[chrisolds]

Hi...

I was wondering if you know the answer to this conundrum...

On the Roberto Alomar 1988 Topps Traded #4T (non Tiffany) there are two asterisks in the bottom left-hand corner on the back of the card... I also have a few ‘Tiffany’ versions of this card and they do not have the two asterisks in the bottom left-hand corner on the back of the card... I was wondering if you know the meaning of the two asterisks on the non-Tiffany card. Is it to differentiate between the Tiffany and non-Tiffany cards?

One person whom I have discussed this with suggests that Topps used the asterisks as an indicator for the printer as to which card was for what process to eliminate possible over-production... However, on my 1988 Roberto Alomar Fleer Update #U-122, there are no distinguishable 'indicator' marks on any of the 'Glossy' or 'non-Glossy' cards...

It doesn't make sense to me that the marks are for the printer's FYI when the printer is the 'one' who prints the cards... If you know what I mean... If Topps wanted lets say, 20000 cards with the 'Tiffany' process, then print that amount off and coat them with the gloss finish. Then print off the 'regular' issue cards... IDK, that just my .02...

If you could shed some light on this for me I'd appreciate it...

Thank you...

John

I believe I answered this one on a thread elsewhere recently.

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How can you tell the difference between the refractors? I know the regular refractors just say refractors but do the super or x-fractors actually say super or x or do they just look different?

Depends on the year and brand. Typically, they will say what they are if an Xfractor or Super.

Xfractors have a prismatic texture to them. The Supers have a similar but different golden tint. Look the cards up online and you will see a pattern. I don't have scans handy.

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<br />
<br />
Ditto.&nbsp; I have some minor team sets I would like to put out there and others I would like to fine.&nbsp;&nbsp; The minor sets I have been able to list are getting pretty well picked-through, and I would love to put up some more.<br />
<br />

I believe that area is being worked on next for sets that had been in system previously (if not there). Minor League team sets have had less of a presence in recent years just because there's a lot of work to input into database and get info ... and not a TON of demand for it.

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Do you think 2009 U.D. baseball U.S.A. auto cards worth trading for? Was 2009 the last year baseball relavant?

I like USA stuff across the board. Doesn't get any earlier than those cards in nearly all instances. If you want the earliest possible card with some type of league/organizational licensing, the USA cards are often it.

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Hey Chris,<br />
A couple of days ago I asked a topic to the general public on the best way to organize a collection. I have over 100,000 cards..I'm interested on your thoughts...<br />
<br />
Thanks<br />

By set or year is easiest.

For me, I keep my players I collect together (binders for simplest cards, top-loaders/magnetics in shoeboxes for autos/mem/other).

Autos, mem, serial-numbered get the same treatment, generally sorted by sport. Pretty much everything else is either binders or boxes. I'm not organized at all, though.

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How do I find out what the errors were on the 1991 Topps cards for Moises Alou and Brady Anderson? The site shows that the original cards were error cards, and that corrected cards were issued, but I have no way of knowing if I have the error cards or the original cards. The site gives only the following information:<br />
Card: 1991 Topps #526A Moises Alou ERR<br />
Card: 1991 Topps #526B Moises Alou COR<br />
Card: 1991 Topps #97A Brady Anderson ERR<br />
Card: 1991 Topps #97B Brady Anderson COR<br />
Thank you.

Typically, a fast description appears in our annual books. In this case:

Alou: error says he had 37 runs in 2 games in 1990. Correction says 0

Anderson: ERR has a reference to 2 RBI and 3 hits in September. Correction should say something else

Unfortunately, guys, I can't take a lot of time on questions like these... but you can often find the answers in our annual books.