1941 Play Ball Errors

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Posted By: Leslie Westbrook

I've got a 1941 Play Ball Joe Cronin, but the back is that of Ralston Hemsley (card #34) and it's printed upside down. I'm just wondering if anyone out there has seen similar error cards from the '41 Play Ball set, and if so, what kind of price they paid, or have seen them listed for.

I paid about 30 bucks for mine in Vg-Ex condition. Also, any idea how a grading service would treat something like this?

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Posted By: Anthony

They are not uncommon (or at least not exceedingly rare) and the PSA pop report shows 23 examples graded. I'd view them more as an oddity than as a legit variation.

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Posted By: Jeff Sherman

Anthony's nailed it -- these are printing errors, with the sheet feed for the back printing going in backwards... these aren't considered "variations" nor do they have the cache of, say, the 1952 Page/Sain error wrongbacks... oddityis a good word for them, and so is error, but except for the novelty value, there isn't much of a fire behind the bit of smoke there....

As far as my limited knowledge goes, the 1941 Play Balls really don't have variations, and really the only one I can think of is the presence of absence of a copyright year after the copyright symbol on the reverse: the cards come either with or without the "1941."

Nevertheless, a 66 year odl error card is always going to be something to be enjoyed.. good luck!!

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Posted By: Anthony

<<As far as my limited knowledge goes, the 1941 Play Balls really don't have variations>>

Jeff- Cards #1-24 were also issued on paper stock, in 2 press sheets of 12 each. I've got the first sheet (1-12) along with a SGC slabbed Gehringer from the 2nd sheet.
I think the paper issue was after the regular one, in early '42, but have not heard definitively. Anyone know?

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Posted By: dennis

i always heard that the paper cards were salesmens samples so i would think they were issued in the early stages of distribution. but, i can't say either of these statements are for sure.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Did SGC grade the Gehringer or is it just "A"?

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Posted By: Anthony

It's graded SGC 84

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

The 1949 LEAF BB cards with wrong backs have been graded....here is one that I have.
Therefore, I see no reason not to grade the 1941 Play Ball's with similar backs.

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Posted By: Jeff Sherman

I forgot about the thin-paper version, which is especially disconcerting since I have one, SGC graded, a #5 McCormick I think, and graded 84, I think ... I'm not sure about the timing, or whether these paper versions were used as salesman's samples...

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Posted By: peter chao

Ted,

I like your Sid Gordon, in particular the bat barrel going beyond the red background makes the card stand out. It's also interesting that they called him Bob Feller. You might say that you have half a Bob Feller.

Peter