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You Again?! Card Companies Reusing Player Photos

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Juan Gris

Well-known member
May 23, 2013
2,222
106
Columbus, OH
Looking through my Adam Dunn auto cards last night I noticed the same photo of Dunn being used on different cards. I've read posts concerning card companies reusing player images across multiple products but had never checked my Dunn Auto PC for this occurrence.

I thought it would be interesting to post cards of your players being recycled across products (and don't forget to check the images on the backs of cards!).

Here are some 2004 Donruss/Playoff/Leaf examples of Dunn:
Dunn Reused Image 1.jpg

Here are some 2007 Upper Deck examples of Dunn:
Dunn Reused Image 2.jpg
 

Hendersonfan

New member
May 2, 2011
4,118
0
Buckeye Country
Topps has been using the same 4-5 photos (that may be on the high side) of Rickey for all cards over the last 6 years. Any that look different are ones that were used in the early 80's or by other companies in the late 90's/early 00's.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

DaClyde

Well-known member
Jan 17, 2010
1,614
58
Huntsville, AL
The oddball/food issue world was really big into photo re-use in the 1980s. Over on the Winfield thread, I posted 9 oddballs with the same photo used over the course of 6 years. These days, Topps seems to be making up for the lack of oddballs by using the same photo on 9 different issues every year for the last 10 years.

A link for those who like that sort of thing:

http://www.freedomcardboard.com/for...winfield-collectors-thread-2.html#post1304712
 
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michaelstepper

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
8,211
519
southeast Alaska
Felix hernandez has hundreds of new cards every year and they've been using the same photos since 2007. No personal image change so why take a new pic right?


Sent from my iPhone
 

DaClyde

Well-known member
Jan 17, 2010
1,614
58
Huntsville, AL
I guess what bugs me the most about the photo re-use is when you start seeing photos, slides and negatives for sale from The Topps Vault that have been used maybe once in 30 years, or on some occasions, the photo has NEVER been used on a card. So now you know they had other photos to work with, yet they still kept using the same half dozen photos over and over.
 

Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
This has been happening forever.
Topps reused photos of stars like Mays and Aaron in its '55 and '56 sets.
Some players even had the same photo used in the '54, '55 and '56 sets.
The old '30s and '40s gum sets like Play Ball also reused photos.

Of course, these days there is no excuse for companies to reuse photos, especially with digital cameras.
Photographers take several hundred pictures a game.

Companies are either too lazy, or too cheap to pay for new photos now.
It's really pathetic that in the digital age, cards are still being made with recycled pictures.

On a related note, the most famous instance of a coincidental use of the same photo was the Rod Carew card in the 1982 Fleer and Topps sets.
Both companies bought the same photo without the other's knowledge.
 
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clarkzac

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2010
9,824
1,079
I know Joe Mauer had the same photo used on multiple products from 2009-2010. 2009 Ginter, 2009 Ticket to Stardom, 2010 Ginter, 2010 Bowman Expectations, and 2010 Turkey Red. 2010 Turkey Red I'm not positive, but it looks the exact same as the others just mirrored.
 
Companies are either too lazy, or too cheap to pay for new photos now.
It's really pathetic that in the digital age, cards are still being made with recycled pictures.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
I know of a card in this years Goodwin set that UD went on Flickr or Facebook and took an image without the photographers permission. He recognized the photo when this athlete posted a picture of the cards they just signed on Facebook. He worked it out with them, but turns out UD payed the illustrator who painted the card (from his original) more than the source of the content. I talked to him this past weekend and turns out he has not been paid by UD, I wished him the best of luck in getting his money from them.
 

smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
This is as old as baseball cards. The photo on the T-206 Wagner was used on at least 3 other cards, IIRC. I think Henry Aaron's 1954-56 cards are all the same pic. And so on.

Isn't it funny we marvel over rainbows people assemble, but hate when card companies make rainbows across brands?
 

bongo870

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2009
3,574
485
Marlton NJ
I seen this with my Ruf autos
Finest:
RUFDARIN8_zpsa02d6f46.jpg


topps chrome
RUFDARIN6_zpsffe47350.jpg


then inscriptions (see how they gave him a scruffy look.. sam epic with that added on lol
RUFDARIN2_zps3a4bf327.jpg
 

Hendersonfan

New member
May 2, 2011
4,118
0
Buckeye Country
This is just after going to Google and typing in Rickey Henderson Topps. I could find more if had more time to waste.

1383321827030.jpg

1383321845698.jpg

1383321883672.jpg

1383322467967.jpg

1383321925690.jpg

1383321908630.jpg

1383321947569.jpg

1383321958987.jpg

1383321969849.jpg


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

vwnut13

Active member
Apr 19, 2009
8,004
0
Vermont
2008 Bowman Sterling

Gold_Auto.JPG



2010 Bowman Platinum

MR_SuperfractorG_10Plat.JPG




Now, where is that Bowman Sterling Red 1/1? And while we're at it, how about the 2008 Bowman Chrome Superfractor.
 

michaelstepper

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
8,211
519
southeast Alaska
C'mon topps. Being the only guys in the logo/license game.. Stop reusing photos!!! I get that he's retired but c'mon there has to be a million pics of him on a thumb drive somewhere.
2012
6224048E-5164-4142-8982-FC09DEFD6B93-17219-0000181B7B14885E.jpg


2013 update
FDB4B860-3196-4F6B-832A-AED3BBFDA13D-14739-0000086713C48C96_zpseeb3ac9f.jpg


I've seen about 8 felix hernandez cards over 3 years with the same photo



Sent from my iPhone


Sent from my iPhone
 

coqxxx4

Member
Aug 7, 2008
466
0
C'mon topps. Being the only guys in the logo/license game.. Stop reusing photos!!! I get that he's retired but c'mon there has to be a million pics of him on a thumb drive somewhere.
2012
6224048E-5164-4142-8982-FC09DEFD6B93-17219-0000181B7B14885E.jpg


2013 update
FDB4B860-3196-4F6B-832A-AED3BBFDA13D-14739-0000086713C48C96_zpseeb3ac9f.jpg


I've seen about 8 felix hernandez cards over 3 years with the same photo



Sent from my iPhone

Couple more to go with your photo
2013ToppsArchivesTriumvirate4B.jpg

2013ToppsMVPAwardWinnersTrophyKG.jpg
 

michaelstepper

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2010
8,211
519
southeast Alaska
^^^^^ haha ridiculous
There's a reason (as good or bad as some topps cards are)that 90% of my collection is other manufacturers. Upper deck was guilty of this as well but not nearly as much


#thankstopps


Sent from my iPhone
 
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