Halftone Print Line Question

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by drcy

I'm not sure specifically what you are referring to with this card. However, these were ephemeral kids toys, and the makers didn't alway take the greatest care in image or printing quality. You will see errant lines, squiggles and dots in many early halftone cards, and newspaper and magazine pictures. Often from just doing an imperfect or quick-and-dirty job making the printing plates.

David, if you google "1916 M101-5 Babe Ruth PSA," and click on "APR" for sales prices realized, you will see one example of precisely the print lines I am talking about. Go through them until you see a NM 7 example, PSA#01564223, which has the light print line coming from the Babe's left hip (on the right side of the card), as well as a fainter but similar line, also on the right side of the card, at a level slightly above the Babe's head. Another example may be seen on ebay, where a PSA EX 5 example, PSA#30061785 is for sale (with an asking price of around $400,000, as I recall). While the same two print lines are visible on both, they both appear to have moved up towards the top of the card as compared to the NM7 example mentioned. I've also seen the same print lines on other examples of the M101-5 Babe, but it certainly is not always present.

Since you're the forensic guy (I've read your excellent publication, "Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards") I thought you would be the best one to call on. If you have the time to view these, please let me know what you think. Could there have been something on the plate that was there just temporarily, blocking the transfer of ink to the card stock? Or a defect in the plate later remedied?

Thanks in advance for your opinion,

Larry