Rare 1956 Topps Uncut “Sheet” with Mantle and Mays

[Goldberg]

In my 43 years of being involved in the card collecting hobby, and business, I thought I had seen almost everything. Then I saw an item that surprised even me!

Let me state that I am not the owner or consignor of this item, nor do I have any affiliation with Lelands. I rarely post, but feel that this item is significant enough from a historical point of view to warrant doing so. I have seen most major rarities and unusual items in my time working for a major grading company (SGC) and a major auction company (REA). I have personally handled thousands of important items over decades spent collecting and dealing in cards and memorabilia, but none like this.

In the current Lelands auction, there is a 1956 Topps 2nd series Printing Blanket sheet, with a complete 2nd series, including Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, all with reversed images! I had the opportunity to see the sheet in person prior to it appearing in the auction, and prior to the Sports Collectors Daily article a short time back. Although not as vibrant as a normal uncut sheet in overall appearance, pictures don’t do it justice. I was blown away!

To the best of my knowledge, among the few 1956 Topps uncut sheets that have surfaced, there has not been a 2nd series sheet ever found, auctioned, or displayed publicly. Also, to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a card related printing blanket from any year offered for sale or auction. These printing blankets were used for a brief period to print the cards, and then simply tossed in the garbage - unable to be reused in any way.

This sheet was used to transfer the images from the aluminum printing plates to the cardboard card sheets. As such, it likely printed many, if not all, of the Mantle and Mays cards in the 1956 Topps set.

Here is a link to show how this sheet was used. Printing blankets are still used today in the printing business. The green sheet/blanket in the Trelleborg video is a similar equivalent to the 1956 printing blanket.

https://youtu.be/2AnQgeZ1sgo

This is a very unique piece of Topps card history that gives insight to quantities of each card, as well as placement, on the sheet. I encourage any parties interested in seeing the sheet in person, or acquiring it for their collection, to do so at the National at the Lelands booth (by request per the auction listing), as it will most likely go into a private collection once the auction ends. There is also the possibility the sheet will get cut up into individual cards to be sold to player collectors as production proofs, as have other unusual sheets in the past. There are a lot of Mantle and Mays collectors!

For full disclosure, I am interested in acquiring the sheet and may bid on it. However, I am also interested in way too many other collectibles as well…..so we’ll see! Thanks for reading, and please feel free to comment!

[JustinD]

I wish they would not use the word sheet in any of the description as it is a poor word choice. It is simply a roller blanket for the print process.

I think it is very cool and would be interested as to how time has affected the fragility. I hope it can be flattened enough for a proper framing, although I would imagine a good job of it would add another 4 figures to the investment. I would want it flat and at least a half inch shadowbox gap as touching the glass may transfer or pull color.

I assume it is one of a kind and an absolute fluke that it has survived this long in likely a garage or basement. What a great estate sale find.

good luck and I hope you get it. I would like to see the end product if you display.

[steve B]

I have serious doubts about this.

Lets start by asking why it's full color. since the colors are printed one at a time there should only be one color on the blanket.
Ah, but if it was a multi color press?
All the multi color presses I've seen are basically just longer frame that holds two or more single color press mechanisms.
Some different processes did print stuff like stamps with multiple colors from one plate, but it was sloppy and a totally different process.

Second, leaving the colors on the blanket is horrible practice. We'd wash the blanket down with solvents at least between runs. I guess one might get the colors worn into it, but it seems unlikely that it would survive the washdown at the end of the shift. And I'm not sure 56 topps would have required 3 shifts to get it done.

So I'm not seeing a way this even gets made in a production shop. Mount a blanket, print a color, dismount, remount for the next color..run one pass then swap blankets do that 4 times... No way the boss is letting that level of playing around happen.

[ALR-bishop]

2010….. 19

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by steve B

I have serious doubts about this.

I think your post is very reasonable. The multiple colors included is one of many reasons.

[raulus]

Welp!

Looks like some poor sap got stuck with this piece as the only bidder. Can't decide whether that's just good fortune, or if there was only one person foolish enough to bid on it.

Geez...guess that lucky bidder was me.

Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it.

[swarmee]

Congrats, I guess. If you can debunk it, you might get the company to refund you. If that's what you want. It's definitely a conversation starter piece.