78 The history of Nike Poster Cards ....per KC....Part 3... Type 4

 

Next we will look at Type 4 since KC assures us that chronologically that was the next type that was produced. 

This is the blank backed grouping so through the decades it has been the most mysterious of the 4 groups. We all knew they belonged in the set but why in the world would anyone issue them without and product code or title ???

Now that this paradox has been explained by KC lets take a look at what type 4 was all about. 

As noted in blog 76 in late 1987 a new director was hired for the retail poster program who chose to use a less costly, thinner paper stock and left off the poster descriptions off entirely (cheaper if you don't have to print on the back ). The posters already lined up, i.e.  Mike Schmidt Superman, Lethal Weapon, Supreme Court II, Mr Barkley & Earth/Mars) were given product numbers 290870 - 290874 continuing where "Ohio Flyer" left off......and thus type 4 was born... 

At this same time (1988) Strange Thoughts (291543) and Hit and Run (291621- 2 poster cards), created by the advertising team in late 1987 were also added to the retail poster list without changing the product codes assigned by the advertising team, thus the 291XXX numbering that has puzzled us collectors for so many years.. 

They then decided to "back fill" the poster code gap and went back to 290811 for Mark Jacksons "Home Town" in 1988 and finishing with 290819 "Cycling the Golden Gate Bridge" 

Again they added advertising poster "Big Guys" 291776 and "Picture of Fitness" (the mysterious female athlete leaning into the Greek Column)  keeping the advertising product numbers. 

Many of these were reprinted in 1989 with descriptions on the back (type 2) when management turned over again in the summer of 1988.

This accounts for  30 different type 4 NPC's  which had subsequent reprint variations. This is all depicted in the revised checklist  printed below for Type 4

TYPE 4  290870 - 290887  (1988)

Type 4 TYPE 4  290811 - 290819  (1988)

TYPE 4 291543 - 291776

**Poster cards not previously shown or discussed or cards that have been redated or renumbered are all shown below.** 

290870 - 290887 have been previously discussed in blogs # 25 - 29. 

290873 Mr Barkley 

"Mr Barkley" was originally issues as a type 4 in 1988 and reissued in 1989 as a type 2

                                                                         

290875 Clark

290875 "Clark" was originally issues as a type 4 in 1988 and reissued in 1989 as a type 2

290876 McGwire 

McGwire was originally issues as a type 4 in 1988 and reissued in 1989 as a type 2

290879 "Ace Of Hearts" 

was issued as a type 4 in 1988 and reissued as a type 2 in 1989 

290881 Wimps Need not Apply 

KC informs us that 881 Wimps Need Not Apply was originally produced as a 7" x 7" blank back type 4 NPC but the poster was withdrawn because one of the wrestlers in the picture was going to loose his NCAA eligibility due to the poster. It was then reissued, with different wrestlers, as a type 2 in 1989 and then reprinted again in 1991 as a type 3

                                                            

290882  "The Ballplayer"

290882 Bo Jacksons "The Ballplayer" was issued blank backed in 1988 and then reprinted in 1989 as a type 2

                                                          

290885 "I Love LA" and 290886 "Hockey Night in California" 

290885 and 290996 Wayne Gretzky's "I Love LA" and "Hockey Night in California" are the same image with different titles issued as a type 4 in 1988 and a type 2 in 1989.  

290887 Serious Hangtime 

290887 "Serious Hangtime was issued blank backed in 1988 and then reprinted in 1989 as a type 2

Type 4 Blank backed NPC 211 - 219 were previously discussed in blog # 25 and 26. The poster cards previously not disclosed are shown below. 

290818 "Cycling"

KC identifies  NPC  290818 as Jeff Pierce.  This was first issued blank backed in 1988 and then miss identified and miss labeled as "Cycling Mark Allen" when reprinted in 1989. It is actually Jeff Pierce winner of the stage 25 of the 1987 tour de France cycling event as we described in blog # 56. 

290819 "Cycling the Golden Gate Bridge" 

The blank backed 290819 "Cycling the Golden Gate Bridge" is now identified as the missing number 290819

" Strange Thoughts" 291543 type 4 and the type 2 variation were discussed in blog # 73

Bo Jacksons "Hit and Run" type 4 and type 2 NPC's  were discussed in blog # 72

291776 , " Big Guys" and the female Athlete on the Greek Column poster 291857 (officially called “Picture of Fitness” by Nike) were discussed in blog #60 although their Nike Numbers were not known. As we pointed out they retained their advertising numbers and were not given numbers that chronologically fit with the rest of the group 4 NPC.