The 1967 Topps baseball card set is one of the more famous issues in the company’s long history, mainly due to its short printed cards. Every year, Topps would intentionally print select cards in lower numbers to create a sense of scarcity and rarity among collectors. These short printed cards became highly sought after and increased exponentially in value over time.
The 1967 Topps set consisted of 660 total cards. Of these, eleven are considered short prints by the collecting community. As the name implies, short prints are cards that were printed in quantities far below the standard release for their respective sets. Topps would not publicly acknowledge exactly how many of each short print were manufactured, but specialists estimate print runs ranged from only 100-500 copies per short printed card compared to the usual 5,000-10,000 for standard issues.
Collectors began to take notice of supposed discrepancies in certain 1967 cards almost immediately. Some standouts like Jim Lonborg, Pete Rose, and Roberto Clemente seemed much harder to find in packs and trades compared to average players. Over decades of scrutiny and population census studies, the identity of the 1967 Topps short prints has become firmly established. They are:
Jim Lonborg (#1) – Boston Red Sox pitcher, 1967 AL Cy Young Award winner
Pete Rose (#14) – Cincinnati Reds player/manager
Roberto Clemente (#21) – Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder, would die in a plane crash in 1972
Gary Peters (#25) – Chicago White Sox pitcher
Don McMahon (#75) – Philadelphia Phillies pitcher
Dick Stuart (#118) – Atlanta Braves first baseman
Dick Ellsworth (#199) – Houston Astros pitcher
Joe Grzenda (#249) – Baltimore Orioles pitcher
Ed Charles (#418) – New York Mets third baseman
Jack Hamilton (#505) – Boston Red Sox pitcher
Jerry Adair (#660) – Milwaukee Braves shortstop
Of these, the Lonborg, Rose, and Clemente are considered the “holy trinity” of 1967 Topps short prints due to their extreme rarity and player pedigrees. The Lonborg card in particular holds the Topps record for highest sale price, fetching over $100,000 in recent auctions.
Why Topps chose to short print these specific players remains a mystery lost to time. Some theories suggest they were testing new printing techniques or had minor photo issues. Another school of thought is they intentionally withheld star players to generate buzz. Regardless of intent, the impact of 1967 Topps SSPs changed the collector landscape forever.
The discovery and confirmation of short prints in the late 1960s/early 70s directly led to the rise of population census efforts, authentication services, and print run analysis still used today. It also intensified the “chase” mentality among investors seeking ultra-rare vintage gems. Prices for high grade 1967 Topps SSPs now easily clear five figures even for the less heralded cards. This cemented their status as the first modern “money” cards that defined short print scarcity value.
For dedicated vintage collectors, owning a 1967 Topps short print remains a lifelong white whale. Even specimens in lowly MP or P condition sell for thousands due to sheer lack of surviving copies. Major institutions like the National Baseball Hall of Fame and JSA authentication have examples in their permanent collections, a testament to their historical importance. Over 50 years later, the mystery and intrigue around their production hasn’t diminished one bit.
As the original pioneers of the short print concept, 1967 Topps helped transform modern collecting into a speculative market. The mere possibility of uncovering an unrecognized short print from decades past continues to fuel today’s booming vintage reseller economy. Their story showed Topps and other sports card companies that perceived scarcity can boost demand tremendously. Short prints became a standard marketing technique for generations to come, leaving an indelible mark on the entire industry. For all these reasons, 1967 Topps remains a true landmark set that any serious collector must experience.
