89 Upper Deck error

[CamaroCPA]

Welp. I didn't get any immediate responses so I continued my looking around and came across this blog post.

In it, the author states: "...the 1989-1991 Upper Deck cards were often erased by unethical dealers looking to cash in the error craze. I can personally recall being warned specifically about the erased McDonald card back in 1990-91. With little effort, these cards can be erased to show a blank white area on just about any section of the cards, this makes it extremely important to be able to hold a copy and tilt it under a good light source to see if the gloss has been dulled, before purchasing."

So, I took a closer look at my card and, lo and behold, it's been erased. This was more than 25 years ago, but I absolutely do not remember buying this card (or any) at a card shop. I was strictly a kid you bought packs at the corner store.

Sorta disappointing, but such is life. Happy collecting!

[JoeDfan]

Maybe some unscrupulous person at the factory tampered with it? Or maybe the ink ran low?
Can you actually see the erasure marks?

[CamaroCPA]

Originally Posted by JoeDfan

Maybe some unscrupulous person at the factory tampered with it? Or maybe the ink ran low?
Can you actually see the erasure marks?

You can. I feel kinda idiotic for not noticing them before:

[jacksoncoupage]

Extremely common in 1989 UD commons. I have found many in bulk junk era buys I have sorted through. Usually commons (perhaps as tests for erasability?) but also some stars. Griffey has shown up a few times for sale too.

Interesting to note that the old Beckett guides used to note in the set blurb that the illustrated team checklist cards could be found "without player's names on front" yet, the names only appear on back.

The biggest question mark is the 1990 Upper Deck Ben McDonald with white circle on front. The few times they've been offered, the seller wouldn't provide tilted pics and/or wouldn't offer refund if altered, so despite being cataloged since 1990 (Gilkeson's guide), no concrete proof as to whether they were printed without a logo or just altered.

Conversely, there exists a 1990 Gary Sheffield without his name, stats or bio info on it. Produced in larger quantities as one collector has a 100 ct box of them, IIRC. These are said to show no signs of erasing. And a major Mattingly collector has a 1991 UD Mattingly without his stats printed on back with no noticeable signs of tampering.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jacksoncoupage

Extremely common in 1989 UD commons. I have found many in bulk junk era buys I have sorted through. Usually commons (perhaps as tests for erasability?) but also some stars. Griffey has shown up a few times for sale too.

Interesting to note that the old Beckett guides used to note in the set blurb that the illustrated team checklist cards could be found "without player's names on front" yet, the names only appear on back.

The biggest question mark is the 1990 Upper Deck Ben McDonald with white circle on front. The few times they've been offered, the seller wouldn't provide tilted pics and/or wouldn't offer refund if altered, so despite being cataloged since 1990 (Gilkeson's guide), no concrete proof as to whether they were printed without a logo or just altered.

Conversely, there exists a 1990 Gary Sheffield without his name, stats or bio info on it. Produced in larger quantities as one collector has a 100 ct box of them, IIRC. These are said to show no signs of erasing. And a major Mattingly collector has a 1991 UD Mattingly without his stats printed on back with no noticeable signs of tampering.

I would bet the Sheffield's and Mattingly cards are altered. Not only is it easy to remove the black it is very easy to regloss. There is a very specific type of gloss that is used and even if you know what to look for it is near impossible to detect.

[WillBBC]

Does anybody know anything about that odd Griffey/Bob Welch card that surfaced a few years back? Normal Griffey front but the back appeared to be the front of a Bob Welch card, really strange.

[Tripredacus]

Originally Posted by WillBBC

Does anybody know anything about that odd Griffey/Bob Welch card that surfaced a few years back? Normal Griffey front but the back appeared to be the front of a Bob Welch card, really strange.

Mixed up front/backs are just printing errors and exist up until today. Nothing really special about it.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by WillBBC

Does anybody know anything about that odd Griffey/Bob Welch card that surfaced a few years back? Normal Griffey front but the back appeared to be the front of a Bob Welch card, really strange.

It is a printing error/scrap that should have been thrown in the trash. 99% of them are back doored out of the printing plants. They do command a premium from some player collectors and error collectors. Errors in general are kind of a fad. They get hot and cold as far as prices. When I joined Net54 T206 printing errors was the hot ticket and now not so much.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by CamaroCPA

Welp. I didn't get any immediate responses so I continued my looking around and came across this blog post.

In it, the author states: "...the 1989-1991 Upper Deck cards were often erased by unethical dealers looking to cash in the error craze. I can personally recall being warned specifically about the erased McDonald card back in 1990-91. With little effort, these cards can be erased to show a blank white area on just about any section of the cards, this makes it extremely important to be able to hold a copy and tilt it under a good light source to see if the gloss has been dulled, before purchasing."

So, I took a closer look at my card and, lo and behold, it's been erased. This was more than 25 years ago, but I absolutely do not remember buying this card (or any) at a card shop. I was strictly a kid you bought packs at the corner store.

Sorta disappointing, but such is life. Happy collecting!

I recently (last few months) bought an 1982 card with no name from someone that has a lot of legit error cards. It seemed strange since that was the only black ink missing, but they had given me plenty of deals so I took a chance so I could see it in person. After getting it in hand I could tell it had been "erased" in the bottom area. You could see the difference in color under a black light.

This person didn't seem to have another so I let it go, but then they listed another for sale a month later and they saw what I pointed out and removed the listing and threw it away. That was my first run in with this type of alteration, especially on a "no name" player.

[Tennis13]

Originally Posted by CamaroCPA

Welp. I didn't get any immediate responses so I continued my looking around and came across this blog post.

In it, the author states: "...the 1989-1991 Upper Deck cards were often erased by unethical dealers looking to cash in the error craze. I can personally recall being warned specifically about the erased McDonald card back in 1990-91. With little effort, these cards can be erased to show a blank white area on just about any section of the cards, this makes it extremely important to be able to hold a copy and tilt it under a good light source to see if the gloss has been dulled, before purchasing."

So, I took a closer look at my card and, lo and behold, it's been erased. This was more than 25 years ago, but I absolutely do not remember buying this card (or any) at a card shop. I was strictly a kid you bought packs at the corner store.

Sorta disappointing, but such is life. Happy collecting!

I actually remember seeing a second line in Beckett for the McDonald error card. Is that the "error" or did he have a legit one?

Oops, maybe I should have read the other postings. Ignore.