W513 Strip Cards

[Cozumeleno]

I am working on sets of the W512 and W513 strip cards. While I have noticed no variances in card stock on W512s, I have come across (several times now) a second type of W513.

Standard W513s have pictures that are pastel/lighter in nature. However, there is a second type that has significantly more vibrant color and is printed on a thicker stock. Comparing the two, I'd say that the one is about twice as thick.

The first time I came across them, I initially dismissed them as fakes. But there aren't really players in W513 where forgeries would make much sense. The biggest stars, Ruth and Cobb, are in the earlier W512 set. I then came across another one a few months ago and just now came across a third one that I won in an auction. Further, under a loupe, the print style is the same on both.

The other difference is that when you flip them over, the color of the cardboard is different. The 'regular' W513s seem to have a lighter stock while the thicker ones looks like more 'traditional' brown cardboard if that makes sense. I'm wondering if the thicker ones could have been part of a poster or something. I have not seen any references to these anywhere or even references to fakes or reprints.

Does anyone with W513s know about these two types or the possible origin of one? If you have any W513s in your collection, I'd love to know if you have any of the thicker types and would like to hear your thoughts.

Anson

[Cozumeleno]

Also, here are pictures of the two types I'm talking about. The Delaney is the standard W513.

[Leon]

Hi Anson
Sorry I can't help with your particular question but it doesn't surprise me at all that you have found some on different stock. These shown are from my previous collection. The W572 in the group, which is red, is different than any other I have seen (there are probably others). I think there could be a lot of reasons but running out of paper stock and using another probably makes some sense. Maybe there was a delay in the original stock delivery and they had to substitute the other for a while? The W513s were regular ones. Fun stuff....

[ls7plus]

Hi Anson
Sorry I can't help with your particular question but it doesn't surprise me at all that you have found some on different stock. These shown are from my previous collection. The W572 in the group, which is red, is different than any other I have seen (there are probably others). I think there could be a lot of reasons but running out of paper stock and using another probably makes some sense. Maybe there was a delay in the original stock delivery and they had to substitute the other for a while? The W513s were regular ones. Fun stuff....

+1 as to the many possible reasons for differing stock. Note that the 1928 R315's may be found on white or yellow/gold stock.

Best to all,

Larry

[Cozumeleno]

Nice sheet of W513s - I actually had that same sheet until recently except mine was a little (okay, a lot) worse around the edges. Your thought of them simply using whatever they had available for a few runs makes sense. And what I forgot to mention is that I've actually seen them on a third type that is as thick as the thicker ones but on stock that is even lighter.

I just have a hard time believing they were faked with none of the really big names in that set. I thought they could be part of a poster but the back is like a grainier cardboard type that doesn't match other posters from that era.

[Leon]

Nice sheet of W513s - I actually had that same sheet until recently except mine was a little (okay, a lot) worse around the edges. Your thought of them simply using whatever they had available for a few runs makes sense. And what I forgot to mention is that I've actually seen them on a third type that is as thick as the thicker ones but on stock that is even lighter.

I just have a hard time believing they were faked with none of the really big names in that set. I thought they could be part of a poster but the back is like a grainier cardboard type that doesn't match other posters from that era.

Hey Anson
It's a small world pertaining to the sheet. I know yours is different but I have seen them circulate a fair amount. Just have to have our eyes open.
I am not giving an opinion on yours as I don't know. And maybe it was another set but I know there is a set (maybe more) that has black captions and all known blue captions aren't good. I do think there are a ton of reprints/fakes of all of these in the market today. Good luck with it.

[Cozumeleno]

Haha, I'd actually prefer that they were fakes as I'd at least have some concrete proof of what they were. That was my initial thought but then I saw more of them and wasn't sure. The printing style is what's throwing me off because, under a loupe, they look the same to me.

More digging to be done, I suppose.

[brianp-beme]

Like Leon mentioned, many strip card sets, including W513, appear in a variety of card stocks. Check out these three examples of Rube Benton. Not only do the cards have some color variation on the fronts, but they also have 3 different types of back paper. The one in the center is maybe slightly thicker, using the old sliding a finger over the back side test while lying flat, but definitely nowhere close to twice as thick.

Brian (don't forget to update your Kraken number!)

[Cozumeleno]

Thanks for those scans, Brian. The thicker card I have is similar in color (on the back) to your middle card. I've reviewed the thickness again, though, and it definitely appears to be about twice as thick. I think mine is different because the font is blue. Even in your variations, the font seems pretty dark.

I thought I had saved the picture of the first time I saw one of these but had not thought to look for it. It was actually a card that came in the mail to me and I scanned it but could not find the scan. It had a similar thickness as the Touchstone I've shown here. I sent it back to the seller because I did not think it was legit and he accepted returns. This card has an dark purple ink color in the font, which matches the brim of his hat. I had forgotten all about this card until this discussion prompted me to look for the scan.

Based on the ink colors of yours and the ink color on my Touchstone and this Hendrick, I am inclined to believe these are not authentic. It seems like the authentic ones, while being on a different stock, do not have font color that varies such as these. I am definitely aware that the colors in the pictures can change but don't believe the font colors change.