Why the same picture for multiple cards?

[Topps206]

For some reason, this was a trend to use the same picture many years in a row for different players. Wayne Causey, Jim Coates, Dave Sisler, many others that I can't think of at the moment.

What was the story behind this?

[mintonlyplz]

Other players whose image was used more than once include:

54, 55, 56 Hank Aaron
54, 55, 56 Willie Mays
65, 68 Willie Mays
61, 63 Willie McCovey
55, 56 Roberto Clemente
60, 61 Yastrzemski
63, 64 Yastrzemski
68, 69 Hank Aaron
68, 69 Tom Seaver
68, 69 Rod Carew

[KCRfan1]

Brooks Robinson had a string of the same photo:

1967, 68, 69

[Harliduck]

To me this is one of the craziest examples of re-using a picture. Take a look at the 1963 Topps Ken Hubbs, the inlet black and white photo -






Then take a look at the 1966 Topps Dick Ellsworth...clearly the recycled image of the now at that time in 66 a deceased Mr. Hubbs. Pretty sure most Topps collectors know of this mistake, but crazy to me that the photo was recycled from the 63 Topps card.

[mintonlyplz]

Reincarnation at its worst! Thx 4 sharing...I did not know that.

[Topps206]

I didn't know it either.

I see it's the same with Bill Landis.

Larry Haney is the same photo, but it's also a mirror image of the next year.

[irv]

There are a lot of them.

I know Leo Durocher and many others from the 52 Topps series are repeats from previous years.

[jason.1969]

As for the story, I recall there was a contractual dispute c. 1969 that got in the way of taking new pics. This explains the image reuse between 1968-1969 but not the other years.

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[jason.1969]

Regarding Aaron, also note 59T = 61T MVP.

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[JollyElm]

Topps waited six years to reuse Hank's little brother's photo…

tommieaaron.jpg

[almostdone]

Also Willie Mays 57 regular issue and his 58 All Star card.
Drew

[The-Cardfather]

What about.....

61 Topps Spahn
62 Topps Spahn AS

[jason.1969]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Topps waited six years to reuse Hank's little brother's photo…

Attachment 230989

Remarkable too in that one was MIL and the other was ATL.

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[tschock]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Topps waited six years to reuse Hank's little brother's photo…

Attachment 230989

Nice try, but... how about 9 years?
Joe Kapp - 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969 use the same photo. And they reused a CFL photo for the NFL? 1960 and 1969 are below.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Remarkable too in that one was MIL and the other was ATL.

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Team change and trade possibilities are reasons why Topps took a lot of 'under the brim' shots that don't show the team designation on the hat.

[RollieFingers]

I made a thread about that too, here in football or somewhere else.
Its basically standard practice.
It happens in all sports,football etc.

I have 4 years of Harold Jackson cards with the Rams where it was obviously the same day at training camp

notice the neck collar is in the same position on all 4

sorry, I know its baseball here. Just proving your point

[toppcat]

What was the song of the little Topps birdie? "Cheap, cheap cheap...."

[RollieFingers]

different companies,same year..same picture ,just a different or closer frame

[jason.1969]

Was looking at my Hank Aarons some more. 1958 All-star isn't exactly 1954-1956, but it's amazingly close.

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[Cliff Bowman]

Identical photos, same year, different companies.

[The-Cardfather]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

Identical photos, same year, different companies.

Very, very interesting.

I'm wondering how this was even possible (since Topps & Fleer were competing with each other).

[jason.1969]

Not a lot of Dizzy Dean variety in 1933-1934...

[jason.1969]

And let's hear it for 1981 Donruss!!

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

Identical photos, same year, different companies.

That is a strange one...freelance photographer? Makes you wonder some of the behind the scenes drama the competing companies have. Some meeting room somewhere was some guy ticked? I can't believe I didn't catch that one as both a Fleer and Topps buyer as a 12 year old kid in 1982...

[Mark70Z]

Didn't they have any other pictures of the Colts great Bubba Smith?

[OlderTheBetter]

They were certainly cheap bastids, even more so when it came to inserts.

My favorite reused pic is the 1961 Topps Santo and 1969 Topps Deckle Edge Santo. Is this the largest gap per number of years for their photo reuse?

[David W]

The same photos were used for Globe, Nabisco, and the S.I. Posters

1970 Transogram used the Lou Brock photo from the 68 Topps All Star set

[Den*nis O*Brien]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

To me this is one of the craziest examples of re-using a picture. Take a look at the 1963 Topps Ken Hubbs, the inlet black and white photo -






Then take a look at the 1966 Topps Dick Ellsworth...clearly the recycled image of the now at that time in 66 a deceased Mr. Hubbs. Pretty sure most Topps collectors know of this mistake, but crazy to me that the photo was recycled from the 63 Topps card.

I very much appreciate Harleyduck for bringing this up. I have been collecting the '66 Topps UCE cards for some time. Growing up in Chicago area we felt 2nd base was set for years. But, after the tragedy we had to wait decades for Mr.Sandberg.

[RollieFingers]

1981,82

different pics yes..but I doubt its a different year at the same Steelers camp

[RollieFingers]

read the title on both LOL
1978


1977-the top card

[RollieFingers]

Originally Posted by The Cardfather

Very, very interesting.

I'm wondering how this was even possible (since Topps & Fleer were competing with each other).

I have Christian Okoye with same photo 2 different companies. Its what they do.
They just all buy from/hire the same photographer.

maybe the guy takes more than one shot and they decide whats best and it often is the same one

[savedfrommyspokes]

Here is the same image, however, Topps decided it needed to update it's airbrush job for some reason by adjusting the logo, the background, adding some seams to the cap, changing the color of the undershirt and adding some color to the collar. Guess one airbrush artist wanted to outdo the other.

[The-Cardfather]

I kinda like this thread, so I thought I'd revive it.....


.

[ALR-bishop]

Agree with Dave that $ and time issues led to much reuse. Expansion, relocations and trades caused some. In the 68/69 time frame it was Marvin Miller and the rise of the players union demanding their share of the growing pie that led to a contract deadlock and the reuse of photos on a grand scale