Brooks Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles

[Chstrite]

Day 331 – 26 November 2024
Today I am showing you a few more of my bobbleheads featuring the different mascots, Cal Ripken, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and others. You’ll notice some of the vintage ones from the 1960s and early 1970s. Too many to list. I have some other Bobbleheads of current Orioles. If questions, let me know.

[Chstrite]

Day 332 – 27 November 2024
Today I am showing you my Brooks Robinson Basic Set on the PSA Set Registry. This set is rated 3d highest. There are 24 cards in the basic set. 22 of the cards are the Topps base card and the 1960 Leaf and 1963 Fleer. 10 of the cards are tied as highest graded. The 1957, 1958, and 1971 are PSA 8.5s. I would like to have a PSA 9 of each, but it is cost prohibitive. 5 of the 24 cards are PSA 10s I am hopeful to find a PSA 10 for the 1973 and 1976. I am looking for a PSA 9 1960 Leaf. The set averages a PSA 9 and the quality score is PSA 9.313. The 1st and 2nd set on the PSA Brooks Robinson Basic Set Registry is graded at a whopping 10.32 and 10.08, respectively.

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by chstrite

day 332 – 27 november 2024
today i am showing you my brooks robinson basic set on the psa set registry. This set is rated 3d highest. There are 24 cards in the basic set. 22 of the cards are the topps base card and the 1960 leaf and 1963 fleer. 10 of the cards are tied as highest graded. The 1957, 1958, and 1971 are psa 8.5s. I would like to have a psa 9 of each, but it is cost prohibitive. 5 of the 24 cards are psa 10s i am hopeful to find a psa 10 for the 1973 and 1976. I am looking for a psa 9 1960 leaf. The set averages a psa 9 and the quality score is psa 9.313. The 1st and 2nd set on the psa brooks robinson basic set registry is graded at a whopping 10.32 and 10.08, respectively.

very nice!

[ksfarmboy]

Great cards Charles! Love the photos and bobble heads too.

[Chstrite]

Thanks, Mark and Clint.

[Chstrite]

Day 333 – 28 November 2024 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 🦃🍁🍽
Today I am showing you my Venezuelan cards part of my Brooks Robinson PSA Master Set. Within the set there are 10 different Topps Venezuelan cards to include 3 Topps Orioles Team Cards. The 1962 and 1967 Topps Venezuelan Cards are tied as highest graded. They are both in impeccable shape given how these cards were handled and stored back in the day. The 1960 is a lower grade but there are only 2 graded higher. The 1968 Teams Card has Devil Rays on the label for some odd reason; there is only 1 card graded higher. The Topps Venezuelan Cards appeared in 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, and 1968. The Venezuelan Cards are darker, rougher, and less glossy than the USA version. In some instances you will see a trademark or not. The 1960 cards are hardest to distinguish. The 1964 cards are black on the back and cut smaller. The 1966 Venezuelan card back is orange and cut smaller while the USA version is pinkish. The 1967 Venezuelan Cards have a different back and does not depict the player information with statistics. The 1968 Venezuelan version has a different colored back (orange) than the USA version (yellow). Not all the cards printed in the USA run are represented in the Venezuelan run. Brooks Robinson appeared in all years except the 1959 version. The 1972 Venezuelan Stamp is a PSA 1. There are only 7 total graded and 3 are graded higher. My understanding these are often duplicated / counterfeited. A lot of serious collectors will pursue the Venezuelan Topps Cards but beware, they are hard to find, expensive and often times damaged with rounded corners, paper loss and damaged on the back from being glued in a book.

[Chstrite]

Day 334 – 29 November 2024
Today I am showing you my PSA graded Brooks Robinson 1969 Globe Imports Playing Cards. The 1969 “Blank Back” Globe Import is easy to find and very inexpensive. There are 3 graded higher than the PSA 9 I am showing. The 1969 Globe Imports Playing Cards Hearts-Checkerboard Card is very rare. There are 3 graded out there with 1 higher. The checkerboard card was very hard to find and came at a silly cost…”had to have it to complete my set!” There are 55 cards in the blank back set.

[Mark70Z]

I never knew there was a checkerboard version of the ‘69 Globe till you told me about it. Really like the Brooksie items that are the oddball types of things that you don’t see very often. In this case I had never seen one of the checkerboard before for any player.

[Chstrite]

Mark, I knew very little about it till I was asked if interested in one. Before I answered the guy sold it to another collector. Took me a year to meet someone that had mine at PSA and he was happy to sell it to me. I later helped him find a card or two. It is a tough one. I believe most of the other cards in the set have this same back variation. The bigger stars go for a fortune.

[Chstrite]

Day 335 – 30 November 2024
Another odd ball item found in the Brooks Robinson PSA Master Set are the Deckle Edge Cards. The Deckle Edge Cards from Topps appeared in 1969 and 1974. The 1969 Topps Deckle Edge Set consists of 33 cards. They were inserted in the 1969 regular issue card packs. The card is black and white with the likeness of the player and a blue facsimile signature. On the back the player name appears with a number in a small rectangle. There are two variations with Jim Wynn/Hoyt Wilhelm and Joe Foy/Rusty Staub. The Brooks is #1 in the set of 33. My Brooks copy is a PSA 7; I am always looking for a higher graded copy. I also have the proof. Also, in 1969 you could find a O-Pee-Chee version that only included 24 players with a black signature and blank back. I have a PSA 8 for the O-Pee-Chee version. The 1974 version of the Deckle Edge included 72 cards with a photo of the player and a facsimile signature with a white or gray back that included details about the player. The card is larger measuring 2 7/8 inches X 5 inches. The white back is harder to find. Today, I am showing you PSA 8 Grayback and PSA 9 Whiteback along with a Grayback Proof. I would love to collect the Deckle Edge set but the cards are hard to find and very expensive.

[Mark70Z]

You’re only missing the ‘74 White Back proof to “complete” the display… While typically the white backs are harder to locate I’m sure there are a handful of proofs still out there.

[Chstrite]

Mark, don’t think I have seen the white back proof but agree.

[Chstrite]

Day 336 – 1 December 2024
Like yesterday, today I am showing another odd ball set that featured Brooks Robinson. In 1968, 1969 and 1972. The 1968 Milton Bradley Set included 132 cards in a board game. The cards are a brighter color on the back. The card is very similar to the 1968 Topps Set. My version is graded a PSA 7. In 1969 Milton Bradley had another baseball game that featured MLB players. The board game included 296 unnumbered cards. The card is 2 in x 3 in. The 1969 card is a PSA 8 (tied highest graded). The 1972 set includes 402 cards. The photos are the same in the 1969 and 1972 sets, but have different values in the game on the back. The 1972 card is a PSA 6 with one graded higher.

[quitcrab]

A easy way to tell the Milton Bradley’s apart is the 1972 cards have a “base” on the bottoms of the Red number 1s on the back of card and the 1969 doesn’t.

[Chstrite]

Day 337 – 2 December 2024
Today’s oddball set is the Topps 1965 Transfers. I have never seen one put to use but understand they were “iron ons.” This set includes 72 different transfers of players. This transfer was an insert to the 1965 baseball card wax pack. The transfer measures 2 in x 3 in. I find the transfers to be hard to identify the players. Numbers HoF’ers were included in the set to include Brooks Robinson who is shown below with the rest of the set. The PSA 8 is part of my Brooks Master set and is highest graded.

[quitcrab]

Box Topper. Iron and ironing board on bottom right!
Mantle,Koufax and Boyer

[Chstrite]

Very cool, Scott!

[Chstrite]

Day 338 – 3 December 2024
Today’s odd ball set is the 1965 Topps Embossed set. This set included 72 players; 36 from each league. The AL was in blue and the NL in red. The card has a raised profile and gold foil easily scratched. The card was inserted in the wax pack. The card measured 2 1/8 in x 3 ½ in. The card was the same height as the card but not quite as wide. Many HoF’ers appear in the set to include Brooks Robinson included below with the rest of the set. The PSA 8 is part of my Brooks Master set; there are 3 graded higher.

[Chstrite]

Day 339 – 4 December 2024
Today’s odd ball set is the 1968 Atlantic Oil Play Ball Contest Cards. The cards were issued in two-card panels, where were split or torn apart to become a standard size card. The card came in two versions; Game Rules on Back and Play Ball Back. Some players would include a prize of money ($5, $10 and up to $2,500) depicted on the back, which I have not seen. Bill Freehan apparently was the $2,500 card. The AL included a red card and the NL on a blue card; 25 each. The cards are hard to find high graded due to the perforation. I have both sets minus the George Scott Rules on Back. I have looked for this card for years. Below is the Red AL sets minus Scott Rules Back and Blue NL sets. My PSA 6 Rules on Back of Brooks is graded pretty high with 3 graded higher; the Play Ball Back PSA 3 appears to be low graded but there are only 5 graded higher.

[BaltOrioles]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Day 339 – 4 December 2024
Today’s odd ball set is the 1968 Atlantic Oil Play Ball Contest Cards. The cards were issued in two-card panels, where were split or torn apart to become a standard size card. The card came in two versions; Game Rules on Back and Play Ball Back. Some players would include a prize of money ($5, $10 and up to $2,500) depicted on the back, which I have not seen. Bill Freehan apparently was the $2,500 card. The AL included a red card and the NL on a blue card; 25 each. The cards are hard to find high graded due to the perforation.

Charlie,

You're right, this is a very challenging set for condition. You know me. I like variations. The set actually comes with variations for both backs. The names on the front are either black or gray. I've shown the Brooks cards as examples. Putting together my Orioles set, I didn't notice either color to be harder than the other.

1968 Atlantic Oil Play Ball Game #1 - Copy.JPG

The Boog Powell has an additional variation. The Powell with the gray name is cropped differently on front. Less sky at the top.

1968 Atlantic Oil Play Ball Game #2 - Copy.JPG


Lastly, Andy Etchebarren of the Orioles was one of the winner cards ($5). I've never seen one, but have heard a few are out there.

[Chstrite]

Alan, thanks for sharing. Will have to look at all mine for variations. Wish I could find the Scott one to complete my set.

[Chstrite]

Day 340 – 5 December 2024
Today’s odd ball set is the 1966 Topps Rub Offs. This set includes 120 cards consisting of 100 players and 20 team pennants. Each card measures 2 1/16 in x 3 in. The card reflects the players headshot in color with his name, position and team. The set includes plenty of HoF’ers including Brooks. I am showing the set along with my highest graded PSA 10 Brooks card that goes with my PSA Master Set of Brooks Robinson.

[quitcrab]

That’s really nice ! Hard to find well centered.
Scott