on the surface, it looks the same. it's only when you turn it over that its true variation is revealed. i am referring, of course, to the 1978 topps zest manny mota card which had been part of my 'nefarious 9' for quite some time. i had purchased a copy online earlier this year, but the seller couldn't find it. then, someone posted one for sale on sportlots and i jumped on it.
here's the back
this was a 5 card set featuring latin players with a bar of soap in an effort, i assume, to target market a certain community. and that community was baseball card collectors. i really like how, unlike o-pee-chee translations, these cards translated the offensive category abbreviations into spanish. that's attention to detail.
i now own 2/5 of this set (with no desire to complete it) as there is really only one variation in it. that's the willie montanez card, showing him in a mets uniform (he was shown as a brave in the regular topps set).
so, with this variation, coupled with all of the 1978 topps burger king variations, i believe i have all of the official 1978 topps variations. i just need to complete my custom dodger cards...
meanwhile, i have replaced the mota card in my most wanted list with 1980 topps jerry reuss, as i realized while scanning my copy for yesterday's post that it's in pretty bad shape.
any help is appreciated! you will be rewarded!