You thought my 1936 S&S thread was boring, check out this one on T202 end panels!
 

Ok, let me get this out of the way...hooray for me, I have completed the T202 end panel set. What, people probably think, do collectors pursue just the detached end panels of T202 cards, and actually attempt completing the set? Apparently so. Recently I picked up the Devlin Rustlers variation shown. Of course, being the last card that I needed (and the only card I needed for over a year), I was willing to pay double what I would normally. Thankfully these things typically come dirt cheap, so no 2nd mortgage on the home required. I worked on this set for something close to ten years...hey, these weren't supposed to be detached, and due to the varying amounts of appearances in the regular T202 set, the availability of each of the 144 subjects widely varies too.

Some might call me nutty...I reserve that term to anyone who would pursue a master set of both black and red print backs.

Check out this thread I posted 5 years ago about this 'set': http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...highlight=t202, and check out the scan of some of my set in little plastic sleeves, placed within to keep the little critters from even thinking of searching out and attaching back to their mother ship middle panels.

Brian

I like 'em. But then I like everything. Congrats on the completion. I am not sure I have heard of anyone doing that before, and a master set, no less.

ps. part of the reason I think I like them is their resemblance to T205

Thanks Leon...but I am not one of those who would go after a master set. Them would be nutty people! However, I am 6-10 cards away from an all black print on back set, which are the easier to come by versions.

Brian

Hey Brian,

Cool and original collecting idea.
Congrats on completion.

We really need a Detached End Panel Number Thread.

That's awesome! I collect them too. They're beautiful little cards, and incredible bargains when compared to just about everything else.

Sometimes the best ideas are the ones not expressed.

Brian (Frank made a funny actually)

Chris...you are definitely a candidate (if you haven't already) to check out the thread linked in the original post.

Brian

This is truly great. It’s really not much different from collecting strip cards, just that the panels are still found most often together. Do you need 8 Mathewsons for completion? Or are the backs identical? Or are you not collecting back text/color/cigarette variations?

Great thread!

I have sold a few of the detached panels over the years. I always wondered whether anyone collected all of them. Now I know.
Suppose you are collecting these end panels and you still needed a few to complete your set. Then one day the complete card containing the panel that you are looking for is available for sale. Would you buy the complete card and then detach the panel yourself just to complete your panel set?

A few years back, Brian helped me sell my end-panels - a couple of centers too - through his ebay account. Who knew?!

Thanks, I have never thought of them in strip card terms, but in many ways that is what they are.

For a complete master set you would need 2 Mathewson cards, one with black print on back, and one with red print on back. This would apply for all 144 subjects available (mostly different players, but there are six players that have two different poses, for example Eddie Collins with mouth closed and mouth open, and one player, Devlin, that has a team change on front). 288 cards would make the master set, since there is only one cigarette brand, Mecca, and no factory designations (these are on the center panels of a complete T202 cards). I remember one board member was going after (and nearing) a complete center panel set, but a master set of them would need three of each center panel card: Black Factory 649, Black Factory 30, and Red Factory 30.

Brian

I have been tempted, but never did. I did come close, however, when several years ago I purchased a small group of low condition complete T202 cards that had their end panels separated but had been taped back together. I needed a couple of the end panels, so I felt okay un-taping them.

Brian

Paul speaks the truth...I believe these were part of Paul's extensive Goodie Goldfaden goodies collection.

Brian

'tis the truth. I was a young lad but already steeped in deadball at the age of thirteen in '66 (Hi Public Library:))...just my fascination. I knew who the players were but had yet to see an intact T202 in hand. You could say that Goldfadden foisted them upon me - and that could be true too - but I see it as education.

I don't find them very appealing as singles, but they look nice as a group. Which I suppose has worked well enough for the Rolling Stones all these years.

As Mick and Keith might say while inebriated: Rucker Rowan

Brian (looks like Rowan is already sh**faced)

I think they're way nicer than any of the strip cards, and just as cheap, if you don't mind the fact your card will never get a numerical grade if it's slabbed. For the cost of one graded strip card in nice shape, I picked up all four of these beauties ...

Just wondering.

Do you prefer right end panels or left end panels?

Are certain players "bi" in this regard?

I think most collectors would accept a Ty Cobb no matter what side of the teeter totter he came from.

Brian (I refrained from calling him Bi Cobb)