After nearly 2 hours of scouring the internetwebs, I have come to the conclusion that a 100% totally clean 1981 Topps Mike Phillips is very, very scarce. Nearly all have some level of smudging of varying degrees. Some look clean until you inspect them closely.
I found a PSA 9 that looks clean in the scan, but I suspect imperfections could be found in the same area if looked at closely. Seller wanted $200, so I passed without hesitation. I also found one raw on Ebay that looks clean and I bought it.
I also bought several others of varying degrees.
For my Cardinals team set, I have notated 7 different distinct variations plus a clean one (hopefully). I'm sure there are more, but those will suffice for me.
I am dizzy!
