1975 Hank Aaron -- #660 with different photo?

[bk400]

I found a Hank Aaron 1975 Topps #660 card with a very different photo. It shows Aaron in a proper Brewers uniform, but with no printed autograph on the front. I haven't been able to find any information about an error card. Has anyone seen one of these before? If it is a one-off error card, how would a grading company view it? Thoughts appreciated.

[upstateNYmilb]

Fake or "custom"

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[ChiSoxCardboard]

Originally Posted by upstateNYmilb

Fake or "custom"

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Yup...looks like fan fiction to me.

[bk400]

That was my initial thought, but then why? It's not going to be a super high dollar value card as a "fake" one-off error card that hasn't been replicated. And there would be costs involved in producing the card. Would someone really go through all the trouble for a couple hundred bucks? I also did a google image search and it cannot find a photo that matches Hank Aaron's pose in the card...?

[deweyinthehall]

Looks a lot better than his real '75 card which, even for a mid-70s Topps paint job, is pretty horrific.

[bk400]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

Looks a lot better than his real '75 card which, even for a mid-70s Topps paint job, is pretty horrific.

Yes, indeed. Amazing to me that they would have gone the airbrushing route for the "original" #660.

[Cliff Bowman]

Fantasy card, I guarantee there isn’t a single 1975 Topps card that shows a player in their new 1975 team uniform. Someone could say the 1975 Bob Locker but that’s just a 1973 photo of him in a Cubs uniform when he was going back and forth between the A’s and the Cubs.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by bk400

That was my initial thought, but then why? It's not going to be a super high dollar value card as a "fake" one-off error card that hasn't been replicated. And there would be costs involved in producing the card. Would someone really go through all the trouble for a couple hundred bucks? I also did a google image search and it cannot find a photo that matches Hank Aaron's pose in the card...?

In terms of why, I think the answer is less about the cash, and more about someone who thought it would look cool. Although it drives economists crazy, and we may be loathe to admit it, from time to time we all make noneconomic decisions based on aesthetics and what brings us joy.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by raulus

In terms of why, I think the answer is less about the cash, and more about someone who thought it would look cool. Although it drives economists crazy, and we may be loathe to admit it, from time to time we all make noneconomic decisions based on aesthetics and what brings us joy.

^^The bold part^^ I have personally made way over 100 custom cards just for that reason. Then there are several guys making a living making custom cards like that. They sell anywhere from a couple bucks to several hundred depending on how nice of one you want. That one looks like a couple dollar version.

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by bk400

Yes, indeed. Amazing to me that they would have gone the airbrushing route for the "original" #660.

His move to Milwaukee didn't leave enough time for Topps to procure a Brewers image. Still, MUCH better paint jobs exist from that era, even that set.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by deweyinthehall

His move to Milwaukee didn't leave enough time for Topps to procure a Brewers image. Still, MUCH better paint jobs exist from that era, even that set.

Also a 2 second google search shows the image is out there. I found it used in a UK ESPN article.

[JollyElm]

The easiest way to create something like this would be to design and print the front and then paste it on top of an original card (to avoid having to deal with the pesky back, too). It obviously goes without saying (as I say it ), but really examine the sides to see if it's doubled up.

[EddieP]

I didn’t know Ernie Banks and OJ Simpson were cousins.

[bk400]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

The easiest way to create something like this would be to design and print the front and then paste it on top of an original card (to avoid having to deal with the pesky back, too). It obviously goes without saying (as I say it ), but really examine the sides to see if it's doubled up.

Thanks for the feedback, JollyElm (and others). It's an interesting one indeed. The owner of the card says that the thickness is 20pt, which is consistent with the thickness at the time. He also claims that it is pack pulled. I assume that both of these claims can be easily proven or disproven...

[bk400]

Originally Posted by bk400

Thanks for the feedback, JollyElm (and others). It's an interesting one indeed. The owner of the card says that the thickness is 20pt, which is consistent with the thickness at the time. He also claims that it is pack pulled. I assume that both of these claims can be easily proven or disproven...

Post mortem on this: I finally got to handle the card in question -- card stock is very clearly different from an authentic 1975 card. I could tell the moment I touched the surface and the edge of the card. There is a modern feel to the paper, which is thinner than the authentic ones. I won't cast aspersions on the seller of the card, but probably should.

[JustinD]

As is usually the case with these since eBay cut back a little, this is another Etsy card.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1337287...aaron-reprints