Extremely Rare 1980 Topps Pepsi-Cola All-Stars #17 George Foster SGC NM/MT+ 8.5

Sold For:

$570

Year:

1980

Auction:

2023 Spring

Lot #:

1964

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1970s to Present Cards

Graded NM/MT+ 8.5 by SGC (with a sheet-cut designation on the label). When discussing rare prototype and proof cards that elude even the most advanced collectors, the 1980 Pepsi-Cola All-Stars are almost always near the top of the list. As the story has been told through the years, in 1980 Topps and Mike Schechter Associates (MSA) produced three prototype sheets for consideration by Pepsi executives regarding a possible promotion. The sheets were fully printed, front and back, which is highly unusual for proof cards and typically happens only when the parties are serious about making a deal. When the deal fell through, only two sheets were returned to Topps. The other sheet somehow found its way into the hobby and was cut into singles and sold off starting in the mid-1980's. Topps began selling incomplete (and usually blank backed) progressive proofs of many of the cards from the set in the mid-2000's through the Topps Vault on Ebay. Topps Vault also auctioned an uncut sheet with all twenty-two cards at the 2011 National Sports Collectors Convention, but we have been unable to determine if the sheet was blank backed or fully printed on the reverse. It is our suspicion that it was blank backed, but we cannot be sure. This is one of only five fully printed examples of a 1980 Topps Pepsi-Cola All-Stars #17 George Foster that has been encapsulated to date by SGC (PSA has not encapsulated any of these cards). They are extremely rare and are almost never available! (Amazingly, this auction features ten different examples.) This hand-cut (by definition, as this item had to have been cut from a proof sheet) card has bold colors, strong corners, and centering just slightly towards the top left. The reverse is perfectly clean with bold printing. This might be the only chance to acquire this card before it is tucked away in the collection of an advanced collector for potentially decades to follow. This card would be one of the highlights of any prototype, proof card, or George Foster collection! Opening Bid $200.