The Topps ring saga begins in 1966 and the bizarre decision to include a set of punchout ring inserts in the football wax packs that year. Check out this wrapper scan from the fabulous-and-then-some Football Card Gallery:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VG0iDMJ7sXiTJNw9nGkUMKk1GbNuuJX9GchmeXvolvYbIHoWAGyCPIRq44X6cb7QVeCcCgoQAql0W1J9Hd2brs5W9WRBNkmvhSNymy0jFlIF_VudKQEo_0twJ97KOQr86hFDzzNkew/s320/1966+Topps+pack+football+card+gallery+dot+com.jpg)
I guess if you're going to pollute a classic football set with a totally unrelated insert, it makes sense to include a checklist for said insert in the football set itself:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9olOYLtx_6_aunduW_7oLXR75D1D0JCMje3kybsjEWTnNKKsvI7YU884fa6b7F4RvYKCzlrblRjjwXXQ9giQ_ioU2FQGB8uOFEuhdKbHQUi3womsJb3TAIn_ty5XnEkU1ACC85r-l2Q/s320/funny+ring+checklist+front.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SZZbIcjI86KsFaltLoogiXR58zU1y3511dfm0kRDs-03q36ZDA0qTuDAf_F6dyEfQIRRWjqIO8j2Bm9Hnz713pN1kH7zvq7H9PZZCIj6aGJJ2-rO6wuNmhfbFA-SIp3rvZ09WN9xGQ/s320/funny+ring+checklist+reverset.jpg)
The Funny Ring insert is presented on thick, blank backed cardboard:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SU1d0d1SaOcZZBBtWErlLk6ng4dLk7QVHAayMsiYDQ-JZCTmGSSOexvxvBR9Uc-3LneAtMn1v0znDpsvnghQY55-793N5akmXeH4Duxt1fZs8CyNhpTz9pzqaeJ2bq-G2bPdDFbS5g/s320/funny+ring.jpg)
And good luck if you want to complete the set! Plus the checklist is a killer if you want to complete the football set. None of those Funny Rings pieces are mine by the way, I'll get a hold of an example someday.
Never a company to let a design go to waste, a set of Insignia rings was included as an insert in Rat Patrol packs the same year, as this cribbed from Ebay scan shows:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeJqpAz1iGIraf_oJfiqsOGfWGCVSU4vXuEQ1dCmabsw2Rr0SYa3qWav10uEqR5tt_L9e22l3RJcNUSg2dCS3d8SnR374BqKDKEjBHNvCSUYGJaxP-c2SXKBnP7qznP3Ol_wdAMJaeA/s320/66+rat+patrol+wrapper.jpg)
The rings get a metallic makeover, which does not scan well and we lose two in the count:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS67WqvN4rICnqWX1SiJfzHuWUZqF3YZLj2cWL9W6oSjuXbcbMB_Ald5OB_bQhqlZGfbKoiHiJ63Mo052sDcFMZfotUYZfY9xguKfVblYgpQHDuLQGwS17aeMzGXLuWCkLU1LgB24mtA/s320/66+rat+patrol+ring.jpg)
Now this would seem like the end of the tale of the rings but in fact it is not as seven years later, O-Pee-Chee's second series of NHL cards included Team Crest rings (the first series had Team Crest stickers) as this partial box scan from Bobby Burrell's indispensable Vintage Hockey Collector's Guide shows:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k6WZZkR_zhspYNpsBRoCS6SHmvSCUb-ncNbg6BznAG30gcp3n7lDjeD2sR8JFviSrE1FuPT5cyMyponNJcrbUhkYmgI9evhHg72Wsygs2_lZc5WQs03HhhVGL2vA_JtxWGzHADK4xQ/s320/73+opc+hockey+box+series+2.jpg)
Does this ring look familiar?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwR0NgDd9gbjH7s9Ys_ECXWirZIaRflvNmQvF4J3fyTvVXoUf31uCMS8Sfq7CfemH9oEKAcdjryOsNgRJp_21GZ9Ng8-NPAf-wzIbXjMzWscdj-aYORSzWFSy-3OnflFYr2vvnN-tSOA/s320/73+opc+ring.jpg)
I'm not sure what possessed OPC (Topps really) to reuse such an old pattern but it doesn't matter. These inserts all ring a bell with me! Ouch, sorry for that pun.....
2 comments:
Great post on the Funny Ring insert set. The Funny Ring checklist was the last card I needed to complete my 1966 set. It took forever to find a decent unmarked version, so you are correct that the checklist is a "killer". All the time I spent looking for it I kept wishing that Topps had not made it a part of the card set. At least they didn't number the Funny Rings and make them part of the set as well!
In the late '80s I managed to score a bunch of unmarked checklists while going through a guys non-sport album. I paid a $1 each.
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