10 Best/Most Interesting Error Cards
I've always loved VARIATIONS but not just errors.
ERRORs are just errors and not corrected.
ERROR VARIATIONS are errors that have been corrected.
Usually onw of the (2) is scarcer than the other,
sometimes even rare.
Here's one person's list of his top "error" cards.. 1990 Topps Frank Thomas NO NAME 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken F..K FACE 1989 Score Paul Gibson CROTCH GRAB 2006 Topps Alex Gordon NOT SUPPOSED TO EXIST 1987 Donruss Opening Day Barry Bonds PICTURES JOHNNY RAY T206 Sherry Magee MISSPELLED MAGIE 1985 Topps Gary Pettis YOUNGER BROTHER LYNN 1989 Upper Deck Dale Murphy REVERSED IMAGE 1990 Pacific Jim Nettles "A--HOLE" BAT 1988 Topps Al Leiter WRONG PLAYERSomeone else had several of the above plus: 1969 Topps Mickey Mantle (Mantle in White Letters) 1952 Topps Johnny Sain-Paige Bio 1948 Leaf Gene Hermansk (misspelled) 1977 Star Wars C-3PO #207 PE.IS 1954 Bowman Emlen Tunnell (misspelled with Tunnel) Sam Vincent 1990-91 Hoops #223 (Jordan wearing jersey #12) 1981 Fleer Graig Nettles (Craig on the back)First couple of "Variations" that popped into my head: 1958 Topps Hank Aaron & Roberto Clemente [YELLOW LETTERs] 1966 Topps Don Landrum [3 different pants button issues] 1962 Topps #139 [3 different variations - one is Babe Ruth]Click for a list of our variations. |
Starting approximately in 1886, sportscards, mostly baseball cards, were often included with tobacco products, for promotional purposes and also because the card reinforced the packaging and protected cigarettes from damage. These sports cards are referred to as tobacco cards in the baseball card hobby. Over the next few years many different companies produced baseball cards. Tobacco cards soon started to disappear as the American Tobacco Company tried to develop a monopoly by buying out other companies.
They were reintroduced in the 1900s, as American Tobacco came under pressure from antitrust action and Turkish competition. The most famous and most expensive, baseball card is the rare T206 Honus Wagner. The card exists in very limited quantities compared to others of its type because Wagner forced the card to be removed from printing. It is widely (and incorrectly) believed that Wagner did so because he refused to promote tobacco, but the true explanation lies in a dispute over compensation.
Soon other companies also began producing baseball and football cards. Sports magazines such as The Sporting News were early entries to the market. Candy manufacturers soon joined the fray and reflected a shift toward a younger target audience for cards. Caramel companies were particularly active and baseball cards were one of the first prizes to be included in Cracker Jacks. World War I soon suppressed baseball card production.