Its Amazing What You Can Find When You're Sorting

Take a look at these two cards:

1994 Topps Finest #157 J.T. Snow

I was going through the dupes box and pulled out the card on the right.

The card on the left was already in the 1994 Angels binder.

They look the same, I thought.

But I've learned to always check the backs of cards because you never know when there might be a subtle difference.

And those subtle differences are usually on the back.

Now, take a look at the backs:

And there it is.

Binder card has PREPRODUCTION in red across the back.

Okay, there's a surprise, didn't even know I had that.

But then I saw that the so-called dupe did not have that on the back.

Cool. A new card.

But then I saw, or DIDN'T see, some other things.

Dupe card.

Observe closely, there's going to be a test.

PREPRODUCTION card.

I underlined and circled all the differences in red.

Lots going on there.

So after some research I found out that there is 40-card set of these Pre-Production cards and they were issued randomly in packs of 1994 Topps Series 2 to premier the upcoming release of 1994 Finest.

The SCBC says these cards share the same format and card numbers as the regular issue Finest cards except for the "PREPRODUCTION" red stamp on the back.

Well, now we know that's not the only difference.

Back to your dupe boxes Team Collectors!