1997-98 Topps Minted in Springfield Gold - The Missing Link?

TpocketT · 11-25-2021, 10:44 PM

So while digging through my inherited boxes and working on selling some extras I had from 1997-98 Topps Minted in Springfield set (nearing 3 complete sets now) to help someone on here, I came across a small stack of the 'gold' versions of these cards that my dad had set aside because of their difference from the traditional logo/player name copper color. Some were quite clearly gold, others noticeable different but somewhere between gold and copper, and even one that was borderline yellow instead of gold. Anyway, this got me digging into what the story (or mystery as I discovered) was behind these - seems no one knows if they were a test card, secret parallel, manufacturing error, or some other scenario. But they do appear to be extremely rare and command a pretty decent premium.

But then I noticed this card. As you can see, it clearly has the 2 distinct colors folks are typically seeing - 'gold' and the standard 'copper' - in the logo. The line between them appears to be vertical. Do you guys think this confirms them to simply being a manufacturing error?

duron · 11-26-2021, 12:12 AM

Nice find. I’ll always lean towards manufacturing error simply because there’s no intentionally unstated variation I’m aware of in general.

Stamps/coins come to mind with crazy premiums but card examples really haven’t reached those levels. Maybe the ‘52 Mantle is the outlier with 2 “types”

kingofsnake · 11-26-2021, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duron

Nice find. I’ll always lean towards manufacturing error simply because there’s no intentionally unstated variation I’m aware of in general.

Stamps/coins come to mind with crazy premiums but card examples really haven’t reached those levels. Maybe the ‘52 Mantle is the outlier with 2 “types”

I agree with duron. I don't think these printing errors warrant any premium in pricing.

Nomad · 11-26-2021, 05:51 AM

Foil color manufacturing errors are one of the more desirable types of errors you could have of the era, because they fall within an extremely narrow band that look like variants. Also, they add an element of scarcity to cards from the mid 1990s, when numbered parallels were few and far between (first 1/1 introduced in 1998, etc).

And they are organic... this is what the manufactured serial and "rainbow" concept of chase was based on: errors and scarcity of the 1980s, when only base existed (see Frank Thomas "no name" Billy Ripken (f face). So yeah, I am into collecting these types of errors from the mid 1990s, when foil was first introduced and the process hadn't yet been perfected. '96-97 Fleer is the other big one, silver foil Jordans and Kobe rookies documented. (Some have argued that a number of errors of the 90s were intentionally seeded to capitalize on the chase for errors).

Anyway, those looking for investment growth pathways might look at foil manufacturing errors of this specific era... consider the value-defining concept in coins and stamps of "absolute scarcity" vs."graded scarcity." Also, look at the explosion in prices of sought after comics with rare manufacture error covers over the past couple years. These are the equivalent of variant covers, on old comics, before that concept of printing collectable covers had been capitalized on.

Full disclosure: I have a vested interest, having discovered a verified pack pulled Kobe Bryant TSC rookie with a (to my knowledge) one-of-a-kind silver foil manufacturing error. Not an in-between silver/gold. Got it CSG graded 9 with subgrades and notated as "wrong foil color" and see no reason why the Made in Springfield errors could not also be so notated. I think this is one area where CSG, which has the comics + coins + stamps background, differentiates itself from the other grading companies and maybe expands into a role of authentificator that embraces "absolute rarity," through unique errors, not just the often subjective "grading rarity."

Regarding "Maybe the ‘52 Mantle is the outlier with 2 “types” .... Don't neglect the 'blue-lines back' Gretzky rookie among collectors north of the border. Okay, back to the serious stuff. Facials inserts.

LovelyLlamas · 11-26-2021, 10:46 AM

1996_97 Fleer had some cards with silver foil instead of gold. One of those unofficial variants that pop up

88horsepower · 11-26-2021, 10:56 AM

There are variations like this on Desert Shield cards from 1991 Topps MLB and even those don't seem to carry any premium at all.

90skid · 11-26-2021, 11:47 AM

Very interesting and cool find. Maybe the bronze finish was some kind of top layer finish to the foil, and you literally have the card where they "ran out" of bronze finish in the finishing processes. I really wish someone who worked for topps back in '97 who was familiar with this series would come forward online and tell the story.

Jasondr91 · 11-26-2021, 12:10 PM

I know a Kukoc collector who swears by these variations. I've seen both types, and agree they exist. I personally don't think there is intended value from gold over the bronze minted versions.

Want my attention, look for the O-Pee-Chee versions of this series......

11-25-2021, 10:44 PM	#1
TpocketT Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: New Jersey Posts: 127 the_refractor_collection	1997-98 Topps Minted in Springfield Gold - The Missing Link? So while digging through my inherited boxes and working on selling some extras I had from 1997-98 Topps Minted in Springfield set (nearing 3 complete sets now) to help someone on here, I came across a small stack of the 'gold' versions of these cards that my dad had set aside because of their difference from the traditional logo/player name copper color. Some were quite clearly gold, others noticeable different but somewhere between gold and copper, and even one that was borderline yellow instead of gold. Anyway, this got me digging into what the story (or mystery as I discovered) was behind these - seems no one knows if they were a test card, secret parallel, manufacturing error, or some other scenario. But they do appear to be extremely rare and command a pretty decent premium. But then I noticed this card. As you can see, it clearly has the 2 distinct colors folks are typically seeing - 'gold' and the standard 'copper' - in the logo. The line between them appears to be vertical. Do you guys think this confirms them to simply being a manufacturing error?

11-26-2021, 12:12 AM	#2
duron Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: NYC Posts: 12,176 drewtang duron	Nice find. I’ll always lean towards manufacturing error simply because there’s no intentionally unstated variation I’m aware of in general. Stamps/coins come to mind with crazy premiums but card examples really haven’t reached those levels. Maybe the ‘52 Mantle is the outlier with 2 “types” __________________ IG: Darz90sCardz PC: MJ/Penny

11-26-2021, 05:51 AM	#4
Nomad Banned Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Fomenting FOMO on the down low. Posts: 8,094	Foil color manufacturing errors are one of the more desirable types of errors you could have of the era, because they fall within an extremely narrow band that look like variants. Also, they add an element of scarcity to cards from the mid 1990s, when numbered parallels were few and far between (first 1/1 introduced in 1998, etc). And they are organic... this is what the manufactured serial and "rainbow" concept of chase was based on: errors and scarcity of the 1980s, when only base existed (see Frank Thomas "no name" Billy Ripken (f face). So yeah, I am into collecting these types of errors from the mid 1990s, when foil was first introduced and the process hadn't yet been perfected. '96-97 Fleer is the other big one, silver foil Jordans and Kobe rookies documented. (Some have argued that a number of errors of the 90s were intentionally seeded to capitalize on the chase for errors). Anyway, those looking for investment growth pathways might look at foil manufacturing errors of this specific era... consider the value-defining concept in coins and stamps of "absolute scarcity" vs."graded scarcity." Also, look at the explosion in prices of sought after comics with rare manufacture error covers over the past couple years. These are the equivalent of variant covers, on old comics, before that concept of printing collectable covers had been capitalized on. Full disclosure: I have a vested interest, having discovered a verified pack pulled Kobe Bryant TSC rookie with a (to my knowledge) one-of-a-kind silver foil manufacturing error. Not an in-between silver/gold. Got it CSG graded 9 with subgrades and notated as "wrong foil color" and see no reason why the Made in Springfield errors could not also be so notated. I think this is one area where CSG, which has the comics + coins + stamps background, differentiates itself from the other grading companies and maybe expands into a role of authentificator that embraces "absolute rarity," through unique errors, not just the often subjective "grading rarity." Regarding "Maybe the ‘52 Mantle is the outlier with 2 “types” .... Don't neglect the 'blue-lines back' Gretzky rookie among collectors north of the border. Okay, back to the serious stuff. Facials inserts. Last edited by Nomad; 11-26-2021 at 08:03 AM.

11-26-2021, 12:10 PM	#8
Jasondr91 Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Behind the Pokemon cards at WalMart Posts: 4,549 Jasondr91	I know a Kukoc collector who swears by these variations. I've seen both types, and agree they exist. I personally don't think there is intended value from gold over the bronze minted versions. Want my attention, look for the O-Pee-Chee versions of this series...... __________________ Still collecting certain Aleksandaя "Sasha" Pavlovic items since 2004. "The United States has become a place where professional athletes and entertainers are mistaken for people of importance." - Robert Heinlein

11-26-2021, 10:46 AM	#5
LovelyLlamas Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 660	1996_97 Fleer had some cards with silver foil instead of gold. One of those unofficial variants that pop up

11-26-2021, 10:56 AM	#6
88horsepower Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Somewhere In Time Posts: 23,872	There are variations like this on Desert Shield cards from 1991 Topps MLB and even those don't seem to carry any premium at all.

11-26-2021, 11:47 AM	#7
90skid Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 1,892	Very interesting and cool find. Maybe the bronze finish was some kind of top layer finish to the foil, and you literally have the card where they "ran out" of bronze finish in the finishing processes. I really wish someone who worked for topps back in '97 who was familiar with this series would come forward online and tell the story.