1980 Topps Test Issue

[ALR-bishop]

Sixty card sets, 5 x 7, gray or white back, grays more common and a little thinner stock

[steve B]

Also sold loose in a box. The store near me that had them let anyone go through them to pick what they wanted.

Steve B

[Zach Wheat]

Al,

Funny coincidence...I had just purchased a set priotrto your post. Here is my contribution.

ZWheat

[Zach Wheat]

Al,

The seller of my set indicated a significant difference in production between the white back & gray back issues. Do you know or can anyone else provide information on the relative scarcity of white backs to gray backs?

Were both backs sold in the same retail outlets? Seller indicated the white backs are proofs. It seems like there are too many white backs for all of them to be considered proofs...but what are they?

Z Wheat

[steve B]

I don't think the white backs are proofs. They were available at retail in some areas. I forget which were the tougher ones. It was a really widely distributed test, unlike some of the others. One of the packs- I forget if it was the three or 5 pack was carried by Toys r us. (I'm thinking the three pack? One of the packs was a lot tougher than the other)

Is the Schmidt typical for your set? And is the set a white back set?

It looks like the blue for the signature is missing, maybe another too since the color seems off. Or maybe a bad scanner setting?

If it's not a bad setting and they're all like that maybe you picked up a set of progressive proofs, or an error set.

Steve B

[ALR-bishop]

Both gray and white were sold in retail packs. I posted one of each above. Whites are less common than grays but not scarce. The white backs have a slightly thicker stock. As Steve mentioned this product also entered the hobby in bulk lots on the side.

[bobthewondercat]

Have a lot of these including unopened boxes. Thinking a partial set would look sweet framed and hung in my office. Nice clear photos and great 80s hair and 'staches!

[brob28]

Here's a retail box, mostly gray cards in my area. Mine were all bought retail when I was a kid and the cards sizes vary top to bottom and side to side as Mike mentioned in his group.