1948 Topps backs

[BradH]

I purchased a collection yesterday that included 145 cards from the 1948 Topps set. While I had 2 or 3 of these cards in my collection already, I am not an active collector of this issue, so please pardon my “novice” questions.

As I sorted through the cards, I noticed that some of them have slightly different backs, with regard to where the card number is located. Most of them run perpendicular to the text on the back, but a few run parallel to the text and have slightly different wording for the card number.

In the example below of card #17 of Series A, the left (more common) version has shorter wording than the right. Also, the "See directions inside wrap" wording is gone on the right version, but all other text on the card is the same and the photos on the front are the same.

Does the different placement of the card numbers mean anything – maybe a print run that was done later in the year perhaps? If there are any 1948 Topps “master set” collectors, I guess they would seek both versions of this issue?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.