Tag Archives: error

1969 TOPPS BASEBALL ERROR CARDS

Leave a reply

The 1969 Topps baseball card set is one of the most infamous issues in the history of the hobby due to the number of errors that appeared on cards that year. While minor printing errors have always been a part of the production process for baseball cards over the decades, the sheer volume and significance of mistakes in the ’69 set stands out compared to other years. Within the 792 card checklist of the regular issue are close to two dozen errors ranging from malformed images to missing or incorrect information. Some of these pressing plant problems have become highly sought after by error card collectors willing to pay top dollar to acquire the misprints.

One of the most famous flubs from the 1969 Topps set involves future Hall of Famer Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants. On card #590, Mays is shown wearing his familiar number 24 Giants road jersey but the team name listed underneath is incorrect as “Metropolitans” instead of “Giants.” This is considered one of the signature error cards from the year due to Mays’ stature in the game and the comedic nature of mistakenly labeling him as a member of a defunct 19th century team. Another well-known miscue features Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski on card #87. The future World Series hero has his name spelled incorrectly as “MAZEROWSKY” which created a very scarce and desirable collectible piece.

In addition to player name and team name mix-ups, there were several 1969 Topps cards that contained issues with the physical images themselves. Giant slugger Willie McCovey had a miscut card #178 where part of the photo was sheared off, removing a chunk of his left shoulder. A similarly cropped photo error occurred on Brewers pitcher Ken Sanders’ card #325. The most dramatic photo flaw involved Expo Cookie Rojas’ card #398 which was missing nearly the entire upper half of his face, just showing his cap and lower neck. This “headless” Rojas remains one of the strangest errors in the set.

Position or uniform number mistakes were not abnormal for the 1969 Topps production run. Pitchers Dave Giusti and Gary Nolan each had their numbers swapped, as Giusti was listed as “37” instead of “26” on the Pirates card #283 and Nolan was dubbed “26” rather than his actual “37” as a Red. Tigers outfielder Gates Brown had his uniform #24 displayed but was identified as a first baseman on card #150. Yankees pitcher Stan Bahnsen had the extraordinary error of being called a catcher on card #410 despite having never played the position.

Multiple cards in the 1969 set even contained mistakes regarding which league or division a player was associated with. Phillies first baseman Dick Allen was dubbed a player in the National League West division when in fact he participated in the National League East on card #132. Just one card away, Frank Quilici of the Minnesota Twins was credited with playing in the American West while it should have listed the accurate American League West on card #133.

Some errors had to do with statistical inaccuracies. Pitcher Steve Arlin’s 1969 Topps card #275 stated he had 35 career wins when in actuality he only owned 23 victories to that point. The back of reliever Danny Frisella’s card #276 listed him with 4 career losses when in fact he was still without a single defeat. Strangest of all, Oakland pitcher Catfish Hunter saw his 1968 ERA inflated from 1.63 to 16.30 on the back of his card #492, an off-by-nearly-15 runs discrepancy.

As 1969 Topps production was rushed to meet deadlines, low quality control allowed several other quirks into the set. Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst had the team he piloted listed as the “St. Louis” instead of writing out the full “St. Louis Cardinals” on card #649. Cubs slugger Billy Williams’ team was abbreviated as “CHI” rather than “CHC” on card #671. Pitchers Sam McDowell of the Indians on card #449 and Chuck Dobson of the Angels on card #567 each had their head shots flipped left-to-right, mirror images of how they were meant to appear.

Perhaps the most ironic error came on the card of future great manager and executive Whitey Herzog #405. As a playing coach for the Royals, his position was printed as “Manager-Coach” despite the fact he only ever served as a coach or manager, never actually playing in any games during that 1969 season. It showed even team and league personnel were not immune from mistakes within Topps’ rushed production cycle fifty years ago.

Over the decades since, error cards from the troubled 1969 Topps set have become tremendously valuable to collectors. Mint condition copies of the Mays-Mets, Mazeroski name misspelling, and severe photo chopped Rojas are routinely valued in the thousands of dollars today. Even relatively minor statistical or uniform gaffes can still command hundreds due to their status as identifiable mistakes. The sloppiness exhibited by Topps during manufacturing of the 1969 cards, while an embarrassment at the time, has contributed to the set achieving iconic renown as one of sportscard history’s most error-laden issues.

1985 FLEER BASEBALL ERROR CARDS

Leave a reply

The 1985 Fleer baseball card set is considered by collectors to be one of the most prominent sets containing production errors in the history of the hobby. While all card manufacturers experience occasional errors in the manufacturing process, the 1985 Fleer set stands out due to both the number and significance of mistakes made. From missing buttons to extra stripes on uniforms, this 136-card flagship Fleer release had its fair share of anomalies – many of which have become quite valuable to error card collectors and enthusiasts over the decades since.

Some key details on the 1985 Fleer baseball card errors include:

Missing Buttons: Perhaps the most famous error from 1985 Fleer involves cards that were missing the buttons on the players’ uniforms that should have been depicted. Cards of players like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Rich Gedman saw the button missing from their jerseys. These “missing button” errors have become some of the most sought-after and valuable mistakes from the set.

Extra Stripes: A number of cards featured players with extra stripes on their uniforms that should not have been there. Don Mattingly, Dwight Gooden, and Dave Stieb are some examples where an extra stripe was inadvertently added to the stock photo during production.

Wrong Hats: On a small number of cards, the hats depicted did not match the team shown on the front of the card. Jim Rice was pictured wearing a Baltimore Orioles hat instead of his correct Boston Red Sox cap, for instance.

Ink Smears: Some early production runs had issues with smeared ink, causing parts of the image or colors to be blurred or smudged. These are fairly common errors but can still hold value for collectors.

Missing Information: A few cards were missing player stats, positions, or other text that was meant to be included below the image. Error cards have been found with typos in information or uniforms numbers.

Upside Down Images: In at least a handful of cases, the stock photo on the card was accidentally printed upside down, so the player image is inverted compared to the design layout.

Wrong Cards: There are even reports of a small number of cards having entirely the wrong player image or information accidentally used.

In total, it’s estimated that between 50-100 cards out of the 1985 Fleer baseball set feature some kind of notable production error. While difficult to track exact statistics, common consensus places the total number of surviving error cards to be in the low hundreds or fewer for many of the types seen.

Naturally, their scarcity and appeal to error collectors has made 1985 Fleer mistake cards highly coveted items over the decades since the set was produced and shipped. Graded mint condition examples of “missing button” or “extra stripes” variations regularly sell for thousands of dollars today when they surface on the secondary market. Keys like the Don Mattingly extra stripes error or Jim Rice on the Orioles hat mistake would likely fetch five-figure sums or more from dedicated collectors if priced competitively.

Part of what adds to the mystique and popularity of 1985 Fleer errors is the uncertainty around exactly how they occurred. The precise manufacturing mistakes that led to buttons disappearing, ink smearing, or wrong hats being used remain undocumented and open to speculation among traders and enthusiasts. Some believe it was simple human error, while others theorize glitches in Fleer’s assembly line equipment or photo scanning systems contributed. Regardless of the reason, these anomalies have certainly stood the test of time in terms of captivating card collectors.

For advanced sports card investors, high-grade 1985 Fleer error pieces can present an intriguing niche collecting and investing opportunity. Prudent buyers willing to pay top dollar for certified gems upfront have seen remarkable long-term returns, as demand and prices almost always trend upwards for such one-of-a-kind collectibles over decades. Patience is needed, but patience is often rewarded when it comes to holding historic mistake cards as assets.

Of course, not every 1985 Fleer production error card garners big dollars. Most common anomaly variations can still be acquired for a few hundred dollars or less if in well-loved condition due to the somewhat larger surviving populations of ink smears or typos. But for those rare standouts showing all-important missing buttons or extra stripes on star players, a premium will always exist regardless of the intervening years. The 1985 Fleer errors are assured an honored place in the annals of sports memorabilia for the collectible treasures they produced and continue to inspire to this day.

MOST VALUABLE ERROR BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

One of the greatest thrills for collectors is finding an error card, one that was mistakenly printed or cut differently than the normal issues from its series. These anomalies instantly become some of the rarest and most valuable cards in the hobby. While errors can occur across many sports and non-sports cards alike, some of the holiest grails for error collectors exclusively involve vintage baseball issues from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Let’s take a look at some of the most noteworthy error baseball cards and why they command astronomical prices in the collecting world.

Perhaps the most legendary error card of all is the infamous 1933 Goudey 149 Babe Ruth. Considered the mona lisa of all error cards, this unprecedented mistake saw Ruth’s photo incorrectly placed within the borders of an Orange Coast League player card. Beyond its one-of-a-kind status, what makes this card so intriguing is that it features arguably the most iconic athlete in American sports history. With Ruth having long retired by the time Goudey released its 1933 baseball set, finding his image on any card from that year, let alone misplaced, was totally unexpected. Less than 10 of these mythical Babe Ruth errors are known to exist today in various states of quality. In mint condition, it would be worth well over $2 million, cementing it as the most valuable baseball card in the world.

Another tremendously rare pre-war error is the 1915 Cracker Jack error featuring Nap Lajoie on the front and Ty Cobb on the back. For unknown reasons, the printer mixed up Lajoie and Cobb’s information on this dual player card issued as a Cracker Jack prize. Even in poor condition, examples have sold at auction for over $100,000. Just a handful are believed extant, and finding one in tops mint state could challenge the $1 million mark. Speaking of typos, one of the most amusing mistakes involves the 1948 Leaf Baseball Fred Nicholson card, which erroneously lists his first name as “Frst” due to a lithograph error. This quirky oddity has reached $15,000 in auctions before.

Probably the most coveted post-war error is the famed 1952 Topps Roberto Clemente negative color variation. Due to an ink or printing plate issue, around 10 examples exist where Clemente’s photo is printed in its photographic negative colors – light skin and dark background instead of the standard positive image. The extreme scarcity and historical significance of the first Puerto Rican Hall of Famer makes this gem worth in excess of $100,000 in pristine condition. Another notable 1950s error is the 1957 Topps Willie Mays with no photo. This was caused by Mays’ image accidentally being left out of the production process, creating an visual void on his card front. Approximately 50 are known, with one in top-notch shape bringing $77,000 at auction.

The 1970s introduced several iconic error cards as well. Among the most significant from that decade is the 1975 Topps Dave Kingman with Ken Griffey Sr. Stats. Here, Kingman’s photo was coupled mistakenly with Griffey’s player information text on the back. Around 15 are recorded across all grades, with a pristine copy closing an auction at $130,000. A similar stat swap involving two future Hall of Famers occurred on the 1979 Topps Dave Winfield card, which has Griffey’s stats printed in error. No photo error is involved, yet the irregularity makes these exceedingly rare, with confirmed mint ones valued over $50,000. Another standout 1970s mistake is the elusive 1973 Topps Hank Aaron with a Mustache error. Due to a missing clean-up on the printing plates, about 5 exist showing Aaron with some stray facial hairs – a sight never before seen on a baseball card.

Moving into modern times, the late 1980s and 1990s created a bounty of irregular issues due to increased production runs and more advanced multi-color printing techniques. The most legendary is arguably the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie printing plate material error. Instead of cardboard, around 5 uncut sheets of the rare inaugural Upper Deck baseball set emerged with the raw printing plate laminate material untouched! Containing pristine, uncirculated Griffey rookies among other early UD stars, these transparency pieces in mint condition can be worth a staggering $1 million plus. Other enormously valuable contemporary errors include 1998 Metal Universe Mark McGwire Record Breaking Home Run ball error, (over $150,000), 1996 Fleer Ultra Steve Finley Negative Image parallel (around $75,000), and 1993 Leaf Series 2 Star Rookie Error Randy Johnson ($50,000+).

The holy grails of error cards are usually tied to iconic players, unprecedented production mistakes, extreme scarcity, and historical significance. While there may never be anything that touches the legendary 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth in terms of rarity and collectible lore, new surprises are always being unearthed that could some day rival it. Errors breathe new life into the cardboard treasures we love, because they show even giants of the industry were human and introduced fortuitous mishaps. For high-end collectors, the rush of the unpredictable hunt for anomalies makes errors some of the most coveted chase cards in the collecting world.