1977 SPORTSCASTER BASEBALL CARD WILLIE MAYS 11-06 ITALY NM

 


These cards are well-known in the sports card world as Sportscaster cards and are well-documented by Beckett sports publications among others and is most likely the largest multi-sport card set of all-time.  (Also known as Focus on Sports Cards)  The cards were available in several languages, English being the best known and the English cards are all copyrighted 1977, 1978 or 1979 Editions Rencontre S.A. Lausanne.  On top of the cards being made in several languages, the English set was printed both in Italy and Japan, and most cards have a version of each, and there is a European and a North American version of the English set.  Cards measure 4 11/16 x 6 1/4 inches. 
This card set covers all aspects of sports including Track and Field, Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Hockey, Olympics, Beyond Sports (important places, events and people beyond the actual playing field), Karate and other martial arts, Nordic Skiing, Alpine Skiing, Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Diving, Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Boxing, Cycling, Auto and Motorcycle racing cars and drivers, Rugby, Australian Rules Football, Gymnastics, Horse Racing and Equestrian sports, Sculling, Yachting, Table Tennis, historical sports and so much more!
This subscription card set was delivered by mail to buyers in "decks" sent every few weeks.  The buyer could then remit payment which would continue the subscription.  These cards were never available as a retail set, only by subscribing could you accumulate these cards and they have all been out-of-print since 1979.  There are 91 decks with 24 cards in each deck for a total of 2,184 cards and the decks are numbered 1-88 and 101-103 skipping 89-100 (they do not exist).   Decks 56 and up are short-printed and are progressively scarcer with cards from decks 101-103 being the hardest to find.   
The cards are numbered on the back with a 5-digit pre-code followed by the 4-digit card number.  EXAMPLE:  03 005 01-01.  Most earlier cards can have up to 6 printings and they have different pre-codes, the most common ones being 03 005 and 13 064 but others do exist. I believe that the 03 005 pre-code was for the North American English set and the 03 064 pre-code was for the European English set.  After the 5-digit pre-code is the card number which is dd-cc (dd= Deck number 01 to 88, 101 to 103 and cc= Card number 01 to 24 in each deck). Cards found here are all English versions unless otherwise noted.


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