1952 Topps #131-190 Gray Backs

[flkersn]

The cream-back House "yellow logo" exists in several levels of purity--from red tongue to pink to less that pink to gone. The two or three gray-back yellow logo Houses I have seen seem to be devoid of red. I assume in the cream-back case, the printer was gradually running out of red ink during the printing process. If the latter is true, then the gray stock was used during the end of the run when the red was gone. It seems like it had to be one printer. How likely is it that two machines ran out of red ink? IF all that is true, it would suggest that the cream stock was used before the gray stock.

Regarding the Reiser, I have not heard any good reason about the shortage. It is certainly possible, but not probable, that this card had a tougher life than others (beat to crap, lost, pasted to scrapbooks, collected by relatives, etc). I think it more likely that there are a bunch out there in raw condition, just waiting for the right time. That is what happened with Maxwell, Rogovin, Post, etc. They are still rare, but several raw ones have appeared in the last year. So, bottom line, I think the Reiser is an artificial shortage that may or may not resolve itself.

BTW, in case anyone has a spare Reiser, I have a PSA 4 gray/yellow House....

Bill