New variation discovered in 1971 Topps

[cardinalcollector]

Actually, I discovered this variation in the summer of 1976. I was a 15 year old baseball card collector and a columnist for Sports Collectors News. I had a column called "Randy's Ramblings"

Well, I was reading some of my old columns tonight and I ran across an interesting article I wrote about the sheer number of baseball card sets issued in a year. 1976. There was over 30! LOL. That was a lot back then.

I was very into errors and variations back then, always searching for them.

The variation is: #85 Billy Grabarkewitz, comes with a red sun or a yellow sun. Very distinct colors. The yellow is much harder to find. Here is a copy of my article from 1976 and links to both variations found randomly on Ebay.

Somehow this was never cataloged in Beckett, SCD, or anywhere else and I had totally forgotten about it. Have at it boys!

Red: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Topps-Baseball-Card-85-Billy-Grabarkewitz-Los-Angeles-Dodgers-EX/122815827849?epid=169862290&hash=item1c9864cf89:g:20cAAOSwWv5aEHo3

Yellow: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Topps-85-BILLY-GRABARKEWITZ-EX-k5/332428320882?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

[bobsbbcards]

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oWAAAOSwx6pYsPWb/s-l1600.jpg https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nnUAAOSw-9RZbmnL/s-l1600.jpg

[toppcat]

Interesting Randy. Not sure that's the sun though? In any event the colors certainly are distinct.

[ALR-bishop]

I do have this one Randy. It has been sold by some sellers on eBay as a variation but is usually referred to as a red dot versus white dot variant. Maybe a dwarf star ? :-) Yours does look more yellow . As I recall there may be other 71s with similar differences. Will check my set.

[cardinalcollector]

Well, maybe its not the sun, but surely a color difference that appears to have been made intentionally.

When I posted, there were more than 190 Grabarkewitz cards on Ebay and COMC, with none stating a variation, nor in the Beckett and SCD Almanacs.

I just thought it was interesting, should have known you guys knew about it.

[Leon]

Well, maybe its not the sun, but surely a color difference that appears to have been made intentionally.

When I posted, there were more than 190 Grabarkewitz cards on Ebay and COMC, with none stating a variation, nor in the Beckett and SCD Almanacs.

I just thought it was interesting, should have known you guys knew about it.

These guys are collecting addicts, what did you expect? :)

[ALR-bishop]

One of the problems of trying to limit the definition of a "true variation" to intentional change is determining when in fact a difference in cards results from an intentional act by the printer or an unintentional temporary printing defect.

Sometimes such differences can be the result of a DP. Should such recurring differences be treated as variations and if so who decides that ?

It does not matter much to me because I collect them either way. It does matter from a value standpoint because if recognized by a major catalog or PSA master collectors who might otherwise ignore them then need them.

There is no doubt some lesser differences and recurring print defects have been recognized by the hobby in the past. A scroll through the never ending variation thread in here shows there is no shortage of additional candidates.

[cardinalcollector]

I just found where Darren showed this card in July of this year, so credit goes to him.

And Al, I agree the definition of a variation can vary a lot, from collector to collector, much like the definition of a rookie card.

It was the 1969 Dalrymple and Clendennon variations is what really hooked me back in 1969. 2 very different cards with the same number.

[ALR-bishop]

Leon---some of us here resemble that remark

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVyXI8RJaXwoA40BXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEybzQwNWh 1BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjI5NDRfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1511219785/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fcondition-sensitive.blogspot.com%2f2014%2f08%2f1971-topps-variations-billy.html/RK=2/RS=hhHCY9_wUQnTsipz5BoNosPK6_g-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVyXI8RJaXwoA7UBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEya3UxMTR sBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDQjI5NDRfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1511219785/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.deanscards.com%2fp%2f141031%2 f1971-Topps-85-Billy-Grabarkewitz/RK=2/RS=D7g4Q8ATUhiziJNJbU0_KXTUacY-

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVyXI8RJaXwoA7UBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEya3UxMTR sBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDQjI5NDRfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1511219785/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.deanscards.com%2fp%2f141031%2 f1971-Topps-85-Billy-Grabarkewitz/RK=2/RS=D7g4Q8ATUhiziJNJbU0_KXTUacY-

But in checking my two, one is red and one is white. Yours looks yellow so maybe there are 3 versions.

But putting aside the dots, what in the world is that huge black blob ?

[Exhibitman]

The Matterhorn?

Tommy Lasorda?

[Rich Klein]

If someone wants to go to COMC and ID both types of cards (each color) by using the correction feature -- I will create separate listings and try to place the tougher ones into the correct area

Rich

[swarmee]

I reported the error for the only one colored white still available for sale. I realized I was selling the autographed white dot version and so I'll have it shipped to me.
I didn't see any yellow ones. On the autographed one labeled "Altered" because it was submitted by Dean's without third party authentication, there seems to be a blue colored line in the box on the back. Will let you know if it's a real variation once I receive it.
https://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/1971/Topps---Base/85/Billy-Grabarkewitz.jpg?id=68e6ab75-5fdb-4060-a79b-1a8809615e59&size=zoom&side=back

[JollyElm]

There are a couple of these variations available for trade in my 'FT: Errors & Variations-a-palooza!!!!' thread. They're really not too tough to come by in general, and I just refer to them as with or without the red dot to the right of Barky's hat. It makes me wonder what other cards with similar properties are out there from the 1971 set.

[bobsbbcards]

...But putting aside the dots, what in the world is that huge black blob ?

The creature from Stranger Things 2?

[ALR-bishop]

Either that or that black thing on the island in Lost

[Rich Klein]

The white dot variation has been Added to the COMC data base. Keep those coming