1977 Topps Tom Seaver Proof with wrong backing

Gordie

Hi everyone,
I have a card I cannot find any info on. 1977 Topps what I believe is a proof but the back is all wrong. It is actually the back for the 1977 Topps Autos series and severely off center. The front of the card looks like a proof with no signature. I've had this card for 30 years and we've always wondered what the deal was. Any help would be great. Thanks.

JoeBanzai

Welcome to the boards!

Looks like you have a couple of things going on here.

Card is a "wrongback" in my experience PSA doesn't grade these. I sent in a couple of 1974 Killebrew front Garr back cards and they were returned ungraded.

Secondly, no facsimile autograph, so it looks like it's a double error card.

The right Seaver collector might offer you something for it, but I don't think it has much value. I paid $10.00 at a card show for the Killebrew, well centered in the PSA 8 range.

blurryface

Test print/proof. Most certainly has value. Bet you can fetch $650+. Send it to SGC as they will authenticate it. A Nolan Ryan fetched $1200 about 5 years ago.

ArtVandelay

1977's look so much better without the auto's on front

mrmopar

If that had the facsimile signature, I would have agreed with the first comment, although older than a lot of the more commonly seen wrong back errors and it is a HOFer, so the value would be higher than the average common of the same type for sure. W/o the signature tells me that is some sort of test run and not just a printing error. I do like the no signature look, especially on that card. Very cool.

JoeBanzai

@mrmopar said:
If that had the facsimile signature, I would have agreed with the first comment, although older than a lot of the more commonly seen wrong back errors and it is a HOFer, so the value would be higher than the average common of the same type for sure. W/o the signature tells me that is some sort of test run and not just a printing error. I do like the no signature look, especially on that card. Very cool.

It could be some kind of test I guess. I would think that if it was, it would be nicer to have the correct back.

You never know with unusual items. All it takes is a couple of people who really want it.

Put it on ebay for $650.00 and see if it sells.

mrmopar

Someone with printing experience might be able to shed light, but from what I have seen from scaps being offered online, printers would do test runs to see how cards looked. It was not about making a finished product, so sometimes there were overprints, wrong backs, etc. All of these types of runs were almost certainly meant to be discarded and not distributed or saved. Thankfully some of them were salvaged/saved and we'll see a few here and there.

I have a Garvey card, I think is also 77 with some weird back, maybe even a double print. I don't recall it missing anything on front, but that would have been great. I'll have to dig it out and give it a closer look.

smallstocks

Just bizarre.

blurryface

it's funny that the only card number on the back, outta the four possibilities, is 41. that's seaver's jersey number too. also copyright date for car cards says 1976.

card is getting cooler by the minute.