Are Blank Backs Errors or Variations?

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Posted By: peter chao

Everybody has seen them, they are blan-back cards, normally they are cards that have already been covered on the back. But for some reason, they were not lettered. Are these errors or variations?

Peter C.

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Posted By: Al

I vote errors, unless they are proofs; and blank back proofs do exist for most years. I guess the proofs themselves can be variations if they are intentionally changed prior to actual production of the set, such as the 60 Hanley and Cimoli, the 67 Maris Yankee, the 78 Jackson Oriole or the 84 Encased Carlton and Mathews reverse insert pictures

I tend to think of variations as intentional changes, such as the 59 Spahn different date of birth variations , or the trade and option variations from that same year....as opposed to print defects, such as the 57 Bakep or the 58 Herrer, even though they are now viewed as variations

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Posted By: boxingcardman

They are errors because they are missing elements of the printing process rather than having an element of the printing process replaced, but really, the issue is academic since some errors acquire the same cachet as variations. T206 Magie/Magee is a variation, T206 Sweeney no B (missing red ink) is an error.

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Posted By: peter chao

Adam,

I always thought that errors were more valuable than variations. Or does it really depend on the card?

Peter C.

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Posted By: Anthony

I think it depends on both the card and the set. Any oddity in T206 is a hotly collected card, the same oddity in '35 Goudey would have no difference in value.
Blank back cards, to me, are just printing mistakes, the same as wrong backed cards. No extra value at all, and if offered one I'd probably pass if I already had the card.

Hernansk, Bakep, Herrer are all errors as well, but have the noteriety and the long history to have made them as sought after as true variations. It doesn't hurt that the grading companies note the version on the flips and pop reports, and included them in registries as variations.