Topps basketball 1980-81 question
Nigel Lee
this group:
For the Topps basketball set of 1980-81, where the cards were
perforated into three smaller cards each, are the smaller cards
worth anything perforated? I was in 7th grade then, so I detached all the
cards, not knowing any better. Unfortunately, that included a
Bird-Magic-Erving card.
Nigel Lee
ni...@ee.princeton.edu
Dan Edelstein
: Not too long ago, I was looking at a checklist book that was produced by
: Cramer Sports Cards (The same people who do Pacific now) They were selling
: CASES of 1981 Basketball cards in 1982 for $60 (That's 20 boxes a case, 36
: packs a box, 15 cards per pack, well, you get the picture)
Yes, I remember how cheap those cards used to be. In 1987, I convinced
myself the Bird-Magic card should be a great card, so I bought about 8 wax
boxes of 80-81 basketball for about $8 each and opened most of the packs.
My first impression, upon opening the packs, was "Boy, these cards are UGLY!"
(Sorry if I've offended anyone who thinks these cards are beautiful, but I've
so far never met anyone who feels that way.) My second impression was, "Boy,
these cards are next-to-impossible to SORT." But, undaunted, continued to
open packs and had a little pile of Bird-Magic rookies.
I rented a table at a card show, and set up a little display to market these
cards. "THE NEXT VALUABLE ROOKIE CARD?", my little poster proclaimed, with
a price tag of about $7.00, I believe. Well, there were a few people who
were mildly interested, but I only sold ONE at that price. And someone came
along and said, "If you're selling for $7, would you buy one for $4?" "Sure,
OK," I said, but I figured the whole thing was a bust. And it was.
Next January, I went to the local baseball card store, and they laughed at
me. "Hey, Dan, your wife came in and asked if we had any good ideas for
what to get you for Christmas. We told her you'd been buying a lot of the
'80-81 Basketball, so we sold her some more! Hahahahaha!" Well, I
laughed along, but inside I felt kind of humiliated.
After the Magic-Bird card rocketed up in value --- and it happened very
quickly, I can't remember exactly when --- I was awfully glad I was unable
to sell the cards in a show. Sometimes, every now and then, things work
out in the long run.
BTW, my dates may be off a bit, but I think it was around 1987 because I
only bought tables at about 15 or 20 card shows, roughly 1986-88.
Dan E.
Alan Cohen
1981 cards are UGLY! I have an interesting story. Back in 1982 or so, I picked
up a couple of cards at a swap meet - including a card of Lew Alcindor. I knew
that this was Kareem, but did not think much of the card. After all, it was a
(gasp) basketball card, practically worthless. It was in decent shape, but it
was a large size card. I honestly thought it was an insert or something. It
was not until 1990 that I realized that it was worth something. Luckily for
me, it was one of the cards that I kept on me, even took to college (I went to
UCLA, had to have my Kareem card with me) I still have this card in my
collection, although the price has gone down recently, still a great card to
have, since I purchased it for 50 cents.
Alan
Alan Cohen
>perforated into three smaller cards each, are the smaller cards
>worth anything perforated? I was in 7th grade then, so I detached all the
>cards, not knowing any better. Unfortunately, that included a
>Bird-Magic-Erving card.
>Nigel Lee
They are worth the fact that you know that you once had a valuable card! All
kidding aside, I was in 7th grade as well when they came out. I purchased
tons of those cards, ate the gum, and detached the cards (It was a novelty to
have small trading cards) Unfortunately, mine were destroyed in a fire in
1982, so at least you have yours!
Not too long ago, I was looking at a checklist book that was produced by
Cramer Sports Cards (The same people who do Pacific now) They were selling
CASES of 1981 Basketball cards in 1982 for $60 (That's 20 boxes a case, 36
packs a box, 15 cards per pack, well, you get the picture)
Alan