You're Not Who You Say You Are

I know Gary DiSarcina, and you, Sir, are NO Gary DiSarcina.

That's because you are Tim Salmon!

Tim found his way onto Gary DiSarcina's 2000 MLB Showdown card.

Pretty easy to spot the difference between the two players, plus Gary is uniform number 9 and Salmon is 15.

Yeah, I say easy to spot, but I just noticed this error the other day.

This is an uncorrected error, so poor Gary never got his mug in the set.

Couple More To Add To The 1984 Topps Master Set

I forgot that I had this.  It was in my "Good Cards" box.  You know, the box with the relics, certified autographs and such that are in top-loaders.  If you look close you'll see that Mr Green is lacking the black ink on the card.  I love finding cards like this, it's a total score when I do.

I've had the photos in this post without any text for at least a couple months now, so I don't recall why I wanted to show you the back of the card.

Here's the normal 1984 Topps next to the misprint.

Not a lot of black ink to be missing but enough to make you take a second closer look.

This is a card I pulled out of a junk box at the LCS a couple months ago.

This is the 1984 Nestle Wade Boggs Black and White variation.

The more popular is the Don Mattingley card, and there is also a Darryl Strawberry version.

Sometimes these are call "proofs", "test proofs" and even "unauthorized copy".  By all accounts though most consider them fakes.

Cool little card to add to the 1984 master set though. 

Here is the back for kicks.

There are some blank-back variations as well.

Anyone with 1984 Topps miscuts and variations they want to part with?

Whats Wrong With You, John Olerud?

Thumbing through those 5000-count junk boxes at the LCS I came across the 1994 Fleer John Olerud.

I'm an Olerud collector so I stopped when I came to this card, and then something struck me as being off.

Can you spot the flaw?

Need some more help?

Here's a comparison of the correct card (top) and the flawed card (bottom).

See the how the circular gold printing is shifted left and up into the white border?

Pretty cool huh? 

In the same chunk of 1994 Fleer was this other card of John Olerud. 

What struck me about this card is that I'm pretty sure the photo was taken at Anaheim Stadium, the orange and tan seats taking me right back to the many games I've been to there growing up.

That would be right field or Wally World in the background.

I Thought I Hit The Jackpot Today

You know that feeling you get when you're thumbing through cards and something is not quite right, then you take a look closer and you think you've found a one-of-a-kind error card?  

Happened to me today at my LCS.

I was thumbing through 1991 Stadium Club baseball looking for for Dave Gallagher (the last Angels card I need for the team set) and for Gary Green (I'm sending out a Team USA card for him to sign and wanted to include this one as well).

I found the Gallagher but not the Green (isn't that always the case?).

But in the midst of thumbing I saw this guy:

We all know who this is right?

Otis Nixon?

But when I glanced down at the name...

Alex Cole.

Now granted Alex Cole could be Otis Nixon's son, there are some similarities.

But Alex Cole is No Otis Nixon.

But Sweet!

I just found a one-of-one error card!

But no I didn't.

After some research this is a fairly well known UER (uncorrected error) worth about 50 cents.

Ah well.

But take a look at this:

Now this ebay listing really doesn't make sense.

Would you sign a picture of yourself (albeit on the wrong card) but state that it isn't you?

Red flag!

Stickers Count Too

Stickers count in my Angels collection.  Some team collectors only collect the cards, but I do it all.  Anything (just about) with an Angels logo on it.

I saw these Angels stickers on Listia and I wanted them.

The lot also came with a Dodgers sheet that I sent to Nomo.

1996 MLB Pro Stamps Angels sheet.

I know my Angels so without looking at the names that's Gary DiSarcina, Tim Salmon,

JT Snow, Garret Anderson, and Charles Chili Davis.

There's a sweet team logo sticker too.

Sweet, a new Salmon to check off.

What's the back look like?

DiSar, Salmon, Snow, Brian An....

Wait, wha??

Turn the sheet back over...

I'm seeing Garret but I'm reading Brian.  Brian is a pitcher, Garret is a hitter.

ERROR!

A quick ebay search doesn't mention an error version, but does show the same Garret Anderson photo misidentified  as Brian Anderson on the 1996 Chris Martin Pro Magnets Garret Anderson #053.

Bad research really chaps my hide.

Somethings Missing Here

I was going through a box of well worn junk: mostly 1991 Topps, Donruss and Fleer baseball, 1991-92 football, and a scattering of basketball. I was getting ready to donate the shoebox but figured I'd go through it first just in case.

I did a double-take when I came across this Karl Malone card:

What kinda card is this? What's that black box all about? I put my thumb on it thinking it was a heat sensative hidden image. Nope. Then I turned the card over and realized it was a Fleer Ultra Rebound King insert card.

Here's the back:

What do all Fleer Ultra have in common folks? Gold! There's no gold on the front. There's the error!

Here is a similar card from the 1994 Ultra Rebound King subset:

So, see all the gold that's missing from the Karl Malone card? No gold Karl Malone, no gold 93-94 Fleer Ultra, and no gold Rebound King logo.

Sweet.  If you dig this card and want it for you collections of errors and variations, I posted it on sportlots.  Please keep the wagering friendly.

1991 UD Brian Downing Error

Can you spot the error?


Brian Downing made it to the Majors in 1973 when he was 22 years old. He was used primarily as a catcher. When the Angels purchased his contract in 1978 he started out as a catcher but slowly converted to playing more in the outfield, and filling in as DH. By 1988 he was 37 and was now exclusivly used as a DH.

But when Upper Deck issued their 1991 set, they seemed to forget about that.


This is the 1991 Upper Deck card 231a Brian Downing (no position on front). See the white octagon? Inside should be a little black DH.


Like this corrected #231b Brian Downing (DH on front).


Here's the full corrected card.