The mirror image says offset transfer. If it's under the back printing then it's factory. The level of detail doesn't matter, as the original lithography is a transfer from plate to blanket to paper. A detailed offset transfer would usually be fresh ink, before any drying.
The level of detail is impressive. There's only a few ways for that to happen.
Lots of weight on the stack of sheets right after printing of the black.
The sheet gets caught and wraps around the blanket so it gets printed directly from the plate.
A double feed where two sheets feed at once while the next color is being printed.
The last one is very unlikely as it would mean they were rushing to print the next step and didn't allow drying time. Poor practice, and since black is printed last it would have had to have happened while the backs were being printed.
And for a real long shot- One I'd have a hard time believing for a number of technical reasons - If they were printed from stones, it's possible to pull a proof directly from the stone. Which would be mirror image, but should also be on the coated side of the stock. And in general only one sheet would be done and in a different part of the plant. I'd have a hard time believing that a proof pulled from the stone in either the department that prepared the stones or a proofing department would end up in production.
I'd Love to see a big high res scan of one.
Very cool cards either way, and if all P150 they might answer some questions about the makeup of the sheets.
Steve B
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