Help w subbing Nolan Ryan RC

Davis · September 2, 2014 2:46AM

Hi Guys,

I was tipped off by another nice boardmember that my recent Nolan Ryan purchase could be a Milton Bradley version. I didn't even know there were 2 versions so I semi-panicked and searched the forums. I found super long threads about the card versions from back in 2009. However, I think a bit has changed in the last 5 years.

I want to sub this correctly, but I'm not sure if it's regular Topps or Milton Bradley. I think Doug was correct about it being an MB with the more yellow coloring and what could be a faint with line on the far left border. Can you guys help me out? I appreciate it!

Also, are there any pros/cons between the Topps and MB versions? I see the populations are very different, but the value at different grades seems to be pretty similar.

NYY Collector · September 2, 2014 4:01AM

Your Ryan RC is almost certainly the MB version based on the card back color which appears to be yellow versus gold. Compare it to another 1968 Topps card from the first or second series and you should notice a distinct difference. I say almost certainly because scan colors vary and in person is the best way compare and decide. The MB version cards are a lot rarer and typically have a higher selling value, especially in PSA 7 or higher, because these cards were part of the MB Win a Card Game in which these cards were played with and hence are very difficult to find in nice shape. PSA is now very familiar with grading MB cards(pop reports have increased significantly in the past year), and they will not label it as a MB if it is not.....Good Luck.....

KbKards · September 2, 2014 4:30AM

The card is with 100% certainty a regular Topps card, not a Milton Bradley. The light in the picture is messing up the color in the picture. In hand the color of the back will be what you see in the upper left of the card, not what you see on the right side.

svtPONY95 · September 2, 2014 4:46AM

It is a Milton Bradley card , I have had and sold numerous 68 Ryan Milton Bradley cards.

KbKards · September 2, 2014 4:52AM

Here we go again. The back color is distorted from the light. The left border burlap pattern is too wide for it to be a Milton Bradley card. It is a regular Topps card, end of story.

Davis · September 2, 2014 5:13AM

I tried to get a better scan vs. taking a picture. Do these images help? I appreciate all of your opinions!

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KbKards · September 2, 2014 5:17AM

Yes. The previous "experts" will now confirm it's a regular Topps card.

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 7:03AM

there are actually 4 different versions:

topps
o-pee-chee
milton bradley
topps venezuelan

itzagoner · September 2, 2014 7:08AM

agree with Kb.

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 7:10AM

and personally I think it's a mb for the color reason and the fact that the bottom of the card (koosman down / ryan up) has the white border from the football card that is below it on the sheet.

milton bradley sheet

itzagoner · September 2, 2014 7:16AM

you would need a clean cut white border there......like these.

and here's the color of mustard yellow the backs should be, not goldenrod.

mlbfan2 · September 2, 2014 7:30AM

<< <i>and personally I think it's a mb for the color reason and the fact that the bottom of the card (koosman down / ryan up) has the white border from the football card that is below it on the sheet.

milton bradley sheet >>

I don't think that helps because there is a white border to the left of the Ryan/Koosman card on the Topps sheet as well.

itzagoner · September 2, 2014 7:38AM

white stripes

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 7:50AM

yes, but 90% of the Milton cards have the white boarder on the bottom where I was referencing....feel free to take a look at the ones listed on ebay. I own 4 of them and every single one has the white boarder there solely because of the o/c cutting process

itzagoner · September 2, 2014 7:53AM

the white off-cut border can be on either side. there is no disputing that. Koosman side has a football card beneath it. Ryan side has a Hot Rod card. both have the white border, and therefore there should be a completely visible white strip where the off-cut occurred, with no burlap interfering.

the example submitted by the OP has neither. that is the point i'm attempting to make.

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 8:30AM

they are not all as "clean" as they ones you presented. as with the 1st picture he posted, it appears there is a slight white border. and if there is, then it's a deadlock for a mb. period. case ended. the 2nd picture (which was posted while I was typing my thoughts) doesn't seem to be as prevelant. however, I think we will both agree (and getting back to my original post) that if he can see what appears to be a white border then it's def a mb.

moving forward, not all the mb cards have an exact clean even white border as the ones you presented. some are very vague due to ink bleeding between the different borders where the cards meet. and as I stated before, it really depends on the cut of that particular sheet. there are mb's out there without any white borders. take a loop and you should be able to tell instantly.

itzagoner · September 2, 2014 8:39AM

ok.

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 8:47AM

and the egg came first!

Davis · September 2, 2014 9:03AM

Thanks for the opinions guys.

Trying to use your explanations and do a little research on my own and came across This One. Now I'm stumped.

BigRed7 · September 2, 2014 9:35AM

It's NOT a Milton Bradley, while the white border can appear on either side of the card, the color on the back of your scan is from the regular issue. If the white would appear on the Nolan Ryan side of the card, I'm almost certain that the card is a Milton Bradley. When it appears on the Koosman side it can be a Milton Bradley or a regular issue.

BigRed7 · September 2, 2014 9:41AM

<< <i>white stripes >>

As a matter of fact the card Ryan Rookie listed ninth on the page is definitely not a Milton Bradly card. It is mistakenly labeled by PSA, I guarantee it.

begsu1013 · September 2, 2014 9:59AM

basis points, please. if it's off psa flips, psa didn't label bradleys for quite some time and there are still a ton out there in holders that do not mention the variation.

basically davis, ya need to get a loop and/or regular issued 68 topps card that wasn't in the mb and compare the backs.

KbKards · September 3, 2014 1:22AM

<< white stripes >>

As a matter of fact the card Ryan Rookie listed ninth on the page is definitely not a Milton Bradly card. It is mistakenly labeled by PSA, I guarantee it.

That would be this card, and you are correct, it is with 100% certainty a regular Topps card that has been incorrectly labeled a Milton Bradley by PSA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251483704111

Both the OP's card and the Ebay card above display a mesh pattern to the left of Koosman that is far too wide for it to possibly be a Milton Bradley card. When there's that much border to the left of Koosman, for it to be a Milton Bradley card, it must look like the following card from Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/261237801850

This is what a Milton Bradley card is supposed to look like when the card is badly off center to the right. The width of the mesh pattern to the left of Koosman is equivalent to the thickness of a 1 cent piece. Then it goes immediately to a solid white border which happens to be the top border of the Ernie Ladd football card that's printed next to it.

The OP's first picture of the front of the card clearly showed a mesh pattern to the left of Koosman that was far too wide for it to possibly be a Milton Bradley card. There was absolutely no need to even see a picture of the back after seeing the front. Due to inconsistent lighting the first picture of the back did not accurately represent the color of the back, and those not understanding what they were looking at confidently called it a Milton Bradley card.

There will be many 177 cards in all grading companie's holders with labeling mistakes. You will find Milton Bradley cards in Topps labeled holders and you'll find Topps cards in Milton Bradley labeled holders. The quality of back scans and pictures will vary quite a bit and can often confuse things by not accurately showing the color. The easiest Ryan Milton Bradley cards to identify are when the card badly off-center like the OP's. If it's wide like that then it can't possibly be a Milton Bradley.

Help w subbing Nolan Ryan RC

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