1991 Topps A*B* Sheet Code Variations: Ongoing Checklist

This impressive look at 1991 Topps A*B* variations comes courtesy of JunkWaxGems contributor, Eric, a fellow E&V collector with an impressive collection:

“As if 1991 Topps has not already confounded collectors enough with its broad range of errors, variations, and printing oddities, one print variation may even eclipse the tough-to-find Mark Whiten, Drabek and Hoiles errors in scarcity.

It is well known that the backs of some 1991 Topps cards were printed with both a bold red 40^th Anniversary” design behind the player stats and a more faded version that makes the card back easier to read.  All cards that were printed on the A* and B* sheets can be found with both bold and faded backs.  However, some of the cards from that A* sheet can also be found with an A*B* print designation at the bottom of the back of the card. 

This variation has ONLY been seen on cards with the bold “40^th Anniversary” back and any cards with this variation have proven to be incredibly scarce.  In fact, these cards are so rare that it has been difficult to compile a complete listing.

The following 1991 Topps cards are presently known to be available with the A*B* print designation, although it is possible that other cards from the A* sheet are also available with the A*B* designation:

#13 – Mariano Duncan

#54 – Gary Mielke

#63 – Milt Thompson

#72 – Junior Ortiz

#76 – Jerry Browne

#83 – Daryl Boston

#120 – Joe Carter

#123 – Greg Harris

#153 – Bryan Harvey

#155 – Dwight Evans (error version only)

#170 – Carlton Fisk

#177 – Reggie Harris

#178 – Dave Valle

#190 – Matt Williams

#192 – Rob Deer

#193 – Felix Fermin

#213 – Frank Wills

#216 – Greg Gagne

1991 Topps Baseball Errors & Variations: Ongoing Checklist

NNO 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes Insert/Game Card (individually coded 12345-12611)

NNO 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes Insert/Game Card (Topps reprints on front, scarce test issue)

NNO 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes Insert/Game Card ( ‘X’ and mailing address on front – Instant Winner)

2a George Brett RB incomplete circle around registration symbol on back

2b George Brett RB complete circle around registration symbol on back, touching text area

2c George Brett RB complete circle around registration symbol on back, away from text area

3a Carlton Fisk RB incomplete circle around registration symbol on back

3b Carlton Fisk RB complete circle around registration symbol on back

4a Kevin Maas RB incomplete circle around registration symbol on back

4b Kevin Maas RB complete circle around registration symbol on back

5a Cal Ripken Jr. RB E*F* print code

5b Cal Ripken Jr. RB F* print code

6a Nolan Ryan RB incomplete circle around registration symbol on back

6b Nolan Ryan RB complete circle around registration symbol on back

9a Darrin Fletcher missing print code on back

9b Darrin Fletcher F* print code on back

21a Joe Morgan MGR with 87 hits for Wade Boggs on back

21b Joe Morgan MGR with 187 hits on back, 1 printed higher than 87

21c Joe Morgan MGR with 187 hits on back, 1 printed lower than 87

21d Joe Morgan MGR with 187 hits on back, 187 aligned

22a Storm Davis with registration symbol above Topps logo on front

22b Storm Davis with partial registration symbol above Topps logo on front

22c Storm Davis with registration symbol removed from front

Quick Look: 1991 Topps Robin Ventura #461 – 3 Different Variations

Well technically, it’s 6 different but we won’t get into back variations for this one. My favorite player of all-time is the focus of this ‘Quick Look,’ and also, it’s no coincidence that the card comes from the most error-packed issue in Topps’ history, the 1991 40th Anniversary set!

Rockin’ Robin’s card, #461, can be found in 3 different left border varieties: One, with a solid red left border. Two, with a red-with-gray overprinted left-hand border. Three, with a solid gray left border.

Recent Error Discoveries in the 1991 Topps 40th Anniversary Set

Thanks to the sharp eye of cincykid75 at the collector’s universe sports cards forum, there has been a lot of activity in the 1991 Topps Errors thread. Cincykid75 discovered a variation in Bert Blyleven’s card #615, a pretty major variation, actually. One version has MAJ. LEA. TOTALS in a larger font on back and another versions saw it shrunk down to match the font size of the statistics and other type on back.

This awesome find had me digging through my surplus of 1991 Topps commons and errors boxes. In the error box, I followed the logic behind the Blyleven card and looked at the bottom left corner of the back of nearly 5000 cards and was stopped dead when I noticed that Frank Tanana’s card #236 (already affected by an error) has a similar variation in the “269 with diamond” variety.

This leads me to believe that there are many more varieties on the backs of 1991 Topps cards. Though back-errors are usually less popular than front-errors, I think that the reputation the 1991 Topps set holds for variation collectors, makes it a very interesting challenge to uncover the others out there.

I sorted through almost 10,000 1991 Topps commons (or non-variation affected cards) and found a few surprises:

Mark Davidson’s card #678 can be found with the year digits in his stats “clipped” off at the left or with them fully printed. I’ve only found 2 copies of the fixed version to my 8 clipped ones.

Mickey Morandini’s card #342 can be found with a green Phillies team logo on front or with it’s correct burgundy logo. A very strange-looking variation when viewed in person.

And Rex Hudler’s card #228 seems to have originally been printed with a black line on front at lower right of the photo. It looks as though Topps made a few different attempts to airbrush and remove the offending bar, as varying degrees of it’s correction have surfaced.

I’m sure there are plenty more discoveries on their way soon. I’ll post the new stuff once it gets uncovered!