1961 Topps Roger Maris Blank Back
 

Picked it up earlier today in a trade. Hope to have it in hand in a few days. Not sure if it is a regular issue blank back or maybe off a salesman sample, any ideas or things to look for? Former owner says card is a little wider than average card and one edge is cut a little wavy so it is definitely hand cut out of something.

I don't think it is a sample; best described as a scrap from a sheet.

I am hoping it is scrap from a sheet and not cut out of something else. If it was a T206 I could retire.:eek::D

Nice pickup Ben! It will be interesting to know once you have this card in hand if the card is printed on standard weight stock or some sort of stock that is heavier/lighter.

I have 5 or 6 Lou Brock blank backs. They are surprisingly not that rare, although the stars can go for quite a premium to player collectors.

What year Lou Brock are your blank backs?

I have seen a few other 61 blank backs but not a ton of them like you see in the 80's/90's products.

My main concern is that there was another product that used the picture like a sample or advertising piece.

Larry, thanks I am excited about it. When I get it I will check the card stock and measure the thickness with a caliper and compare it to a known good card.

The cardboard seems a bit too brown and rough for a normal 61.

But it's not off an ad panel unless it was also a blank back.
The boxes didn't have card images like that

Plus both were on the same cardboard.

Maybe a proof?
Or something really odd?

Interesting card.

Steve B

Brock blank backs are (all Topps)

1976
1978 Record Breaker proof from Topps vault
1970 Super
1975 Stolen Base leaders
1964
1968 World Series.

If you go to the "Year of Lou Brock" thread, they are all on there.

Sir you have some amazing Lou Brock cards. I had seen the thread just never looked at it. Really like the 71 Topps with the print offset.

Got the Roger Maris blank back in the mail today and am very happy with it. After looking at front/back with a loupe, checking it out under a black light, and measuring the thickness with a caliper I am 100% sure it is real and hand cut out of a scrap sheet.

Since it is hand cut anyway I will probably have it trimmed ever so slightly to square it up to give it more eye appeal. Opinions on this, would it be stupid to square it up?

I traded for this card to sell/trade it. Since it is hand cut SGC will only give it an Authentic grade, money wise would it be worth my time having it graded authentic?

i don't see a problem with lightly trimming a hand-cut card for better eye appeal. The problem would be trimming it too much and losing the borders.

I have trimmed some Post cards and Wheaties that had rough edges. Not a big deal to me.

Thanks for the compliment.

In regards to getting the Maris graded, I don't know.

I can tell you I don't think I paid more than $20 for any of my blank backs.

They just have a limited collecting base. I don't know how much bigger of a base of collectors Maris has over Lou Brock.

I see an occasional graded blank back labeled as a proof of Lou Brock - similar to this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-TOPPS-1...item4acd3dd861

and they either never sell or the prices are pretty low.

I wouldn't bother with grading it. Maybe in the future if some major premium becomes normal.

I also wouldn't trim it at all. There should be others out there, and matching up the one that was next to it could be fun.

Neither is a big deal either way.


Steve B

61 mays et all blank back
 

Hello All

I am new to this site so please forgive me

Wasn't sure where to post my question, but this post seemed to be the appropriate place after searching the site

I have a 1961 Topps Willy Mays blank back

Attached is the Mays and Billy Gardner and Earl Torgensen that are also blank back

just trying to determine the Genesis of these cards

I have the same questions as others that posted: proof, scrap sheet, salesman copy, error etc

Also interested in approx value

They do not appear to be cut manually and are standard size

Any guidance would be appreciated

Thanks

Green8MonstAH


=========================================

Hello All

Thanks everybody who responded, all were helpful !

Attached were the front and back of the 61 Topps Willie Mays

Green8MonstAH

Finished Salesman Samples do not have blank backs.

I think it is usually impossible to tell if a blank back card or strip or sheet is a proof or an error unless the card, sheet or strip shows a player pictured differently from an issued card ) like the 77 Jackson as an Oriole, or the 67 Maris as a Yankee, or the 84 Topps Encased cards), or came from Topps vault designated as such, or appears to be a progressive color proof ( that is clearly not a faded card ) .

I have seen blank back verified proofs sell for large premiums, blank back errors for lesser premiums.

I have collected the Topps 1985 Mini set in regular back, blank back, red back only, and distorted backs. ( have completed it only in regular and blank back). The blank backs can be tan or white. Since the whole set is essentially a non issued test set all versions of the non regular backs tend to sell at a premium over regular backs.

Several examples of blank back cards have been posted in the never ending variations thread. I think the value of any particular blank back star card is hard to predict.

Just to chime in ALR is a great resource for all things rare and topps. A proof esp those that have topps certs from vault or auction sell for more than blank backed cards that came from packs. That said blank backed and wronged back topps from the 50's 60's and early 70's are scarce. A May's blank back should attract attention from player and error collectors if it shows up for sale or in an auction. The others will find buyers as well. Hope this helps
Jonathan

Blank Back
 

Ben,

Really like the look of your Maris blank back card. Like some have said I wouldn’t have an issue with trimming to normal size since it looks to be hand cut already. I have a few BB cards and they are all regular sized.

I’m not a slabbed card fan so I wouldn’t encase it, but it wouldn’t be a problem if you choose to do so if you like the look or want to sell that way. It may get a few extra bucks listed as authentic and blank backed.

I don’t know if there’s a way to tell if a blank back is an error that was unintentionally put in a pack, a blank backed sheet that was cut or from a discarded scrap. In your example it’s likely it was from a scrap sheet that was cut.

The biggest thing is to determine what it is for sure. As far as value, you need to find a person that collects print errors. Most star players can be sold for at least 2X the price of a regular card and if you can find a player collector that also collects errors you can get much more. It does not apply to your cards but there is a big price difference between hand cut and factory cut error cards. Hand cut are way easier to sell now, used to be even on rare cards most collectors would pass on a hand cut card.

Thanks Mark, The Maris was a nice card. I traded it a couple years ago for a handful of 54 Topps for my set.