1952 Topps Gray Back 3rd Series HELP SOS!
 

sooo...without understating i have spent the last 24 hours consuming imagery and forum info and deep searching info and have arrived at the doorstep of perplexed! I have ZERO collecting history with this particular set other than one card when i was a wee little child 2 decades ago and only have my historical research before my deep dive into this. I recently picked up these 2 cards in a bargain bin for the intent to use as examples as i have wanted to potentially begin collecting this issue SLOWLY. I however noticed when i got home and pined over them to analyze them closely and not so closely sitting on my desk the backs looked significantly different. So i scrubbed imagery of grays and non grays, lemon article, ted z and arl posts etc. and have zero explanation for the deviant print qualities of these 2 cards from all listings or sales or archived photos for them grays or creams and need some insight here please and thank you. I tried different scan environments and it doesn't change the way they present however the scans do seem to drown the even more blunt naked eye contrasts between these 2 alone much less any online from scans or non scanned photos and so i am here with this sos post to be schooled further and given (hopefully) insight from you og veterans of this complex set issue. The cards do appear to have a different ink mixture i have not been able to match whereas the rest all have consistencies minus the anomalies in lemon article etc. also the marshall has to me a different stock overall even from a side view from the rojek and the front print has an overall extremely yellow rich printing through it if that makes sense whereas the rojek is much "cleaner and brighter" overall but even the rojek doesnt match up to anything i can find. The cards all match up in referance to authenticity and "natural" aging and the wonderful aroma of cards in this era lol along with printing signatures of the half tone process consistent with this time era etc. if this even comes into question. (Looking at you Ted) or anyone lol. Thanks again in advance for any help and insight and feel free to request whatever is needed from me imagery or otherwise within reason to help clarify if this in fact not simple though i am sure it is for the experienced veterans on here.

Apologies for the long winded ramble just rather intrigued and mind boggled on my end after a literal 24 rabbit hole gauntlet analysis of these and the catalogs available of grays and creams in the entire 3rd series run looking for any consistency.

also if this matters or not but under loupe the fiber frays on the cards do have a darker tone to them but there is a darker tone to the marshall period as it is definately a different stock from even the rojek. Also the white borders on the cards are glossed as far as i can tell with 70 year old cards lol

also final note from my end before I shut up and wait... this is a cliche story but these cards are from a low 40s woman who inherited her late grandfathers card collection that has cards from 52 up to the early 90s. did not see anymore of these initially but have asked if there are more as she struggles to deal with the collection size and has only shown me smaller bundles at a time to pick apart individually as she does not feel comfy selling the collection. Also located in the albany, NY area if that makes any difference.

Did cross post to the post war and 1950-59 forums. If inappropriate apologies.

Those look like regular cream backs. The grey back are really grey, even when you scan them. Do a google search for 1952 Topps grey backs and look at the psa site. They have the entire run of grey backs there. There is no doubt, they are very grey...

Good luck
Nate Mack

Some further reading on the subject:

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=282696