1952 Topps #131-190 Gray Backs

[Doug]

I wasn't necessarily suggesting they are Canadian because SGC calls them that, I was wondering if they did have some knowledge of them actually being Canadian as the reason for labeling them as such. It would make more sense (in my opinion) just to label them as gray backs instead of Canadian unless they actually knew for sure.

[tedzan]

I agree with you....they should label them "Grayback variation".

Perhaps, I will call SGC tomorrow to see if they have any valid information regarding these 1952 Topps cards.

And, thanks for reviving this topic. Maybe this time we will find out something about these mysterious cards.


Regards,

TED Z

[toppcat]

Interesting-I have never heard that Doeskin theory before with the 52 BB. Might be worth a post on the old Net54 Non Sport board. Todd Riley might know and I believe I have seen scans of an unopened Doeskin pack over there.

Ted-is that right there are never gum stains on these?

[Doug]

Originally Posted by tedzan

I agree with you....they should label them "Grayback variation".

Perhaps, I will call SGC tomorrow to see if they have any valid information regarding these 1952 Topps cards.

And, thanks for reviving this topic. Maybe this time we will find out something about these mysterious cards.


Regards,

TED Z

Hopefully they will be able to give some insight. It would be interesting to actually find the source of these cards.

[tedzan]

In my hunt to complete this series, I have seen quite a few of these Graybacks in the past 25 years, and no gum stains.

On the other hand, I have had several regular 1952 Topps cards with gum stains or impressions on their fronts.

The most notable one was a Bobby Thomson with a full impression of a Topps slab of gum across the front of this card.


TED Z

[toppcat]

I just blogged on the Non-Sport Doeskin cards and after doing so I am skeptical the 52 Baseball cards were issued with Doeskin. I'm about to spoil my next blog post but so be it as I think there are three reason the 52 grays are not Doeskins.

1) It seems Doeskin was rebranding or relaunching around 1955 (the doe logo on the packs was trademarked Feb. '55) and I don't think they ran a set promotion in 1952 even though the Wings cards are from the 52/53 era. For the reason in #2 below I don't think they would have been issued in the smaller tissue packs. Wings and Rails & Sails are extant (a wink to JVB!) in unopened tissue packs with the doe logo trademarked in 1955, so the dating is solidly early 1955 or after.

2) The Doeskin Wings and Rails & Sails cards were elongated to make a perfect fit inside a purse sized tissue pack. The 52 grays are regular sized cards.

3) Doeskin cards are just that. They have "Doeskin" on the reverse where "T.C.G." appeared on the originals. The '52 grays have the "T.C.G." indicia.

Could they have been distributed in a different Doeskin (or other brand) product? Yes but I think they could have been the result of high demand necessitating an additional printer pump out an experimental run for vending-type machine or something similar. First series 52's went through at least three printings and flew off the shelves. Demand must have been insane in some areas so finding an alternate source of printing may have been a natural reaction by Topps.

Here is my link: http://toppsarchives.blogspot.com/20...e-ah-choo.html

[usmcloady]

Hello everyone. First time poster, long time reader. My name is Sean and I am a Collector of several different items (Vintage Cards, Modern Cards, Toy Collectables). I have read this thread several times as I have been trying to find information on the 1952 Grey Backs and their possible connection to Topps Rails and Sails. I know collectors recall finding 52' Grey backs in Rails and Sails packs, but the majority of the Rails and Sails packs I have seen are from 1955. I have, however, also seen 1953 Topps Rails and Sails packs (OPC or Printed in Canada??). Is it possible that the Rails and Sails packs were sold in 1953 and 1955 (I have never seen a 1954 Rails and Sails pack)? 1953 being very close to the 1952 Topps run thus providing a possible method for distribution of 1952 Greys in 1953 Rails and Sails packs? This is just something I have been mulling over in my head recently and thought I post it here for the knowledgeable collectors here on the board. In my head, this seems very possible, a 1953 Topps Rails and Sails pack containing some extra cards from a previous print run to "Fatten" the packs up. Has anyone ever opened/or know of someone opening a 1955 or 1953 Rails and Sails pack in the past, say, 10 years?

[Zach Wheat]

I thought this rang a bell.....after searching through some articles I had saved, I realized Bob Lemke wrote on this issue:

http://boblemke.blogspot.com/2011/05...-canadian.html

He also gives some detail about the glossy mid-series gray backs referenced in another post.


Z Wheat

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by usmcloady

Hello everyone. First time poster, long time reader. My name is Sean and I am a Collector of several different items (Vintage Cards, Modern Cards, Toy Collectables). I have read this thread several times as I have been trying to find information on the 1952 Grey Backs and their possible connection to Topps Rails and Sails. I know collectors recall finding 52' Grey backs in Rails and Sails packs, but the majority of the Rails and Sails packs I have seen are from 1955. I have, however, also seen 1953 Topps Rails and Sails packs (OPC or Printed in Canada??). Is it possible that the Rails and Sails packs were sold in 1953 and 1955 (I have never seen a 1954 Rails and Sails pack)? 1953 being very close to the 1952 Topps run thus providing a possible method for distribution of 1952 Greys in 1953 Rails and Sails packs? This is just something I have been mulling over in my head recently and thought I post it here for the knowledgeable collectors here on the board. In my head, this seems very possible, a 1953 Topps Rails and Sails pack containing some extra cards from a previous print run to "Fatten" the packs up. Has anyone ever opened/or know of someone opening a 1955 or 1953 Rails and Sails pack in the past, say, 10 years?

Is there dating on the 53 R&S packs?

FWIW Lord Baltimore Press printed the 1950's Topps Giant Size cards.