The '73 Kaline Band Aid Variation Train Keeps A-Rollin'...
 

For as long as I can remember I've been on the lookout for a transitional 'missing link' variation that might fit in between the 1973 Topps Al Kaline 'bandage on forehead' card and the normal version of this card, where the bandage has been completely airbrushed away and his forehead is clear of anything relevant. I always figured there must be something out there. Well, today I found something very, very interesting indeed. Check out the second picture in this progression. To me it clearly shows some light remnants of that pesky Band Aid. Granted, this discovery is not exactly equal to Howard Carter finding King Tut's tomb, but it's pretty cool nonetheless, and I thought some of my fellow variation nuts would enjoy seeing it.

Attachment 218133

Good catch Darren....when looking for the predominant Band-Aid card I had noticed some copies with something different appearing where the Band-Aid would had been. However, never having a card in hand like the center one, I never thought much of it. Reminds me of several other multiple variation cards caused by Topps' less than stellar initial airbrush jobs such as the 71 Nash and 78 Wills.

Kaline
 

Darren,

Very cool pic of Kaline. Surely have never noticed, or saw this before. Thanks for posting your findings.

Good one

It looks like they touched up the "D" in the last version too.

Yeah, I too was looking at that 'D' on his cap and wasn't sure if they cleaned it up for the final version or if on the earlier versions the black sorta bled into the tiny white areas of the letter.

As an addendum…depending on how much of a psycho variations collector you are, there is another thing of note on 'regular' versions of the 1973 Kaline. A recurring black dot appears in the upper right, white area of the card, as shown in these two examples…

Attachment 218172

I have to point out Darren's excellent cropping on the pics in his OP. All three are perfect. You have quite the eye for detail. Smiley face.

Some of the other variations I've discovered and shown here (namely 1967 and 1969 checklists a bunch of months ago) were via animated gifs, so I take the time in photoshop to perfectly align the images, making the differences readily evident when it's all in motion. I was going to do the same thing with Al here, but when I created it, the changes seemed to become somewhat lost in the transitions, so I figured it was a better bet to simply post the pics side by side.

Darren,

Thanks for pointing out this variation, just another reason that I enjoy this site. I read one of your old posts about the Kaline and I have been on the hunt ever since.

Jim

Sorta looks like the Zapruder Film, but here goes…

http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...psgpmz5pgx.gif

So, just to be clear, is the band-aid variation out there in general circulation? I'm guessing its fairly rare.....is it?:confused:

Yes, the Band-Aid version is out in general circulation. I have only been searching for it for the last 6 months....checking new BIN listings on ebay several times a day. In the last 6 months, I may have missed a few, but I have seen only three (most recently, one auction of a lot ended on the 14th for $3) copies with Band-Aid out of the 100+ that have sold and the nearly 100 currently listed. So maybe 1-2% of the copies of this card have the Band-Aid? I also wonder when PSA will begin to recognize this variation?

Film
 

That's cool Darren. Glad his head did not explode in the last frame :)

This would seem to be one that SCD, Beckett and PSA should recognize as a variation, even under an intentional change definition.

My thanks to Cliff Bowman for helping me get one

I was editor of the Standard Catalog for many years between 1981-2006 and this is the first I can recall hearing of the band-aid variation on 1973 Topps Kaline.

I certainly would have added the variation to the listings if I had encountered it; it is clear that this was an intentional change.

It must be quite scarce to have gone "officially" undetected for so long.

Well, get on the phone with someone, Bob!! ;)

And bring up how there are 3 distinctly different versions (not just 2) of a few of the manager/coaches cards, too.

Mr Lemke
 

Always nice to have Bob make a visit

I know in my last stint as "contributing editor" I added a few more of the manager/coaches variations to the data base, but I don't know if they made it to print or not.

It's so damn discouraging that in trying to save a few bucks the recent/current management at F+W tried to make the SCBC data base fit into a platform that was never meant to handle such things. So much seems to have been lost, some of it apparently irretrievably.

I found at least one in the COMC Database (It's already been sold) and have another 100 or so to look through. The COMC Database has also been appropriately updated.

My eyes are not always that good so if someone else wants to look and find more I'll move those over as well.

With the recent announcement about F&W bankruptcy, Mr. Lemke's comment is even more poignant. Sometimes when you reduce what you think are non-essential costs, they actually are the most essential. Why? Eventually your readers notice the lack of effort and leave you

Rich

band aid
 

Yea, that Bob L goes way back...I think I still have a couple of the very early magazines that was involved in....man ! back them ( early 80s ? ) ..those publications were really cool. Glossy covers,..loads of pics, price guide, and the dealer advertisements ...very useful back then !

I'm interested in the progression of these. It's possible the "all 660" cards came one way and the cards issued in series another with a 3rd iteration being vending. Clearly three press impressions were made, with possible variance between A & B sheets also something to consider.

Dave, based on the very limited amounts of both the regular and partial Band-Aid cards, I think they were both produced in a limited print run in just one of the three methods of distribution you mention. Based on my experiences obtaining this full version card (I have acquired one in each of the last 4 years), I would estimate that 1 out of 100 copies (1%) are the full Band-Aid version, however that percent maybe too high. The partial version has been even tougher for me than the full version.

If the percentages were higher on both of these Kaline variations, I would agree that the cards were changed on the sheets in between the printings of each of the methods of distribution that you mention.


The most similar card to this, IMO, is the 1978 Bump Wills and the 4 known versions of that card. The full circle cards is almost as tough as the Band-aid Kaline card.

Dave: I would have thought the all 660 cards was more than one percent of the total run AND why would they put the band-aid on the later cards. I would think they would want the band-aid off.

Just curious as to your logic on this -- we're all spitballing but I don't think this supposition makes sense.

At card shows I attend I look for this band aid card. Never seen one. And I’ve looked for several years.
Larry

Just spitballing. Seems more like an early run got out and was edited.

After looking on eBay for many months I finally was able to pick this card up when I saw that it was included in a 1973 Tigers team set. When I go to shows I keep an eye out for it.

I love this site because I would have never been aware of this card otherwise.

This was mine if it helps any
 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qEgAA...FU/s-l1600.jpg

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/34EAA...Ce/s-l1600.jpg

Based on my searches for 1973 Topps Kaline over the past 12 years or so, I would say a 1% occurrence rate for the band aid variation seems about right.

https://i143.photobucket.com/albums/...psymfhipuo.jpg

My guess would be more in the .1% range. Like most people I know I got mine for a few dollars on eBay. I have seen a few lucky sellers get silly $ for them.