #310
Ernie Broglio #313
Dick Williams #328
Leon Wagner #335
Dom Zanni #354
Joe Azcue #501

1966 Topps:
Sam Mele #3
Tommy Davis #75
Jerry Lumpe #161
Nick Willhite #171
AL Batting Leaders #216

1967 Topps:
Jack Hamilton #2
Duke Sims #3
Matty Alou #10
Joe Sparma #13
Dave Bristol #21
Rick Wise #37
Joe Horner #41
Steve Barber #82
Jim Nash #90
Dick McAuliffe #170
Johnny Romano #196
Jack Kralick #316
Luis Tiant #377
Dave McNally #382
Andy Etchebarren #457

1969 Topps:
Mike Ferraro #83
Kevin Collins #127

1970 Topps:
Derron Johnson #125
Orioles Team #387
Ken Holtzman #505
Willie Horton #520
Wayne Garrett #628
Bud HArrelson #634
Pilots Team #713

1971 Topps:
Jim Shellenback #295
Claude Raymond #536
Larry Brown #539
Willie Davis #585
Mike Wegener #608
Phil Regan #634
Bobby Murcer #635
Lee Maye #733

1972 Topps:
Ray Culp #2
Bob Barton IA #40
Vida Blue IA #170
Paul Schaal #178

1973 Topps:
Woodie Fryman #146
Don Wilson #217
Dave Lemonds #534
Bob Heise #547
Rangers Managers #549
Davy Johnson #550
Yankees Team #556
Frank Howard #560
Jim Geddes #561
Steve Kealey #581
Royals Managers #593
Vic Harris #594
Dwight Evans #614
Denny McLain #630
Fred Scherman #660

1974 Topps:
Clay Carroll #111
Felix Millan #132
Fritz Peterson #229
Randy Hundley #319
Steve Braun #321
Jim Kaat #440
Bucket Dent #582
Ken Boswell #645

1975 Topps:
Frank Tanana #16
Dave Giusti #53
Rusty Staub #90
Orioles Team #117
Jesus Alou #253
Len Randel #259
Danny Frisella #343
Sal Bando #380
Ross Grimsley #458
Darrell Evans #475
Will McEnaney #481
Tommy Davis #564
Juan Beniquez #601

1976 Topps:
Rick Miller #302
Johnny Briggs #373

1977 Topps:
Don Money #79
Jose Cardenal #610
Ron Guidry #656

1978 Topps:
Rennie Stennett #165
Jackson Todd #481
Denny Doyle #642

1979 Topps:
Mets Team #82
Pirates Team #244
Jerry Terrell #273
Rich Gale #298
Dave Skaggs #367

1980 Topps:
Rick Reuschel #175



I know there are a ton of cards that I did not list. Please help in identifying more to add. THANKS

[JollyElm]

I love your 72's section. Just recently I got beautifully centered Barton IA and Blue IA cards back from PSA, graded 8's. I would certainly add to your list many, many more of the common IA cards from that year. Some are ridiculously tough to find even remotely close to being centered.

[quitcrab]

1968 Topps 505 Joe Sparma

[smellthegum]

1952 Charley Maxwell #180
1970 1st series checklist #9

I would not count 73T Dwight Evans rookie as a common, plus it's a high #.

[onlyvintage62]

Oh so many......

1959 John C. Powers

1963

The toughest in the 1960's Jack Baldschun
Cloninger
Piche

1969
So, so many in the third series.

Cleon Jones
Red Schoendienst (yes he is an HOF, but

1971
Maye
Nagelson


More to come
1972 I/a Blue, Mcrae

[supermint1975]

Thank you, everyone, for the contributions. I will update the list once a week.
Hopefully, this will turn into a master reference for tough commons. Keep 'em coming.

Thanks again,

Andrew

[lanco02]

Great thread.

1959 Del Rice
1968 Gates Brown

[onlyvintage62]

These are my favorite cards to collect...

Will provide an extensive list based upon experience..

[avalanche2006]

These are the cards that I would consider hard to find centered.
I have had many copies of each and finally found the one for my set.

79 Chiti
82 Boyd
115 Vernon
162 Bobby G Smith
226 Ceccarelli
244 Gray
246 Porter
254 Bella
271 Pena
289 Kucks
301 Averill
311 Zauchin
320 Skinner
328 Skizas
330 Triandos
331 Boros
335 Temple
356 Mabe
460 Friend
489 John C Powers
494 Paveletich
496 Terwillinger
509 Cash
536 kravitz
538 King
544 Tate

[onlyvintage62]

I know he is a HOF'er but
1971 Fingers
1971
Most Leader Cards because of poor centering
Blefary
T. Taylor
Grote
Fiore
Moeller (also 1966)
Gibbs

Also
1970
Mets team
Segui
NL Championship Gm 2
McDowell A/S
Koonce
Kilkenny

MORE TO COME

[onlyvintage62]

Originally Posted by smellthegum

1952 Charley Maxwell #180
1970 1st series checklist #9

I would not count 73T Dwight Evans rookie as a common, plus it's a high #.

Amazing how some SERIES are tougher than others in high grade
1970 Series 1,5
1969 Series 3
1963 Series 1

[Beastmode]

This is a great idea. I think you need to go up through '83.

[VintageCardDreams]

1960 Topps

111- Vic Wertz
116- Jim Revera
170- Del Crandall
176- Vada Pinson
223- Danny Murtaugh
446- Ellis Burton
451- Curt Simmons
489- Steve Ridzik
496- Bill Virdon
498- Al Pilarcik

[bradmar48]

These were difficult for me

1952 Charley Maxwell #180
1952 Minnie Minoso #195

1956 Vic Wertz #300

1957 Billy Goodman #303

[onlyvintage62]

1970 messersmith
1969 Duncan
1969 M. Andrews
1969 Hendley

[supermint1975]

I made a few additions to the list. Please keep adding suggestions. LET'S HEAR FROM THE BIG GRADERS!!!!!


1952 Topps:
Bobby Hogue #9
Monty Basgall #12
Eddie Robinson #32
Lou Kretlow #42
Gordon Goldsberry #46
Marv Rickert #50
Al Zarilla #70
Wes Westrum #75
Herman Wehmeier #80
Charley Maxwell #180

1954 Topps:
Hank Thompson #64
Fred Haney #75
Gene Woodling #101
Ben Wade #126
Frank Leja #175
Chuck Harmon #182
Buster Mills #227

1955 Topps:
Art Fowler #3
Jim Hegan #7
Hal Smith #8
Bob Keegan #10
Andy Carey #20
Jack Parks #23
Dick Groat #26
J.W. Porter #49
Joe Collins #63
Frank Sullivan #106
Harry Agganis #152
Norm Zauchin #176
Jim Bolger #179
Tony Jacobs #183
Sherm Lollar #201
Jim Owens #202
Gene Freese #205
Billy Consolo #207

1957 Topps:
Lou Kretlow #139
Mike Garcia #300

1958 Topps:
John Roseboro #42

1959 Topps:
Del Rice #104
Mickey Vernon #115
Bob Shaw #159
Duke Maas #167
Ruben Amaro #178
Stu Miller #183
Bob Bowman #221
Bobby Shantz #222
Don Demeter #324
Gus Triandos #330
Jim Hegan #372
Cal McLish #445
Tom Sturdivant #471
Charley Maxwell #481
Lindy McDaniel #479
Vic Wertz #500

1960 Topps:
Felipe Alou #287

1961 Topps:
Ralph Houk #133
Bill Virdon #306

1963 Topps:
Pedro Ramos #14
Curt Simmons #22
Dick Schofield #34
Vic Power #40
Donnie Bowman #61
Ron Kline #84
Dick Stigman #89
Larry Burright #174
Jim Grant #227
Ellis Burton #262
Roy Sievers #283
Don Rudolph #291
Tommy Davis #310
Ernie Broglio #313
Dick Williams #328
Leon Wagner #335
Dom Zanni #354
Joe Azcue #501

1966 Topps:
Sam Mele #3
Tommy Davis #75
Jerry Lumpe #161
Nick Willhite #171
AL Batting Leaders #216

1967 Topps:
Jack Hamilton #2
Duke Sims #3
Matty Alou #10
Joe Sparma #13
Dave Bristol #21
Rick Wise #37
Joe Horner #41
Steve Barber #82
Jim Nash #90
Dick McAuliffe #170
Johnny Romano #196
Jack Kralick #316
Luis Tiant #377
Dave McNally #382
Andy Etchebarren #457

1969 Topps:
Mike Ferraro #83
Kevin Collins #127

1970 Topps:
Derron Johnson #125
Orioles Team #387
Ken Holtzman #505
Willie Horton #520
Wayne Garrett #628
Bud HArrelson #634
Pilots Team #713

1971 Topps:
Jim Shellenback #295
Claude Raymond #536
Larry Brown #539
Willie Davis #585
Mike Wegener #608
Phil Regan #634
Bobby Murcer #635
Lee Maye #733

1972 Topps:
Ray Culp #2
Bob Barton IA #40
Vida Blue IA #170
Paul Schaal #178

1973 Topps:
Woodie Fryman #146
Don Wilson #217
Dave Lemonds #534
Bob Heise #547
Rangers Managers #549
Davy Johnson #550
Yankees Team #556
Frank Howard #560
Jim Geddes #561
Steve Kealey #581
Royals Managers #593
Vic Harris #594
Dwight Evans #614
Denny McLain #630
Fred Scherman #660

1974 Topps:
Clay Carroll #111
Felix Millan #132
Fritz Peterson #229
Randy Hundley #319
Steve Braun #321
Jim Kaat #440
Bucket Dent #582
Ken Boswell #645

1975 Topps:
Frank Tanana #16
Dave Giusti #53
Rusty Staub #90
Orioles Team #117
Jesus Alou #253
Len Randel #259
Danny Frisella #343
Sal Bando #380
Ross Grimsley #458
Darrell Evans #475
Will McEnaney #481
Tommy Davis #564
Juan Beniquez #601

1976 Topps:
Rick Miller #302
Johnny Briggs #373

1977 Topps:
Don Money #79
Jose Cardenal #610
Ron Guidry #656

1978 Topps:
Rennie Stennett #165
Jackson Todd #481
Denny Doyle #642

1979 Topps:
Mets Team #82
Pirates Team #244
Jerry Terrell #273
Rich Gale #298
Dave Skaggs #367

1980 Topps:
Rick Reuschel #175

[onlyvintage62]

I had posted some more that should be added...see previos posts

1962 Chrisley
1969 Tony Taylor
1963 Dick Williams
1963 Cloninger
1963 Baldschun

[OsFan]

This is an awesome idea for a thread. But man the '70 Orioles team card really pisses me off.

[irv]

Originally Posted by bradmar48

These were difficult for me

1952 Charley Maxwell #180
1952 Minnie Minoso #195

1956 Vic Wertz #300

1957 Billy Goodman #303

There are quite a few tough 52's that the OP has listed, but from memory, I have always found the Charley Maxwell very tough to find centered.

My copy is one of them, and I was holding out somewhat waiting for a better one to show up but when I seen this graded/authenticated signed copy, I decided to go for it.

[BillP]

I know it may not apply, but the 1st card I always think of when always off center is mentioned is: 1967 #605 Shannon.

[lowpopper]

Wow. This is an amazing post. I go to shows looking for these types of cards exclusively. I can't wait to see what the final product looks like.

some to add:

1957 mid series tough 8's:
Bob Thurman #279
Alex Kellner #280
Andy Carey #290
Irv Noren #298 (and it's a DP)
Mike Garcia #300
Jack Phillips #307
Ernie Johnson #333
Granny Hamner #335
Taylor Phillips #343
Hal Naragon #347
Eddie Miksis #350

then Chuck Tanner #392 is a tough one


1958
Ossie Virgil #107
Bennie Daniels #392

[lowpopper]

Snagged this gem using this post as a reference. Thanks

[lowpopper]

just got it back...

[KCRfan1]

Congratulations Greg! I never thought the card would grade an 8!!!!! I was thinking a 6. Good thing I am not in the grading business......

[irv]

Originally Posted by supermint1975

Hello all,

I would like to start compiling a list of the "tougher/toughest" common cards from each Topps set, organized by year.
By tougher/toughest, I am talking about cards that frequently have print defects, mis-cuts, centering issues, or any
type of obscure reason that would hinder their ability to receive a high grade such as an 8 or 9.

Please contribute but refrain from listing HOF'ers and SP's.

Let's also stay away from high numbers unless they blow away other highs from that year. This is for commons only.

This is my list so far:

1952 Topps:
Bobby Hogue #9
Monty Basgall #12
Eddie Robinson #32
Lou Kretlow #42
Gordon Goldsberry #46
Marv Rickert #50
Al Zarilla #70
Wes Westrum #75
Herman Wehmeier #80

THANKS

I would also include Jim Delsing, at least it seems that way since I have been looking, and that has been a while.
Checking out PSA's site, most are better than the ones I have seen, but most will also give you an idea what I am talking about.

William Werle is also another one. The left to right centering seems like it is always off.
I found this one, which was one of the better ones I had seen, so I went for it.

[supermint1975]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Congratulations Greg! I never thought the card would grade an 8!!!!! I was thinking a 6. Good thing I am not in the grading business......

Greg has one of the best eyes in the biz...his vision for grading is uncanny. He actually helped me concoct this whole list and I'm sure he could double the size of it easily.

[Republicaninmass]

1952 topps

#180 Maxwell

[Bram99]

Willie Miranda #278 high number second to last card in set. When I was completing the set this was the hardest one for me.