1952 Topps #131-190 Gray Backs

[flkersn]

According to Patrick.

This is what I get when I post without checking my notes! It should be DPs versus SPs. Here is the layout:

3rd series:
131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170
171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180

181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190
131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170

Sorry for the confusion.
Patrick

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by flkersn

According to Patrick.

This is what I get when I post without checking my notes! It should be DPs versus SPs. Here is the layout:

3rd series:
131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170
171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180

181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190
131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170

Sorry for the confusion.
Patrick

Flkersn,

Good pick up. I forgot that post. I could be wrong, but I think the layout of the sheet as viewed from the back, if accurate, is rotated 90 degrees. Here is the back of a 1952 Topps sheet in the 5th Series which indicates the cards in that series were printed numerically top to bottom. That appears to be consistent with other sheets. Reiser #189 would be double printed in the middle of the sheet and the 2nd row from the bottom. Unfortunately I don't know of any 3rd series sheets to confirm this....so it is just speculation as to whether Patrick's notes above are correct.

Z

[SMPEP]

Just to clarify my post that Bill re-posted ... I break with some folks who identify the sheet layout by using the back of the sheet for numbering the layout.

I look at the card picture on front ... and then put the number of the card in that location. That makes more sense to me, and I believe that this was the way the original Topps printer(s) thought about the number on the sheets as well.

As for the Reiser scarcity, again I totally agree that it's an artificial one. The next person to sell a Reiser grey back will make a mint. The next guy after that ... a bit less. The third guy ... definitely less. They are definitely out there waiting to be found (unless you believe his card was thrown away more often than other cards in the set - and all the evidence points to Star cards being more plentiful than semi-star, and semi-stars more plentiful than commons - at least if you go by population reports and the numbers of cards for sale on Ebay). And it makes sense that stars would be kept more often when kids damaged-threw out their collections. By this logic, Reiser was one of the more popular players in the series.

And for the record ... when I get my Reiser ... I will release my research ... and I will be able to further substantiate the link between the "Canadians" and the regular Topps cards. There is more proof beyond just the House/yellow tongue with a grey back to link the sets.

And I will also offer, I agree with the post above about there being 3 grey back House's with yellow Tigers (and there are 3,not 2) and none with the partial red ... and with the reason given for that occurring. It would surprise me if a partial yellow ever surfaced. Not shock me. But I think it is unlikely.

Then again, there are two 1952 Topps cards that I "know" exist ... and I've searched for 10+ years to find them ... and have not been able to find. So, it is possible that there are 3 partial yellow Houses out there too.

Cheers,
Patrick

[ALR-bishop]

Patrick--- It could be that all the Reisers and the other two card you seek have all been stashed in Christmas Rack packs.

[flkersn]

$35.000! And now somebody else is looking for Reiser.

[SMPEP]

Al - Don't think I haven't thought about the Xmas rack packs! I have watched every 1952 Topps rack pack auction though - and never seen a single grey back (front or back). Not saying they couldn't be out there just have never seen any.

Honestly, I'd bet there are another 6-8 Reisers out there - just sitting in the child collections of people who aren't involved in the hobby. Some of those will get passed down to kids who will hold onto the cards for sentimental reasons. Some will return to circulation. The next Reiser to come to market ... whoever wins will significantly over pay. Heck, I couldn't believe what the person who bought (and just sold) that wrong labeled Reiser grey back paid. When all is said and done ... I don't even bet that Reiser will be the hardest grey back to find.

But Bill you're right ... at $600 per card (does the $35k include juice?) ... there is no resale value to be had for a dealer. That means there is a new collector. Bet he wishes he had won the PSA 8 Reiser that sold for $6,000.

Cheers,
Patrick

[ALR-bishop]

The $ 35,000 did not include the 20 % buyers premium