On the left is card #296 from the base mini set, Tom Seaver. On the right is the Mini SP Photo variation. There were some tricky cards to spot in the base set photo variations like the uniform changes with CC Sabathia and Reggie Jackson. Those images are identical in the Mini set so if you want to see a side by side comparison, head over to our base set SP Photo Variation page. The three other cards that were hard to see differences in even side by side were Joe DiMaggio, Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn. In the mini set, 2 of those 3 still require close inspection.
On the left is card #232 from the base mini set, Joe DiMaggio. On the right is the Mini SP Photo variation. For the minis, Topps decided to go with a true alternate photo instead of adjusting the sizing.
On the left is card #248 from the base mini set, Wade Boggs. On the right is the mini SP Photo variation. For the base set, the looser sizing was the SP, with the minis the tighter sizing is the SP. As a rule, if you can't see Boggs' shoe, you have the mini SP.
Just like with the base set, the differences between Tony Gwynn's cards are the most difficult to spot. Both cards are number 252. The Mini on the left is the base mini, and the mini on the right is the SP Photo variation. The only way to spot the SP variation is to look at the bottom of the card. You start to lose the player in the dugout on the lower right and the border cuts Gwynn's back leg off at the knee instead of being cut off at the calf with the regular base set mini.
All the other mini SP Photo variations have greater differences so just like with our Complete Visual Checklists of 2012 Topps Heritage Baseball Color Swap cards and 2012 Gypsy Queen Base Set SP Photo Variations, I will only post the SP Photo variations for the rest of the mini short prints. So if a card you have matches one you find here, you are the lucky owner of a mini short print variation.
#1 Jesus Montero, #2 Hunter Pence, #6 Matt Moore
#10 Roy Halladay, #16 Eric Hosmer, #22 Kevin Youkilis
#26 Brian Wilson, #30 Cole Hamels, #34 Mark Trumbo
#35 Jon Lester, #39 Jaime Garcia, #40 Ichiro
#41 Yadier Molina, #42 Tommy Hanson, #44 Matt Kemp
#45 Madison Bumgarner, #48 Jay Bruce, #50 Miguel Cabrera
#54 Mariano Rivera, #55 Matt Holliday, #60 Jacoby Ellsbury
#65 Alex Avila, #67 Josh Hamilton, #68 Alex Rodriguez
#71 Ian Kennedy, #76 Mike Napoli, #80 Ryan Braun
#82 David Wright, #83 Ryan Howard, #84 Freddie Freeman
#85 Adam Jones, #90 Mark Teixeira, #98 Jason Heyward
#100 Derek Jeter, #101 Paul Konerko, #105 Pablo Sandoval
#110 Jose Bautista, #120 Mickey Mantle, #135 Clayton Kershaw
#138 Chris Carpenter, #139 James Shields, #140 Joe Mauer
#141 Roy Oswalt, #142 Carlos Gonzalez, #143 Dustin Pedroia
#144 Andrew McCutchen, #145 Ian Kinsler, #147 Mike Stanton
#149 Ryan Zimmerman, #150 CC Sabathia, #152 Dan Uggla
#153 Alex Gordon, #154 Victor Martinez, #155 Yovani Gallardo
#157 Nelson Cruz, #170 Cliff Lee, #171 Jimmy Rollins
#173 David Ortiz, #179 Paul Goldschmidt, #181 Jeremy
Hellickson
#182 Buster Posey, #184 Stephen Strasburg, #185 Lance
Berkman
#186 Josh Johnson, #187 Brandon Beachy, #190 Robinson Cano
#197 David Freese, #200 Felix Hernandez, #210 Justin Upton
#220 Joey Votto, #226 Johnny Bench, #229 Ty Cobb
#230 Evan Longoria, #236 Lou Gehrig, #240 Tim Lincecum
#250 Ken Griffey, Jr., #258 Mike Schmidt, #260 Curtis Granderson
#270 Roberto Clemente, #271 Jered Weaver, #272 Craig Kimbrel
#273 Starlin Castro, #285 Carlos Santana, #286 Chase Utley
#287 Daniel Hudson, #289 Gio Gonzalez, #294 Reggie Jackson