2021 Topps Heritage Baseball Forum

im sitting here pulling what is left of my hair trying to figure out the flip stock. Now it would be easier if they were SN# or a different code number on the back but noooo. I have the Ke'Bryan Hayes #98 card where you can tell the backs are completely different shades of grey but, looking at several of the cards I pulled from the box they either have a lighter grey to a darker grey backs. Then I look at the gloss of the card I do not see a differnce on the fronts. I would think the flip stock would have a duller image of the card on the front but nope not here too. 

after careful consideration I am leaning towards the darker grey back as the flip stock card but someone who is an expert in this set please steer me in the right direction

Do they have different print codes at the bottom?

 Cardboard connection usually has variations by print number.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cardboardconnection.com/2021-topps-heritage-baseball-variations/amp

For flip stock, the main thing you wanna look for is texture. Heritage named it flip stock for a reason, basically meaning the texture for the front and back should be reversed.

Yup, it'll be dull/rough on the front and smooth on the back. If your front is glossy, you have a regular card.

I've updated the Release Notes to help others out.

nope same code-- but reading the link you sent doesnt give a different code for the flip backs

parsley24 wrote:

Do they have different print codes at the bottom?

 Cardboard connection usually has variations by print number.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cardboardconnection.com/2021-topps-heritage-baseball-variations/amp

thats the thing they both feel right but a different color on the back and both cards were pulled from the same pack

both fronts look glossy to me i am trying to figure out how to add pictures right now.  my scanner is on the fritz right now

Parallels usually have the same code as base

The color of the gray backs is irrelevent. There is a natural variance to the card stock used. The other thing that matters on a "flip stock" is which side is the rough side, and which side is the coated side. Normally, a card's obverse (front side) is the coated side, and the reverse is the rough side (natural paper texture with only printed ink --- no coating). For "flip stock" it is the opposite -- obverse is rough/uncoated, and reverse is coated.

I worked in commercial printing for over 20 years, so this is in my wheelhouse. :)

I've had this happen too...same card in the same pack and its happened in multiple products by Topps (Retail.)  Were the cards back to back in the same pack or were they seperated with cards in between them?  Usually the oddball/variations are flipped backwards in the packs too.