Show us your 1950 Topps Felt Backs

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by jefferyepayne

I coulda SWORN I had that card. Maybe I misplaced it and it will turn up.

In the meantime, GAME ON

BAM! Picked up the Yellow Ziniach plus three others I need for my Feltback Master set.





jeff

[sockwell123]

Congrats! WTG

[Beansballcardblog]

sigh...

Originally Posted by jefferyepayne

BAM! Picked up the Yellow Ziniach plus three others I need for my Feltback Master set.





jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Is the brown or yellow more rare or does it vary by card? And does anyone know the reason for the variation? Was one issued before the other? Thanks.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Is the brown or yellow more rare or does it vary by card? And does anyone know the reason for the variation? Was one issued before the other? Thanks.

I wrote an article on this set for a recent Gridiron Greats Magazine. Did you see it? Was a few issues ago.

Apparently Topps ran out of brown ink during printing and switch that panel of 25 cards to yellow. For a long time it was believe that the yellow version of these cards were more scarce but that has been shown not to be true. Browns are much tougher than yellows to find.

jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Thanks Jeff! I really appreciate it. I let my GG lapse, I'll pick up issue 58. You call it 1949 - interesting!

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Thanks Jeff! I really appreciate it. I let my GG lapse, I'll pick up issue 58. You call it 1949 - interesting!

Yes, it has been verified that this set was available by late 1949 so should actually be designated by that year. That article talks about some of the proof that this is true.

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

One thing I've been puzzling over is which color Topps ran out of when they switched from Brown to Yellow. The obvious answer is they ran out of Brown! But I'm not so sure. We all know Topps was extremely cheap and tried to pinch pennies at ever turn. I would imagine Topps often purchased standard primary colors (that were probably the cheapest options in bulk) and mixed them together to get other colors they wanted for their cards.

In the case of the 1949 Topps Felt Backs, the other three backgrounds are primary colors: Red, Green, and Blue. Brown can be made by mixing a primary color with its complement. The only primary/complement color combo comprised of Red, Green, and Blue that makes both Brown and Yellow are Red and Green. My guess is that Topps ran low on Red ink and reduced the amount of Red in the mix, changing the background color from Brown to Yellow.

Any thoughts on this?

jeff