1952 topps martin

[tedzan]

Steve

Thanks for your kind words. I'm curious, where did you live in 1952 that you did not have 52T cards at your neighborhood stores ?

I know that certain series of 1952 Topps (52T) cards were not available in certain areas of the country; however, the 52T's were very popular.
Topps went back and repeated press runs of the 1st & 2nd series to satisfy the demand.

The RED backs of the 1st series (cards #1-80) are the result of these repeated press runs. In the North Jersey and greater New York city area
the 1st series cards were the BLACK backs (available in the Spring of '52).


TED Z

[Volod]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Steve

Thanks for your kind words. I'm curious, where did you live in 1952 that you did not have 52T cards at your neighborhood stores ?

I know that certain series of 1952 Topps (52T) cards were not available in certain areas of the country; however, the 52T's were very popular.
Topps went back and repeated press runs of the 1st & 2nd series to satisfy the demand.

The RED backs of the 1st series (cards #1-80) are the result of these repeated press runs. In the North Jersey and greater New York city area
the 1st series cards were the BLACK backs (available in the Spring of '52).

TED Z

Sorry, the Redbacks I referred to were the 1951 cards, not the '52's. I'm only going by the few memory cells I have left from that summer 60 years ago. As an 8-year-old in Auburn NY - small city west of Syracuse - most stores I went in had the 1952 Bowmans, and even some leftover 1951 Topps sets, but I don't recall ever finding the 1952 Topps set. I remember seeing the cards in another kid's collection, but he informed me he had obtained them on a trip to NYC, so I regarded them with great awe, as I assumed they were not available upstate. Now, however, I imagine the '52's might have been there somewhere if I had only known where to look - still, perhaps not very heavy distribution.

[ALR-bishop]

I have a set of 51 Red Backs in two panel form in an unopened "rack" pack with a game board and at least 5, 51 Current or Connie Mack All Stars...red backgrounds. The panels unfortunately are bound with rubber bands, which due to position would have little impact on the red backs but likely have had an impact on the All Star cards. Dave Hornish has a picture of such a pack, it might be mine, on his web site

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Steve

Thanks for your kind words. I'm curious, where did you live in 1952 that you did not have 52T cards at your neighborhood stores ?

I know that certain series of 1952 Topps (52T) cards were not available in certain areas of the country; however, the 52T's were very popular.
Topps went back and repeated press runs of the 1st & 2nd series to satisfy the demand.

The RED backs of the 1st series (cards #1-80) are the result of these repeated press runs. In the North Jersey and greater New York city area
the 1st series cards were the BLACK backs (available in the Spring of '52).


TED Z

Ted,

Are any of your sources that remembered buying 52 Topps when they were young from Canada? Why do you think they were issued at the same time as the Rails set?

Just curious. Thanks.

Zach Wheat

[tedzan]

Zach

None the guys who shared their experience collecting 52T cards in 1952 were from Canada. I have heard of rumors that the 52T mid-series gray-backs
originated from Canada. I have not seen any evidence of this.

I have also heard that 54T - 1st series (#1-50) cards that have gray-backs originated from Canada. I think this fact has been supported by at least 2
Canadian finds of 54T cards. I have a 54T Eddie Lopat gray-back as a type card.

Finally, one of the guys, who recalls getting 52T gray-backs as a kid, remembers buying Rails & Sails packs that included one (or two) 52T gray-backs.
Now, the Rails & Sails cards were issued in 1955, and that suggests, if this was so, it may have been an anomaly.


TED Z

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Finally, one of the guys, who recalls getting 52T gray-backs as a kid, remembers buying Rails & Sails packs that included one (or two) 52T gray-backs.

Now, the Rails & Sails cards were issued in 1955, and that suggests, if this was so, it may have been an anomaly.


TED Z

This makes sense in a way-if Topps was stuffing packs to make them appear fatter than Bowman's as they tried to finish that firm off, I could see it happening in '55 with leftover 52's. Topps cardboard stock would vary from run to run so maybe a last run of 3rd series '52 cards was warehoused. I'll post over of the Vintage NS board and ask around a little and see if any of the vets over there have found the 52's when opening R&S packs.

[tedzan]

These elusive 52T gray-backs have been a mystery back 1977 when I got back into this hobby and they still are a mystery.

It was nice back in 1977 in that they were more available. As the years since have gone by, they have become very scarce.

And, I do not like the $$ that they are going for now. I'm almost tempted to give up on completing this run of 60 cards, and
sell the ones I have.

TED Z

[ALR-bishop]

At the prices they have been going for Ted, that's understandable on both counts. Like you on the 54s I just wanted an example for my 52 set and the prices on even off condition grays has been crazy. There must be several others trying to complete that subset.

I thought I was being crazy in getting the Mantle, Robinson and Thompson "variations" but you have to be tenacious and have cash to burn to pursue all the grays

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

At the prices they have been going for Ted, that's understandable on both counts. Like you on the 54s I just wanted an example for my 52 set and the prices on even off condition grays has been crazy. There must be several others trying to complete that subset.

I thought I was being crazy in getting the Mantle, Robinson and Thompson "variations" but you have to be tenacious and have cash to burn to pursue all the grays

Al

If you are an ardent 1952 Topps (52T) collector, then it's not "crazy" about getting the 2nd cards of these 3 double-printed Hi #s (Mantle, JRobinson & Thomson).
Having these 6 cards, puts you on an easier course of putting together a master set of 52T's.

Ridiculously high $$ prices for 52T grays, notwithstanding, I am holding onto my cards in hopes of completing this run of 60 cards. Especially, since I acquired most
of them years ago for very reasonable prices.


TED Z