Error card - seeking knowledge and opinions
dallasactuary
Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭✭✭
This is the front of the card:
The front looks like any other 1957 Topps Bob Nieman, card # 14.
This is the back of the card:
First, notice that the card number is not 14, it's 87, which is the number of Tom Gorman's card. Big deal, you say, wrong back cards aren't uncommon. But look closer.
Second, notice that the personal data on top, the paragraph in the middle, and the stats at the bottom aren't Nieman's and they aren't Gorman's, they're Clint Courtney's, and he's card # 51. So the back is a mash-up of two different cards. Or not.
Third, notice the Babe Ruth cartoon on the right. That cartoon isn't on the back of any other card of Nieman's, Gorman's, or Courtney's. It's on the back of Jimmy Piersall's card, #75.
That this card even exists is causing me to question everything I thought I knew about baseball cards, indeed it has shaken my faith that the universe is real and not some elaborate simulation. Has anyone ever seen such a monstrosity in the 1957 Topps set, or anywhere else for that matter? Any theories on how something like this happened at the Topps factory?
Full disclosure, I do not own this card, my brother does. Or rather, he says he does and he sent me these pictures. If he has decided to punk me with an elaborate photoshop then I fell for it, but I don't think he has. I think this evil thing really exists.
Assuming it does exist, does anyone have any idea what it would be worth? If he got it graded, what would PSA put on the flip? Is it a card of Bob Nieman, Tom Gorman, Clint Courtney? Is it card number 87? Obviously, whatever grade it got would be low, but would it be worth it to get PSA to confirm that it is authentic?
Any and all opinions welcome.
Comments
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first of all, pretty cool!
as far as slabbing, i dont think psa even does wrong backs, blank fronts or any type of printing test/proofs. sgc and bgs do though. i think sgc grades the card by its features regardless of the mash up. bgs i think the highest the card can get is a 5. and i think they number the card on the flips as to who is on the front regardless of the card number on the back.
It was cut from a three card Salesman Sample. As far as value, I would guess $20 to $50 on eBay.
Once again this board proves to be a fantastic source of knowledge!
Wow. Thank you for the answer, and I bow to you, sir, for knowing the answer. And Dick Ellsworth should have won the CYA in 1963!
PSA doesn't grade "wrongbacks".
Some player collectors go nuts for error cards, but I doubt anyone is hot on the trail for Bob Nieman or Clint Courtney.
Still a very interesting card!