Complete list of 2011 Topps Heritage Baseball Error and Variation cards. Mirrored Alex Rodriguez Card Mystery Solved, VERY Short Print Confirmed, Check Your Cards Very Carefully.

Recently we wrote about a mysterious mirrored Alex Rodriguez card that showed up briefly on eBay (the auction was ended early) that was different than the card we pulled.  

We now how confirmation from Topps.  The card is indeed a real card, mimicking the uncorrected Clete Boyer error card from 1962.   But there is more.

Topps has release a full accounting of all the variation cards in the Heritage set.  There are 6 errors that were mimicked from the original set.  2 errors (1 of them A-Rod) can be found on the front of the card and the other 4 can be found on the card’s back.  They are very short printed.

Originally we speculated on which were the error cards.  Here were out thoughts of which cards to look at closer.

Clayton Kershaw #5 – The 1962 card of Sandy Koufax says “Struck ou 18” on the back. Similarities – (Kershaw & Koufax Dodger Lefty Starting Pitchers)

Padres Team Card #22 or Checklist #2 – The 1962 Checklist jumps from 32 on the front to 121 on the back

Joba Chamberlain #159 - Yankees Pitcher Hal Reniff ‘s 1962 green tint Pitching and first portiat cards were incorrectly numbered as 139, later corrected his portrait card to 159. Similarities  - (Chamberlain & Reniff Yankee Pitchers)

Bengie Molina #279 – Hobie Landrith’s 1962 card has the wrong birthday listed

Similarities (Molina & Landrith Giants catchers the prior year to release of card)

Ryan Zimmerman #392 – The Sporting News Ken Boyer has his batting average listed as .392 Similarities (Zimmerman & Boyer 3rd basemen with the highest batting average in the NL)

David Wright #478 – Don Zimmer had been traded to the Cincinnati Reds which is correct on the card, but his picture shows him still in his former team’s uniform, the New York Mets. Similarities – (Wright & Zimmer Mets 3rd Basemen)

Alex Rodriguez #490 – Clete Boyer’s card is a mirrored image but the Yankee Logo is not mirrored.  Similarities  - (A-Rod & Boyer Yankee 3rd Basemen)

So it turns out we got five of the six.   Here is the actual list.

Alex Rodriguez (Photo Reversed w/ bat in left hand)

David Wright (Cincinnati Reds on the front)

Joba Chamberlain (Card # 139 on the back)

Bengie Molina (Wrong birthday on the back)

Ryan Zimmerman (Wrong batting average on the back)

Vlad Guerrero (Listed as Pitcher on card back)

Here is a listing of all the other variations

Base Cards 426-500 are short printed and can be found 1:3 packs.

Replicating the original 1962 Topps , there are short printed GREEN TINT variations.  Subjects include cards 110-158 and 160-196. 

There is also a BLUE TINT variation (found at Wal-Mart) and a RED TINT variation (found at Target) featuring the same subjects.  These are also short printed.

Collectors can also find GREEN REFRACTOR parallels (100 subjects) that are only found in Green Refractor Hot Boxes.  These Hot Boxes are 1 per hobby case.

At retail outlets, collectors can find a special 100-card BLACK BORDERED parallel.  They are exclusive to the $8.99 3-pack blister.

And exclusive to hobby boxes, there is a special 10-card JACKIE ROBINSON STORY variation that has the look and feel of the Babe Ruth Story insert.  In addition, there is a relic version of each card numbered to 42.