Topps 1981 Scratch Off Cubs

Topps was cranking out the sets in 1981.  Perhaps a little competition from Fleer and Donruss had something to do with that.

There was the flagship brand...

....the traded set...

....Giant Cards...

....Stickers...

...and today's featured set, the Scratchoffs.  I wasn't aware of these until I found a team set available on Ebay.  The set was overpriced, so I went to Sportlots and picked up the four Cubs cards for 18 cents each....a much better price.

The cards were sold in packs with six three-player panel plus a piece of gum.  There are 108 players in the set, but 144 different panel combinations.  My four Cubs were removed from the panel, which is the way you'll find most of these.  Intact panels bring a higher price.

The game was played like other Topps scratchoff games from the early '70s...scratch off the dot as part of a baseball game.

With 108 players in the set, each team should have four or five players.  The Cubs had four, though one, Dave Kingman, was traded away before the season began.

None of the pictures on these were used on the 1981 base cards, so Topps gets some points for not reusing some photos.

You'll notice that the cards are unscratched.  I've got no desire play and game and scratch them.  Based on the 38-65 record of the 1981 Cubs, I think I know how the game would turn out.