52 Topps question on Gray Face

[Cardboard Junkie]

There are tens of thousand of 52 Topps on ebay right now.....show me one example of this grey face variation among black backs.....I'm calling Bull$hit!

[Republicaninmass]

I'll 2nd! I've never heard of it, however the black/red backs do have different printing on the fronts. Glaviano, for example

[savedfrommyspokes]

In looking through my red and black backs, it is clear that the red backs have more vibrant colors on the front. I looked at one card, the #57 Lopat card, and the cap and bill of the cap on the RB is colored all one color, while the BB version has some "shading" evident on both the bill and cap itself. In looking through the BB examples listed on ebay, most have the identical shading as mine, while two of the PSA graded BB versions have different amounts of shading on the cap than the others. The first scan is my RB, 2nd is the BB with the "shading" on the cap.

Here are two BB copies with the different shading on the caps than the other BB #57 cards listed on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-Topps-E...item51b1eb176a


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-TOPPS-B...item2581945ae1


Could either of these two ebay listings be the "grey faced" variations?

[GoldenAge50s]

I'm w/ David P on this one! I have all the '52's I bought as a kid & of course been collecting since the late '40's & have never heard of 'Grey-face" '52 Topps.

[ALR-bishop]

As I said earlier, I see a lot of front differences in the first series depending on whether the card is a red or black back, but had never heard about grey faces versus clear faces in the black backs.

But, Saved listed a link from a George Vrececk article which discusses his theory that due to the Sain/Page error, Topps likely did do a second printing of the black backs. I have a lot of respect for George's work in the variant arena. In the article he discusses the differences in color background of the Boone and Kretlow cards...and those differences do exist. If there was a second printing of the BBs then there likely are other minor color differences. Not sure though about grey faces other that in the latter Canadian series.

But, interesting discussion anyway

[Cardboard Junkie]

Yup....George talks a good game. Dave

[SMPEP]

I went through my dupes last night and couldn't find any convincing examples of a grey face.

At one point, I thought I had one card that if you squinted hard appeared to have a greyer than normal face but I guess I traded it. It was not very convincing to me as a variation so I guess I didn't even save it.

Cheers,
Patrick