Garbage Pail Kids Variations

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This site explains the types and distribution of "variations" in Topps' Garbage Pail Kids cards. Please offer comments if you can, by e-mail

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I don't follow "variations" that are mis-cut cards, due to a manufacturing problem. There are a few other variations that I have heard rumors about but I haven't seen.

Every Garbage Pail Kids series was printed in groups of 88 cards, 44 of the "a" type and 44 of the "b" type. But some of the sets only have 40, 41, 42, or 43 numbers. Why? Because some of the variations were planned into the original set. Thus, those variations are every bit as "common" as any other card.

For a few of the later sets, several of the cards were double-printed instead. I think I've tracked down all of those, so I have verified the "88" that were planned for each set.

Series Two "Schizo Fran" was replaced in mid-production, along with the checklist cards that referred to it. So this one doesn't count as a planned variation. Similarly, the Fourth Series variations were caused by legal problems in mid-production (objections from some of the big names that were parodied).

That may be complicated enough, but the really anal-retentive GPK collectors note that Topps used two copies of each printing plate. They wanted to know how to track down printing problems, so the cards on one plate had a single asterisk "*" ("one star") (usually near the copyright notice) and the other printing plate used a double asterisk "**" ("two stars"). For the series that put the copyright on the backs of the cards, the * and ** variation shows up only in the corner of the puzzle that has the copyright mark. And a few series (or cards within some series) have been seen only with one of the star-types. The * and ** cards are found for each of the card-text or card-marking variations.

If you have patience enough to chase after the one-star and two-star variations, in the lists below I show the cards that are generally assumed to be found in both versions. Occasionally I have found a card that has a star-type that "common wisdom" says wasn't printed that way, so be warned that the collecting community might not know everything yet. ;-)

Here are a couple of examples. For the 11th Series, there are 42 numbered cards in both the "a" and "b" subsets. Plus, there are two marking variations for each of 458a/b and 459a/b. The "regular variation set" is 88 cards. But every one of these cards can be found with either a * or ** next to the copyright mark, so there are actually 176 possible different cards to collect. And you thought you were happy with a "complete" set of 84!

For the Eighth Series of GPK, there are 42 numbered cards in both the "a" and "b" subsets. There are puzzle-back variations for 298a/b and 318 a/b, making the regular "variation set" 88 cards. 18 a/b pairs and the 298/318 variations, or 40 cards, do not have any stars because the backs are puzzle pieces that do not bear the copyright mark. Each of the remaining 48 cards is found with the * or ** difference. So an abso-dang-lutely "complete" set is 88 + 48, or 136 cards.

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FIRST SERIES -- 41 a/b CARDS PLUS THREE PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 5a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Stupid Student Award"
- 8a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Cheater's License"
- 29a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Reform School Diploma"

"*" and "**" variations: every card (88 different = 176 total)
- every card was printed in both glossy (most common) or matte finish

SECOND SERIES -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS ONE PLANNED a/b VARIATION PLUS ONE a/b DOUBLE PRINT RUN (common variation set is 86 cards)

- 42a&b - Back is "Sneak Award" or "Spaz Award"
- 45a&b was the double print run

- 46a&b - Back is Checklist with "Fran Fran" or "Schizo Fran" for 49b
- 47a&b - Back is Checklist with "Fran Fran" or "Schizo Fran" for 49b
- 49b - Front is "Fran Fran" or "Schizo Fran"
- All A&B cards 43, 44, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 75,
       76, 77, 78, 79, 80 - Back is Black Puzzle Piece (Live MIKE) or Green (Messy TESSIE)
       (Messy TESSIE) Puzzle Piece

"*" and "**" variations: 42(both), 45-54, 60-65, 72-74, 81-83 (52 different = 184 total)

THIRD SERIES -- 41 a/b CARDS PLUS THREE PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 84a&b - Back is "Wanted-Barber" or "Wanted-Principal"
- 110a&b - Back is "Wanted-Big Sister" or "Wanted-Teacher"
- 113a&b - Front has number printed in Black or printed in White

- All A&B cards 85, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 101, 103, 107, 109,
       112, 114, 115, 121, 122, 123, 124 - Front has, or does not
       have, copyright notice

"*" and "**" variations: 84(both), 86, 91, 96-100, 102, 104-106, 108, 110(both),
    111, 113(both), 114, 116-120 (50 different = 140 total)

FOURTH SERIES -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS TWO a/b DOUBLE PRINT RUNS (common set is 84 cards)

- 132a&b and 161a&b were the double print runs.

- 125b - Front is "Woody Alan" or "Oak Kay"
- 149a - Front is "Reese Pieces" or "Puzzled Paul"
- 158b - Front is "Crystal Gale" or "Ig Lou"
- 164b - Front is "Salvatore Dolly" or "Battered Brad"
- 125a, 138a&b - Back is Checklist with "Woody Alan" or "Oak Kay" for 125b

"*" and "**" variations: 125(both), 128-130, 132, 135, 138(both), 140, 142, 145, 147,
    148, 150, 153, 158a, 158b(both), 159-161, 165-166 (45 different = 143 total)

FIFTH SERIES -- 40 a/b CARDS PLUS FOUR PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 168a&b - Back is puzzle piece from corner or from edge
- 169a&b - Back is puzzle piece from center or from edge
- 175a&b - Back is puzzle piece from center or from edge
- 178a&b - Back is puzzle piece or "Acne Amy"

"*" and "**" variations: 167, 170, 172-174, 177, 178(Amy), 179-182, 184-185, 189-191,
    193, 195-196, 201-202, 204, 206 (46 different = 134 total)
No star-variation for 200

SIXTH SERIES -- 44 a/b CARDS, NO VARIATIONS (common set is 88 cards)

No star-variation for 207-208, 211-213, 215, 217-219, 221, 223-224, 226, 228,
    230, 232, 235, 238-239, 241-243, 245, 248

SEVENTH SERIES -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS TWO PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards; uncommon variation set is 91 cards.)

- 253a&b - Back is puzzle piece from corner or from edge
- 265a&b - Back is puzzle piece from center or from edge

- 289b - Front has number printed in black or in white
- 260b - Rare variation with purple logo on front
- 261b - Rare variation with purple logo on front

"*" and "**" variations: 252, 254, 256, 258, 262-264, 266-268, 270, 273-279,
    281-282, 288, 289a, 289b(both), 290-291 (49 different = 140 total)

EIGHTH SERIES -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS TWO PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 298a&b - Back is puzzle piece from corner or from edge
- 318a&b - Back is puzzle piece from center or from edge

"*" and "**" variations: 293-294, 297, 300-301, 304-305, 308, 310-311, 313,
    316-317, 319-323, 326, 328-331, 334 (48 different = 136 total)

NINTH SERIES -- 44 a/b CARDS, NO PLANNED VARIATIONS (common set is 88 cards)

- 355b - Front has invisible number (this is really a production fault;
       some cards have faint numbers; but some people consider it a
       collectible variation)

"*" and "**" variations: 337, 339-341, 343, 349-350, 352-353, 356, 359-360,
    362, 364, 368-369, 371-378 (48 different = 136 total)

TENTH SERIES -- 39 a/b CARDS PLUS FIVE PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards; uncommon variation set is 90 cards.)

- 379a&b - Back has completed puzzle or "Rob Slob & Double Iris" or "Zach
       Plaque & Still Jill"
- 384a&b - Front has (or has not) white "square" at right under logo
- 385a&b - Back has GPK logo in red or in blue
- 408a&b - Back has GPK logo in red or in blue

- 402a&b - Die-cuts are either oriented correctly or are "reversed": the cut's "indent"
       is either at the upper left or lower right.

"*" and "**" variations: 379(all), 381-383, 384(both), 385(both), 387-389, 391,
    397-398, 408(both), 411-415 (46 different = 136 total)
No star-variation for 399

ELEVENTH SERIES -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS TWO a/b VARIATIONS ... VARIATIONS ARE SO SUBTLE THAT THEY ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED DOUBLE PRINT RUNS (common variation set is 84 cards OR 88 cards, your decision)

- 458a&b - Front: green at extreme bottom of chair post; or post all gray
- 459a - Front: far-right "cookie" is all brown, or pink-and-brown
- 459b - Front: Logo has splatter on "IL", or no splatter

- 402a&b - Die-cuts are either oriented correctly or are "reversed": the cut's "indent"
       is either at the upper left or lower right.

"*" and "**" variations: all cards (88 different = 176 total)

TWELFTH SERIES -- 41 a/b CARDS PLUS THREE PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 469a - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #38
- 469b - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #37
- 472a - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #36
- 472b - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #35
- 481a - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #34
- 481b - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #33

- 402a&b - Die-cuts are either oriented correctly or are "reversed": the cut's "indent"
       is either at the upper left or lower right.

No star-variations observed.

THIRTEENTH SERIES -- 40 a/b CARDS PLUS FOUR PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 507a - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #31
- 507b - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #32
- 518a - Back is Flick-It Card #37 or #39
- 518b - Back is Flick-It Card #40 or #38
- 534a - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #35
- 534b - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #36
- 538a - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #33
- 538b - Back is completed puzzle or Flick-It Card #34

No star-variations observed.

FOURTEENTH SERIES -- 40 a/b CARDS PLUS FOUR PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 541a - Back is completed puzzle (#39) or Flick-It Card #31
- 541b - Back is completed puzzle (#40) or Flick-It Card #32
- 548a - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #35
- 548b - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #36
- 562a - Back is Flick-It Card #37 or #43
- 562b - Back is Flick-It Card #38 or #44
- 573a - Back is completed puzzle (#41) or Flick-It Card #33
- 573b - Back is completed puzzle (#42) or Flick-It Card #34

"*" and "**" variations: 541(both), 542-545, 547, 548(both), 549, 551-553, 560,
    562(both), 565, 568, 573(both), 576-577, 579 (46 different = 134 total)
No star-variation for 546, 550, 554-559, 561, 563-564, 566-567, 569-572, 574-575,
    578, 580

FIFTEENTH SERIES -- 40 a/b CARDS PLUS FOUR PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 581a - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #35
- 581b - Back is Checklist or Flick-It Card #36
- 582a - Back is puzzle piece or Flick-It Card #39
- 582b - Back is puzzle piece or Flick-It Card #40
- 583a&b - Back is completed puzzle or puzzle piece
- 584a&b - Back is completed puzzle or puzzle piece
- All Cards were issued with the sticker outline cut out or not cut out.
       Thus there are four varieties for each card listed above for
       the 15th series.

No star-variations observed

SIXTEENTH SERIES (ALL-NEW SERIES 1) -- FOIL-CARD VARIATIONS

- The original issue (with the gum) showed two different "thicknesses" for the
       the (silver) foil cards: cards with matte backs were thinner than cards
       with glossy backs.
- The second issue (without gum) featured gold-foil cards instead of the silver
       foil of the initial release.

FIRST SERIES (IRISH/BRITISH)-- 41 a/b CARDS PLUS THREE PLANNED a/b VARIATIONS (common variation set is 88 cards)

- 5a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Stupid Student Award"
- 8a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Cheater's License"
- 29a&b - Back is "Checklist" or "Reform School Diploma"

SECOND SERIES (IRISH/BRITISH) -- 42 a/b CARDS PLUS ONE PLANNED a/b VARIATION PLUS ONE a/b DOUBLE PRINT RUN (The first print run was the same as "corrected" U.S. distribution, with the Live Mike puzzle backs and the change to "Fran Fran." Several more "unplanned" variations appeared in the second print run. Including both print runs, the "planned" variation set is 86 cards and the total variation set is 97 cards.)

- 42a&b - Back is "Sneak Award" or "Spaz Award"
- 45a&b was the double print run

- 43a - Back is Completed Puzzle or Puzzle Piece
- 44a - Back is Completed Puzzle or Puzzle Piece
- 46a - Back is Checklist or Puzzle Piece
- 47a - Back is Checklist or Puzzle Piece
- 48a - Back is "Eat" or Puzzle Piece
- 49a - Back is "Hard Knocks" or Puzzle Piece
- 50a - Back is "Eat" or "Big Mouth"
- 51a - Back is "Hard Knocks" or "Phony"
- 52a - Back is "Big Foot" or "Sneak Award"
- 53a - Back is "Rudeness Award" or "Sneak Award"
- 54a - Back is "Rudeness Award" or "Sneak Award"

GIANT STICKERS-- 39 CARDS PLUS ONE PLANNED VARIATION (common variation set is 40 cards)

- 8 - Back is "Most Unlikely to Succeed" or "Most Unpopular Student Award"