Flashback Product of the Week: 1959 “Topps” You’ll Die Laughing

Its almost Halloween, so I think I’ll mix things up for the next few Flashback Product of the Week posts.

In 1959 Topps released a product called You’ll Die Laughing.  It features a 66-card set and contains some gruesome images of monsters and all types of creatures.  By today’s standards, you probably won’t think the artwork is all that bad, but in ’59 it was a hot topic.  Before this set was released, Topps anticipated parents would get upset over the artwork, thats why you won’t find the Topps name anywhere on the cards.  Instead Topps went under the name Bubble Inc. in order to avoid bad publicity and they added funny captions to each card hoping to soften their image.  Topps was right, parents didn’t like the graphic images and the bad publicity actually helped drive more sales.  PSA actually has a really good article about this set.

In today’s hobby, one of the most popular and creative companies producing card sets based on monsters would be Monsterwax.  If your into this kind of stuff, I highly suggest you check them out.  They truly take their time when putting a set together.  Their products are very limited.  For example, the card pictured below comes from their Shock Stories set.  Monsterwax only produced 1,000 boxes.  Collectors can look for a sketch card inside each box as well as a 3D card inside each pack.

Long Time No See

Take a good look at this completed auction.  I never thought I would see this card again.  Many years ago I purchased this exact Ryan Howard 2003 Donruss Elite Status Die-Cut #’ed 55/57 on eBay for only $18.00.  This was well before he became such a huge star.  At the time I was really into grading and sent it in to BGS.  Just by dumb luck it came back a 9.5.  This is one card I wish I would have held onto.  This is the second time I’ve seen it surface.  The last time I watched it sell for almost $600.00 when Howard had his Rookie of the Year season.

Have you ever sold a card(s) you wished you hadn’t?  Which card(s) of yours did you sell and keep seeing pop-up online?

Newly Discovered Allen & Ginter Set?

I THINK NOT!!!  Every now and then I search to see if there are any scams up for sale or have been up for sale.  This afternoon I came upon this little beauty which I unfortunately didn’t find in time to report.  Looks to me like someone took a regular Jose Reyes A&G mini and gave it a haircut.  I think it looks like a postage stamp.  Somebody thought this was a real die cut insert and paid $10.51 for a card that normally would sell for only $0.99.

Yet Another Brown Fake Die Cut

What is it with people cutting into Ronnie Brown rookie cards this year?  Take a look at this Brown 2005 Bowman rookie.  The individual who did this die cut job didn’t want it easily spotted.  As you can see they slightly cut off a piece of cardboard on each side and then took a stamper and conveniently numbered it 1/1.  ’05 Bowman Ronnie Brown rookies barely sell for much, but this one made it all the way up to $5.50.  I know its not a lot, but its the principle of the whole thing.  People need to know what they are bidding on.  This is the second Brown rookie I’ve spotted someone cutting up.  I know I sound like a broken record because I’ve talked about this on here before, but I think its important to let people know about these scams.

Fancy Die-Cut Or Scam?

A few years ago I saw a Mickey Mantle card like this Cobb from 2004 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts.  I guess because the word “cuts” is in the product title that gives people the right to take a common base card and create their own die-cut inserts, which of coarse are always numbered 1/1.  This is just another example of a scam.  Maybe the seller did it, maybe not.  They could be trying to pass off their bad purchase to someone else.  I don’t see how someone could do this to a baseball card.  Was it the most valuable card in the world, heck no, but its still wrong.  If card manufacturers can cut up cards, I guess individuals can do the same.

WHAT A TOTAL SCAM!!!!!

I Didn’t Know Rookie Premiere Has Die-Cuts

THATS BECAUSE IT DOESN’T!!!!!!!!!! Take a good look at what someone did to this Ronnie Brown 2005 Upper Deck Rookie Premiere card.  They took a simple base rookie and turned it into their own die-cut one-of-one insert.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I could ever cut into a trading card like that.  Some people will stop at nothing just to try and make a quick dollar.

Card of the Day: Tim Beckham 08 TRISTAR Prospects Plus Die-Cut