1952 Topps Images of All Variations <Rolling Thread>

[Zach Wheat]

I thought it might be fun to have a thread on 1952 Topps Variations keep a list of all the known variations in once place. 1952 Topps has often been compared to a post-war equivalent of the Monster - the T206 with a total of 407 cards - but many more variations are known and now are at 650+. "Old Timers" that collected this set considered a card to be a true variation if they could find 10 cards with the same variation - and their list of the complete set had over 700 cards! Completing a set with all variations - red & black back, mid-series gray backs, high # double printed left & right arrow cards, yellow House variations, Campos red star/black star variations as well as the various print variations makes it quite a challenge to complete - and a significant challenge to even the experienced collector.

I thought it would be helpful to keep a running list of all of the cards/variations in the set. In the Higgins & Scott auction, they listed a total of 579 cards which they noted was the most complete set at the time. The link to the auction is here (thanks Al-R):

http://aug13.hugginsandscott.com/cgi...l?itemid=59354

PDF of variations in auction (thanks Irv):
http://aug13.hugginsandscott.com/pdf/1952_topps.pdf

However, the "complete" set with all variations comprises many more cards. Here is the original N54 thread with some of the variations:

https://net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=294679

One PSA registry collector has a good list of most variations here:

https://www.psacard.com/psasetregist...gegallery/5747

1952 Topps The 22 Red Strip Cards Article (Thanks Patrick):
https://oldbaseball.com/m/refs/1952_...ed_Stripes.pdf

N54 1952 Topps Campanella thread:
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=132556

However, none of these sources are complete. For future reference, and perhaps to get the grading companies to recognize some of the variations I thought it would be helpful to the newer collectors to keep a repository of all known variations. Variations will be divided into 2 categories:
1) intentional design changes or currently recognized major variations in the card or "Variations" and
2) recurring Print Differences or "PD" below.
If PD variations are regularly collected, they should be included in the Master List. Variations could include print variations, paper variations, color toning variations from using different ink and state errors, wrong back errors (could be classified as either category), printing errors, etc. Classification as a true variation depends upon the intent of Topps at the time the card was designed AND/or whether the PD is a commonly collected "variation".

So let's get rolling and add images on a rolling list of all the unique variations.

Rolling List of 1952 Topps Variations - Card & Variations Count *** - Updated 7/23/24
Set Card Count - 407 cards
PSA Master Set - 491 Cards
PSA Super Set - 551 Cards
Huggins & Scott Master Set - 579 Cards
Current Master Set Possibilites Listed Below


Current Master Set Intentional Design Variations - ??
Current Master Set Recurring Print Differences - ??

#1-80a Red Back
#1-80b Black Back
#42a Kretlow - Post #23 Red Back, Orange background
#42b Kretlow - Post #23 Black Back, yellow background
#42c Kretlow - Post #23 Red Back, peach background
#43a Scarborough - (No Pic) Red Back, Light Peach background
#43b Scarborough - (No Pic) Black Back, Light Peach/Yellow background
#43c Scarborough - (No Pic) Black Back, Peach background
#46a Goldsberry Red Back - Light Bleachers in background
#46b Goldsberry Red Back - Dark Bleachers in background (Less Common)
#46c Goldsberry Black Back - Light Bleachers in background (Less Common)
#46d Goldsberry Black Back - Dark Bleachers in background
#55 Boone - Post #23 Red Back, light olive background
#55 Boone - Post #23 Red Back, dark olive background
#55 Boone - Post #23 Black Back, light olive background
#55 Boone - Post #23 Black Back, dark olive background
#57 Lopat, Ed - Post #5 Red Back; Red Blob, below right eye
#77 Kennedy, No (or partial) Bottom Border, Red Back
#116 Scheib (Red Back only) - Partial Frame Break, lower left vertical frame
#131-190 Tan Back
#131-190 Gray Back
#146 House, Tan Back
#146 House, Gray Back
#146 House, Tan Back Yellow Tiger
#146 House, Tan Back Yellow Tiger, Green Neck
#146 House, Gray Back Yellow Tiger (No red in on tongue to be considered a Yellow House); no green neck
#162 Crandall, print mark (circular area, missing red ink)
#191 Berra - Red Stripe (right side)
#196 Hemus - red stripe right shoulder (left side of card)
#200 Houk Post #29 light pink background, normal tint
#200 Houk Post #29, dark pink background, red facial tint
#200 Houk - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#201 Berra - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#205 King- Red Stripe top right border Post #66-68
#206 Ostrowski - Red Stripe left side Post #66-68
#210 Fowler - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#210 Fowler - Lower border break
#211 Coleman - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#215 Bauer - Red Stripe (Top Right Corner) Post #66-68
#216 Ashburn - Red Stripe right shoulder
#220 Presko - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#221 Hamner - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#225 Baumholtz (Horizontal card) Red Stripe on bottom border Post #66-68
#226 Philley - Red Stripe, right shoulder Post #66-68
#230 Batts - Red Stripe (left third) Post #66-68
#231 Zoldak - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#235 Dropo - Red Stripe (bottom) Post #66-68
#235 Dropo - Print Blob, right side of face on green background, Post #75
#236 Fitzgerald - Red Stripe, right shoulder Post #66-68
#240 Phillips - Red Stripe (left third) Post #66-68
#241 Byrne - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#245 Robertson - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#246 Kell - Red Stripe (right side) Post #66-68
#250 Erskine - Red Stripe (left third) Post #66-68
#295 Cavarretta, Post #52 red print mark near right edge
#306 Sleator Post #37, green oblong slash on right arm
#307 Campos Post #31, 34, 43 regular card
#307 Campos Post #31, red-star, black-star on reverse
#307 Campos Post #31, red-star, partial black-star on reverse
#307 Campos Post #31, 34, 43 partial top border break
#307 Campos Post #31, 34, 43 top border break corrected
#307 Campos Post #31, partial red-star, black-star (no pic)
#314 Campanella Post #49, Missing R in "Major" (and part of line above) on reverse of card in "Major League Batting Record"
#327 Wilson Post #5 - Green Blob, left eyebrow
#358 Kucab Post #14, (unverified, no pic) fingerprint on image
#358 Kucab Post #45, Scratched printing plate, bottom front
#390 Nelson #88 - Major Red Blob on Neck

I will update the list from information provided below when time permits.

[ALR-bishop]

What are the ground rules ?

[jayshum]

There are already a lot of them posted in this thread:

https://net54baseball.com/showthread...+topps+gallery

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

What are the ground rules ?

Good Question. The intent was to have this thread be a reference for the less common variations. Some are posted in the other N54 thread mentioned above. Master set collectors - in general - recognize the "master set" as consisting of the original 407 cards + 80 red back/black back 1st series cards + 60 mid-series gray backs + 3 left/right arrow high # double prints = 550 recognized card variations as part of the "master set". Post any of these "rare" variations if you have them. It is always nice to see the left & right arrow double prints.

As previously noted, Huggins & Scott counted 579 cards as part of the most complete master set (so 29 more variations). I believe there are others. By my count, there are close to 600+/- cards and variations in the master set.

It would be great to have a running thread that emphasizes these 50 +/- remaining variations as well as any new variations found.

[irv]

Here are couple of new ones I pointed out to Al in the 52 thread but I'm unsure if these went anywhere?
Green splotch over Archie Wilson's left eyebrow (High Number Card #327) and a red splotch under Ed Lopat's right eye. (Card #57) I did a search and some have these marks and others don't but I don't know if those signify a variation or not? (Ed Lopat is a red back card. I have not seen this on black back cards))

[irv]

A few of my variations.
My Frank House Yellow Tiger card (Card #147) does not have Frank with the greenish neck which seems to be the norm with these Yellow Tiger cards.
I believe, according to some on here, this is the more tougher one of the 2 Yellow Tiger cards?

[ALR-bishop]

Zac---had not seen the PSA link. It has a couple I had not seen. I have never added the ones in the 52 Gallery thread you posted that are not in the H&S list of 579 ( like a couple Dale posted), so do not have a list of 600 plus. I assume if you do it is "proprietary" for now ? Seems to me if we are going to catalog what is out there it would be best to go 1-407 and let people identify anything they have for each number.

For example for #1 Pafko would be two ? ( red and black).

[Zach Wheat]

Irv,

I was not aware of the Wilson or Lopat variations. The House yellow Tiger variation comes in both a normal tan back and gray back. The House yellow Tiger version appears to have a green neck version, similar to the one you posted but more pronounced. Your thoughts on rarity of this version are consistent with my understanding, although I am certainly not an expert.

[Republicaninmass]

I'm not sure the x of mine, but it has the centering lines on it as well. I can't imagine it's more than 15 or 20

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[irv]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I'm not sure the x of mine, but it has the centering lines on it as well. I can't imagine it's more than 15 or 20

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Thanks, Ted.

[BillyC_KY]

Irv,
PSA said “we will not be recognizing this as a gray back yellow Tiger. It was the yellow Tiger part of it that we did not feel comfortable with recognizing.” Selfishly I was hoping it would cross so I could sell it for decent money to help me finish my 52 Topps set for the second time. I am so glad I recently joined the Net54 site. Picking the brains of people like Zach, Irv, and Ted is priceless!! Thanks guys!!

[irv]

Originally Posted by BillyC_KY

Irv,
PSA said “we will not be recognizing this as a gray back yellow Tiger. It was the yellow Tiger part of it that we did not feel comfortable with recognizing.” Selfishly I was hoping it would cross so I could sell it for decent money to help me finish my 52 Topps set for the second time. I am so glad I recently joined the Net54 site. Picking the brains of people like Zach, Irv, and Ted is priceless!! Thanks guys!!

I wonder if it is all the red speckling on/near the lower left of the card that they feel uncomfortable about?
It also looks like, (possibly?) there is some red on the Tigers tongue?
Seems both companies, maybe more, have tightened up their grading criteria on what constitutes a true Yellow Tiger?
Some previous cards have definitely been graded with some red, and some significantly, on the Tigers tongue and elsewhere but I'd be really surprised if any in the last 6 months to a year have been?

And, you're welcome. I don't know as much as most on here so I'm glad to help out where I can.

[Zach Wheat]

Dale,

I had a House with partial red tongue "yellow" tiger recently (i.e. 12 months ago) graded by PSA. I guess it depends upon which grader gets the card.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by BillyC_KY

Irv,
PSA said “we will not be recognizing this as a gray back yellow Tiger. It was the yellow Tiger part of it that we did not feel comfortable with recognizing.” Selfishly I was hoping it would cross so I could sell it for decent money to help me finish my 52 Topps set for the second time. I am so glad I recently joined the Net54 site. Picking the brains of people like Zach, Irv, and Ted is priceless!! Thanks guys!!

Well that certainly Is curious. I was told I had the option of either, but not both. I did not save the email, but I did find this from nov 2023
"

Cert xxxxxxx is not the Yellow Tiger. We have tightened the acceptable parameters for the yellow tiger, which are different than those in the past, and the Tiger can't have any red or orange, including the tongue, so this is example does not fit our standards. "

Also, thanks for the kind words. However, I'm still not sure the difference between priceless and worthless

[irv]

Originally Posted by Zach Wheat

Dale,

I had a House with partial red tongue "yellow" tiger recently (i.e. 12 months ago) graded by PSA. I guess it depends upon which grader gets the card.

Or, you submitted it just under the new criteria as Ted has written below?

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Well that certainly Is curious. I was told I had the option of either, but not both. I did not save the email, but I did find this from nov 2023
"

Cert xxxxxxx is not the Yellow Tiger. We have tightened the acceptable parameters for the yellow tiger, which are different than those in the past, and the Tiger can't have any red or orange, including the tongue, so this is example does not fit our standards. "

Also, thanks for the kind words. However, I'm still not sure the difference between priceless and worthless

Thought that was the case.