Common Print Defects and Vintage Stars

Mintacular

Just wondering what are some common print defects on certain vintage stars and which cards command a significantly higher premium when that defect is not present?

For example, I've noticed that many 67 Mantles have a small purple blob above the "s" in "yankees". Link: Mantle 67

For starters, I know one of the most obvious is the smudge often present in the Molitor card but am interested in any other examples....

gemint

Print snow on the '76 Brett and '73 Schmidt is a common problem. '69 Marichal has a vertical black line, I think on every example I've ever seen. Guidry RC almost always has a smudge, similar to the Molitor. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Mintacular

Thanks for your reply Gemmint. You are right that every Marichal seems to have some light black train tracks on the left side.

hyperchipper09

Squiggly line above Mattingly's back/number on his '84 Topps RC. Not terribly vintage but thats one I thought of.

Stingray

78 Topps Molitor/Trammell RC, smudge on bottom right, not hard to find without, but still is on a lot of them.

76collector

A lot of 76 Roses have a print roller mark down the left side of the card. And as mentioned the 76 Brett is a big one. That is why it commands such high money in even an 8 or a 9, and no 10's exist.

vintagefun

I've seen several 54 Mays' with a black smudge on right side. 62 Clemente with a print line along right side. And 60 Yaz with print dots.

How common I'm not sure. Just that I've seen multiple cards with same issue.

gemint

<< <i>I've seen several 54 Mays' with a black smudge on right side. 62 Clemente with a print line along right side. And 60 Yaz with print dots.

How common I'm not sure. Just that I've seen multiple cards with same issue. >>



Good call. Many '60 Yaz cards are inflicted with black pock marks.

PSASAP

The rookie card of Julius Erving has a fisheye near his left arm that appears on a good number of his cards, don't know if it's 50%, but that number wouldn't surprise me.

DanBessette

Wow, you're right about the black line on the 69 Marichal. I hadn't noticed that. The black dots on Yaz RCs are chronic. Mine has a small crease way down in the bottom left corner (when slabbed. Top left when card being held horizontally) but I don't mind because his face and the rest of the central part of the card are practically blemish free. Presents very well.

70ToppsFanatic

Good luck finding a 1970 Topps BB #189 Munson RC that doesn't have a yellow fish-eye in either of the
black-backgrounded areas where Munson's and MacDonald's appear. Also always hard to find a decently
centered back on that card. The nicer ones always seem to be 90:10 or worse on the back.

1975 Schmidt #70 is also one of those tough yellow/green varieties, and the centering is tricky for them.

1963 Rose RCs (#537) are real tough to find centered and without print spots.

Could probably come up with a few dozen more if I started thinking about some of the "quests" I've gone on
for higher-end examples.

billwaltonsbeard

Every single copy of the 1986 Fleer Jose Canseco RC has Eric Plunk on it

DanBessette

<< <i>Every single copy of the 1986 Fleer Jose Canseco RC has Eric Plunk on it >>



I don't know what's funnier, that comment or "billwaltonsbeard" hahaha

mattyc_collection

I think the two most obvious cases in point are:

1. The 1952 Topps Mantle
2. The 1951 Bowman Mantle

The centering on both is routinely way off.

And when either is found with even decent centering, they sell for enormous spikes over the norm.

gregmo32

1979 Topps Ozzie Smith is almost always off center, sometimes to hilarious excess. 1984 Donruss Joe Carter too. And the 1980 Topps Magic/ Bird/ Erving card Is plagued by print dots, smudges, print ink, and a pesky line in the white border.

zep33

<< <i>Every single copy of the 1986 Fleer Jose Canseco RC has Eric Plunk on it >>



LOL

bobbyw8469

Namath and the "butterfly" variation. A print defect makes what looks like a butterfly tattoo on his hand. Sellers try to ask a premium for that variation. IMO, it should be worth less than versions without it.

76collector

Another one I forgot to mention.

1986 Topps Ryne Sandberg. If you find one without print dots and is otherwise in mint condition, immediately send it to PSA. Ive went through cases of rack packs and never seen one without multiple print dots on it, although I do know that one exists and a board member has it.

1966CUDA

How bout the 1964 Tony Conigliaro rookie with the blue ink line on the right shoulder of Bill Spanswick. I am not sure why PSA doesn't differentiate between the two.

psychump

1971 Topps Pete Rose- Stupid thumbnail indentation looking mark.

1963 Topps Yogi Berra- Dumb snow all over the card.

1963 Topps Jack Baldschun-Idiotic slash repair mottling crap. Only 20 graded 8 or higher and only 166 graded of card #341 at all!

CW

Good calls on the '60 Yaz and the spot on the Dr. J rookie.

Here's another... the red print dot in the upper right section of the '53 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese

(not my card, btw)

itzagoner

i've seen more than one '86 Fleer Jordan rookie where it appears that a Spaghetti-O is about to fly into his mouth.

dunno how prevalent this particular "variation" might be, but it would be fun to own one someday.

WalterSobchak

I have seen very few copies of the '78 Topps George Brett card without black print dust AND a break/discoloration of the yellow border on the left side..... and I've never seen one that doesn't have either of them.