What year did Topps finally get better with centering?

[btcarfagno]

Are we talking late 1970's? Some time in the 1980's? Was the centering for Topps cards overall in say 1985 as bad as it was in the 1960's?

Just wondering as I don't collect Topps cards but know of their decades long battle with the centering issue.

Tom C

[Rookiemonster]

My vote is for the 90s but more like the mid to late 90s lol . I remember pulling a jeter rookie from 1993 topps and it was off center as well a Jim Edmonds rookie .


I also remember the first topps chrome was off center a lot and brutally cut in some cases.


I don't think I've gotten a card that was mc or totally off center in a new pack or box since then. (Except for when I buy 80s stuff)

[KingFisk]

I feel like 86 maybe? I remember my 85 set being disastrous with the centering but pretty good thereafter.

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[MacDice]

2018?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by MacDice

2018?

LOL, with any luck.

[bobsbbcards]

Originally Posted by bnorth

LOL, with any luck.

I remember thinking in 1988 when I was opening packs, that the cards seemed better centered. 1991 also seemed like a distinct improvement (I'm scanning Desert Shield cards, and none are off center).

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by bobsbbcards

I remember thinking in 1988 when I was opening packs, that the cards seemed better centered. 1991 also seemed like a distinct improvement (I'm scanning Desert Shield cards, and none are off center).

+1

I think centering got progressively better with major leaps in 1991 when they switched to new card stock and overall appearance with an emphasis on premiums. I think they started to concentrate more on printing & centering issues at that time.

It seems like Topps progressively worked at taking better quality photos ('70's & '80's) and then turned towards printing/card stock/premium issues in the '90's onward. At least it feels that way. You no longer see as many of the goofy cards like this poorly centered '82 Fleer of Morris or the others. Although I have to say, these type of pics made it interesting to look through the various sets.....

Not my style, but that is an impressive Unibrow.....

Z

[steve B]

I'd have to look at a bunch of different years and see, but the change to new stock for 1992 may have come along with changes in the equipment used. I know the sheet size didn't change for 92 and 93, but I think it did at some point.

The newer stuff like Gypsy queen is partly die cut. Most cards are die cut on all sides, but a few are die cut on I think 3 sides. It's possible they're using a press that's web fed (prints from a roll rather than sheets) and that also has a die cutter/trimmer built into it so the output is just cards. Those can do very well on centering.

The mini cards aren't always centered well though so maybe not.

Steve B

[frankhardy]

Just from memory, I think that 1987 Topps was really consistent with centering.