weird fading on Sears carts

[+RangerG]

I'm real picky when it comes to my labels (I like them in excellent shape). However, something like Actiplaque doesn't bother me as much because it occurred naturally (bad glue). Anyways, almost a third of my Sears labels have strange fading on them. Does anyone else have this? What causes it? Let me explain better -- the fading is in perfect blotches/squares/sections so it puzzles me. I looked through the AA cart scans and several look like mine do, so it makes me think maybe it is the glue or a specific Sears problem and not that the carts' original owner left them out in the sun or something. Check out the cart scan of the Sears Brain Games and you have the exact fading pattern I have on four or five of my carts. If this has been addressed before -- sorry, but the mystery is killing me .

 

Thanks --

RG

[oesii]

I don't have the answer but I have a Sears text Adventure right in front of me and it has the same fading pattern you mentioned, I always thought it looked like sun/light damage. I can't remember if this has been brought up before. Maybe you can coin a new term or something along the lines of 'actiplaque'

[Chris++]

Jeez, you guys need something to do with your time.

 

[King Atari]

Wacky, never seen anything like that.

[Tempest]

I've noticed that myself and I always wondered what caused that. Very odd...

 

Tempest

[+RangerG]

If Tempest agrees, then I am on to something . . . I'm serious I have six carts here (maybe I'll scan them later -- I have to go to teach right now) and they look like that Brain Games one just mine are even more clearly faded. It is especially true on the end lables. What a discovery

[+RangerG]

See pictures (I hope)!

[Tempest]

I've also noticed more on certain titles. For instance, you'll always see Memory Match and Video Chess with that kind of fading.

 

Tempest

[CincYnoTi]

i've always thought sears had poor label printing quality control. it could be that they used low quality ink or paper and it did not absorb well, and therefore poor fading. or they just didn't care if the print sheets had low ink, as long as you could read the game name. i had one sears label that looked like it had a second "ghost" image of the big number on the main label offset. sunlight can cause almost any label to fade, but i don't think sunlight is to blame for so many sears' label problems.

 

how many "bubbled" sears labels have you seen? they sometimes came with a thin plastic coating over the main label, which of course tends to bubble up after time. i've never tried to peel that plastic coating off, but the label would probably look better if i did.

[slapdash]

See pictures (I hope)!

 

Weird... I've noticed the striping effect on end labels before, but not the squares, end label or main label. Very odd!