1974 Topps Information/Images Needed

[deweyinthehall]

Hello -

Working on a 1974 Topps web page and I'm wondering if anyone can help me with these items:

1) What was the deal with those cello-wrapped Fun Packs - did Topps have any part in them or was it completely a 3rd party job?

2) Any photos or memories of the Baseball T-Shirt offered on wax packs would be great.

3) Wax Case - image needed; short of that, do we know how many boxes they contained?

4) Cello Case - same as above

5) Orioles and Tigers Racks - what's the story? I read somewhere where A's racks were issued as well - any photos?

6) Rack box - need an image or just need to confirm if they held 24 packs as usual.

7) Rack Case - Same deal as Wax and Cello cases

8) Grocery Box and Case - images needed; information on how many packs per box and boxes per case.

9) Did Topps print the traded cards on modified sheets like they did in 1976? I have images of all 5 sheets but no tradeds. Or, were they printed separately as with the team checklists? Images as always are great.

10) Heard about a 2-card Fun Pack included in some sort of Halloween bag - different from the cello fun packs? Did they use a standard wax wrapper?

Thanks to all!

[deweyinthehall]

One more item - Does anyone have an image of the back of the grocery pack tray? Subsequent years have ads on them - wondering whether the '74 one has an ad or is blank.

[Cliff Bowman]

Unlike the 1976 Traded cards the 1974 Traded cards were printed on their own sheet like the 1974 Team Checklist cards were. I'll try to find scans or pics of either one. ETA, luckily I had scans of both.

[jmoran19]

That’s a proof sheet. Pretty sure the traded cards were split up like 1976, will post images later, bed ridden as I had total knee replacement this week.

The 2 card cello packs came in Topps fun bags, Fun Bag wax packs also included 2 cards and used the wrappers from baseball and Fb that did not indicate a bonus team checklist. Not 100% sure but guessing once the wax wrappers ran out they switched to cello.

[deweyinthehall]

I always wondered why Topps skipped a year - they didn't repeat the Traded set in 1975, which suggests they didn't think it had been particularly popular or successful. But they brought it back 2 years later in 1976, and then dropped it immediately afterwards. Odd.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

That’s a proof sheet. Pretty sure the traded cards were split up like 1976, will post images later, bed ridden as I had total knee replacement this week.

You may very well be right, but I don't recall ever seeing a severely miscut 1974 Traded card showing it borders a regular 1974 card or a 1974 hybrid uncut sheet showing both 1974 regular cards and traded cards.

[deweyinthehall]

First, I hope the knee heals nicely!

On the Fun Packs - I was talking about the West Corp. package, of the sort shown here.

I think you are talking about the larger bag with multiple packs, which I think did have the 2-card wax packs?

I assume the West Corp. packages are not a Topps release in any sense, but that the larger bag with the individual packs was released by Topps?

[JustinD]

The larger fun pack bags were overstock and returned product and packaged multiple ways by Topps. Some had full packs over the years and others had the rainbow wax packs. These were often heavily sold at Halloween for trick or treating.

Growing up in the late 70s and early 80s, I remember getting them from the cool houses. I still have plenty of Close Encounters cards from one year that seemed to be the only cards in the fun packs that Halloween

[jmoran19]

Hmmm, thought I had more related to 1974 Traded. This is all I can find, seems to indicate 44 cards printed 3 times on a 132 card sheet. John

P.S. TY Dewey. First week is rougher than they say ��

[jmoran19]

My wax tray, beat to crap but hey it’s a 1974 wax tray

[jmoran19]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

First, I hope the knee heals nicely!

On the Fun Packs - I was talking about the West Corp. package, of the sort shown here.

I think you are talking about the larger bag with multiple packs, which I think did have the 2-card wax packs?

I assume the West Corp. packages are not a Topps release in any sense, but that the larger bag with the individual packs was released by Topps?

Correct, the West Corp packs are not a Topps release

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

My wax tray, beat to crap but hey it’s a 1974 wax tray

Very cool!

I love the tray offers on these.

[butchie_t]

Absolutely freaking cool things that the community has here. I'm loving this particular flashback.

And, thanks to the generosity of a person here, there is an error sheet on the mail in team sets.

DITH - I can scan and send it to you if you'd like. Or maybe you already have a sample of it.

Butch

[deweyinthehall]

I have to ask - does anyone here recall obtaining any of these items from Topps? The ones on the back of the grocery tray?

[jmoran19]

Originally Posted by JustinD

Very cool!

I love the tray offers on these.

I still have one of those ball strike indicators!

[moeson]

1974 Rack Pack 2 box mini case long since opened1974rackbox.jpg

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

I still have one of those ball strike indicators!

Could you possibly post an image? I am trying to collect images of every Topps-related doo dad like those.

[jmoran19]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

Could you possibly post an image? I am trying to collect images of every Topps-related doo dad like those.

It will be in a few days, gotta get swelling down before we attempt stairs

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by jmoran19

It will be in a few days, gotta get swelling down before we attempt stairs

Absolutely - please take care of that knee!

[deweyinthehall]

Questions on 1974 Packs -

Were the Team Checklist included wrappers issued later in the year? The team checklists were a later thing, like the Traded set, right?

Were the 15 and 10 cent packs issued simultaneously or did they release one first and the other variety later on?

Thanks!

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

Questions on 1974 Packs -

Were the Team Checklist included wrappers issued later in the year? The team checklists were a later thing, like the Traded set, right?

Were the 15 and 10 cent packs issued simultaneously or did they release one first and the other variety later on?

Thanks!

I remember getting them in regular packs. Had to be July - August time frame.
I also got a fair amount of Washington Nat’l cards when they first hit the streets too. Still have them. : - )

[deweyinthehall]

I was reading up on the 1974 Factory Sets in an old thread on this site. Best estimates are that it was sold be Sears and possibly(?) Penny's, and that it included the Traded set but not the red team checklists.

Any memories run counter to this?

But the biggest surprise I found in that old thread was this document from the April, 1974 edition of Ballcard Collector.

The author indicates he purchased his first batch of '74s on March 25th.

From the way this reads it seems that not only the team checklists, but the traded cards as well were included in the initial runs. This runs counter to everything I've heard, but it seems fairly plain here.

What do we make of this? Were the Traded cards available from the get-go?

I read somewhere that the last trade accounted for occurred 12/10/73 - was that enough time?

He also notes getting 9 cards for a dime, which indicates that initial offerings were of the 8-card packs, in the BONUS team checklist wrapper. I have to think that Topps issued both the smaller packs and larger packs simultaneously to see if there was a difference in interest.

[moeson]

I used to buy rack packs as soon as they came out and in 1974 those included the traded cards. I hated encountering so many of the traded cards instead of the regular issue set.

[deweyinthehall]

So, if 1974 Tradeds were available from the outset, does this mean that it is likely so to were the 1976 versions?

[moeson]

Absolutely. The early rack packs similarly had the traded cards which made it more difficult to complete the regular set.

[jmoran19]

This was created for Baseball card monthly news IIRC by Paul Wright, one of the original unopened pack experts. His guide for wax packs from 1974 and up. Only cared about the 74 thru 76 info but have the magazine still somewhere. John

[deweyinthehall]

Page is live:

https://mrpekrul.wixsite.com/narcissism/1974

Isn't there someone from Topps or some other source that would be able settle every question we have on precise dates and methods of packing and distribution?

Stupid question, I know.

[waxman27]

Great set. Love the Washington variations and the Aaron special cards that showed all of the Topps designs from 1954-1973.

The set also has the last card of Willie Mays (#473).

Thank you for sharing these pages. I have enjoyed reading all of the summaries from 1974-1979. I haven't made my way to the 80s pages yet.