Quick Look: 1991 Topps Double Front Proofs/Test Issue

Printed on 1991 Topps Traded “white” stock, these recently discovered dual-front test issues differ from their pack-issued counterparts by minor design and cropping variations.

 

Make sure to check out this in-depth discussion with comparison pics on the Net54 Baseball forums.

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

Taking a closer look at 1991 Topps Baseball, the 40th Anniversary issue

1991 Topps is remembered by most collectors for it’s “1 of every card ever produced” sweepstakes. And most collectors who pursued Topps’ challenge to “find the Mick” in the 1991 packs were very dissappointed to discover that after hundreds or thousands of opened packs, not a single vintage card, or for the extremely lucky among them, a VG 1974 Topps common!

Though the 1991 set does boast some of Topps’ best photography up to that point and an already classic design, it’s also Topps’ most variation-heavy set ever produced! And since it was the last Topps set where the company made the effort to stop their presses and correct a large portion of errors, several of the rarest variations in Topps’ catalog can be found in this set. Here is a look at some of the toughest Topps variations from  the 1991 issue:

#685 Doug Drabek with WHITE inset border. Probably the most sought-after error in this set, Topps originally printed the card with a white border over his picture instead of the correctly-themed black. Tthis extremely difficult variation is believed to only be found in a limited amount of jumbo packs. Often times, the corrected version appears in boxes that contain the Chris Hoiles variation of similar type. Sales have seen over $100 for this card in previous years!