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This year I've been trying to stick a fork in some long-term collecting projects that had been languishing in "almost there" status over the past few years. The big boy was 1957 Topps, completed back in October. And thanks to my latest COMC order, I've knocked out a couple more sets, including previously covered 1992 Leaf Gold and this one from about 47 years ago..
Yep, today's post is to bask in the joy of a completed 1978 Topps set. While my "birth year set" is technically 1977 Topps, I was born during the offseason near the end of the year, so if I really wanted to push the parallel of entering this world around the same time as a baseball card set, it makes more sense to align with '78 Topps. Plus the '77 set features photos from the 1976 season anyways. So while it's not exactly a "baby book" for me, I can at least work up a little extra personal connection with the '78 set today.
The set/design has grown on me over the years after not doing much for me as a kid. One compliment I can give it is it's among my favorite designs to see in refractor form. I'm still working on a run of Topps All-Time Favorites refractors and I'd rank the '78s at the top (best looking) there, maybe just slightly below the 1970 Topps refractors when they make the borders shiny silver (sometimes they didn't and just left them matte grey, which doesn't look nearly as cool). I think maybe the fact Topps hasn't run 1978 into the ground in their modern era has helped the design remain sorta fresh.
I've got 23 cards in the status of "upgrade would be nice" on my spreadsheet, but these days upgrading is very low priority and I don't really care about the condition of the set, I just find peace in the knowing that I've got a complete set of 1978 Topps there to take a look at whenever I want to.
My 1978 Topps set is a basic one-of-every-number set, currently, but I wouldn't mind expanding it slightly to include the 2 recognized variations. The #23 Bump Wills error has a black circle drawn in area between the crotch and rookie trophy. Seems to cost upwards of $20, which is more than I care about it, but I'll put it on my TCDB wantlist just in case a future trade partner has one to spare. I also need a #374 Jose Morales error where the stitching on position baseball is black, not red. Turns out the copy I have (red laces, like the rest of the set) is actually the more scarce variation, with the black laces version being the common. Guess I'll have to grab one in a future Sportlots order or something.
I'm also interested in possibly adding an appendix of the effectively "1978 Topps Traded"-type cards from that year in the same design via OPC and Burger King or Zest or whatever. But yeah, I'm only interested in the cards where the photo is significantly different than the flagship Topps card. Can anybody point me to a list of such cards to target? (Feels like this is something up GCRL's alley.)
I've now got a new oldest 3-year run of completed sets thanks to already finishing '79 and '80 in recent years. I'm focused on wrapping up '72 and '75 now, and after that I'll hope to bust out the relatively lightweight sets from '76 and '77, leaving 1970 Topps as the toughest obstacle on the horizon as I try to complete the run of 70s Topps flagship.
BIRTHDAY BONUS
I received a pair of mailings from blogger buds just in time for Christmas Eve, so let's check them out!
First up is a PWE from beloved chronicler Fuji. The envelope looked like it had been rained on a bit while out for delivery, but the main card was safe inside.
Big thanks, Dennis! That brightened my day.
And thanks to all you readers for finding a moment to swing by the blog. Happy Xmas Eve and I hope you have an awesome Christmastime season.
Snippet: We wish you all: Gelukkig kerstfeest! Frohe Weihnachten! God Jul! Joyeux Noël! ¡Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale! Feliz Natal! Sretan Božić! Веселого Різдва! Καλά Χριστούγεννα! Boldog karácsonyt! Gleðileg jól! Nollaig Shona! Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus! Linksmų Kalėdų! Среќен Божиќ God jul! Wesołych Świąt! Crăciun fericit! С Рождеством Срећан Божић veselé Vianoce! Vesel božič! Nadolig Llawen! Gëzuar Krishtlindjet! Eguberri! Merry Christmas!
Dutch postcard, no. 123. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Blonde and voluptuous Lana Turner (1921-1995) was one of the most glamorous superstars of Hollywood's golden era. In the mid-1940s, she was one of the highest-paid women in the United States, and one of MGM's biggest stars, with her films earning the studio over $50 million during her eighteen-year contract with them. Unfortunately, her tumultuous private life sometimes overshadowed her professional accomplishments.
Spanish postcard by Ediciones Europacolor, no. 240. Collection: Marlene Pilaete.
Stunning Shirley Eaton (1937) played a cockney bombshell in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. She became famous as golden girl Jill Masterson in the third 007 adventure Goldfinger (1964). Five years later, Eaton retired.
Dutch postcard by Imagine / United International Pictures (UIP). Photo: Universal. Jim Carrey as The Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Ron Howard, 2000). Caption: De groene griezel die de kerst verpest (The green creep that crushes Christmas).
Arguably the top screen comedian of the 1990s, Canadian-born entertainer Jim Carrey (1962) has combined equal parts of his idol Jerry Lewis, his spiritual ancestor Harry Ritz, and the loose-limbed Ray Bolger into a gleefully uninhibited screen image that is uniquely his own. He rose to fame in the sketch comedy series In Living Color (1990) and leading roles in the comedies Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994), and The Mask (1994) established him as a bankable film star.
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. A 1483/4, 1937-1938. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Shirley Temple (1928-2014) was an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, and public servant, but everybody knows her as the most famous child star of the 1930s. Shirley could do it all: act, sing, and dance, and all at the age of five! Four years in a row, between 1935 and 1938, she was the top box-office draw for Hollywood. As an adult, she entered politics and became a diplomat, serving as United States Ambassador to Ghana and later to Czechoslovakia, and as Chief of Protocol of the United States.
Italian postcard by Nannina, Milano.
Petite American actress Mari Blanchard (1927–1970) was known for her roles as a B movie femme fatale in American films of the 1950s and early 1960s.
Big autograph card.
Beautiful brunette actress Barbara Rush (1927) was the epitome of poise, charm, style, and grace in Hollywood films of the 1950s. In 1954, she won the Golden Globe Award as Most Promising Female Newcomer for the Science-Fiction film It Came from Outer Space (1953). She played the female lead in such films as The Young Philadelphians, The Young Lions, and Hombre. Later in her career, Rush guest-starred on TV in such series as Peyton Place, All My Children and 7th Heaven.
French postcard by Sip, no. 2500. Caption: Reutlinger, Paris. Sent by mail in 1909. Miss Campton.
British postcard by Odeon Cinemas. Photo: Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in When Harry met Sally... (Rob Reiner, 1989). Caption: Season's Greetings from Harry and Sally and everyone at Odeon Cinemas. The hit comedy of the year, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, When Harry met Sally..., a new comedy by Rob Reiner. . "A clear winner", Jonathan King - The Sun. "Touching, hilarious, honest...There hasn't been a more satisfying film this year"- 20/20. At Odeon Cinemas from Jan 5th.
British postcard by Pyramid Posters, Leicester, no. PC 9649. Image: Disney. Spooky kids in The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, 1993).
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 8419/1, 1933-1934. Photo: Ufa / Frhr. von Gudenberg. Wolf Albach-Retty.
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 9720/1, 1935-1936. Photo: Ufa. Lil Dagover.
Small Dutch collectors card. Jane Powell.
Small Dutch collectors card. Belinda Lee.
Vintage postcard, no. A.X. 292. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ann Miller.
Dutch postcard by Uitg. Takken, Utrecht. Photo: J. Arthur Rank Organ. Jean Simmons.
Italian postcard by Rotalfoto, Milano, no. 611.
Italian actress Forella Mari (1928) was the leading lady in a dozen European films of the 1950s. She retired at the end of the decade.
French postcard by Editions Crès, Paris, no. 202, 1964. Caption: The Reunion. Image: Walt Disney Productions. Publicity still for Lady and the Tramp (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, 1955).
German postcard. Ross Verlag, no. 667/1. Photo: Neumann. The Nativity Scene with Henny Porten as Mary in the Biblical film I.N.R.I. (Robert Wiene, 1923).
Esther Williams. German postcard by Kunst und Bild, Berlin, no. A 190. Photo: Keystone.
Dutch postcard. Caption: Marie McDonald with a friend's daughter.
American singer and actress Marie McDonald (1923–1965) was nicknamed 'The Body'. During World War II, she became one of Hollywood's most popular pin-up girls.
Margareta Pislaru. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin.
Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin, no. 126. Elizabeth Taylor in The Comedians (Peter Glenville, 1967). Sent by mail in 1971.
Sophia Loren. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin.
Rocío Dúrcal. Spanish postcard by Ediciones Tarjet-Fher / Ediciones Mandolina, no. 216. Photo: Epoca Films.
Mireille Darc. Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin, no. 436.
Patricia Roc. Dutch postcard. Photo: British Lion.
Käthe von Nagy. German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7282/1. Photo: Ufa. Released in Italy by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze.
Elizabeth Taylor. French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 1051. Photo: John Everton / Ufa.
Dutch postcard by the Rialto Theatre, Amsterdam, 1934. Photo: Remaco Radio Picture. Publicity still for Little Women (George Cukor, 1933). In the picture are Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Frances Dee, Jean Parker, and Spring Byington. The Dutch title of the film and the book by Louise M. Alcott is Onder moeders vleugels.
Lien Deyers. German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7058/1, 1932-1933. Photo: Atelier Balász, Berlin.
Dutch postcard by Muziek Parade, Amsterdam, no. AX 7249.
In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, sweet, little Wilma (1957) was a popular Dutch child star. At 11, she had hits in both the Netherlands and Germany and also appeared in some Schlager films.
Marta Eggerth. Dutch postcard by JosPe, no. 593.
Marta Toren. Dutch postcard, no. 3374. Photo: Universal International / Fotoarchief Film en Toneel.
Vintage postcard, no. 2022.
Cyd Charisse 1921-2008) was born to be a dancer. She became one of the top female dancers in the golden era of the musical. Her films include Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Brigadoon (1954) and Silk Stockings (1957). She was one of the few actresses to have danced with both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.
Robertino. French postcard by Editions Publistar, Marseille, no. 811. Photo: President.
Kermit. Dutch postcard by Interstat, Amsterdam. Photo: The Jim Henson Company.
Dany Robin. French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 1004. Photo: Sam Lévin.
Romy Schneider & Horst Buchholz. Dutch postcard by Uitg. Takken, Utrecht, no. 3572.
Jayne Mansfield. French postcard by Edition a la carte. Photo: Filmhistorisches Bildarchiv Peter W. Engelmeier.
Heintje Simons. German postcard by Modern Times. Photo: Interfoto. Caption: Alles schlampen, ausser mama (All bitches, except mama).
Nadja Tiller. German promotion card for Luxor.
German postcard by Rotophot in the Film Sterne series, no. 542/1. Photo: Messter-Film. Viggo Larsen in Der Sohn des Hannibal/The Son of Hannibal (Viggo Larsen, 1918).
Dutch postcard by Het Maastheater, Rotterdam. Photo: Hans de Jong, Rotterdam. Caption: Nénette et Les Zezettes. You are welcome.
Loes Luca (1953) is a Dutch actress and comedienne known for the act Nénette et les Zézettes and for comedy films such as Abel/Voyeur (1986), Ja zuster, nee zuster/Yes Nurse! No Nurse! (2002), De Marathon (2012), Huisvrouwen bestaan niet/No Such Thing as Housewives (2017), Mi vida/My Life (2019) and Ome Cor (2022).
Dutch postcard by Gebr. Spanjersberg, Capelle ad IJssel / Brasschaat. Image: Joop Geesink's Dollywood, 1988. Loekie de Leeuw. Caption: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Sent by mail in 1989.