Napoleon Lajoie Card for only $13.50?

[Maris61]

http://www.oldcardboard.com/wg/lajoie/lajoier-red.jpg

So I immediately knew that a logical reason of supply & demand was dictating the low prices on this old Napoleon Lajoie card. It's from the 1913 Napoleon Lajoie Card Game by Parker Bros.--and w/ 50 cards (in red or blue) included in each game, it was not surprising that I could find one of these recently for only $13.50, ungraded. I'm interested in learning a little bit more in the way of minutia about this game and these cards. (I'll include some of the more informative links & resources I've found thus far, including a couple of threads from Net54baseball.) One thing I'm curious about is why Parker Bros. stopped using Lajoie's likeness on the cards when subsequent/similar editions of this game were released in years not long after 1913? An issue of copyright/permissions? Also, while I suspect the population count is pretty high on these, I really don't even have a ballpark idea as to print runs. How would I find that info?

Whatever the numbers, I still wonder how much more these would be valued at if instead of Lajoie it was, say, Ruth or Cobb's visage gracing these. . . . Still, I think I prefer that it's old Nap. (There's enough Ruth stuff out there anyway.)

http://www.psacard.com/CardFacts/Hierarchy.aspx?c=3228
http://www.oldcardboard.com/wg/lajoie/lajoie.asp?cardsetID=959
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=114523
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=64830

[drcy]

There's nothing wrong with the cards. They are legitimate and vintage, and Lajoie is a popular player. However, they come from a playing card deck with the backs all having that picture of Lajoie. This means the Lajoie card is plentiful (though with different playing card fronts). Second, playing cards are significantly easier to find in higher grade because they came in protective boxed decks and usually have factory cut rounded corners, so they're cheaper on that front too. That's why the 1913 Our National Game and Polo Ground game cards are easier to find and cheaper in high grade.

I'm clearly not answering your specific questions, just explaining why they single cards are inexpensive, especially in higher grade.

Two positive things about factory cut rounded corner cards is they're harder to deceptively trim and reprints are usually easy to identify due to the different angled/size/shaped corners on most reprints and counterfeits. One giveaway on the Frisch Polo Ground reprints is the corners are rounded distinctly different.

[brianp-beme]

Not necessarily informative, but a cool story. A couple years ago I picked up a complete set of 50 of the Red Lajoie Game cards along with the playing board. It arrived in a non-original but vintage box, and the seller (most likely a non-collector) left a note that he found these cards around 20-25 years ago while "dumpster diving".

I imagine a lot of us (myself included) have actually dreamt of finding some vintage cards in a similiar fashion. Definitely the fact that all fifty cards feature the same player has driven up its availability and diminished its price. It is one heck of a cool Lajoie batting photo, though.

Brian

[Section103]

As everyone has said, supply and demand. Still, I like the pose (esp in blue) and for anyone putting together a HOF collection on a budget, these cards are one heck of a great option.

Even then, $13 is a great price for any example.

[Matvoo]

Cool piece!!!!

[Maris61]

Cool story indeed, brianp-beme!

[Maris61]

Well, it's certainly nice to see that others also appreciate the appeal of this card issue.

And, drcy, I'd completely forgotten about those Polo Ground game cards. It appears you're exactly right about the prevailing higher-grade condition on those. For ex., the PSA estimate as of last year on a 1914 Polo Grounds Ty Cobb in poor condition is only $20 (simply outstanding for someone w/ my odd & thrifty tastes). However, I don't see any indication that such an item & buy can be easily found--for one, b/c I can't find (m)any in poor shape.

[Maris61]

Just in case anyone is curious to read more about Lajoie and this card, I wanted to share this recent post of mine: https://pulpephemera.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/poor-nap-1913-napoleon-lajoie-card-game-red-tint/

[Leon]

Well, it's certainly nice to see that others also appreciate the appeal of this card issue.

And, drcy, I'd completely forgotten about those Polo Ground game cards. It appears you're exactly right about the prevailing higher-grade condition on those. For ex., the PSA estimate as of last year on a 1914 Polo Grounds Ty Cobb in poor condition is only $20 (simply outstanding for someone w/ my odd & thrifty tastes). However, I don't see any indication that such an item & buy can be easily found--for one, b/c I can't find (m)any in poor shape.

I have one of the two different colors of the Lajoie card. At Any given time they are priced all over the place on the bay....edited to add, low grades are a bit more difficult to find!!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313&_nkw=Napoleon+Lajoie+game+card&_sacat=0



.