Show...me...your print variations!

[jchcollins]

Sorry if this has already been covered. I scrolled through about the first 15 pages of this thread and didn’t see it, though: ‘58 Mantle base card and the print defect / variation next to his left eye. The copy I picked up this week has this, and I began to get a little worried as I looked around and saw that others didn’t. But then I began to find them. Including at least one in a PSA 7 slab, so that made me feel a little bit better.

Normal card without print spot:



Copies with it. The ungraded card here is mine:




You can see what I’m talking about, straight up from the word “New” in the team name below. Kind of like a fisheye if it were elsewhere on the card. I’ve seen this anywhere from a light blip up to a dark red dot. It seems to occur in maybe one out of 20 or slightly more cards that I looked at on eBay and online. I guess on the whole, if you could choose it’s undesirable, but I don’t know… This doesn’t jump out at me the way print snow on his cap would, or even a similar sized defect on the orange background field probably would.

Weird stuff, but as we know by now, print defects like this are anything but rare on 1958 Topps cards...


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[savedfrommyspokes]

Found this progressive print variation....one copy is partially blackened with excess ink on the "Major....Record" line while on the other copy that entire line is blackened including the area past the left border.

Partial missing Ink

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by rgpete

Partial missing Ink

Interesting, I figured that card was probably on a corner of a sheet and sure enough it was. It's recurring, there are a handful on COMC in varying degrees.

[mrmopar]

Was waiting to share this one in case I got a different copy or it was some sort of weird effect with the scan itself and not actually the card. This is how the card looks. Some sort of black ink bleeding to make it look like Reggie has a very massive birthmark on his face. It almost looks like it could be right if you didn't already know better.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

Was waiting to share this one in case I got a different copy or it was some sort of weird effect with the scan itself and not actually the card. This is how the card looks. Some sort of black ink bleeding to make it look like Reggie has a very massive birthmark on his face. It almost looks like it could be right if you didn't already know better.

It's recurring, I'm waiting on one from COMC and got another one from a board member a year or two ago. ETA: it looks your copy is a little more extreme than my copies around his mouth and nose.

[irv]

Already discussed??

A green splotch on Archie Wilson's left eyebrow. Doing a quick search, it seems the majority of his cards have this splotch but there are some that don't.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...ih=578&dpr=1.5

[ALR-bishop]

Good one Dale

[swarmee]

1954 Topps #34 Jim Rivera: semi-circle at bottom of box on back

[mikemb]

Just picked up there two of John Kennedy from the 1965 Topps set.

Top card has blue bleed on left side of stat box and bottom has blue bleed into cartoon faces.

Mike

[TPGS]

Cool discovery, best card of the 1960's! This Nolan Ryan rookie isn't the lost issue from the 3-D test series, right?

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by mikemb

Just picked up there two of John Kennedy from the 1965 Topps set.

Top card has blue bleed on left side of stat box and bottom has blue bleed into cartoon faces.

Mike

Cool, I had heard of the version where the left side of the box was bumpy but didn't know about the version that turned the ball and one of the cartoon faces blue. I have a couple of the first one but they're not as extreme as your example.

[Cliff Bowman]

I've mentioned these before but I never showed them with the actual cards scanned side by side. The 1967 Nen is on the same sheet as the three consecutive 1967 cards and is just as rare as those three so I would suspect that it was part of the same print flaw. It appears that the card to the right of the 1974 Dusty Baker is also affected but I haven't been able to find an afflicted 1974 Cookie Rojas yet.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by TPGS

Cool discovery, best card of the 1960's! This Nolan Ryan rookie isn't the lost issue from the 3-D test series, right?

That Ryan is BLEEPING awesome!

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

I've mentioned these before but I never showed them with the actual cards scanned side by side. The 1967 Nen is on the same sheet as the three consecutive 1967 cards and is just as rare as those three so I would suspect that it was part of the same print flaw. It appears that the card to the right of the 1974 Dusty Baker is also affected but I haven't been able to find an afflicted 1974 Cookie Rojas yet.

Thank you for picturing the 3 67s next to each other....is the Monteagudo a new pick up for you?

Here are two of my recent pickups.....not sure which cards border the Flood card and if there is any residual print disruption on those cards.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Thank you for picturing the 3 67s next to each other....is the Monteagudo a new pick up for you?

Here are two of my recent pickups.....not sure which cards border the Flood card and if there is any residual print disruption on those cards.

Yeah, I got it recently from a board member who doesn’t post much. It’s a poor mans 67 Monteagudo error, but you take what you can get as rare as it is .

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

I've mentioned these before but I never showed them with the actual cards scanned side by side. The 1967 Nen is on the same sheet as the three consecutive 1967 cards and is just as rare as those three so I would suspect that it was part of the same print flaw. It appears that the card to the right of the 1974 Dusty Baker is also affected but I haven't been able to find an afflicted 1974 Cookie Rojas yet.

Now I have to move my Alomar that's just like that one out of the "transient printing errors box and into the recurring maybe variations section.

Nice to see another one.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Found this recurring print anomaly on the back of the 61 Topps 151 Donohue card. In hand, at quick glance it looked like a crease, but after a quick check on COMC I noticed at least two others.

[Cliff Bowman]

I hadn't seen one in forever on eBay but one of the 1963 Topps high number yellow based/blue circle cards with the print flaw of a missing top black border line showed up, a PSA 8 no less. There are eight consecutive cards that were on the top (or bottom) of the original uncut sheet with the printing flaw of missing the top border line that starts on the first card at a little over a quarter inch and then gradually goes down to nothing on the eighth card on the row.

[ALR-bishop]

Your eyes for this stuff is amazing Cliff. I thought I had one sometime back as the seller’s scan clearly showed the defect, but it was a stock photo by a familiar ebay seller

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Your eyes for this stuff is amazing Cliff. I thought I had one sometime back as the seller’s scan clearly showed the defect, but it was a stock photo by a familiar ebay seller

Ha! I know exactly which stock photo you are talking about, this one right here. Wasn't it Burbank Cards that used the stock photo?

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Found this recurring print anomaly on the back of the 61 Topps 151 Donohue card. In hand, at quick glance it looked like a crease, but after a quick check on COMC I noticed at least two others.

It goes into Eli Grba, I couldn't find any Fred Hutchinson cards with it so it may not affect it. I spent what seemed like two hours scouring the backs of 1961 Gene Conley cards looking fruitlessly for the flaw until it finally dawned on me that 1961 backs are upside down and that it would be on the Grba instead. ETA: I did it again, I keep forgetting 1961 backs are upside down so it didn't go into Hutchinson but rather it is at the top of the sheet.

[aronbenabe]

Just got these cards...the version on left seems to have gray tones in the yellow border.


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[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It goes into Eli Grba, I couldn't find any Fred Hutchinson cards with it so it may not affect it. I spent what seemed like two hours scouring the backs of 1961 Gene Conley cards looking fruitlessly for the flaw until it finally dawned on me that 1961 backs are upside down and that it would be on the Grba instead. ETA: I did it again, I keep forgetting 1961 backs are upside down so it didn't go into Hutchinson but rather it is at the top of the sheet.

Great work Cliff, thank you....sorry for your two hour detour into Conley's domain. Did any of the Grba's that you found with the back variation have the lower right border variation found on the front of this card?

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by aronbenabe

Just got these cards...the version on left seems to have gray tones in the yellow border.


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I have not seen the grey tones in the border before....here are two Stallard cards I have, one with a print defect on upper portions and the other with excess red ink on the lower portion.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Great work Cliff, thank you....sorry for your two hour detour into Conley's domain. Did any of the Grba's that you found with the back variation have the lower right border variation found on the front of this card?

I didn't notice any Grba cards with that front flaw but I wasn't looking for it either. I didn't know it existed, but being on the edge corner of the sheet it's not surprising. Those two bottom cards are pretty extreme. ETA: I found a few nice examples on eBay. It's amazing I didn't notice any of these looking through the Grba cards the first time but my mind was focused on finding the print flaw on the back of the card.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

I didn't notice any Grba cards with that front flaw but I wasn't looking for it either. I didn't know it existed, but being on the edge corner of the sheet it's not surprising. Those two bottom cards are pretty extreme.

Until you posted the image of the corner of the sheet, I didn't realize the Grba card was on a sheet's corner....the location on the sheet clearly explains these (progressive) border variations and why no other cards exhibit similar missing borders .

[LuckyLarry]

[ALR-bishop]

Neat cards Larry. This is one of my few non Topps/Bowman/Fleer sets. I have the 4 Hal Smith, 6 counting the other guy, and a couple of other front oddities, but had not seen any back variants

[LuckyLarry]

thanks Al these are all high numbered cards "overstruck" with low numbered cards pretty unique all recent pick-ups.
Larry

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Neat cards Larry. This is one of my few non Topps/Bowman/Fleer sets. I have the 4 Hal Smith, 6 counting the other guy, and a couple of other front oddities, but had not seen any back variants

[Cliff Bowman]

While searching on Trading Card Database looking for chicanery committed by the member iffie99 I actually ran across a pretty cool variation unknown to me that was listed by him. 1972 #216 Joe Niekro can be found with and without a black bar between the 6' and the 1" in his height, it looks like the version without the bar is the less common one but by no means rare. It reminds me of similar variation cards of Roger Metzger, Richie Zisk, and Dave Roberts in the 1979 set.

[brewing]

I've spent most of my time here the past 5 years in the buy/sell area. Been intending to share this for way too long. Using my time at home to focus on cards, so now is a good time to share.
Noticed this about 2 years ago while working on the set. I've been tracking this card on eBay since that time. The version with the complete black border around the Yankees logo seems to be rarer. But not that much rarer, probably 60% w/o and 40% with.

[swarmee]

Recurring blue streak in the grass on the right side.

1950 Bowman - [Base] #117 - Bill Rigney
Courtesy of COMC.com

[Tripredacus]

edit: moved to PM instead to not derail topic.

[JoeBoo]

Not sure this would be considered a "variation" but i always thought the 1979 fronts with 1978 backs were interesting. i am a Winfield collector so wish i had Dave on the front but oh well. I never found much info about these but there's always a few on Ebay. I have seen wrongbacks before but never different years like this.

[ALR-bishop]

Welcome Boo. Most do not consider wrong backs variations, and normally not as sought after. But there are wrong back collectors, usually involving major stars, and wrong year backs are a big plus I would guess. Some have posted wrong backs from non baseball issues. ( baseball on front another sport or non sport issue on back, or other way around)

If you are a Winfield guy here is an odd one

[JoeBoo]

Thanks Al. gotcha. That is an odd one!

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Welcome Boo. Most do not consider wrong backs variations, and normally not as sought after. But there are wrong back collectors, usually involving major stars, and wrong year backs are a big plus I would guess. Some have posted wrong back from non baseball issues. ( baseball on front another sport or non sport issue on back, or other way around)

If you are a Winfield guy here is an odd one

That 86 Topps Winfield isn’t in my top ten of screwups where I had a chance to get something on eBay and didn’t pull the trigger, but it might be #11 .

[swarmee]

Yeah, topps printed some 1989 Football backs with a baseball front as well. But yours is really neat since it's from two different years.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Yeah, topps printed some 1989 Football backs with a baseball front as well. But yours is really neat since it's from two different years.

Back in the mid eighties Baseball Card Magazine had a picture of a badly miscut 1968 Topps baseball card with the top 25% of the card being a 1967 Topps football card. That card freaked me out for about 20-25 years until I learned about Milton Bradley Win-A-Card game cards either here on eBay.

[ALR-bishop]

Freaked out for 20 + years, wow. That explains a lot Cliff

[4reals]

Originally Posted by JoeBoo

Not sure this would be considered a "variation" but i always thought the 1979 fronts with 1978 backs were interesting. i am a Winfield collector so wish i had Dave on the front but oh well. I never found much info about these but there's always a few on Ebay. I have seen wrongbacks before but never different years like this.

I’ve collected blank backs and wrong backs for a long time and 1979 is the only year I’ve seen the wrong year on the back. Mine are 78 as well. As Al mentioned, you can also find some with non-sports from the same year. I’ve personally seen star wars and mork and mindy on the back on 1979 Topps. People paid about $50 a pop for those about 4 years ago if my memory serves correct.





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[4reals]

Was going through my 61 Dodgers team set yesterday. The Fairly gets a lot of notoriety for it green ball variation because it’s recognized in publications, however, there are other cards in the set that aren’t recognized that have the same characteristic. One, is the Lillis. Not only does he have a green ball variation but he also has stray ink at the stat box that comes in a variety of shapes. Same is true for the Koufax/Podres Southpaw card.






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[4reals]

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[steve B]

Originally Posted by JoeBoo

Not sure this would be considered a "variation" but i always thought the 1979 fronts with 1978 backs were interesting. i am a Winfield collector so wish i had Dave on the front but oh well. I never found much info about these but there's always a few on Ebay. I have seen wrongbacks before but never different years like this.

Those are cool, they came from a find by a dealer in 79.

The story I heard was that they routinely visited the dump near one of the printing plants. One day they found a bunch of strips of these.

I bought a strip, but it wasn't packed well at all, just coiled into a box and it got a bit crushed. Still have it somewhere.
All were vertical strips the full sheet height.

78-79 they were using a lot of leftovers for other stuff.
79's with 78 backs
Some with Mork and Mindy "stickers" on the back (I forget if they are 78 or 79)
Sheets of both 78 Baseball and Black hole backs are used to print Bazooka boxes- grocery store verions, about the size of a mac and cheese box.
Probably one or two others I don't know about.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Finally....
While going through another overgraded ebay lot I received today, I finally found the one variation I have been searching for over the past 15+ years. I was muttering to myself about the condition of the cards being 2-3 grades lower than stated when I see the nicest card in the whole group, the 67 Spiezio missing the "Spie". Many of you probably have multiple copies, but this was my first copy of this card. More than got my money's worth out the lot afterall.

[4reals]

Awesome! What a great surprise! Congrats on the find!


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[ALR-bishop]

Congrats Larry.

It is interesting to me how some recurring print defects gained general hobby recognition as variations while the vast majority do not.

Who is in charge of this stuff anyway ?

[4reals]

so I took a page from Cliff's playbook and looked up the sheet that Lillis was on (sheet2). Lillis is at the top row and the cards to the left and right on the top row, Walt Moryn #91 (cardinals), Jim Woods #59 (phillies), Joe Amalfitano #87 (giants), and AL HR Leaders #44 (with Mantle/Maris) all have back print defects with stray ink if anyone is so inclined to add them. Not super attractive since it is the back of the card but cool nonetheless. The HR Leaders card is the least obvious. The bottom left corner of green is a sharp square on most of the cards but a select few have a soft rounded corner and wavy bottom. I also found a green in ball (variation) for the Dodgers Southpaws card #207 which is on a completely different sheet. Couldn't find a 61 topps sheet with the Fairly on it to see what other cards are around it.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Congrats Larry.

It is interesting to me how some recurring print defects gained general hobby recognition as variations while the vast majority do not.

Who is in charge of this stuff anyway ?

Thank you Joe and AL....yes AL, in my haste to post about one of the more elusive cards now in my collection, I should have not used the word "variation", but indeed called the card what it is, a recurring print defect.