April 3, 2025: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/3/2025
Presented is an extraordinary assortment of primarily high-grade blank-back proofs of some of the most iconic baseball cards from the early 1970s, along with a large grouping of wrong backs, which similarly includes some of the greatest names in the game and an even larger subset of 1970 Topps with no black ink on the reverse. And there are some regular Topps cards included in the mix as well, with virtually everything in the same sterling condition, easily Near-Mint or better, with razor-sharp corners, bold colors and exceptional gloss; we would typically say “with clean card backs to match” at this juncture, but in this instance the terminology diverges a bit. The blank back proofs, about 150 cards or so, are uncommonly clean and problem free; the wrong backs are, well, wrong backs that are pretty severely miscut or off center front and back, albeit with the same sharp corners, superb colors and gloss; the same description applies to the 133 cards from 1971 Topps with no black ink on the reverse. The breakdown: 1) 1970 Topps (157) – in three groups – regular, blank backs and wrong backs – Regular (37) – including Dick Allen (4), Gonzalez (2), Carbo Rookie (3) and League Leaders (3) – Blank Backs (20), with Yastrzemski, Kaat and Agee – and Wrong Backs (100), including Aaron (3), Aaron All-Star (2), Gibson (3) Stargell (2) and eight (8) All-Stars, including Bench (2) and Yastrzemski (2), and a dozen Team cards; 2) 1971 Topps (133) – with no black ink on the reverse, Ex-Mt to Near-Mint, including Torre (2), Morgan (2), Brooks Robinson (2), Billy Williams (2), Jesus Alou (2), Wills (2), Pinson (2), Reggie Smith (2), five (5) Checklists, a dozen Playoff or World Series subset cards and a dozen Team cards; 3) 1973 Topps (151) – broken down to Blank Backs and Wrong Backs – with Blank Backs (96) including Seaver (2), Bench (2), Carlton (2, one is Good), Brock (2), Stargell (2), McCovey and Marichal, and Wrong Backs (55); 4) Miscellaneous – including a dozen or so Laughlin World Series overprints, and four (4) Wrong Back 1963 Topps of Nicholson, Javier, Murphy and Rojas.
1963-73 Topps Baseball Blank-Back Proofs, Wrong Backs, No Black Ink Backs, 36 HOFers (450)
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