91 Topps Nolan Ryan?
 

I just got the card in the mail today from a trade. I thought it was a 91 Topps #1 Nolan Ryan missing the magenta(red) on the back. Now I am not sure what it is because the paper stock is different in color on the back. Anyone know what it is?
Edited to add that the back of the missing red card has a very light yellow on it. I took it into my black light room and the yellow ink on the back lightly glowed.

Possibly a card cut from a box bottom?

After a lot of testing/looking I think I figured out what it is. It is a regular 1991 Topps #1 Nolan Ryan missing the magenta on the back. For some strange reason it has a very light yellow over the back. The yellow is much easier to see in the picture than in hand.

Topps used at least 2 different yellow inks when making the 91 Topps cards. 1 glows under black light and 1 does not. Similar to the magenta on the backs that does the same thing under black light. After looking through about 50 cards under black light I found every possible combination of glowing not glowing.

The Ryan error card does not glow yellow on the front but the light yellow on the back does glow. I found several regular cards that the yellow did not glow on the front but the magenta on the back did.

Wow, someone else looks for that? I figured I was the only one.

I've been sort of working on a set each way. Plus there's a third back version that doesn't so much glow as react with a very deep red color.

I didn't know about the yellow on the front.....Darn, now I have to go through the "extras" all over again.

Have you found any of the ones where the front gloss glows a light greenish color? Or ones with cardboard stock that reacts slightly? I've only found a couple of each.

I'm surprised to see yellow on the back, I can't see any reason they'd use it. But then there's a lot of stuff Topps did that just doesn't make a lot of sense.

Steve B

I noticed the darker red backs also. The yellow glowing on the front is most noticeable in the logo in the 40. The 91 Topps are crazy when it comes to the ink. The regular card in the picture is strange also, not only does the yellow glow on the front but so does the red along with most of the front of the card. But the back does not glow.

I collect the strange and weird.:D Just wish it was a Wade Boggs error instead of Nolan Ryan.

1991 Topps
 

Sorry for reprising an old thread but this is exactly what I was referring to in another thread when I indicated the 1991 set was experimental for numerous variations and alot of different printing (ink with a UV brightener and ink without a brightener), packaging (last of the gum) and pack issues (packs found in both cello & wax).

Regarding the glowbacks and usage of ink - I always thought that Topps used 2 types of red ink - both with and without a brightener. Maybe they did the same thing with the yellow ink and / or other inks in the set. I have never checked.....

My only frame of reference is the Desert Shield set.....

Z



Z

Geez...every time I think I am finally done with the '91 Topps set...

1991
 

Sean-- if by done you mean a master set with every possible front and back variant of every card, it's not happening :)