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What is the Value of the 1/1 Stamp?

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mouschi

Featured Contributor, Bridging the Gap, Senior Mem
May 18, 2012
3,105
170
In 1991, Topps ran the first (known to me) buyback program.* To celebrate 40 years, they*randomly inserted one of every card from 1957 to 1990 in packs of 1991 Topps.* (The others were redemptions, if I recall correctly.)

wax.jpg


Kids and adults alike were VERY excited to get their hands on packs, boxes and cases to join the treasure hunt.* The problem?* It has been said that the buybacks fell about 1 per 24 cases, unbeknownst to us back when they came out.* Imagine opening nearly 500 boxes of 1991 Topps, and your prize is this:

esasky.jpg


(Note: Nick Esasky is my "go to" object of wrath for some reason.* I don't know why - I have nothing against him personally!)

Let's say the odds are ever in your favor, and you pull something HUGE ... like a 1990 Topps Frank Thomas.* If this happens to you, immediately drive to the corner store to get a lottery ticket.* You would probably jump out of your skin ... yet, it would still only have been for a card worth*50 cents.

thomas.jpg


Pause:* Have you ever noticed the creepy guy without a face?* What the heck is that about?!* Forget the NNOF ... the regular card is a NFOF.* No joke, I swear a similar guy was in a nightmare I had years ago that I still remember to this day.

noface.jpg


With a 1991 Topps Desert Shield PSA 10 complete set recently selling for over $100,000* it made me wonder.* How much is the mighty Topps gold foil stamper actually worth?* It was estimated that about 6,500 or so*of each 1991 Topps card were stamped with the Desert Shield logo.

So, the question is this:* If Topps put one of each card in 1991 Topps packs, what would happen to the value of the key cards if they were stamped 1/1?* Yeah, I know buybacks have*flooded the market recently, but this predates most (if not all) other buybacks by several years.

40ththomas.jpg


Could you imagine?* The first buybacks ... stamped 1/1 ... of key rookies.* How much does this 50 cent card skyrocket in value to?

What about the rookies of Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bo Jackson, Tony Gwynn, Roger Clemens?**This stamped buyback would have been a different animal, because it is quite possible that many of these would not have even been pulled in our lifetime.* There are more than likely BILLIONS of 1991 Topps out there.

So, what would you speculate the pricing of some of these to be?* Did you ever pull anything from 1991 Topps or hear of anyone who did?
 

mudflap02

Active member
Jan 23, 2009
3,039
3
Daytona Beach, FL
I remember readying a great article (or maybe a post by [MENTION=2840]BunchOBull[/MENTION] ) trying to figure out who that runner was. I don't know if they ever figured it out, I want to say they thought it was from an Auburn game vs the University of New Orleans or UAB.
 
Last edited:

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
In 1991, Topps ran the first (known to me) buyback program.* To celebrate 40 years, they*randomly inserted one of every card from 1957 to 1990 in packs of 1991 Topps.* (The others were redemptions, if I recall correctly.)

wax.jpg


Kids and adults alike were VERY excited to get their hands on packs, boxes and cases to join the treasure hunt.* The problem?* It has been said that the buybacks fell about 1 per 24 cases, unbeknownst to us back when they came out.* Imagine opening nearly 500 boxes of 1991 Topps, and your prize is this:

esasky.jpg


(Note: Nick Esasky is my "go to" object of wrath for some reason.* I don't know why - I have nothing against him personally!)

Let's say the odds are ever in your favor, and you pull something HUGE ... like a 1990 Topps Frank Thomas.* If this happens to you, immediately drive to the corner store to get a lottery ticket.* You would probably jump out of your skin ... yet, it would still only have been for a card worth*50 cents.

thomas.jpg


Pause:* Have you ever noticed the creepy guy without a face?* What the heck is that about?!* Forget the NNOF ... the regular card is a NFOF.* No joke, I swear a similar guy was in a nightmare I had years ago that I still remember to this day.

noface.jpg


With a 1991 Topps Desert Shield PSA 10 complete set recently selling for over $100,000* it made me wonder.* How much is the mighty Topps gold foil stamper actually worth?* It was estimated that about 6,500 or so*of each 1991 Topps card were stamped with the Desert Shield logo.

So, the question is this:* If Topps put one of each card in 1991 Topps packs, what would happen to the value of the key cards if they were stamped 1/1?* Yeah, I know buybacks have*flooded the market recently, but this predates most (if not all) other buybacks by several years.

40ththomas.jpg


Could you imagine?* The first buybacks ... stamped 1/1 ... of key rookies.* How much does this 50 cent card skyrocket in value to?

What about the rookies of Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bo Jackson, Tony Gwynn, Roger Clemens?**This stamped buyback would have been a different animal, because it is quite possible that many of these would not have even been pulled in our lifetime.* There are more than likely BILLIONS of 1991 Topps out there.

So, what would you speculate the pricing of some of these to be?* Did you ever pull anything from 1991 Topps or hear of anyone who did?

Think bigger my friend. 1952 Topps Mantle stamped 1/1
 

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