Recognizing 1976 Hostess "Brown Back" variations

redlegs

Hello,

I wanted to get an opinion to see if this was a variation that should be recognized by PSA in their grading.

The 1976 Hostess set included "brown print" variations on some of the backs. Hostess "Ding Dong" panels were printed on the west coast and had brown printing on the back. All other products were printed in the more common black printing. I had asked if a designation could be listed on the labels for "brown print" since the Standard Catalog does mention the "brown print" variation.

This is the response I received.
“These varieties (brown/black) backs weren’t cataloged until very recently. There was no mention of this variety back when these cards were spec’d/created. The 2013 Beckett Baseball Almanac does describe these cards and varieties. It states that these cards and varieties (brown/black) are valued the same. Since this is the case, we’re not going to recognize/change the specs of this set in our system.”

My argument to that is that PSA has graded the "L Shaped" panels and there is still no mention of this variation in the Standard Catalog. In 1976, the "L Shaped" panels were only produced on the Hostess Cupcake boxes on the east coast. The "brown back" panels were only produced on Hostess Ding Dongs boxes on the west coast. In my opinion it doesn't make sense to recognize one variation but not the other.

I sent a follow up response but I am not hopeful. I wanted to get opinions on this variation. I have included photos of both print types of panels below.
Thanks.

esquiresports

This is one of my favorite sets. The brown back variations have been noted for as long as a can remember. Sort of surprising position, but they are probably also considering how people with slabbed cards/panels already would react.

redlegs

PSA used to not make a distinction for the 1956 Topps white backs and gray backs. I still have my 1956 Koufax without any designation that is a white back that I have never bothered to send in to update. I believe PSA at one time didn't make a distinction for the 1974 Topps Deckle edge white back/gray back, however, they now do.

Coimbre21

Below is a list of print types I currently have in my Hostess collection. My only correction to your comments is that brown print was not limited to 1976 Ding Dongs. 1976 King Dons (same as a Ding Dong) also have brown print on the back which I purchased as a kid in Louisiana.

1975 Three card horizontal panel - black print
1975 Single card on Twinkie panel - black print
1975 Single card on Twinkie panel - brown print

1976 Three card horizontal panel - black print
1976 Three card horizontal panel - brown print (fFound w/ King Dons in the south)
1976 Three card non-horizontal panel - black print
1976 Single card on Twinkie panel - black print
1976 Single card on HoHo or Zinger panel (slightly smaller than Twinkie panels) - black print

1977 Three card horizontal panel - black print
1977 Single card Cupcake - smaller black print & black bar
1977 Single card Twinkie - black print
1977 Single card Twinkie 3 Pack or Suzy Q - black print
1977 Single card HoHo or Zinger panel - black print
1977 Single card Snowballs (maybe) panel with side flaps - black print

1978 Three card horizontal panel - black print

1979 Three card horizontal panel - black print
1979 Three card horizontal panel - brown print

redlegs

Thanks for the post. Would you happen to have a photo of a 1976 King Dons box with the brown print? Everything that I have ever read reflect the 1976 brown print to be just on Ding Dongs boxes on the west coast. Thanks. Also, I've never understood why Hostess named the same product differently.

Coimbre21

You bet, glad to be talking Hostess. Unfortunately I don't have any reference photos of a full King Don box. Not only did I cut the panels out but I cut most of them into individual cards. I can say with absolute certainty that 42 brown prints I have came from King Dons since I preferred them over Twinkies and Cupcakes. Having lived in Arizona years earlier I knew them as Ding Dongs too. I was puzzled by the name when I moved to Baton Rouge and the only thing I can figure is that someone in the bible belt found the term Ding Dong offensive and forced Hostess to change the name.

Twinsthreepeat

Hello guys,
Question for you, I have a couple 76 Twinkie panels I would like to send in and get graded. However if I were to trim these down to std card size I would remove the lines that "prove" its a twinkie card. Haven't come across any pictures of graded ones. Have any of you dealt with this?

redlegs

Here is an example of one of mine. I just left enough room on the borders so that it would pick up the black bar on the back.

uncutsheetbuyer

I have a gem mint complete set on panels if anyone is interested. Clean surface and full uncut panels. Likely many tens here.

redlegs

Do you have some pictures you can post? What is your asking price?

ArmourPhil

Your list is not complete. I know for sure there were L panels in 1979. Here is one example.

redlegs

Oh yes, I'm aware of the "L Shaped" panels from the other years. I was just focusing on the variations from 1976.

Thanks.

Gooch12

I tried doing the same thing with the 1975 Hostess Set Variations I had...attache are a few of the pics I sent in to PSA and to Beckett. PSA told me it was Beckett's decision whether or not to recognize a "Variation" of a set, and it must be listed as so in the 2013 Beckett Baseball Almanac (Or newest version). The response I got (After about a month) was that "Color Variations are not usually a qualification for a variation". When I brought up the "White Back and Grey Back" variations already listed, well I have not got a response back yet. Maybe if enough people ask about it they might listen?

redlegs

I'm not surprised that PSA won't acknowledge the color tones on the front since they aren't listed anywhere. I see you have cards of the Bert Campaneris which is from the Pete Rose panel. That panel was found on both King Dons and Suzie Q's. At one time I owned complete boxes of both products. The King Don's had the more vivid color and the Suzie Q's had a washed out look. At one time I also owned complete boxes of the 1976 Rod Carew panel (HoHo's and Suzie Q's). The Suzie Q version had a washed out look on that one as well. The HoHo's box had the more vivid color. To me it seemed that HoHo's always had the best color unfortunately you also got the manufacturers fold at the bottom.

ArmourPhil

Redlegs, thought you might find these interesting. Two Parker panels both from Big Wheels, one "washed out" and one not (which I do not consider variations. These are just print screw-ups, i.e not enough red makes everything tint blue) To top it off the blanks must have gone in upside down since one is backless and one is printed on the Big Wheels area.