Conference school::sports_memorabilia

    
    To quote Homer Simpson ....
    
    	"Mmmmmmm.  Tater tots.  Mmmmmmmm"
    
    -rjk

    that's awesome roy, I'll be doing the same thing!

    Man,  I was just feeling some hunger to. I think I'll go buy a 
    bunch tonite. I'll be eating a lot this weekend, no seriously,
    this sounds like a good incentive
    
    SteveO'
    

    
    You have to have the special coupon from inside the package, along
    with the POP (proofs of purchases).
    
    -rjk

    I wonder when the packs will be in the stores?
    Does anyone know?
    
    Thanks again,
    
    SteveO'
    

    Someone on the Internet said they bought some at K-Mart for $1.99 a
    pack...
    
    -jb

    Roy,
    	I'm surprised you let this one get by! Wait, let me get into 'Roy
    mode'.........okay, here we go......Hmmmmmm, let's see now....
    20 million offers x 10 cards per offer = more than a heck of a lot!!
    
    dennis
    

    
    
    Heh heh heh ...
    
    	I've given up Dennis.  I'm either preaching to the converted,
    or the unconvertable ... no sense wasting my sound bytes spewing
    the same old refrain.
    
    	Besides, people get tired of hearing me b*t*h and moan all
    the time.  They think I'm this miserable old ogre, and won't even
    trade with me for fear I'll take their heads off.
    
    	(oh and, btw?  50% of a gazillion, is still a zillion! 8^)
    
    -rjk

    For you stadium collectors, 1991 Series 3, which comes out in 1992 (but
    1992 Topps comes out in 1992 - go figure) was for sale this past
    weekend at shows.  Yeah, there is another note for this.
    
    What I'm getting to is that Halls Nostalgia was taking preorders on
    1992 Series I for something like $60.  David Hall said that they
    weren't allowed to order more cases than last year ... BUT there are
    more cards per pack and more boxes per case.  And there may be wider
    distribution than last year.  That probably adds up to a gazillion
    cards, or maybe just half a gazillion.  For each series.  Go nuts.  

    Saw them in Albany (1992 Stadium Baseball) for $2.50 /pack.  Same logo
    in bottom right corner, but no stripes along the bottom,  Nice
    pictures, same rookie card type stats on the back...

    Wholesale Depot here in Augusta had them late yesterday afternoon
    for$45.00 a box.  They only had two cases and they were gone in 45
    minutes once the word got out.  My boy and myself each got a box, nice
    looking and was able to make a set out of the box that I opened.  297
    cards and 3 check list in the 1st series.

    
    Is Topps Stadium Club Baseball available primarily through dealers,
    i.e.  Does the Sam's, Rotman's, Osco's (I know BJ's does not) of the
    world carry this product?
    
    My question really is, if I want to get into this set, do I have to pay
    dealer pricing?
    
    Regards,
    Denny

    
    
    	I was able to purchase a box last night at PACE (wholesale club,
        ie SAM'S).  Price with tax: $ 49.84 Limit one box per customer.

    
    I purchased a couple of boxes at K-Mart two nights ago. They are
    selling them for $1.89 per pack,and $68.04 per box. They only had 
    4 boxes at the time I was there.
    
    
    JD

    
    You guyz ... Rotman's has them for sale, pre-sell, at $50 something
    ($59.99?) a box ... why are you paying $68 at K-Mart, TRU, Bradlee's
    whatever ...
    
    Sure some will get lucky and find them at PACE, BJ's, Sam's, etc.,
    but most of you will not.
    
    Rotman's is in Worcester, Mass. (1-508-555-1212 for information to
    get the number).   They take plastic, they take phone/mail order.
    If you really want these cards, you can get them there for an
    "okay" price.
    
    -rjk

    
    Sorry rjk ..... I just got cought up in the hype!!!
    Thanks for the info and the phone # . Maybe I can complete the set
    at a more reasonable price.
    
    
    JD

    
    
    I understand.  But if we purchase from the lower priced dealers,
    the lower prices will win out.  Even Rotman's price ain't that
    great, but it's better than $1.89, $1.98, $2.49, whatever a pack.
    
    Besides, I hate to see people spend more than they have to
    (except d**l*rs)
    
    -rjk

    
    Personally they did little to change these from 91 and the changes
    make the fronts look worse, imho.  I liked the stripes, now the logo
    pops up in various random places, looking rather silly on some cards.
    
    1992 TSC confirms to me that 1991 TSC is the one to have.  I will
    not buy a single 1992 TSC pack or box, at least not for awhile (written
    like a true addict).  Topps is financially not doing well lately, a
    company that is facing a declining revenue picture and stock price,
    wouldn't you think they might produce a bit more of their "hot" product
    this year than last?  An avowed TSC baseball fan/booster from last
    year, I'm giving up this year's at least for lent and will try and
    forgo them for the whole year...  At some point late this year I think
    I will be able to buy the whole set or cheaper boxes to collect, but
    imho there is no "investment" (dirty word) here.
    
    jeff
    

    
    definite thumbs down from this reviewer.
    
    (and the cards smell too)

    I bought a wax box of 1992's .... bad choice. Even at $65 it was
    a waste. I was over 100 cards short of a set (300 card set, 540
    cards = a lot of duplicates!). There was 4 Justices, 5 Ripkens, 
    4 Sandbergs, etc... With this number of stars in one box prices
    for sets and singles should be cheap! And yes they do smell ...
    I want the bubble gum smell again!
    
    Steve

    
    Since I missed the opportunity to purchase a wax box, at reasonable
    price, what do you think would be a reasonable price to pay for the
    Topps Stadium Series I set?  Does anyone have one for sale? I just 
    quickly looked through the for sale note and didn't see one.
    
    If you do send mail to CARTUN::PAVLOCK
    
    Regards,
    Denny

    I bought a box for $75.00,I know that it was overpriced but what are
    you gonna do when you see them and want them. I was 22 cards from 
    completeing a set,(set is now complete). My opinion is don't buy them
    now there aren't alot of stars for the price your goinig to pay. I got
    4 Ericksons and didn't even get a Justice or Ripken.I'll guarentee you
    that all the big guns will be in Series III.I'll try to look at a
    checklist fefore I buy Series I & II,I can't see spening that much
    money and come up empty............. John M.
    

    That is precisely the reason I belive there is plenty of SC hockey to
    go round.  Sure, it has all the major stars but no rookies.  It makes
    me wonder if there will be a SC 2 hockey.  Anybody know?
    
    Besides with a 900 card set you cant help but get a lot of no names. 
    Also I haven't heard of any subsets to fill up the space either.
    
    Jon

    
    I thought they were running out of players in last year's series
    II, and that only brought the total to 600.
    
    I saw them (boxes) priced around $55-60 this weekend, w/one dealer
    willing to go $50/box if you bought more than one.
    
    And they weren't moving.
    
    -rjk

    I have opened 2 boxes of Series 1. I have 8 Ripkens(error cards) 5
    Justice and 3 Van Poppels. I made 1 complete set.

    
    What "error" is there on the Ripken card?

    
    There is supposedly a misspelling of his name on either the front
    or the back of the card.
    
    
    JD

    
    Supposedly the hot series will be series II. I can't verify this and
    I will not be buying any std clb anymore.
    
    Jim

    I assume the reason that there are no rookie's in Series I is they put
    the 1991 Series III "domed" set.
    
    Regards,
    Denny

    On the back of the Ripken card the name was spelled Ripkin.
    This card will be fixed on the second run of series I, which
    I hear is already on the street. Shops around here are selling
    the error card for 20.00.

    Is the error a less produced card than any other in series one?  If not
    why would it be worth any more?  Before buying into this, take a peek
    at what has happened with other error cards in the past.  Like the more
    notable B. Ripken F-Face card or the reverse negative Dale Murphy.  The
    value of those is subsansially less now than what it was in their peak. 
    The production numbers are different than their corrected cards.
    
    With errors it seems as though those who want them buy them and then
    after that they do not continue to acheive their market performance. 
    If you have one of these sell it, you'll be able to buy it later a
    reduced price.  Of course I could be wrong, after I did think last
    years SC would come down in price.
    
    Jon

    
    Only one problem Jon.  Find a dealer willing to buy it.
    
    bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    They'll offer 20%  of book cause there hard to move, (but still blazing
    hot!!).  Maybe Mike Kelly can buy them.;)
    
    Jon

    I don't know as Topps didn't let the presses run wild on 1992  Stadium
    Club.  I've been looking around, and every store in town has them, from
    the Card shops to the 7-11's.  And they all seem to have quite a few
    boxes of the stuff.  How can Topps say it is a limited set when they
    produce tons of the stuff??  Anybody have the production numbers for
    TSCBB this year.  
    I know I am staying away from them, because from the amount of cards I
    have seen around they can't be very limited!  

    
    Re -.1
    I don't believe Topps ever said anything about Stadium being a
    'limited' set.  In fact they have stated the opposite.  Topps
    may use the term 'limited' but that is the weakest of all terms
    because all it has to mean is 'less than our Topps regular
    print run'.  To Topps that would be 'limited'.  It is a different
    story to say 'Scarce' or 'Rare', stronger terms, which are also
    misused alot, but Topps has explicitly stated in print that they
    would crank up production of 92 stadium as compared with 91
    staduim.  One expressed purpose being to make them more available
    and "affordable" to the average collector (the kids).  
    
    In their Topps magazine, they really have put in several statements 
    to go out of their way to say: "There will be alot more TSC baseball
    around this year".  Topps will make more of stadium baseball this year,
    the middlemen less, the consumer will have to spend less at the 
    retail level, pleasing the collectors, disappointing the investors.
    I think "factory cost" is around $33-$34 for most direct buyers, lets
    just assume that is close.  You can see the packs going for $1.50 and
    still a decent profit on the box to be made, it will get there ($1.50)
    provided enough supply of series 1 keeps coming (a good bet).  PLus
    people are poo-pooing series 1 already, saying all the great players
    to get will be either series II and/or III.  All to hype the next
    thing coming, one of those two remaining series may indeed do well,
    but the overall sheer numbers of cards around will depress prices
    (at least at competative shows, the 7-11s etc. will probably get
    their $1.89-$1.99 pretty easily, but shows should have them down
    as people who have them direct or close to direct cost will take
    $10-$20 profit per box, say $45-$55/box, $1.50-$1.75/pack).
    
    enough ramblin'
    

    Series II is finally out.  I got mine at K-Mart here in Augusta, Me. I
    paid $68.04 and came 11 cards short of a set.  They do have a new 10
    card "Members Choice" stamped in sort of a prism type gold line at the
    bottom that completes the last 10 cards of this set, kind of sharp
    looking.  Another numbering error though.  Jose Conseco is numbered 370
    and should be 597 as he is in the last 10 "Members Choice cards"
    
    

    
    Ray,
     
    Is this members choice thing a subset?
    
    Jim

    JIm:
        Just the last 10 cards in the set, and they are numbered as such.
    Definetly nice looking cards, and not a subset, as we know it...

    
    Ray,
    
    Who can we expect to see in series II?
    
    Jim

    Jim:
    To name a few: Frank Thomas, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr, Mike
    Greenwell, Robin Yount, Carlton Fisk, Dave Justice, Roger Clemmens,
    Steve Avery, Cal Ripkin, Barry Larkin, Jose Conseco, Will Clark,
    Cecil Fielder, Ryne Sandberg, plus few more.

    
    Thanks Ray,
    
    	But I thought Justice was in series I?
    
    

    Jim, he's part of the special 10 card subset 591-600.
    
    John

    I opened up a couple of Series III boxes tonight.  Nothing special
    except another 10 card Member's Choice subset featuring Knoblauch,
    Gooden, Griffey Jr., Bonds, Ryan, Bagwell, Yount,  Bonilla,  Brett
    and HoJo (#'s 601-610).  There is  also  a  three  card insert set
    called #1  Draft  Picks  of  the 90's. I ended up with two Chipper
    Jones (card #1 or 3). I guess Brien Taylor is another.
    
    John

    
    John,
    	
    	You sound a little diappointed with series three, how does it
    stack up to the 2 previous series?
    
    
    Jim

    Jim, with a 900 card set you'd think they would have had something
    different like team cards,  league leader cards etc.  The Member's
    Choice subset was okay, but series III seemed to be an update set.
    Some new rookies etc. I hope they  change  their format next year,
    drop that BARS stuff  and the rookie card on the back has run it's
    course I think.  While the full  bleed  pictures  are nice I think
    those are getting old also.  I'd like to  see  Topps  do a Stadium
    Club set using some  of  their  older  designs like a 1959 or 1960
    format.
    
    John

    Distribution for two boxes was good. I was able to make two whole
    sets, an extra set of checklists and an extra set of the Member's
    Choice subset.
    
    John