What is with the back of this card?

TonyC

I have a 1955 Bowman set, and some of the cards look like this Tom Landry below. The front looks and feels fine, but the back has some wax-looking discoloration and feels a little rougher than the cards that don't look like this:





What is the story with these cards? Is it wax staining? Someone told me a few years ago that the cards may have gotten wet, but A) the fronts look and feel normal and not all of the cards are like this.

kidsox

This Landry probably came from the bottom of a wax pack that transferred some residue to the card, then discolored over time. If that's the case, it may be a less desirable copy than one without the wax.

WinPitcher

Looks like a wax wrapper burn to me too.

Bowman cards have that very fibrous stock and
the hot wax really soaks into them.

52 Bowman baseball is notorious for that.

TonyC

That one was of my hypotheses.

Does it mean that the cards were in the pack for a long time (maybe until the late 1950s) and that the wax seeped in? Or that they were stored in a humid climate in 1955 and the wax seeped in? Or something else?

WinPitcher

No, IMO it happens when the packs are sealed and the wax is at it's hottest.

Especially if the heat is overly high.

Gum stains on the other hand will get worse as time passes.

On certain stock you can actually get wax off the reverse.

Some reverse stock is possible to remove wax, 69 topps comes to mind.


Hope that helps.


Steve

WinPitcher

Then again on your specific card it may not be wax at all and is
from toning. Could be a type of foxing too.

Without having the card in hand all I can do is WAG.

TonyC

<< <i>Then again on your specific card it may not be wax at all and is
from toning. Could be a type of foxing too.

Without having the card in hand all I can do is WAG. >>



Much appreciated, thanks.