Production info for you player collectors re: Baseball Cards mag cards

Reading a 1988 copy where they reveal the production runs for all their magazine inserted cards through June of that year.

As a reference, I'm talking about stuff LIKE this and ONLY inserted into Baseball Cards magazine.

As a side note, it's really interesting seeing how quantity production of the cards/ magazine blew up as the hobby exploded.

August 84
'53 style topps cards of Murphy & Ted Williams
97,190 of each card made

October 84
49 bowman style mantle
94,409 made

April 85
Two different Chuck Connors cards
93,513

June 85
Topps reprints of 65 Rose & Carlton RC
93,713

October 85
Bowman 55 reprints of mantle & backs
90,394

April 86
Two different Kondritz cards of Coleman
95,587

June 86
Bowman 53 reprints of musial, campy & yogi
99,947

December 86
Reprints of 81 donruss proofs Reggie and Brett plus topps "Connie Mack" cards of Gooden/Boggs and red backs of Mattingly/joyner
111,015

April 87 (noted as most popular)
83 topps & Donruss "rated rookie" cards of Mattingly
119,331

September 87
Ozzie Canseco & Patrick Lennon
140,727

October 87
Painted cards of Eric Davis, Bo & Musial
143,807

December 87
Fleer 81 style Murphy, Raines, Mcgwire/Eric Davis
155,809

NOW THE VERY INTERESTING ONE
February 88
Diamond Stars 34 style Ruth, Boggs
164,472
BUT THERE WAS A REDEMPTION CARD IN THE MAGAZINE FOR A MCGWIRE CARD
24,000
Also note that slight cropping variations occur on the mac cards (so there's two versions).

April 88
Topps 52 Ted Williams & 54 Bowman Williams reprint
184,938

June 88
Joey meyer Sam Horn
192,405

Wonder how many copies it would sell today ?

Ryan

You also have to remember that the numbers quoted were the original print runs for those particular issues. More than half of the copies that were on sale on newsstands went unsold and were shredded.

The mail-offer for the Diamond Star-style McGwire really fell flat; I don't recall exactly, but I believe only a couple of thousand were actually sent out.

Bob Lemke said:

You also have to remember that the numbers quoted were the original print runs for those particular issues. More than half of the copies that were on sale on newsstands went unsold and were shredded.

The mail-offer for the Diamond Star-style McGwire really fell flat; I don't recall exactly, but I believe only a couple of thousand were actually sent out.

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Good info! Cheers again on such a great mag... even as a kid I could appreciate the humor and quality of writing (Beckett always seemed remedial by comparison).

I have a pretty complete collection of all these cards from '87 or so on, if anybody needs any.

Bob Lemke said:

You also have to remember that the numbers quoted were the original print runs for those particular issues. More than half of the copies that were on sale on newsstands went unsold and were shredded.

The mail-offer for the Diamond Star-style McGwire really fell flat; I don't recall exactly, but I believe only a couple of thousand were actually sent out.

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In the article, you wrote that the purpose of the redemption card was to build the mailing list from the 100k newsstand readers.

The coupon had space for two names and if both filled out, a two card McGwire panel would be sent (one card for one name).

The problem was that 20-25 percent didn't include a SASE and therefore didn't receive the card.

The next month's issue had a note saying that a SASE is needed but again about 25 percent didn't include one.

In the end, every request with a sase got a card or two.

Nothing wrong on the magazines fault, just collectors not including what was needed.

I recall when the dual Mattingly cards were issued, they were super hot here in New York.

I also remember a couple of collectors complaining because the "cards weren't done right" citing that the 83 rated rookies weren't noted on front, that it was impossible for topps to label Mattingly a rookie cup because only played several games in 82 and the photo on the topps card clearly wasn't from the early 80s.

But they are fantasy cards and the rated rookie and cup symbols make them substantially cooler!

Still have mine

It is too bad that most of the sets used for reprinting designs were boring (in my opinion), such as the 59s, 66s, 68s and 69s. It would have been cool to see some 65s, 77s or more 71s or better yet, more of the real vintage oddballs (Topps Connie Mack AS, Delong, Goudey, etc.

I loved this magazine. It was really the first media that a kid could READ about baseball cards. The bonus fantasy cards were icing on the cake.

mrmopar said:

It is too bad that most of the sets used for reprinting designs were boring (in my opinion), such as the 59s, 66s, 68s and 69s. It would have been cool to see some 65s, 77s or more 71s or better yet, more of the real vintage oddballs (Topps Connie Mack AS, Delong, Goudey, etc.

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I don't think they did 65s or 77s, but they did do 71s.

Yes I was aware and that is why I said "more 71s". That was my main point. They did boring sets and not cool ones or not enough cool ones.

tpeichel said:

I don't think they did 65s or 77s, but they did do 71s.

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