Originally Posted by G1911
Yep! I have Podres both ways (and a number of the other cards). I am putting a master set together for the commons and low-end hall of famers (it's a boring variation, but I like this set so much I'm happy to find a reason to hunt for a few more). The difference is often difficult to discern in scans, usually very clear in hand.
Stock variations are pretty common with Topps sets. The 'mainstream' only recognizes them if the difference is white stock vs. grey stock, but a number of Topps baseball sets have them, authentically different stock instead of cards aging different, etc. 1969, 1966 (the second to last series has a dark cream or a bright white that is really blatant in hand), 1970, there are many of them beyond the 1956 1-180, and the 1959 series (3rd, I think) and 1960 series (5th?) that have white and grey stocks. 1955 is definitely one of them. The "brighter white and smoother, glossier" version seems to be a bit less common, but it is not difficult at all or anything.
This stock change is, I think, especially significant in 1955 because the series are not really known (as far as I am aware). The historical division groups cards 1-150 together, 151-160 together, and finally 161-210. This clearly does not align with the sheets and series. The first 110 cards are probably series 1, which fits on a sheet. Whether the remaining 100 cards (Topps put 100 different cards, with I think 10 double prints, in their Football issue that year that has numerous erroneously listed SP's) were on one sheet, or were multiple series with more card's repeated on a half-sheet is, I think, completely unknown still (4 pulled cards replaced with 4 DP's that must have existed in two unique rows). 111-210 only have the rougher, less glossy, creamier stock.
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