I am in agreement with Al here, as per usual. :D

I am of the opinion that the blueless are of course the usual backdoored print flaw sheets of the time. To be honest I would guess there are very few, likely less than 5 sheets. Even your estimate of 1 or 2 is believable.

Your example has one big issue and that is the poor sheet cut that someone did with a pair of scissors (most noticeable on the back). This can be a big impact on value as many error collectors really focus on pack pulled errors, not printer's scrap, which is really what these are. If sheet cut, it needs to be done well.

While a neat oddity, these don't really hold much value due to the limited number of weirdos like Al and myself that collect them. Had they been packaged and distributed like the blackless and PSA gradable, the value would change.

Only a very small number of uncut backdoored sets find their way into master set and number grades, the full front and back 1985 Topps minis being the most recognized.

The only opportunity for grading these might be Beckett and they would label it a proof most likely with no number grade. Not sure if they still grade proofs, but I have a bunch of older ones I have accumulated. I think grading cost might exceed value in this case.

I think on this, the value would be really what the eBay bidders decide on any given day. As Al said, commons don't do well. Had it been a star or semi-star they can do better due to player collectors.

I appreciate the input again, guys.

This area of collecting is far from my wheelhouse. These just seemed like they were too interesting to pass up, so I took a flyer on them. While not knowing what to expect regarding value, the lack of collector interest is quite frankly very surprising to me. If someone like me who hasn't cared about unsigned cards in over 30 years found them interesting, it just seemed natural that others would as well.

The only thing I would add to what Justin said is that while we may be weird we are not nearly as weird as Butch, Larry, Greg, Cliff and Thomas. Those guys are beyond weird

As a weirdo, can confirm they have little value but are absolutely awesome and a genuine missing ink card is cooler than a HOF rookie card.

That is completely fabulous! I own zero blueless from '82.

Anybody happen to have a Johnny Bench Blackless they would consider selling?? Thanks, Michael.

Michael, I have a Bench but it isn’t for sale. Definitely a tough C sheet one.

Anyone know who won the Murphy the other day? Did you get it Christian? I was an underbidder. Wanted a second one signed :)

Hi Ben, i was bidder but my limit was close to 400.00 but other bidder was more high than 400.00. I note the card had no perfecto corners and a little wrinkle on the bottom left surface. Was sadly not add this to my Blackless Collection but someday. The Only 3 i need to complete the B sheet are #241 Bucky Dent IA Blackless, #464 Juan Bonilla Blackless and #668 Murphy.

OUCH!

ROFL

Weird Butch

Michael, keep an eye always on eBay, i found mine 3 years ago, was a PSA 6 but the Blackless are extraordinary in any condition. Blackless is a Tough set but is a Pleasure collect them.

Nice final price for a semi-star in my mind. Great to see the interest is still going strong in blackless.

+ 1 :)

High demand for Murphy Card. I was very surprised about the final price. Is a a 41 years old Tough set and people begin interest in collect them. Is very difficult to put together a full set.

Murphy Blackless
 

It was not me but another Murphy player collector I know that won the blackless. He was super excited to add it. Such a tough find.
They just don’t show up very often.
Random question for you guys. There were a few blank back no signature 82 Topps cards listed on COMC a few years ago. Not a blackless because they had no back and a border. Some kind of proof?

Mike---there is Blackless, gray ghosts or Blacklessing, Blueless and....Autoless. I have a couple of them. The description is not mine but from a seller I bought several Blackless cards when building my set. Good example of Creative Writing

Autoless descriptions

I think Fred’s Autoless description is priceless which is why I saved it. And even though he says it is the “most rarest card” if you ever read his description of Blackless C sheet cards when he sold those you would have thought them more valuable than a Russian Faberge egg

One more rambling thought. Fred says they are not proof cards even though blank backed because they are not a proof of the issued cards. Rather he views them as a test design card that was replaced by a different design

Another example would be the Topps 1984 blank backed Head in the Box or Encased set of 66 cards, which differ from the issued cards in that the insert face is fully contained in the inset box rather than extending beyond it as with the issued cards. Fred would say they are not proof cards but rejected test design cards. To me that is semantics. I think they are proofs for an unissued design. But folks can call them whatever they want

I call nonsense and can’t see a definition that covers these as a test issue and not a proof with blank backs. This is likely back door scrap that was rolled out the back as it did not finish the production process. If it did not complete the printing process or was tossed as scrap, there is no presentable proof that his was purposely done action to show design production options.

The only either mistake or even perhaps a design thought that slipped past editing is the George Foster in action with or without a signature.

In my mind this is scrap or proof, without it in hand to examine the cut I am unsure.

I have the Jackson. There are other blank back autoless cards with black borders. You could be right about scrap or they could be like the 84 Encased. I think they could be scrap in a sense too, an early rejected design. I have a “set” of those on an uncut sheet. But who knows. I like having the Jackson, whatever it is… or isn’t ��

Fred, who wrote the description above is eccentric but not a fraud. He sold a lot of legitimate 82 Blackless, 84 Encased and 85 Minis on eBay in years past. He thought very highly of his cards and priced them accordingly. But his descriptions always give me a chuckle. I could picture him at a carnival attraction

I seem to recall the Fernando Valenzuela turning up a couple times over the last 15 years. I thought those were considered errors and weren't blank backed.

It’s definitely a great card and I would love one, I was was just speaking to his statement that they were not proofs as there are numerous proof stages with preliminary being as a sample to the customer to get final approval of format and design. I am not badmouthing him or calling him a fraud ( different opinions never deserve such undesirable language unless you are currently Gen Z, lol), just stating the singular proofing method he describes ignores all steps of the approval process and encompasses only checking run pieces while in process.

Technically the 85 Minis (which are my favorite modern issue) are seemingly a combo of proofs and scrap as they were a sample of something not meant for production and swiped from the dumpster and hand cut. I feel like the encased have to be a similar story, likely an early run that was dumped after failing initial approval. I have bought so many fun oddities that all seem to arrive from a 40 mile circle of Duryea, PA.

I do give him copywriter credits on creating the term has “design test issue variation” as opposed to a sample proof. :)

Maybe it’s that I personally love the scrap title and honestly think it implies a far rarer card and want it to get the respect it deserves for its rarity and incredible luck to survive the trash pile and endure. :o

"...the ULTRA RAREST, if not the MOST RAREST, of ALL baseball cards ever..."

Thanks for posting Al. I love the description and use of CAPS to scream the rarity!
Personally, I don't collect the "Backless" cards, but I do like the "Blueless" and "Blacklessing" versions.

I would love to find the first written description of the Blackless cards.

Miked, that is great that it went to a Murph collector.

Blueless and Blackless Goose :)

Ben---from Fred to you. More than anyone needs to know about Blackless, Blueless, Blacklessing and Autoless

Another autoless card I picked up, Seaver IA

Nice description by cristalentia. He dissapear from eBay, i never buy from fred. I request 2 cards but he never return to sell on ebay. Thanks Al for share!

I saved it too, Al. The guy can sell, lol.

Another PSA Mistake....they remove the pic and remove from Blackless Pop report🙏🏻

Like Glynparson, I remember pulling a blank backs. I pulled a pair (Mookie Wilson and Hubie Brooks) in Rowland Heights, CA. I still have them. I am on the look out for a number of commons.

egreenwo

Looking for '82 Topps Cincinnati Reds only, any help would be appreciated.

Keep an eye always on eBay, Reds is one of the toughest teams to assemble.

Hi Guys, the past week i bought this Bucky Dent in Action Card, thinking was a full Blackless. For my surprise the card have a very little thin black border in the left and very little area on bottom very confused with the ground. The top ,the right area and the middle of the bottom area looks very clean. In the simple view is not very notable. The card was the only one i found without Black like the regular and need the Blackless one for my collection.

Thanks to Joe W. For the yellow in Dent in Action card!

Looks like a partial blackless to me Christian. Still a tough one to acquire.

Looking at the PSA gallery for blackless, it looks like some of the cards have areas of halftone that are darker at the edges. Which is usually covered or partly hidden by the black.

If you haven't, have a look with a good magnifier, and see if there's actually black there.

Yes Ben, the card is part of my Blackless Collection and still a great one. Is possible this is the only one i will find.

I note various cards and when i receive them all are pure Blackless, is the effect in picture.

.

My 1982 Topps Blackless remaining list:

101 Mike Schmidt IA "C"

107 Wayne Krenchicki "C"

116 Jim Wohlford "C"

201 George Brett IA "C"

241 Bucky Dent IA "B"

275 Bob Watson "C"

288 Garry Templeton "C"

360 Len Barker "C"

442 Bruce Kison "C"

475 Alan Trammell "C"

481 Steve Carlton IA "C"

555 Scott McGregor All Star "C"

610 Rickey Henderson "C"

668 Dale Murphy "B"

705 Mickey Rivers IA "C"

716 Willie Stargell IA "C"

721 Greg Luzinski IA "C"

735 Rudy May "C"

741 Dave Lopes IA "C"

771 Rich Gossage IA "C"

Blackless?
 

This was posted on a Facebook group.
The gentleman sent his card to PSA as a “blacklessing” card.
What he got back is jaw dropping. Maybe a 5?

I ran across this on eBay during a 'Topps error' search, it certainly isn't a "true" blackless card and in my opinion shouldn't even qualify as a blackless card.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16654387227...Bk9SR5CP29yeYw