Show Off Your Pre-production stuff

I've always been fascinated with the color correction photos that I've found from the Topps Vault, specifically those used for actual cards. There is something pretty exciting about seeing the original non-cropped version of the image that graced an iconic card. This is, in my opinion, especially so for cards made in the 80's and early 90's. I really feel that it's kind of cool as a collector to see something that stands out as being unique against the backdrop of mass production. If you have any pre-production material - please share!

I got this Larry Walker from his 1990 Topps Debut card for a little over $15 a couple of years ago.

I love these photos! I've got a bunch of Topps Vault Gary Carter stuff and a few other random photos in my collection. I will look for more tomorrow, here are a couple scans that were handy, both from the 1982 Topps set:

Great stuff guys. Abe I love that Dent! Brings me back in time seeing that pic. My O'neill Studio stuff. hard to believe the Topps Vault had more stuff of the same card that I was outbid on:

Here are some 1996 Topps Gallery cards.
Regular issue 1996 Topps Gallery #153

Regular issue 1996 Topps Gallery #156 PSA10

1996 Topps Gallery Players Private Issue #156

1996 Topps Gallery Oversized Blank Back

1996 Topps Gallery Oversized Blank Back w/ code numbers

1996 Topps Gallery Blank back no foil (from Topps Vault)

1996 Topps Gallery Proofs (from Topps Vault)

Awesome stuff! That Carter photo is killer and I love the O'Neil pre-production 'rainbow'.

1964 Topps Stamps Pre-Production Proof






Grace stuff:






(This card was never made, although the insert set was.)

Really interesting stuff. Here are a couple more:

I just got this 1985 Topps Traded photo from Scott


1978 Hostess photo

Here's 1978 Topps and 1979 Topps Expos team card photo

A sheet of Fleer Phil Niekro autographs that were never inserted into cards.

Stadium no foil blank back

I might have a few things to contribute to this thread!

These were the first really cool items I landed. I picked these up from a collector in Canada back in the late 90s, I think. They are the original slides that were used to produce several stickers.










1984 Topps blackless, magenta/cyan, black and white proofs



1984 Topps magenta/yellow, cyan/yellow proofs


1985 Topps blackless, black and white, cyan and magenta proofs



1985 Topps 4-color mask film negative, which was used in the set's printing and proofing process. This piece was used for the magenta tone.




1991 Stadium Club "no foil or UV" oversized proof, 1991 Stadium Club "no foil or UV' regular size
(I've got maybe another dozen various oversized proofs like this - all show a larger picture that was then cropped to make the final card)



Next up is a 1993 Bowman match print photo, plus the card it was used to make:



Color separation proofs from 1994 Stadium Club:

Cyan, Cyan/Yellow, Magenta, Magenta/Yellow




Cyan/Yellow, followed by Magenta/Yellow


Original camera-ready paste up for his 1986 Topps Super



which goes great with this separate piece, also from 1986 Topps Super. It is a color separation film positive and was used to produce the yellow tones in the final card image.



Photo match print for 1995 Stadium Club (front)


and the back

Photo used for card back


resulting card



1992 Bowman final original published negative - actual color transparency used to create the card​. The actual negative is much smaller than what I've shown here - I blew it up to show detail.





I was expecting a very cool item, and that is exactly what I got. However, I wasn't expecting what came along for the ride. It appears to be a hand-drawn mockup of what the card was going to look like. It is done on some sort of thin plastic sheet.




1997 Finest Match Print photos. - photo for the front and the resulting card:



1997 Finest Match Print photos - back picture and resulting card:



And the envelopes:

Just got this in from one of my favorite '90s inserts today.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

Holy cow!!! That Jackson is off the chart! Amazing piece of history. Thanks for sharing.

Topps Boog Powell Test Disc

How about a 1967 Boog Powell test disc. It's not full color; it's missing the blue.

All of the items posted so far have been really cool; thanks for sharing. I'd like to say that those Gary Carter match print photo's are AMAZING!

Nice find on those Butler slides, and as for the Bowman mock-up, I've never seen one like that (didn't even know they made contour drawings of the players for the layout). Some great pre-production 'rainbows'. Nice stuff.

Hendersonfan said:

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Not only do I like the slide, but what a nice display!