Posted By:
TBobI have one card of every card in the set and collected it card by card so I have an idea as to rarity and scarceness. First off, the Wagner/Carrigan wrong backs do exist but are not a part of the set, being a printing error with no legitimate purpose other than for curiosity sake. There are other wrong backs out there, including Stovall and Tooley.
I think the factor of allure and popularity must be factored in as there is no other explanation for the scarcity of Joe Wood and Eddie Cicotte as they were printed in the common series (Recruit backs). Now that I have said that, there are certain cards which feature Recruit backs that are listed as very tough in different publications like Speaker and Graham which ARE very tough but other supposed toughies like Wilie and Collins which are not that hard to find. I think the rarity structure for the tough backs (Red Cycle, Broadleaf and Anonymous) which was set up 20-25 years, needs updating and I intend to report my findings and thinking to Bob Lemke for next year's price guide. For example, Downey and Baumann are tougher than Rassmusson and yet you always see Rassmusson listed right behind Ragan and Saier in scarcity tier structures. I have also seen a number of Saiers the last 2 years.
As far as backs go, I know that hypothetically the "other" Anonymous back could appear on every member of the set, and has been reported as such, but the truth is that these backs are very undervalued as I have seen more Napoleon backs the last two years than the supposedly more common "Anonymous" backs.
Well, just my 2 cents. I could go on for hours and hours but good luck to you Tim in your pursuits.
Bob