Original Topps artwork always reveals fascinating choices the company made in the production process, and Steve Barber’s 1960 card is no exception. The surviving flexichrome artwork measures 3¾” x 5″ and shows Barber in a clean Orioles uniform portrait.
Unfortunately, Topps cropped the image significantly, cutting right at the neckline for the final card. The result is a tighter, less dynamic portrait that loses some of the balance and presence of the original piece.
The left-side black-and-white action image from Barber’s card adds contrast, but I’ve been unable to track down the original, which I presume is a team-issue (it’s quite similar to the photo used on Barber’s 1964 Jay Publishing Baltimore Orioles Picture Pack set card).
From a grading standpoint, Barber’s 1960 Topps card is also a challenge. Just one copy has earned a PSA 10 grade, and it resides in the number one-ranked registry set, olemiss. But here’s a PSA 9 that Sirius Sports Auctions sold for $388 back in December 2019.
The original artwork, however, tells the richer story. It’s another reminder of how Topps sometimes sacrificed stronger compositions to fit its rigid card designs. What collectors see on cardboard is only part of the creative process.
Happy collecting!
Check out The Original Artwork Archive for more!
P.S. Here’s the artwork and card side by side for an easier comparison.
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