1953 Topps - Checklisting the 'Pedantic Master Set'

[G1911]

I love the 50's Topps sets, and so I just keep buying more and more of every pedantic little difference I see or hear of. The 1953's are my favorite though, the original artwork pretty much the peak of post-war baseball cards in my book.

I know there is a difference between recurring print defects and variations, but both are fun to me and I aim to include all. Blank backs are theoretically possible of every card and I generally try to get them for masters, but don't tabulate them in the count, nor 1 off oddities (though these are just as fun to pick up too). Thus, I'm trying to checklist a pedantic-but-possible-master-set for the 1953's especially here. This is what I have

Genuine variations:
The white/black bio box text backs on every card issued in Series 2.

In addition, 144 Schultz has 2 different patterns of blue in the clouds on his white text back, for a total of 3 cards.

164 Frank Shea has 3 different patterns in the background on his white text card. The black text has no variation. Shea and Schultz are, I think, genuine variations and not RPD's, as the design is completely changed, not just lighter/darker. Albeit, these are pretty boring variations.


Recurring Print Defects:

151 Hoyt Wilhelm - with or without red line in lower left white border. This is visible on some cards without being miscut or off-center even, probably on each Wilhelm in a certain spot on the sheet. It exists on both black and white text backs, making 4 total Wilhelm's.

187 Jim Fridley - the "r" in "Outfielder" on front is faint, the "er" in outfielder is partially missing, or correct. The correct card is the common one, but the RPD's are not that tough. There are at least 3 step variants of this defect, 4 total cards here (possibly more?)


247 Mike Sandlock - White border issue in upper left intruding into image, or correct. Neither is tough, error RPD is a little less common.

That makes 363 cards by my count. Anyone else know of others they would be willing to share?

[mikemb]

Richard Dingman has this one listed on his website:

#221 Milliken - Normal back or Big red ink bleed over bio and top of number circle on back

Mike

[ALR-bishop]

Not every card in series two has W & B bios. Cards 94, 107, 131, 145 and 156 have no black bio. They were pulled from sheet two and cards 10, 44,61,72 and 81 were substituted for some reason, and they do have both bios.

Sandlock, with the border deviation and be found with a red stripe in lower left border. And Hudson can be found with blue stripe in right bottom border

McDougald, Harrist and Schoendienst can be found with adverting on the backs as they were part of a 3 card Salesman Sample strip.

Good Vrecheck article

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrE...k.i7Rq6D4jeHg-

Hanley article

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrJ...XlvU7LMRHnm0A-

Cards like the Wilhelm can drive OCD types like me nuts. On the 69 Gaylord Perry with botht the white and yellow name there are a couple of back variants on each card so you need at least 6 ( or maybe more, Darren may know) to have all possible. It is a sickness, truly

[G1911]

Thank you gentlemen, I did not know about these RPD's! More to go chase down.

And thank you for clarifying the black/white, I should have drawn them out in the OP. I have always considered 10, 44,61,72 and 81 to be part of series 2, and the missing cards in the series 2 number range to be part of series 3 that they were in fact issued with. Still wonder if this was due to last-minute contract issues or Topps pulling the oldest issue in the book and intentionally shorting series to make kids keep looking for non-existent cards.

[G1911]

Okay, there are a ton of different small Sandlock variations. Going shopping for the defect, red stripe in lower left, there's a lot more.

The card was evidently printed next to a red card on the left and a red card beneath it (not a black box, as most of the sheets must have done). There can also be a small black stripe extending a little bit outside of the black box in the lower left border.

That's 4 points of differentiation, that exist in many combos. A) the white defect in upper left, B) the red line from being off-center in lower left, C) the red line at bottom from being off-center, and D) the black line in lower left extending upwards from name box

Attached are scans of cards with the upper left defect. First has the red stripe at bottom left, second has the red stripe at bottom left AND on the bottom.

[G1911]

Here's red stripe in both places, Plus a fifth differentiation I just noticed, a red line in the top white border of the card that is not from an adjacent card

EDIT: I think all the white border upper left defect cards may have the red line in top border.

[G1911]

Here's a no defect, no red anywhere card that shows the black line I am talking about. Note the lower left, with a black line extending into the white border from the name box. I haven't seen this yet on a card with the white border defect in upper left; seems fairly common on no-upper-left-border-defect cards.

[G1911]

This one has the black line extending, and the red from the adjacent card in the left.

The second one shown is a no defect with the red bottom

EDIT: And just noticed a SIXTH differentiation point. Sandlock has a small blue dot above the "E" on his jersey in card on right, but not on card left. Dot is recurring and common.

Looks like ALL the cards have a small defect with a Greenish/whitish couple of pixels below his right calf.

There looks like a dozen+ total combinations of all these defects.

EDIT AGAIN: This also shows a 7th recurring defect; note the line in the right border. This is recurring as well but not always present. It isn't related to an off-center or miscut.

[brewing]

The Art Schult can be found with a broken border around the Yankees logo circle. I've casually tracked for a few years on ebay. The solid border is slightly rarer.