16. Rare 1980 Topps Pepsi-Cola All Stars Uncut Sheet – Complete Set!
Created in 1980 by Topps and Mike Schechter Associates (producer of many 1970s “disc” issues) for a proposed Pepsi promotion that was never launched, the Pepsi-Cola All-Stars cards are extremely rare today. Prototype sheets containing three sets of the cards were produced for Pepsi, but when the arrangement between Topps and Pepsi did not pan out, only two of the sets were returned. The third sheet was cut up and made its way into the hobby. In the years that followed, Topps released proof sheets and progressive proofs with blank backing via the Topps Vault eBay store. They also made a few incomplete or blank-backed sheets available, as well as one sheet that was auctioned at the 2011 National. The cards mirror the 1980 Topps issue, with each player’s photo the same as their 1980 Topps card, though with slightly different pro- jections. The issue contains a significant error in that Ron Guidry’s image has been reversed; the southpaw appears to have his glove on his throwing hand as a result. The card borders differ from the mainstream Topps issue; the team banner has been colored in red, white and blue, with the player position moved to the bottom left. The top border features the player name and “All-Stars” designation alongside a Pepsi logo at the upper-left.
most elusive of the many Topps test and prototype issues. The num- ber of complete cards that have survived intact is miniscule, and on the rare occasion that individual cards from the set make their way into the hobby, they sell for thousands. Sheet-cut sets sold card-by- card have sold for more than $40,000, cumulatively, a testament to their legendary rarity and outstanding player selection. The cards are among the rarest of all Topps test issues. Presented here is an ultimate Topps rarity: a complete 1980 Pep- si-Cola All-Stars set in uncut sheet form. The 22-card sheet mea- sures 28” x 9”, with light wear at the edges and corners and some light, handwritten notations at the bottom. The player selection is incredible, with 13 Hall of Famers (Jim Palmer, Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, George Brett, Steve Carlton, Robin Yount, Mike Schmidt, Bruce Sutter, Paul Molitor, Dave Parker, Rich Gossage, Rod Carew and Ted Simmons) and a number of other greats of the era. Though sheet-cut cards materialize in the hobby on occa- sion, with complete sets even having been sold publicly, full, uncut sheets are rare. It is speculated that of the surviving sheets, no more than 3 or 4 examples remain; the rest have been cut into individual cards. The result is a truly rare and important Topps collectible, one of the most desirable of their many interesting and highly prized prototype issues. MINIMUM BID: $3,000
Today, the 1980 Topps Pepsi-Cola All-Stars cards are among the
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