Advertsing panels / salesman samples

[Footballdude]

Since no one really knows the production numbers for Topps products, it is very possible they did indeed print the samples in larger quantities. But, I would also assume that if they did, and they had a bunch left over, they probably would either have been destroyed or warehoused somewhere. If one person did have a large quantity of them, like the 64's you mention, they might have come from a warehouse find somewhere or they might even have walked out their back door "mysteriously" by an employee. It's fun to speculate though.

[Publius]

I found the 57 topps 3 card panels were cut right off the sheets, then the backs were printed with the adds. So perhaps messed up sheets before the backs were run?

I have three of the 3 card salesman samples and all 3 march up with an uncut sheet I have.

[Griffins]

Joe, to print them after they were cut up would mean taking them from a sheet fed press to a letter press for the small run. Doesn't make sense and is really inefficient. And more than 1 color on a letter press is really, really tough. They could've had a small press but why? Easier to do everything on the same one.
I think it's more likely they laid out the front of the sheet as normal, and then laid out the back of the sheet as salesman sample ads, running those first to get them out. Since they were 3 card panels they hand cut them, and then changed the plate for the reverse of the sheet to the standard backs and printed them.

[Publius]

Yep, I said that wrong Anthiny, I agree with you. I think its patterned after the uncut sheets. Maybe an idea was there were sheets that got run on the front and damaged so the un damaged portion with blank unprinted backs got turned into salesman samples, or perhaps they just ran salesman sample sheets on purpose.

Every 3 card sales sample I've seen matches the uncut sheets, but I've seen other years not match up, like Blaisdells 63 Topps

[Exhibitman]

For my money the nicest sample panel design Topps ever put out [and a Marciano RC too]:

[clamendo]

There are at least two 1951 Topps Magic Panels, the one that was in Legendary and I've seen a cut up one that some had that I had to tell the owner what it was. In fact, Jeff the same guy has the uncatalogued 1967 Williams Portrait that you need....so there's a little hint for you!!!

[finalscore]

Adam that is a great piece! Carl, thanks for reminding me about the '51 Topps Magic ad panel. Here is mine, picked up in the late 1980's.