Help Identifying This 1969 Topps Oddity

[0-2 Pitch]

Thanks in advance to any forum members that can help me identify what, exactly, this is. My guess is that it has been cut from a vintage dealer/salesman's sample sheet, which are fairly rare in my experience.

Some additional notes:
- Card size is VERY close to regular size - height is dead-on normal size - width is VERY close, but short, which makes sense since I believe it was altered from its original state (couldn't really measure this).
- Card stock matches my other 60s era Topps issues.

[G1911]

It’s just off center/miscut, not a salesman’s sample. Slit A/Slit B denotes the two sides of the half sheet. Gibson just happened to be the row header card next to where this was marked on the sheet; any Gibson card in that exact row that is off center this direction can show it.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by G1911

It’s just off center/miscut, not a salesman’s sample. Slit A/Slit B denotes the two sides of the half sheet. Gibson just happened to be the row header card next to where this was marked on the sheet; any Gibson card in that exact row that is off center this direction can show it.

^^this^^ plus it could also be hand cut from a sheet is the dimensions are off.

EDIT: it must be a double print card as I looked at several and seen some with that much and more left border without the SLIT B on it.

I have one with the entire SLIT B showing.

[Cliff Bowman]

The 1969 Topps Bob Gibson was in the 2nd Series which had 110 cards, that means 66 cards were printed twice and 44 cards were printed three times over the two Slits, I think the 1969 Gibson was a 3x so that means one out of every three 69 Gibson cards would have that printed to the left of it and would be visible if the card is severely miscut.

[0-2 Pitch]

Thanks for the help all! Guessing I won't be selling this to you Cliff - LOL!

[G1911]

Originally Posted by 0-2 Pitch

Thanks for the help all! Guessing I won't be selling this to you Cliff - LOL!

One other question: How were "slits" used in production? Not sure what it indicated for the printing/cutting process.

Thanks again!

Sheets were 264 cards, and were split into 2 halves with 132 cards each. Typically, people say “uncut sheet” to denote a half sheet. The first step of cutting was to cut the big sheet into its two halves, so almost sheets we encounter are really half sheets. A slit = a half sheet. So the 264 card sheet had an A slit and a B slit, just denoting the two halves. Topps’ printers had several ways over the years and sets of denoting the two sides. A handful of cards from this period can be found like Gibson when miscut, if one of the rows they appeared in was next to this marker. I think they’re pretty cool miscuts.

[quitcrab]

I learned something today. I was not aware that a sheet of 132 is really a “half” sheet. Does anyone have a photo of a full sheet of 264 cards ?
Scott

[Cliff Bowman]

Here's a 1964 and a 1966.

[Exhibitman]

Another 'slit' 1969 T card:



While we are on the subject of 'sheety' cuts, I wonder what the black printing is on this diamond cut Reggie RC:

[Cliff Bowman]

The 1969 Topps 3rd Series Reggie Jackson is on the right edge of the print sheet so there is no card to the right of him, that must be the extreme outer edge of the print sheet edge that was never meant to be used if the cards were cut properly. Cool card.

[quitcrab]

Thanks for sharing the “ full” sheets. Really nice !
Scott

[Mitochondria]

This is one of the sheets from the 1969 Topps 2nd series. I can’t see the slit letter because I had the sheet framed and sealed. The Bob Gibson is seen at an edge and in 2 rows and confirms that it is double printed.


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[Mitochondria]

Same 1969 Topps 2nd series sheet showing the upper right corner. I’m sorry about the glare.



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[Cliff Bowman]

Nice sheet. Technically the Gibson is a 1.5 print, the Gibson and another 43 cards on that sheet were printed three times over the two Slits, the other 66 cards were printed two times over the two Slits.

[Mitochondria]

Thank you for the clarification!

[bb66]

Cliff-thanks for the '64 &66 pictures!