19th Century Baseball Currency

[jerrys]

During the mid-1880 period, when sponsoring tobacco companies’ first inserted baseball cards into their products, trade cards were the most progressive means of consumer product advertising. One of the most effective types of trade cards was the eye-catching baseball currency. The dimensions and thinness are the same as the currency of the day.
Vendors would overprint their ad on the preprinted cards, generally that included a discount for their product. Clothing, shoes/boots and jewelry are products ads mostly found but many other products and services appear on these give-away cards. The earliest cards are dated 1887, latest 1893, all feature portraits of baseball players on the back. Beside baseball, there were other subjects produced on this type format, such as Indians, Boxers, Actors, etc.
Please let us see what you have.
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[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Whoa these are really amazing! Had no idea they existed. Jerry thx for posting!

[jerrys]

Some larger images:

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[petecld]

These are facinating pieces and I am happy to say Heritage has four available in our current auction:

Lot #80030 (https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1887-detroit-wolverines-kc-naylor-andamp-co-baseball-currency-sgc-20-fair-15-very-rare-west-coast-sponsor/a/7200-80030.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515)

Lot #80031 (https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1888-detroit-wolverines-plymouth-rock-pants-co-baseball-currency-sgc-20-fair-15/a/7200-80031.s?ic3=ViewItem-Auction-Open-SearchResults-120115&lotPosition=1|0)

Lot #80032 (https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/1888-detroit-wolverines-jensen-and-larson-baseball-currency-sgc-30-good-2/a/7200-80032.s?ic3=ViewItem-Auction-Open-SearchResults-120115&lotPosition=2|0)

Lot #80033 (https://sports.ha.com/itm/baseball/very-rare-1887-st-louis-browns-the-merchants-baseball-currency-sgc-authentic/a/7200-80033.s?ic3=ViewItem-Auction-Open-SearchResults-120115&lotPosition=3|0)

Bidding has begun.

Peter

[JeremyW]

Not quite 19th century or as visually appealing, but here's a recent pick-up of mine.

[BeanTown]

Nice pickup Jeremy. Love those Obsolete Notes! I'd love to see the Actress note Jerry mentions above. Have never seen that one. Back in the late 90s Bob Lemke did an article in the monthly SCD paper. I have missed place that over the years and would love to find it. It aspired me to start collecting them. Spoke to Bob a couple of years ago and he said SCD never kept back issues or archived them so it's basically lost. If anyone happens to have it I would love to get a copy of the article. The OldCardBoard article is nice to as it's a great reference for the different type of notes.

[BeanTown]

Not sure if people saw the article Jerry did in the April 2018 Vintage Collector Beckett. I would still like to see the actress note which Ive never seen before. I think there will be another article coming out on these notes, in about a year from a different author. Vlack did a great job introducing them in his book "Early North American Advertising Notes".

Shown below is the Beckett article.

[triwak]

My only example. Serves as my "Albert Spalding" HOF card. This one has no advertising on it.

[jerrys]

Hi JC - The reference I made in the 10-30-2017 19th c BBC post was for 'Actors' not 'the Actress note' you mention. I am not aware of an actress appearing on these notes. My reference was the note pictured below that features actor Duncan B. Harrison on the note with John L. Sullivan:

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