What's the story on the 62 Green Tints

SportscardAdvocate

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but I searched and could not find anything.

I'm confused about the green tints in 1962. I thought the condition was inflicted upon a specific subset of cards. After getting to 60% of my raw set however, it seems like the green malaise can strike any card (including variations which pretty much doubles the variations to chase for).

Does anybody know how this phenomenon came about. I like to think it's just poor qc at Topps, but don't know enough to opine. Is there any pattern to what cards were affected? Are they really clear that it's a green tint, or are there "degrees" of infection. I've got a McCarver rookie that looks greener than a Florida senior on a carribean cruise but doesn't quite look as green as a Kermit that appears on another card.

Any clues?

Ev.

norty

I am not sure what caused the problem (though I suspect you are correct with the Topps quality control theory) but I can tell you that there are varying shades of green to green tints. Some are really noticeable and others just barely reflect it. I have NOT seen them in the high numbers but just about everywhere else.

I am not a collector anymore but if I did collect 62's, I wouldn't bother trying to get a full set of green tints. From my experience as a seller, people don't much care if the card is regular or green tint so long as it has nice corners and good centering. Beckett Vintage doesn't break them out anymore either (though that publication has so little credibility anymore it is almost irrelevant). Does PSA even differentiate between the two on it's holders?

Good luck with your quest on the 62's. That is a tough issue.

seinbigd

Ev.,

I always thought "Green Tints" are a recognized variation of the 1962 Topps Baseball Series 2 cards. Until I did a little research for this reply, I didn't realize there are green tint variations of the first 20 cards in the third series as well. Accordingly, green tint cards run from #110 Bill Skowron through Card #196 Terry Fox. To the best of my knowledge, there are no team card green tint versions. At one point, I didn't think there were green tint versions of the rookie cards. I have now obtained both versions of some of the rookie cards and now am of the opinion green tint versions exist for each of the rookie cards between #s 110 through 196.

My general understanding is there was a flaw in the printing process which Topps corrected midway through the print run. Perhaps someone else can give us a more technical explanation. As you are probably aware, there is no difference in value for the variations. There are a couple of exceptions due to different photos on the variations. For example, there are pose variations for card #129 Lee Walls, Bill Kunkel, Billy Hoeft, Wally Moon, Eddie Yost, Carl Wiley and Hal Reniff.

I have also noticed what appears to be tint variations in other 1962 Topps cards, but none as consistent or as obvious as the above referenced run.

I've included a couple scans of the variations for those members of the board who may not be familiar with the 1962 Topps Baseball Set that may have an interest in seeing what a "green tint" card looks like.

Hope this helps. If anyone else has some info about the green tint variations or knows anything about the pose variations, it would be appreciated.

Steve

P.S: As you will note, some variations are not as obvious. For example, the Skowron card doesn't look "green" to me. The green tint variations are typically characterized by a poorer quality photo. Also please note PSA does not recognize green tint variations of these cards as there is no difference in the labeling of cards. Pose variations were initially recognized; at some point PSA did start recordingpose variations in the population report as evidenced by the Lee Walls Cards.

Green Tint Example 1

Green Tint Example 2

cameocards

I believe that the only thing that I can add is that as I recall, Topps would always tease us by including approx 20 cards from the next series with the current series. This would account for the 1st 20 cards of the 3rd series. I'm amazed that Topps even bothered to correct it!

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Cameo Inn B&B website

SportscardAdvocate

Steve,

Thanks for the info!

I'm guessing you mean the rookie parade cards 591-598. I've got a holdered #572 that seems to have the green tint which would mean that the last series is likely to have multiple green tint cards too.

It's good to know it's not a big deal. I prefer to go without the green personally. The issue has enough problems (aesthetically and condition sensitve challenged as they are) that the green just distracts even more.

Cheers,

Ev.

mikeschmidt

Were any of the green tint variations isolated to the presentation sets -- or was it all part of the regular production run?

seinbigd

Ev.:

No, I meant the Topps All-Star Rookie cards embedded in the 2nd and third series such as the cards in the scan below.



Green Tint Rookies

seinbigd

MS:

I think it was part of the early production runs and not limited to presentation sets.

CDC4

Marc,

I believe from what a few reputable dealers have told me....a great majority if not all of them were limited to the presentation sets. The cards were the first cards cut which is why they have the green tint, and then was changed later on in printing. I bought a Ruth/Gehrig PSA 9 from a dealer that had a green tint and he explained that he got the presentation set from Mickey Vernon's relative, former MLB player, and the green tinted cards, which he showed me, came from presentation sets.

Carlo

SportscardAdvocate

Well, I finally found a website to put this on...if this link doesn't work,

T62 572 Bob Miller


insert the following...

http://home.houston.rr.com/ejsantamarina/Baseball_Page.htm

I think the bill of the cap makes it look a lot greener, but I think the card is a possible green tinter. I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise if the logic and reason is that this series was untainted.

Thoughts?

SportscardAdvocate

bear with me folks...



or maybe this...

mikeschmidt

I heard from a hobby professional who has been in this business much longer than I -- and shares a passion and history of baseball cards that I can only hope to have in a decade or two. I would like to briefly summarize his thoughts as it relates to the 1962 Topps Green Tints:

1) In that professional's extensive experience, green tint variations seemed to predominately originate from collections that came from packs. No Presentation Set examples are thought to exist with the green tint.

2) "The Angels team card is definitely affected by the green tint, I do believe that the version with the inset photos is only available in the green tint while all of the ones without insets are just the regular print. The Braves team is also affected by the tint but is very difficult to notice."

3) The second series pose variations are divided by the green tint, too.

4) There are no green tint examples outside of the second series. Examples from other series are more likely the result of significant differences in focus/registration, etc. and, thus, more likely a result of print quality than of a verifiable variation. Perhaps compare it to the "Red" and the "Orange" T-206 Ty Cobb portrait card (my simile)

5) An endorsement that PSA should make note of the variation. In what can only be an excellent quote, I was told "I would much rather look at new ways to collect old cards than old ways to collect new cards." Personally, I cannot agree more. As an advertising back collector for T-206, I cannot fathom to this day why no advertising backs are recognized -- particularly when the "2003 Reprints" by Topps have different backs that are recognized by PSA. That seems an inconsistent policy that only slights the true vintage collectors -- who are, in my mind, the heart of this wonderful hobby.

Thank you to this person for educating more on this interesting historic footnote.

Mantlefan

Great post Ev...and thanks to Steve and Marc for their replies. Over the past 5 years, I've sold or opened a full box of 1962 Topps second series cards. Not one green tint yet.