1952 topps house gray/yellow

[ALR-bishop]

I did finally find the auction and could not tell from the scan if back was gray for sure. The yellow House and the grays in general both go for large premiums but the amount paid on this one would seem to indicate some master set collector considered it both gray and yellow. Maybe someone who posts on 54 ?

[flkersn]

Sure does look like a cream back. I have heard of PSA mislabeling grays for creams, but not the other way around.

[Cliff Bowman]

The same seller sold another 1952 Topps gray back of #147 Bob Young at the same time and the back scan is similar to the 1952 Topps Frank House. I guess the jury is still out.

[Republicaninmass]

That's a gray back, and was very interesting. I haven't formulated an opinion how it happened

[flkersn]

Maybe feeding alternating cream and gray stock into the same print mechanism with failing red ink?

[Cliff Bowman]

The top scan is the gray back 1952 Topps Frank House, the bottom scan is a normal 1952 Topps Frank House cream back. Either I am color blind or I am ignorant about 1952 Topps gray backs, I don't see a discernible difference. If anything the bottom scan looks darker to me.

[ALR-bishop]

I have seen graders really miss on variants. I don't think you can be sure just on the scans. Hopefully someone who posts on 54 won it and can verify. Maybe Ted Z can weigh in

[Republicaninmass]

Sometimes the Gray backs scan as a lighter colored back, but there is a noticeable difference. Also, on at least the cream backs, the smudge or masking of the Tiger begins to drift up Frank's throat. I tried to make a close up of the area in question. This Tiger has some of the red, but you can see the red is beginning to splatter, as well as the streak of green often found with the Pale yellow near his throat. Some yellow tigers are much more pronounced than others, as is the green on the throat. Again notice the splattering of red going up the card, and the streak of "green", which is the lack of red, up on his throat just to the left of the adam's apple


Card


CU

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

I have seen graders really miss on variants. I don't think you can be sure just on the scans. Hopefully someone who posts on 54 won it and can verify. Maybe Ted Z can weigh in

Hi Al

I'm seeing scans posted here that are confusing. There should be a clear distinction between a GRAY back vs. a WHITE back in these mid-series 1952 Topps cards (as
is evident here with my Billy Martin and Cass Michaels cards).

It's late now, I will look tomorrow thru my set and see if I have a gray back House card.





TED Z